Ultimate Itinerary For 1 Day In Puerto Natales, Chile 2026

Nestled on the edge of Chilean Patagonia, Puerto Natales is more than just a gateway to infamous Torres del Paine National Park – it’s a destination with its own interesting history, breathtaking scenery and delicious dishes.

Whether you’re just passing through or planning a dedicated visit, in this blog I’ll be sharing my ultimate itinerary for one day in Puerto Natales. Featuring the must-see spots, hidden gems, tastiest restaurants and cosiest stays.

Read on from the top for all the details or use the options below to jump to the sections you’re most interested in. Let’s go!

1. Is Puerto Natales worth visiting & is one day enough?
2. How to get to & around Puerto Natales
3. Best time to visit Puerto Natales
4. Best things to see & do
5. Best places to eat & drink
6. Best places to stay
7. What to pack & know before you go
8. How much a trip to Puerto Natales costs

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links, so if you do make a purchase through them I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Puerto Natales at a glance:

• Best mid-range hotel
• Most incredible gaucho-guided horse riding tour
• Easiest Chile e-SIM
• Find the cheapest flights to Puerto Natales

Is Puerto Natales worth visiting & is one day enough?

Now before we get into the full itinerary, you’re probably wondering if Puerto Natales is actually worth visiting. To be honest, I would say unless you’re travelling through the city on your way to Torres del Paine National Park, Puerto Natales isn’t a must-visit.

On it’s own it’s a pretty small and pleasant city with a few sights but it mainly serves as a tourist hub for access into Patagonia. With that in mind, if you’re looking for authentic travel experiences, lots of local culture and history then it might not be the place for you. Instead consider Ushuaia or El Calafate.

But if you are heading to Torres del Paine and want to break up your journey, Puerto Natales is perfect. With lots of cosy coffee shops, some great restaurants and a couple of excellent half-day treks you can easily spend a lovely rest day in the city.

With that in mind, I think one day is all you need in Puerto Natales. You’ll be able to see all the main sights, head out on a shorter hike and still be back in time for a great dinner!

How to get to & around Puerto Natales

Now you know whether Puerto Natales is right for you, let’s talk transport. Parts of Patagonia can be notoriously difficult to get to but thankfully when it comes to Puerto Natales, it’s not quite so tough! With its own airport and lots of transport links, getting here is a little easier – let’s look at the options.

By air: If you’re travelling from Santiago or Puerto Montt then the easiest (and most scenic) way to get to Puerto Natales is definitely by flying. These are the only two direct routes into Puerto Natales airport which is just 7km northwest of the city. From Santiago, the flight time is around 3 hours and tickets start from £40. From Puerto Montt, the flight is 2 hours and tickets start at £35. The main carrier for these routes is Sky Airline and we found the service to be great – the pilot even gave us a guided tour of the incredible views we could see out of the window!

Find the best prices for your flight to Puerto Natales here by using Booking.com.

TOP TIP: If you’re flying into Puerto Natales, choose a seat on the left side of the plane for the best view you’ll ever see of Torres del Paine. On your departure flight, sit on the right side and hope for clear skies for a breathtaking view of these majestic granite towers from above!

By bus: If you’re travelling from other parts of Chile or across from Argentina like I was then you’ll need to take a bus. The most common routes are:

El Calafate, Argentina to Puerto Natales: This is the main hub to travel from Argentine Patagonia into Chile and the journey takes around 5 hours. During the journey, you’ll cross the border and go through security. This is a lot easier on one of the main buses than travelling on your own as everyone will go through together. There can be some waiting around here so bear that in mind but the process is usually really easy. You’ll just need to put your bags through an x-ray and have your passport checked. Then you’re back on your way!

The buses on this route are also really comfortable and the main operators like Bus-Sur and Turismo Zaahj are super experienced so everything is usually seamless. On our Bus-Sur ride we even got complimentary coffee and chocolate bars!

Book your bus tickets from El Calafate to Puerto Natales in advance here.

GOOD TO KNOW: Border control on the Chilean side are quite strict about bringing fresh fruit, vegetables and produce in so make sure you’ve eaten anything you have before they confiscate it (and probably tell you off). Anything pre-packaged is okay so you can keep crackers, biscuits etc. so long as they’re not open. They will also send sniffer dogs into the bus to check so it’s not worth trying to hide anything! 😂

Punta Arenas, Chile to Puerto Natales: From southern Chile, the best bus route into Puerto Natales is from Punta Arenas which has its own international airport connecting other parts of Chile and Argentina. From Punta Arenas, the bus journey is around 3 hours and the main provider is Bus-Sur who offer really comfy buses with on-board toilets and often free coffee and snacks. Plus, you’ll get incredible views of the Patagonian steppe and guanaco-spotting opportunities as you go!

