Overview
Take a trip to Punta Arenas on your Chile Vacation
Located on the north shore of the Strait of Magellan, Punta Arenas is a commune and capital city of the country's southernmost region, Magallanes and Antarctica Chilena on a Chile vacation.
During the 16th century, there were two attempts to establish settlements along the coast, however, both were unsuccessful. As a result, Punta Arenas wasn’t officially settled until 1848 when it was used as a military garrison and penal colony. During the rest of the 19th century, Punta Arenas’ location allowed it to grow in both size and importance as maritime traffic increased due to the California gold rush. The 20th and 21st centuries have seen the city remain significant because of its access to the Antarctic Peninsula.
Today, the city’s port is often used for cruise ships and is a starting point for Antarctic expeditions. Punta Arenas provides a relatively laid-back atmosphere during the day while offering an energetic nightlife. The area is well known for its proximity to celebrated penguin colonies. Both Seno Otway and Isla Magdalena colonies are nearby and are popular with tourists. Seno Otway hosts around 3,000 penguins and visitors can get surprisingly close to these incredible birds. Isla Magdalena, the larger of the two hosts, has an estimated 100,000 penguins. As well as being a gateway to the Antarctic Peninsula, Punta Arenas is, on Chile vacations, also a good base for exploring Torres del Paine National Park, one of Chile’s most famous national parks.
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4 Trips Found
Air, Land & Sea to Antarctica
Punta Arenas, Antarctica, Drake Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, and South Shetland IslandsFly from Chile to Antarctica on this small group adventure, cruising past icebergs and penguins while exploring the remote beauty of the White Continent by zodiac.
8 days
From US$19,269/p.p.
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Chilean Cruise: The Fjords of Patagonia
Patagonia, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, and SantiagoDiscover the Chilean capital of Santiago and sip award-winning wines, then get a taste of Patagonian life on a magnificent 5-day cruise through the fjords of Tierra del Fuego.
11 days
From US$6,800/p.p.
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Antarctica Express Cruise: Fly the Drake
Punta Arenas, Antarctica, Drake Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, and South Shetland IslandsSmall group Argentina and Antarctica air-cruise, sailing from Tierra del Fuego across the Drake to wild Antarctic shores and penguin colonies.
6 days
From US$8,333/p.p.
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Chile: From Glaciers to Deserts - A Grand Journey
San Pedro De Atacama, Puerto Varas, Patagonia, Punta Arenas, and SantiagoUncover Chile’s wild extremes on this group tour, from Patagonian peaks to Atacama’s red deserts, with local insight and curated adventures throughout.
12 days
From US$2,999/p.p.
Request a Quote
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perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
Air, Land & Sea to Antarctica
Punta Arenas, Antarctica, Drake Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, and South Shetland IslandsFly from Chile to Antarctica on this small group adventure, cruising past icebergs and penguins while exploring the remote beauty of the White Continent by zodiac.
8 days
From US$19,269/p.p.
Request a Quote
Chilean Cruise: The Fjords of Patagonia
Patagonia, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, and SantiagoDiscover the Chilean capital of Santiago and sip award-winning wines, then get a taste of Patagonian life on a magnificent 5-day cruise through the fjords of Tierra del Fuego.
11 days
From US$6,800/p.p.
Request a Quote
Antarctica Express Cruise: Fly the Drake
Punta Arenas, Antarctica, Drake Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, and South Shetland IslandsSmall group Argentina and Antarctica air-cruise, sailing from Tierra del Fuego across the Drake to wild Antarctic shores and penguin colonies.
6 days
From US$8,333/p.p.
Request a Quote
Chile: From Glaciers to Deserts - A Grand Journey
San Pedro De Atacama, Puerto Varas, Patagonia, Punta Arenas, and SantiagoUncover Chile’s wild extremes on this group tour, from Patagonian peaks to Atacama’s red deserts, with local insight and curated adventures throughout.
12 days
From US$2,999/p.p.
Request a Quote
Don't see the
perfect trip idea?
Request a custom quote.
Turn your travel dreams into reality with Goway. Our customized vacations take travellers to all corners of the world.
What do the experts say?
