Puerto Natales, city capital of Ultima Esperanza province, is 247 km. from Punta Arenas, 256 km. from Rio Gallegos (Argentina), 362 km. from Calafate (Argentina), and 48 km. from Rio Turbio (Argentina).

Puerto Natales is the boarding gate to beautiful natural landscapes as those known all over the world of the Torres del Paine National Park, Cueva del Milodon natural reserve and Los Glaciares National Park (Argentina); in winter, the ski runs of Rio Turbio and by sea the glaciers of Balmaceda and Serrano mountains and the seven glaciers of the Canal de las Montanas.

The name of the city comes from the Latin term "natalis", which means birth. The city is located at the bank of Channel Senoret inlet, which mixes its waters at the south with Almirante Montt gulf, a big interior sea and at the north with Ultima Esperanza fiord, named like this (Last Hope) by its discoverer in 1577, Juan de Ladrillero, who was desperately searching, without success, the west way out of the Magellan Strait.

Puerto Natales was founded in 1911 and has 19,031 inhabitants (2002 census). Was colonized by Chileans from the magic island of Chiloe, who contributed with their manpower to the development of stockbreeding, activity initiated mainly by German and English colonists who, with their particular persistence, transformed the Patagonia into one of the main cattle producers and exporters of the world, until the end of the seventies.

The splendid territory that surrounds the city is dominated by cattle ranches and the adjoining circle by plots and small kitchen gardens producers of vegetables and other land products farmed with the organic seal of quality.

The city has a good tourist infrastructure outstanding coffee shops, restaurants, a casino, small and picturesque shopping, a history museum, and travel agencies offering unmissable panoramas. Its attractive hotel organization goes from big hotels to small boarding houses with personalized service.

A well-equipped airport links Puerto Natales with the whole world. The maritime access is through a ferry from Puerto Montt once a week.


PLANE OF CITY