Fernweh: Home
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    de|en
    All Places & RegionsAll highlightsAbout FernwehFAQPrivacy PolicyImprint
    ExploreTravel GuidesPlan a tripMy tripLast visited
    • Overview
    • Places in the region
    • Food culture
    • Culture
    • Getting around
    • Round trips
    • Nearby
    Magellan and Chilean Antarctic (Magellan Region)

    Chile

    Magellan and Chilean Antarctic (Magellan Region)

    Region

    The Región de Magallanes y Antártica Chilena encompasses the southernmost part of Chile, from the steppe around Punta Arenas to the granite towers of Torres del Paine and the fjords of Tierra del Fuego.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Chile
    7. Magellan and Chilean Antarctic (Magellan Region)
    The Región de Magallanes y Antártica Chilena encompasses the southernmost part of Chile, from the steppe around Punta Arenas to the granite towers of Torres del Paine and the fjords of Tierra del Fuego. Here you travel through vast, sparsely populated landscapes where wind and weather dictate the daily routine. Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales are the two starting points for almost all tours.
    The Región de Magallanes y Antártica Chilena is Chile's southernmost and largest region by area, encompassing the Antarctic territory claimed by Chile. Its landscape ranges from the Andean foothills to glaciers, deep fjords, and the open Patagonian steppe. Its most famous destination is Torres del Paine National Park, with its granite spires, the Grey Glacier, and Lakes Pehoé and Nordenskjöld. In the regional capital, Punta Arenas, on the Strait of Magellan, city palaces and the cemetery tell of the wealth from the sheep farming era. From here, boats depart for the penguin colony on Isla Magdalena, and ferries travel to Tierra del Fuego. The main travel season is between October and April, when the days are long and most accommodations and park trails are open.
    National Park Torres del Paine

    Place 1 of 4

    National Park Torres del Paine

    Torres del Paine in southern Chile is one of Patagonia's most famous national parks: granite towers, glaciers, and turquoise lakes are concentrated here. You can hike multi-day treks like the W and O, or go on day hikes to viewpoints such as Base Torres.

    Discover
    Puerto Natales

    Place 2 of 4

    Puerto Natales

    Puerto Natales, which lies on Fjord Última Esperanza, is the main gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. This small town developed in the early 20th century around sheep farming and cold stores, and today lives primarily from tourism.

    Discover
    Punta Arenas

    Place 3 of 4

    Punta Arenas

    Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan is the largest city in southern Chile and a starting point for penguin tours, Tierra del Fuego, and Torres del Paine.

    Discover
    Tierra del Fuego (Chilean part)
    Gillermo Adolfo / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0

    Place 4 of 4

    Tierra del Fuego (Chilean part)

    Chilean Tierra del Fuego covers the west of the large island south of the Strait of Magellan. Open steppe, bays, bogs, and dense southern forests define the sparsely populated landscape.

    Discover

    Sights in Magellan and Chilean Antarctic (Magellan Region)

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Museo Maggiorino Borgatello

    Museo Maggiorino Borgatello

    The museum, founded by the Salesians in 1893 on Avenida Bulnes in Punta Arenas, displays collections on the indigenous peoples of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, including Selk'nam, Yámana, Kawésqar, and Aonikenk. It also has departments on natural history and the settlement of the Magallanes region.
    Open in Google Maps
    Cemetery of Punta Arenas

    Cemetery of Punta Arenas

    The Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun, northeast of Punta Arenas city center, is protected as a Monumento Histórico. Among meticulously trimmed cypress avenues stand the mausoleums of the pioneer and immigrant families who became wealthy through sheep farming and trade, including that of the Braun Menéndez family.
    Open in Google Maps
    Lord Lonsdale

    Lord Lonsdale

    The rusty steel hull of the Lord Lonsdale, built in 1899, lies on the shore of the Strait of Magellan south of Punta Arenas city center. The ship caught fire in 1909 in Stanley Harbour on the Falkland Islands and was then sold to the trading company Braun & Blanchard, who abandoned it in Punta Arenas. A plaque dedicates the wreck to sailors of all nations.
    Open in Google Maps
    Remembrance Museum

    Remembrance Museum

    Founded in 1969, the Open-Air Museum of the Instituto de la Patagonia (now part of the University of Magallanes) is located approximately 4 km northeast of downtown Punta Arenas on Avenida Bulnes. Carriages, traction engines, agricultural machinery, and reconstructed pioneer houses showcase the daily life of settlers between 1880 and 1950.
    Open in Google Maps
    Fuerte Bulnes
    Museum

    Fuerte Bulnes

    Chile founded the fort at Punta Santa Ana in 1843 to secure its claim to the Strait of Magellan. By 1848, the settlement had moved to Punta Arenas. The current site is a 1943 reconstruction and is part of the Parque del Estrecho de Magallanes, which features a museum, hiking trails, and views over the strait.
    Open in Google Maps
    Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument
    Natural Feature

    Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument

    In the large cave, researchers found fur and bones of the Mylodon, an extinct giant sloth, at the end of the 19th century. A circular path leads through the Cueva Grande to smaller caves and rock formations; a life-sized replica of the animal stands at the entrance. The cave is located on the way from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine.
    Open in Google Maps

    Food & Drink in Magallanes

    The region's cuisine thrives on steppe lamb and seafood from the Magellan Strait and the fjords.

    Magallanes-style lamb

    Lamb from the Patagonian Steppe, traditionally asado al palo, skewered and slow-cooked for hours over an open fire. On estancias and in many regional restaurants, it's the classic celebratory dish.