Pastel de choclo, sweet corn baked over savoury meat, olives, and eggs, is a must-try. Pair it with a pisco sour or a glass of Carménère or Sauvignon Blanc.
Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, offers a profound spiritual connection to nature and culture. The night skies, volcanic landscapes, and iconic Moai statues make it one of the most isolated and romantic places on earth.
Chile’s diversity is unmatched. You can enjoy wine tasting in the Casablanca Valley, watch the sunset on the Pacific coast, stargaze in the Atacama Desert, trek the glaciers of Patagonia, and even escape to mystical Rapa Nui, all in one trip.
November through March is summer in Chile, ideal for exploring its diverse regions
Chile is stunningly beautiful. You can experience such dramatically different landscapes in one country.
Punta Arenas is always a popular destination wh...
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Punta ArenasMostly Sunny
16°C / 60°F
15mm / 0.6"
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ExcellentBased on 5,306 ReviewsWe have used Goway several times to plan simple & more complicated trips. The last 2 trips we worked with Brooke Theron who is extremely customer focused. She listens well & is alway flexible to look at alternatives. We will continue using this representative & Goway.
Our only criticism is that they do not break down the various costs of a trip which makes tipping very awkward. It can also create a sense of " mistrust" when all the costs are not transparent. Cheryl HayesOur trip to Switzerland was an amazing experience. Our travel agent at GoWay, Bo was so helpful in helping my husband Louie plan just what we wanted to do on this trip. Taking the trains thru the county was easy by the many hours Louie and Bo worked on this. Also our helicopter ride in Zermatt on my birthday was just unbelievable. Flying around the Matterhorn and the Alps is one flight we will never forget. Thanks Bo for setting this up. The trip was one incredible adventure that we will never forget. Thanks again Bo, Lynn Gerber. Lynn GerberWe booked a Goway tour to Botswana and Zimbabwe and it was excellent. We worked with Brooke, the Goway represntative, to set up the tour and she was an outstanding agent who answered any questions we had very quickly and completely. Her hotel recommendation for the additional night we stayed was pefect.
Goway hires a local tour group, Jenman Safaris, to lead the safari in the 2 countries. The tour itself was amazing...the lodges that we stayed at were very nice and the food was great (except for one lodge's food). The Goway itinerary was slightly different than the actual Jenman Safari itinerary but most of the sites that we went to were the same as listed on the Goway itinerary. I would use Goway again because their choice of a local tour group was very good...nice lodges/camps and good food and knowledgeable tour guides.Ma FaOur GoWay tour representative, Michael Keon, was on top of all of our concerns and questions in a professional manner and we look forward to working with him in the future. Michael was very easy to work with and treated us like family.ThomasMatthew handled my honeymoon couple's very specific African itinerary like a pro! My clients went to four different travel agents who only wanted to send them on safaris. My clients had already done safaris and were specific on what they wanted to do and see. Matthew hit the nail on the head! Highly recommend!Amanda SchottSeamless prompt excellent communication from our first query about a possible destination to follow-up after the trip ended. Shalini’s knowledge, advice and enthusiasm were invaluable. JaneJacqueline Fagioli from Goaway Travel is excellent and very helpful and supportive. VenessaOur travel agent, Melissa Moses, created the perfect itinerary for our recent holiday to Portugal. Melissa had also planned our previous trip to England/Scotland. We have a great deal of confidence in her ability as she really listens to what we are looking for and she caters the plans according to our comfort levels and interests. customerJacqueline F. made our trip exceptional. Everything she planned or reserved worked out as it was supposed to. Croatia was amazing and I feel we were able to explore a lot of it because of Jacqueline.AllenThis was the first time we had utilized Goway. We wanted a custom itinerary for a 3 week Italy, Athens and Greek Island adventure. Edwina Brislane was receptive to our goals for the trip, had helpful suggestions and reacted well to our requested revisions. Lisa Dachuk helped "tie a ribbon" on the trip and ensured we had considered all aspects of the experience. Lisa dealt quickly with a couple of requests while on the trip and celebrated a successful trip with us.
We enjoyed working with both Edwina and Lisa. Their knowledge and enthusiasm contributed to our very memorable trip.Dan & Gail
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