Book your bus tickets from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales in advance here.

TOP TIP: Do try and book your bus tickets for either route in advance. There are only a couple of services each day and they do fill up in peak season. So if you do need to travel on a specific schedule, make sure you’ve reserved your spot!

By car: If you don’t fancy the bus, of course you can also hire a car to drive yourself to Puerto Natales. I would just say unless you’re used to driving long distances it’s probably not going to be that much fun. The drive time is long and some of the roads are just open empty plains for miles so if you run into any car troubles it could be difficult to get help. On the comfy buses, you don’t have to worry, you can just sit back and enjoy the views.

By private transfer: Likewise, you could also hire a private transfer to take you from Punta Arenas or El Calafate but to be honest it’s not great value for money. It won’t be that much easier or faster than getting the bus, you’ll just pay more for it. So save your travel cash and hop on the bus.

Once you arrive in Puerto Natales, as it is relatively small city you can get to most of the major sights on foot. But if you do plan to head out to a couple of the hikes mentioned in this itinerary then you’ll need to take transport. For that you have two options…

Taxi: The easiest choice for just one or two journeys from the airport and to the hike trail head is to take a taxi. There is Uber in the city (although not that many) so you may be able to book a driver that way. Alternatively, your accommodation can easily call you a cab or you can call a local provider. Taxis are pretty reasonably priced, just make sure you agree the fare in advance to avoid a tourist inflation and only ever get in licensed taxis.

Rental car: If you’d rather have more control over your journeys and plan to stay in Puerto Natales a little longer then it could be worth hiring your own car.

You can find and book your car rental through Booking.com for the best prices. One day rentals start at around £50.

Best time to visit Puerto Natales

As you can see from the table below, the weather in Puerto Natales does change quite a bit throughout the year. Which is why like most of Patagonia, the most popular time to visit is in the summer from November to February. Within these months you have the best chance of mild and sunny days.

However, as this is such a popular time, the small city can get quite crowded during those months and the prices rise. Which is why I would actually say the best time to visit is the shoulder seasons – either spring from September to November or autumn from March to May. You’ll still dodge the coldest weather but also the rain and crowds. I visited in September and found we had more of the hiking trails to ourselves!

GOOD TO KNOW: Just be mindful that if you are continuing on to do the O trek in Torres del Paine, you’ll need to travel in October when the route reopens for the season. The W trek is safe to walk from September onwards until April, although there may still be a little snow.

One other thing to consider when choosing when to visit Puerto Natales is the Patagonia Marathon. This event takes place every year in early September (in 2025 it’s on the 6th September) and most of the participants stay in Puerto Natales. That means not only is the city packed with runners so there’s less accommodation choice but the prices rise too. We actually made this mistake and arrived unknowingly in the city the night before the race. Needless to say our hostel was full, there was running kit everywhere and all participants were up at 5am to head off to the start. So if you’re not there for the race, steer clear for a more peaceful trip! 😂

Month	Average High Temperature	Average Low Temperature	Average No. Rainy Days
January	14°C	9°C	16 days
February	15°C	10°C	13 days
March	14°C	9°C	15 days
April	12°C	5°C	13 days
May	8°C	2°C	12 days
June	7°C	2°C	12 days
July	6°C	1°C	12 days
August	6°C	1°C	12 days
September	9°C	3°C	12 days
October	12°C	6°C	13 days
November	12°C	8°C	15 days
December	13°C	9°C	16 days

Best things to see & do

Now it’s time for the fun stuff! Here are the sights and activities I’d recommend doing during your stay in Puerto Natales.

Stroll the waterfront to spot famous sights & sculptures

First things first, no trip to Puerto Natales is complete without strolling the city’s waterfront for those iconic views. Along the way, there are various sculptures and sights to keep an eye out for. Here’s what to spot walking north to south.

Monumento al Milodón

You’ll find the first sculpture here marking the entrance to the city and welcoming visitors. What you might be surprised to see is that this sculpture is of a dinosaur… But for Puerto Natales, it all makes sense as just 24km away in a huge natural cave, the fossilised remains of the Milodón were found in 1893.

The Milodón was a mammal that became extinct 10,000 years ago. It was a large animal related to armadillos, anteaters, and modern-day sloths that inhabited the grasslands of southern Chile and Argentina. It’s this local marvel that sculptor, Harold Krussel Johansen used as his inspiration for this giant bronze likeness.

MILODÓN CAVE TOURS: If this local history has piqued your interest, there are tours you can take to visit the actual cave where the Milodón remains were found. These day trips usually combine a visit to Torres del Paine with the Milodón Cave so it’s a great option if you wanted to see both with a guide. You can find and book the best tours here. You could also drive or take a taxi to the cave to explore on your own. Just note entrance to the cave park is around £10.

La Mano

Just 100m further on you’ll come to the next sculpture that overlooks the bay. This is La Mano or ‘The Hand’ in English and was created by Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal. It’s designed to remind visitors of humanity’s crucial connection to the environment and the challenges of inhabiting Patagonia’s remote landscapes.

The hand appears to rise right in front of the snow-capped mountains across the sound which not only makes for a stunning sight, but beautiful photos too. So take some time here to enjoy the artwork and consider the artist’s message.

Muelle Historico

A little further south you’ll come to what is probably the most iconic view of Puerto Natales. This is the Muelle Historico (Historic Pier) which was built in the early 1900s when sheep and cattle farmers used it to bring goods in and out of the city. After a disagreement with workers and the ranch owners, a protest developed that lead to the burning of many of the local factory buildings as well as the pier.

But despite it’s charred appearance, the pier was never removed and has remained as a monument to the people and history of Puerto Natales. Today, it makes a brilliant photo spot!

Monumento al Viento

Further along the waterfront, you’ll find the beautiful sculpture, Monumento al Viento (Monument to the Wind). This more modern artwork was created by Marcela Romagnoli in 2012 to celebrate the city’s 101st anniversary. It features two people flying in the breeze and looks especially moving around dawn and dusk with the golden light over the bay.

Learn about local history at the municipal museum

To learn more about the history of Puerto Natales, both in recent decades and pre-colonisation, head to the municipal museum. The space was opened in 1990 to help explain the role the city played in trading and farming in the last 200 years as well as artefacts from native Kaweshkar and Aonikenk cultures.

While it may be a small museum, there is quite a lot to see so it’s worth stopping by to better understand this remote outpost and how it’s developed. The museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and on Saturdays from 3pm to 7pm. Entrance is $2,000 CLP (about £1.60).

Take a gin distillery and tasting tour at Last Hope Distillery

After a morning of history and exploration, you might be ready to relax a little. For that, head to Last Hope Distillery, the home of Last Hope Gin which is created with the finest local ingredients and infused with the flavours of Patagonia from Calafate and Maqui berries to local lemon verbena and traditional Yerba Mate.

Stop by their bar to try one of their gin cocktails for yourself or visit around 5:30pm for a free distillery tour. For something a little more hands on, consider joining one of their Gin Labs where you’ll get to make and bottle your very own gin. Learn more and book your place here.

GOOD TO KNOW: Their opening hours do vary between the high and low seasons so just be sure to check their latest opening hours before you visit here.

Hike to Mirador Dorotea for sweeping views

If you want to get a better view of the area or start preparing for your Torres del Paine treks, a great afternoon hike to take is to Mirador Dorotea. This is a rocky viewpoint offering 360 degree views of Puerto Natales and the sound.

The hike starts from the gate which is marked on Google Maps here and is a pretty steep climb for about an hour to reach the top. As you cross the first field, you’ll enter private land and be asked to pay $5,000 CLP (around £4) each to enter so make sure you have this in cash. After constant uphill, your efforts will be rewarded as you open out onto the rock and see the stunning views. Then expect to spend around an hour navigating back down the trail to make this a two hour round hike.

To get to the trail head, you’ll need to drive or take a taxi the 10 minute journey outside the city. On the return, either pre-book or organise a taxi to pick you up at a specific time or you can try to hitch hike. Of course, please exercise regular safety precautions if you do decide to hitch hike like letting someone know where you are, trusting your instincts if something seems off and where possible, travelling in a group.

HORSE RIDING TOUR: If you’d rather seize the chance to ride to this viewpoint with a real gaucho, you can also take a horse riding tour of Mirador Dorotea with a guide (and enjoy pick up and drop off from your accommodation too). Book your place with GetYourGuide here.

Hike to blue Laguna Sofia & spot condors

If you’re craving a hike longer than two hours and want the chance to spot some of Patagonia’s most famous residents – condors, then choose a half day hike to Laguna Sofia. This is a beautiful bright blue lake with the towers of Torres del Paine looming in the background. Here you can take on a hike to Cerro Benitez – the main viewpoint providing these epic vistas.

