Sights

Growing numbers of operators arrange excursions to nearby sites and, of course, to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine [1] and even Argentina’s Parque Nacional Los Glaciares [2].

Several operators have organized complementary, one-stop arrangements for Torres del Paine under the umbrella of Path@gone (Eberhard 599, tel./fax 061/413290). These include Andescape (tel./fax 061/412592); Fantástico Sur (Magallanes 960, Punta Arenas, tel. 061/710050, www.lastorres.com [3]); Onas Aventura Patagonia (tel./fax 061/412707, www.onaspatagonia.com [4]), which also does sea kayaking, trekking, and full-day excursions to Paine; and Turismo Stipe (tel./fax 061/411125, turismostipe [at] entelchile [dot] net).

Other agencies include Antares Patagonia Adventure (Barros Arana 111, tel. 061/414611, www.antarespatagonia.com [5]) for sea kayaking in particular; Big Foot Adventure Patagonia (Bories 206, tel. 061/414611, www.bigfootpatagonia.com [6]) for sea kayaking, trekking, ice hiking, climbing, mountaineering, and more general excursions as well; Chile Nativo (Eberhard 230, tel. 061/411385, www.chilenativo.com [7]) for riding, trekking, and birding; and Servitur (Prat 353, tel./fax 061/411858, servitur [at] entelchile [dot] net). Specializing in Paine horseback trips, Baqueano Zamora (Baquedano 534, tel. 061/613530, 061/613531, or 061/613532, fax 061/613533, www.baqueanozamora.com [8]) is also the concessionaire for Posada Río Serrano and Hostería El Pionero.

The Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del Fuego, which owned extensive pasturelands in both Chile and Argentina, financed construction of Natales’s gingerbread-style Municipalidad (1929); many might have said the powerful Sociedad Explotadora was the region’s de facto government. Immediately east, the Iglesia Parroquial María Auxiliadora shares its Magellanic style.

In the same exterior fashion but with a roomier interior, the Museo Histórico Municipal (Bulnes 285, tel. 061/411263, muninata [at] ctcinternet [dot] cl) offers exhibits on natural history, archaeology, and the region’s aboriginal peoples, European settlement, and the rural economy (including the Sociedad Explotadora), Puerto Natales [9]’s own urban evolution, and the Carabineros police, who played a role in the museum’s creation. Noteworthy artifacts include a Yámana (Yahgan) dugout canoe and Aónikenk (Tehuelche) boleadoras, plus historical photographs of Captain Eberhard and the town’s development. Hours are 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 2:30–6 p.m. weekdays, 3–6 p.m. weekends. Admission costs US$1 for Chileans, US$2 for foreigners.