Puerto Natales: Where to Stay and What to Do Before Torres del Paine
I have to be upfront about Puerto Natales: we were only there for two nights, and one of those days was spent in Torres del Paine. So this isn't a list of twenty things to do in town, because we didn't do twenty things! What I can tell you is where we slept, what it cost, where the hostel sent us for dinner, how the tour pickup works, and what I'd book if I went back.
Puerto Natales is the little town on the Chilean side that everyone uses as the base for Torres del Paine, and it was the last stop of our Patagonia trip without camping. We arrived on Saturday 24 January 2026, off the bus from El Calafate, and flew out on the Monday.
Puerto Natales, My Quick Answer
Short answer is to stay in town, close to the centre, for at least two nights, and pick somewhere with a good kitchen, because the Torres del Paine tours pick you up from your accommodation. Give yourself a spare day if you can, because the weather decides everything here.
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| What we found | |
|---|---|
| Where we stayed | El Patagónico Hostel, a private room, A$52.50 each a night |
| Where I'd look first next time | Asói Hostal, 9.5 from 338 reviews on Booking |
| Where we ate | Baguales Brewpub, recommended by our hostel |
| Torres del Paine | A full-day tour with pickup from the hostel |
| Weather | Noticeably colder than Argentina |
| Nights I'd give it | Three, so one can be a weather buffer |
Arriving in Puerto Natales
Our bus from El Calafate was meant to arrive at 5:30pm and got in at about 7:30pm, after two border crossings, so we arrived much later than planned. The whole journey is in my El Calafate to Puerto Natales bus guide. We took an Uber from the bus to the hostel, which was 2,000 Chilean pesos, about A$3.35 each.
The first thing that hit me was the cold! "It is significantly colder here than Argentina, guys. I'm almost as cold as I was going up the hike." That was in late January, the middle of summer, so pack a proper warm layer even if Argentina was mild for you.
Where We Stayed in Puerto Natales: El Patagónico Hostel
We booked a private room at El Patagónico Hostel, on Bernardo O'Higgins, for two nights, and it was "really cozy". My review on the night: "The bed is super super comfy." We'd had a cabin in El Chaltén and Airbnbs in El Calafate, so a hostel was a bit of a change, but a private room meant hostel prices without sharing a dorm.
The thing I loved most was the kitchen! There's free hot chocolate, coffee and tea, a cupboard of free food, and a shelf for food you're happy to share. Everything else gets a label with your name and the date you're leaving, so nobody eats your shopping. "It's such a good kitchen, honestly." After the tour we cooked spaghetti bolognese there, and the groceries came to A$11.01 each.
There's also a hostel cat, who curled up on my lap while I was on my laptop, which is my idea of a good hostel!
What it cost: A$210 for the two nights for both of us, which is A$52.50 each a night in January 2026. It was rated 4.8 from 199 reviews on Google when I checked.
El Patagónico Hostel
Two nights in a private room with a super comfy bed, free hot chocolate and a brilliant shared kitchen. A$52.50 each a night in January.
Where I'd Stay Next Time: Asói Hostal
If I went back and wanted a bit more comfort, Asói Hostal is the one I'd look at first. It was rated 9.5 from 338 reviews on Booking when I checked on 9 October 2026, it's listed with private bathrooms, and it's a short walk from the bus terminal, which is handy when you're arriving late off the border bus.
My rule for recommending somewhere I haven't stayed is a Booking score above 9.0 from more than 50 reviews, and Asói is well over both. More towns are in where to stay in Patagonia.
Asói Hostal
Rated 9.5 from 338 reviews on Booking when I checked, with private bathrooms and a short walk from the bus terminal.
Every place we stayed on this trip is on our Chile stays page.
Where to Eat in Puerto Natales
On the first night our hostel recommended Baguales Brewpub on Carlos Bories, about 600 metres from El Patagónico. It was a Saturday night and the place was packed, so we sat at the bar with everyone out having their Saturday drinks! Daniel had the pork tacos and I had a chicken quesadilla, and his verdict on the tacos was "Actually really good." It's rated 4.5 from almost 2,000 reviews on Google, and Google still listed it as open when I checked in October 2026.
That's the only restaurant we tried in Puerto Natales, so I'm not going to pretend to know the rest. The rest of the time we cooked in the hostel kitchen, which saved us a lot after an expensive lunch in the national park.
What to Do in Puerto Natales Before Torres del Paine
Book your Torres del Paine day the night before if you have to. We'd planned to hike to the base of the towers, the forecast was bad, and that night in the hostel we booked this full-day Torres del Paine and Milodon Cave tour on GetYourGuide instead. It cost A$120 each, it was about nine hours, and they picked us up from the hostel in the morning. Despite the cloud, I gave it 10 out of 10! The whole day is in our Torres del Paine day tour. For other options, you can browse tours from Puerto Natales here.
Cueva del Milodón. This huge cave outside town was the first stop on our tour, so we didn't go on our own. When we went, the board at the visitor centre showed it open from 8am to 6:30pm, with entry at 12,000 Chilean pesos for a foreign adult. Check CONAF for the current price.
Keep a buffer day. With two nights, we had exactly one day for Torres del Paine, and the weather took the hike away from us. A third night would have given us a second chance at a clear day, and that's what I'd book now!
Our arrival, the dinner and a tour of our hostel room and kitchen are in part two of the vlog from 17:40.
Leaving Puerto Natales
We flew out of Puerto Natales to Santiago on the Monday, after an Uber to the airport that was 3,500 pesos, about A$5.87 each. Daniel squeezed in a gym session before we left. From Santiago we carried on north to the desert, which is in my San Pedro de Atacama itinerary.
If you're heading back into Argentina instead, it's the same long bus day with two borders in the other direction, and you can check Puerto Natales to El Calafate buses here.
Still planning? Here is our complete Patagonia planning guide and our Torres del Paine day tour.
FAQs About Puerto Natales
Where should I stay in Puerto Natales?
In town, near the centre. We stayed at El Patagónico Hostel in a private room for A$52.50 each a night in January 2026, and Asói Hostal, rated 9.5 on Booking, is the one I'd look at next time.
How many nights do you need in Puerto Natales?
We had two and I'd book three. Two nights only gives you one day for Torres del Paine, and if the weather's bad, that's it.
Do Torres del Paine tours pick up from Puerto Natales?
Ours did. We booked a full-day tour on GetYourGuide the night before, and they collected us from our hostel.
Is Puerto Natales cold in summer?
It was for us. We arrived in late January and it was noticeably colder than El Calafate and El Chaltén the same week.
Where to eat in Puerto Natales?
Our hostel sent us to Baguales Brewpub, where Daniel had pork tacos and I had a chicken quesadilla. It was packed on a Saturday night.
Final Thoughts: Is Puerto Natales Worth It?
As a base for Torres del Paine, yes. It's not somewhere we spent long, but the hostel was cosy, the kitchen was brilliant, the tacos were good and the tour picked us up from the door. Just give it one more night than we did, so the weather doesn't get the final say!