    Centolla

    The King Crab from the cold southern waters is served baked as Chupe de centolla, plain with lemon, or in salads. In Punta Arenas, you can find it, among other places, in the small eateries of the Mercado Municipal.

    Calafate

    The dark blue berry of a thorny shrub grows everywhere in Patagonia. You'll find it in jams, ice cream, cakes, and Calafate Sour, a regional variant of Pisco Sour. According to legend, whoever eats Calafate will return.

    Cerveza Austral

    The brewery in Punta Arenas dates back to German master brewer José Fischer, who founded it in 1896. Its beer is widespread throughout the region and is now distributed nationwide.

    Culture, Art and History in Magallanes

    Indigenous Peoples and European ArrivalLong before the Europeans, the region was home to the nomadic sea peoples Kawésqar and Yámana, as well as the land hunters Selk'nam and Aónikenk. Their heritage is preserved today primarily in museums, such as the Museo Maggiorino Borgatello in Punta Arenas. European contact began with Ferdinand Magellan's passage in 1520, but permanent settlement was only initiated by the Chilean occupation in the 19th century and the founding of Punta Arenas as a penal colony in 1848.Sheep Farming and ImmigrationThe sheep farming boom from the late 19th century attracted immigrants from Croatia, Spain, Great Britain, and other European countries. Large estancias and cold storage facilities like the Frigorífico Bories near Puerto Natales shaped the economy and society. For the indigenous peoples, this era meant displacement and persecution, a chapter that the region's museums are increasingly presenting openly.In Punta Arenas, city palaces like the Palacio Sara Braun and the mausoleums of the municipal cemetery bear witness to the prosperity of that time. The regional cuisine, with fire-roasted lamb and king crab, reflects life between the steppe and the sea.

    Traveling in the Magallanes Region

    Getting There and DistancesMost travellers reach the region by flying into Punta Arenas, whose airport is located about 20 km north of the city. During the summer season, there are also flights to Puerto Natales. Distances are significant: Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales are about 250 km apart, and from there it's another two-hour drive to Torres del Paine National Park.Bus, Ferry, and Car RentalBus: Several companies connect Punta Arenas with Puerto Natales daily. Some buses stop at the airport; you should confirm this when purchasing your ticket.Ferry: The Transbordadora Austral Broom operates daily from Punta Arenas to Porvenir on Tierra del Fuego. Further north, a short ferry crosses the Strait of Magellan at Primera Angostura between Punta Delgada and Bahía Azul. Once a week, a ship sails to Puerto Williams.Car Rental: For estancias, Tierra del Fuego, and remote viewpoints, a car offers the most flexibility. Many secondary roads are gravel, petrol stations are far apart, and the wind can make driving challenging.

    Round trips through this region

    Leisurely Patagonia

    Leisurely Patagonia

    You start in Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan and, after two nights, travel about three hours by bus or rental car to Puerto Natales. From there, you can reach Torres del Paine National Park as a day trip, entirely without a multi-day trekking tour. You buy the park ticket online in advance via pasesparques.cl.

    6 Days
    2 stops

    Nearby

    Puerto Natales

    Puerto Natales

    Puerto Natales, which lies on Fjord Última Esperanza, is the main gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. This small town developed in the early 20th century around sheep farming and cold stores, and today lives primarily from tourism. Colorful wooden houses, a waterfront promenade, and many outfitters shape its center.
    National Park Torres del Paine

    National Park Torres del Paine

    Torres del Paine in southern Chile is one of Patagonia's most famous national parks: granite towers, glaciers, and turquoise lakes are concentrated here. You can hike multi-day treks like the W and O, or go on day hikes to viewpoints such as Base Torres. The park is located about 110 km north of Puerto Natales, protecting the Paine-Massif with its Torres and Cuernos peaks, as well as glaciers of the South Patagonian Ice Field.
    Punta Arenas

    Punta Arenas

    Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan is the largest city in southern Chile and a starting point for penguin tours, Tierra del Fuego, and Torres del Paine. City palaces, museums, and a cemetery with cypress-lined avenues tell of the wealth from the sheep farming era around 1900. The capital of the Magallanes Region is also an important port for ships heading to Antarctica.

    El Calafate

    El Calafate is located on the southern shore of Lago Argentino, Argentina's largest lake, between dry, windy steppe and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. This compact town is the most important base for the Perito Moreno Glacier, about 80 kilometers to the west, and for boat trips to the Upsala and Spegazzini glaciers, which depart from Punta Bandera port, about 47 kilometers outside.On the edge of town is the Laguna Nimez Bird Sanctuary, with flamingos and black-necked swans; a few kilometers outside, the Glaciarium exhibition center explains the world of ice. The airport is located about 20 kilometers to the east and offers connections to Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. Intercity buses travel in about three hours to El Chaltén and in five to six hours to Chilean Puerto Natales. Stock up here before continuing to El Chaltén: the supermarkets are better stocked and more affordable.
    Perito Moreno Glacier

    Perito Moreno Glacier

    The Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park is one of the world's most accessible glaciers. Its ice front rises about 70 meters above Lago Argentino; ice blocks frequently calve into the water with a thunderous roar. Unlike most glaciers worldwide, it has long been largely in equilibrium. Occasionally, it advances to the shore of the Magallanes Peninsula, damming the Brazo Rico until the water breaks through the ice dam.Opposite the ice front, several kilometers of boardwalks offer circular routes of varying length and difficulty; plan at least two to three hours for this. Additionally, there are boat trips in front of the ice wall and guided hikes with crampons on the glacier, which you should book in advance. The National Park charges an entrance fee (50,000 Pesos for foreign visitors from June 2026), which is not included in any tour. From El Calafate, it's about 80 kilometers on a paved road.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Pexels. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI