1549 Travel Guide

The Museo Histórico de Puerto Natales occupies an old building in the town centre, covering the Alacaluf (Kawésqar) indigenous culture, early settlement and ranching history of southwestern Patagonia. Small but dense, it is an ideal warm-up before Torres del Paine.

Puerto Natales is a port town in southern Patagonia, Chile, on the shore of its namesake fjord and the gateway and supply base for Torres del Paine National Park and the glacial front. Cradled by rugged mountains and sapphire waterways, its brightly coloured houses line the bay, and the waterfront promenade frames distant Andean snow peaks; as a hub for trekkers (the 'W' circuit) and drivers, it brims with restaurants, hostels and outfitters. Cruises from the pier push into the fjords in search of dolphins and glaciers, making it both the start of adventure and a gentle harbour to return to.