Getting to Cerro Benitez is an up and back trek through lowland forest and moss before you start to climb up through layers of rock to the top of the cliff. Just prepare for this to be pretty windy, which is why condors love it! As their wingspan is up to three metres long, they prefer stronger gusts to easily fly. As you hike, you might get lucky and spot them flying in and out of nests and perches in the rock face. Trust me, there’s no mistaking a condor when you see one as they’re so huge!

The whole hike should take around three hours and getting to the start isn’t too tough. The lake is around 30 minutes from Puerto Natales so you’ll need to drive or take a taxi to get there. Right beside the lake there’s also a small beachy area which is a nice spot to relax and take it all in.

Shop for locally made handicrafts

Lastly, I always like picking up a locally made souvenir as a reminder of my travels and Puerto Natales has some brilliant shops. If you’re the same then wrap up your day browsing locally made crafts in shops like La Tehuelche and Factoria Tienda de Souvenirs.

Best places to eat & drink

To fuel your day of exploring in Puerto Natales (and probably prepare for more trekking in Torres del Paine National Park), you need the best food and drink. Here are my top spots for everything from coffee and pastries to traditional local dinners and wood-fired pizza!

Dina’s Food & Breakfast

For the best breakfast in town, choose Dina’s. Here you’ll find a lovely cosy welcoming café serving some of the best waffles, pancakes, french toast and savoury dishes to start your day. For a caffeine hit, their coffee is also great and there’s also an extensive milkshake and juice menu to satisfy all cravings. With all 5* reviews – you can’t go wrong!

Kau Café & Lounge

For a more relaxed waterfront spot for a mid-morning coffee and slice of cake, choose Kau. This place is perfectly positioned looking out at the bay with comfy sofas and cosy seating options to escape from bad weather or spend a couple of hours doing some trip planning. We ended up here a couple of times during our two trips to Puerto Natales when we got stuck in sudden downpours. What’s also great is the staff are pretty relaxed about laptops and staying longer to do a little work or trip planning so you don’t need to worry about hurrying off. Of course, just be respectful if the place does get busy but while we were there it was always quite quiet!

Holaste! Specialty Coffee

For the best coffee in the city, head to award-winning Holaste!. This is a beautiful airy and fresh space with some of the most experienced baristas on the continent let alone the city. Enjoy your excellent quality coffee with one of their warm freshly baked cookies for the ultimate experience.

Artisan Gelateria Aluen

For the best gelato in town, choose Gelateria Aluen. Here you’ll find traditional Italian flavours like pistachio and chocolate alongside local influences like calafate berry and dulce de leche.

La Guanaca

When it comes to lunch and dinner, one of our favourite places was La Guanaca. In their cosy cabin-style restaurant you’ll find some of the best wood-fired pizza and freshly made pasta in the city. With great toppings and friendly service, you can’t go wrong and we ended up going back twice!

Just note, it does fill up so be sure to arrive earlier to get a table.

Baguales Brewpub

For the best beer and bar snacks, choose Baguales. Here they brew their own range of beers that you can enjoy in their popular brewpub. Order a flight to taste them all while you soak up the fun feel-good atmosphere.

If you get hungry, they also offer burgers, chicken wings, chips and other comfort food to complete the experience!

La Disqueria Restaurant

For something a little more fancy, head to La Disqueria. Here you’ll find some of the best local fish and seafood dishes including iconic king crab. With more sophisticated presentation and attention to detail, expect gourmet flavours for really reasonable prices.

Best places to stay

As Puerto Natales is the main gateway city to Torres del Paine National Park, there’s often a lot of people who need a place to stay on their way through. Which is why the town has a surprising amount of accommodation from budget dorm beds and affordable self-catered apartments, to boutique hotels and luxury resorts. Here are my top picks for every budget…

Budget: Hostel Kuntur (dorm beds from £23 per night including breakfast)

For travellers on a tight budget, choose Hostel Kuntur. Their dorm rooms are super comfortable and sparkling clean with brand new bathrooms, a well stocked shared kitchen and delicious breakfast included.

Just a 10 minute walk from the centre of the city, this welcoming space offers a peaceful escape with easy access to the best cafés and restaurants. It’s where I wish I stayed instead of Hostel Last Hope…

A note on Hostel Last Hope: Like us, when you’re searching for the best hostel in the city, you’ll probably come across Hostel Last Hope. With seemingly excellent reviews on Hostelworld, thousands of guests and pretty-looking pictures you’d probably think okay this looks like a great spot… That’s what I thought as we stayed at this hostel for a night before we headed into the national park. We turned up and couldn’t even get into the place or contact anyone for about 20 minutes. Eventually the owner (and seemingly only staff member) turned up to let us in and didn’t seem bothered at all. The dorm rooms are tiny with one small window, the bunk beds are crammed in and the bathrooms were not the cleanest. I’ve stayed in so many great hostels all over the world but unfortunately this was not one of them and I actually had the worst night’s sleep. So, with so many options in Puerto Natales, unless you’re set on staying here, I’d really recommend heading elsewhere.

