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.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Historic cemetery.

    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

    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…

  • Dawn with moon at the Torres del Paine massif at Lake Lago Pehoe, National Park Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

    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…

  • Tourists on a exploration cruise approaching the Balmaceda glacier on the Last Hope Sound, Bernardo O Higgins National Park, Patagonia, Chile.

    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…

  • Single Magellanic penguin at Isla Magdalena.

    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…

  • Ship bridge replica in the Naval and Maritime Museum.

    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

    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

    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…

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Badlands National Park

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