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There is a lot to see around Punta Arenas and most of it can be done as day trips from town. This is a fantastic spot to learn about the Native peoples who lived in Patagonia for thousands of years, European sailing expeditions in the 1500s, early attempts at colonization, naval history and modern Chilean history. While penguins and whales are a big draw, take the time to see more near Punta Arenas. There are many more amazing places, so plant a few days to see the sights around Punta Arenas. Most of these are easier to access if you have a car.

Fuerte Bulnes was founded October 30, 1843 during the presidency of Manuel Bulnes Prieto. The fort’s history begins with British sailor John Williams Wilson, who changed his name to Juan Guillermos when he immigrated to Chile. He was tasked with building a fort to establish Chilean control of the Strait of Magellan. The fort was destroyed a few years later and not reconstructed until its centennial celebration in 1943.

The fort is only 57km (34 miles) south of Punta Arenas, which takes about an hour driving. The road is paved and in good condition, but people don’t drive fast around there. 52km from Punta Arenas is a roundabout where you turn off for either Fuerte Bulnes or Puerto Hambre.

Pali Aike National Park

This is one of the least-visited national parks near Punta Arenas, but well worth your time. It has three lava flows, the oldest from about 10 million years ago and the most recent from about 10,000 years ago. There’s a cave in the largest crater from the oldest flow that has evidence of human habitation about 10,000 years ago. The cave has a great view of the newer lava flow and I like to imagine that people stood right where I did, watching the earth open up and lava flow out. Of course, carbon dating isn’t that exact and people could have arrived there a few hundred years later, or even ten years later. The white line painted on the cave walls is where the ground was when scientists started to excavate the cave, taking all the artifacts to museums in Chile.

It’s a two and a half hour drive from Punta Arenas and I recommend going with your own car so you can control how much time you spend at each place in the park.

Magallanes National Reserve

So close to town that you can go there in a taxi (600 pesos), this reserve has a well maintained hiking trail and several view points that look out over the Strait of Magellan. The park entry fee is high for what you get, but it’s still a nice place for a walk in the forest.

Recommended guides

For boat tours of glaciers in Tierra del Fuego, contact Viejo Lobo de Mar Expediciones on Instagram or vldmexpediciones@gmail.com

For personalized tours, contact KaNaturaleza kanaturaleza@gmail.com or WhatsApp+56923960855

KaNaturaleza owners Katalina Carretta & Ignacio Carrasco have three Instagram accounts @katarukinka @nachoexplorador@kanaturaleza