Overview of Paine River and snow-capped Paine Massif.

Matt Munro

Southern Patagonia

Pounding westerlies, barren seascapes and the ragged spires of Torres del Paine – this is the distilled essence of Patagonia. The provinces of Magallanes and Última Esperanza boast a frontier appeal perhaps only matched by the deep Amazon and remote Alaska. Long before humans arrived on the continent, glaciers chiseled and carved these fine landscapes. Now it's a place for travelers to hatch their greatest adventures, whether hiking through rugged landscapes, seeing penguins by the thousands or horseback riding across the steppe.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

Cementerio Municipal
Punta Arenas
Among South America’s most fascinating cemeteries, with both humble immigrant graves and flashy tombs, like that of wool baron José Menéndez, a scale…
Parque del Estrecho de Magallanes
Southern Patagonia
The historic sites of Puerto Hambre (Port Hunger) and Fuerte Bulnes are the centerpiece of this privately managed park, an excellent introduction to…
Parque Nacional Torres del Paine
Southern Patagonia
Soaring almost vertically more than 2000m above the Patagonian steppe, the granite pillars of Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine) dominate the landscape of…
Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins
Southern Patagonia
Virtually inaccessible, Parque Nacional Bernardo O'Higgins remains an elusive cache of glaciers. It can be entered only by boat. From Puerto Natales, full…
Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos
Southern Patagonia
The thriving Magellanic penguin colonies of Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos on Isla Magdalena and Isla Marta are well worth visiting, particularly if you…
Museo Naval y Marítimo
Punta Arenas
A naval and maritime museum with historical exhibits that include a fine account of the Chilean mission that rescued Sir Ernest Shackleton’s crew from…
Cueva del Milodón
Southern Patagonia
In the 1890s, German pioneer Hermann Eberhard discovered the partial remains of an enormous ground sloth in a cave 24km northwest of Puerto Natales. The…
Museo Regional de Magallanes
Punta Arenas
This opulent mansion testifies to the wealth and power of pioneer sheep farmers in the late 19th century. The well-maintained interior houses a regional…