Things to do in Punta Arenas

8 activities, venues and outings in Punta Arenas, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

Do
Cerro Mirador
Club Andino
A small ski resort that is the second southernmost in the world (the one outside Ushuaia is further south) and with a great ocean view. There are 14 pistes, a ski school, a chairlift and a Nordic ski area.
Do
Isla Magdalena Pinguinera (penguin rookery)
One of the top natural attractions of the region is the penguin rookery at Isla Magdalena, part of Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos. The island is a breeding site for hundreds of thousands of magellanic penguins. You can also see cormorants, seagulls and sea lions. The lighthouse has a small exhibition of the local fauna. A 5-hour trip. Two hours each way by boat and one hour on the island. Humans must stay on the path, but the penguins ignore it and will practically step on your feet as they waddle by. October - April. To get there, take the ferry from in the northern end of the city The ferry runs between November and April. The sailing takes two hours in each direction, with one hour on the island. As strong winds are common in this part of the world, seasickness can be a real risk on the ship.
61.000
Do
Monte Tarn
At 834 m ASL Monte Tarn is one of the highest mountains in the region, and from the summit there are spectacular views of the landscape with the islands. It was visited by Charles Darwin in 1834. The climb will take about four hours.
Do
Reserva Natural Laguna Parrillar
A place to observe local animal life, like south Andean deer (huemuls), cougars, and many different birds. There are places for camping and sport fishing.
Oct-MarAdults 1500 pesos, children free of charge
Do
Reserva nacional Magallanes
Reserva Nacional Magallanes, located 8 km from the center of town, this national nature reserve is covered by lenga (a species of southern beech, Nothofagus pumilio) and provides a beautiful overview of the city. Administered by Corporación Nacional Forestal (Conaf), here you can explore the beech forest of far southern America. Animals you may see here include foxes, cougars, deer, owls and woodpeckers. There are trekking trails (one of them forming part of Sendero de Chile), most of them easy. There are also picnic spaces and bodies of water. The park is accessible throughout the year, but during winter snowchains are mandatory. No public transportation.
Do
Seno Otway penguin rookery
Each spring before 2015, Seno Otway, 70 km north of the city, hosted hundreds of Magellanic Penguins returning to their birthplace to breed. They stopped returning after the construction of a coal mine there. Check with locals before planning a visit. Many travel agencies offered day trips from Punta Arenas that allowed very limited time at the colony, so it's best to visit with your own car.
Do Not mapped
Winter carnival
Carnaval de Invierno
Carnival is celebrated here during the Austral winter (in July), with parades, music, and colorful costumes.
Do
Teatro Municipal José Bohr
Hernando de Magallanes 823

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Punta Arenas (CC BY-SA 4.0).