Mid-range: Origenes Apartments (from £50 per night)

For a little more privacy and your own space, choose Origenes Apartments. These studio apartments are modern, bright and airy with their own kitchen, bathroom, dining area, bed space and spots to lounge after a long day of exploring.

Just 10 minutes walk away from the centre of town, you can enjoy this really reasonably priced stay while still being close to all the major sights.

Luxury: Loft By Toore Patagonia (from £55 per night)

For some of the best views to wake up to and a position right on the water, choose Loft By Toore Patagonia. These modern and luxurious apartments have everything you need for the perfect stay. Cook an intimate dinner in your own mini kitchen, watch sunset over the bay and then wake to enjoy breakfast after a great night’s sleep on the plushest bedding.

The reviews for this place speak for themselves, so if you can splurge a little, it’ll be worth it!

Ultra luxury: The Singular (from £398 per night including breakfast)

Now I don’t usually include accommodation that’s over about £150 per night as I’m generally just a budget to mid-range traveller. However, I thought I’d include this special spot if you are looking for a once in a lifetime stay or you’re travelling to Patagonia to celebrate a big birthday or honeymoon and want to feel truly spoilt.

This is The Singular – named as there is no hotel that can rival it in the area, it is singularly incredible. The hotel is actually located in an old meat factory which might not sound all that luxurious but what they’ve done with the space is beautiful. By retaining all the historic features they’ve kept the charm of the building and added a modern twist with large windows looking out onto the bay and architectural details.

With indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna and wellness centre there’s plenty of opportunities to relax. Plus, each room has it’s own en suite bathroom with a full bath tub and shower for soaking after a long day of exploring. The on-site bar and restaurant are also not to be missed serving some of the best quality food and drink in the region. Simply put, choose The Singular for a stay you won’t forget!

What to pack & know before you go

As with any new destination, there are always things it’s good to know in advance so you can prepare for the best trip. Here are my packing tips and inside tricks…

Wrap up for windy days: When you’re thinking about what to pack, one of the main things to know about Patagonia is – it’s incredibly windy. Now you might be thinking okay what’s a little wind gonna do… Well one day the wind actually pushed me over. So don’t underestimate the power of those Patagonian gusts! With that in mind, even if you’re travelling during summer the wind can make it feel a lot cooler. So pack light layers you can add to lock in warmth as well as a windproof jacket like a waterproof or soft shell.

Don’t forget sun protection: When the days are cooler (and probably windier), it’s natural to think you don’t need to worry about getting burned. But actually the UV is quite a lot higher in Patagonia as there are holes in the ozone layer above the region. That combined with clear skies means you can get sun damage in minutes. So, whenever you head outside slap on the SPF, wear a hat and sunglasses and consider wearing longer tops to keep your arms protected.

A little Spanish goes a long way: Like most of South America, the national language of Chile is Spanish and although Puerto Natales is primarily a tourist town it can help to know a few phrases. Even if it’s just “hello” (hola), “thank you” (gracias) and the numbers to 10, these small gestures are always appreciated and can help you when making bookings or buying food. I love Duolingo as an easy and fun way to learn the basics.

Stray dogs are common (and usually harmless): Lastly, again through much of Patagonia you’ll find stray dogs. They’re generally pretty friendly and just want to see if you have any food so don’t be alarmed if they start following you. At one point in Puerto Natales we had about 6 dogs following us at once. As long as you don’t give them anything, they’ll eventually get bored and move onto someone else. Rabies is super rare in Patagonia so the chances of encountering a rabid dog are almost zero during a short trip.

How much a trip to Puerto Natales costs

That leaves one final question – how much do you need to budget for your trip? While Patagonia is famously not a cheap destination, there are easy ways to bring the cost down. So if you are on a tight budget, expect to spend as little as £40 on one day in Puerto Natales including a dorm bed, groceries to cook your own meals and coffee out.

If you want to stay in a private apartment or hotel and enjoy more meals out and day hikes, expect to spend £80 or more.

That’s a wrap! Those were my ultimate tried and tested tips for the best experience in Puerto Natales. I hope you enjoy your time in this quirky city and continue on your travels into incredible Torres del Paine National Park. If you have any questions, comments or tips of your own, please leave them in the comments box below. Happy travelling!

Did you find this guide helpful? Please consider buying me a coffee to support my blog, thank you!