Punta Arenas travel guide

All transport is heavily booked from late Dec through to Mar; advance booking is advised.

Air

Flights arrive at Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Airport, 20 km north of town.

Airline offices

Aerovías DAP, O’Higgins 891, T061-616100, www. dap.cl, 0900-1230, 1430-1930; LanChile, Bories 884, T600-526 2000, http://www.lan.cl; Sky Airline, Roca 933, T600-600 2828, http://www.skyairline.cl.

Domestic

To Balmaceda (for Coyhaique), with LanChile (LanExpress), daily in summer, and Sky Airline, 3 weekly all year, US$80. To Puerto Montt, with LanChile (LanExpress) and Sky Airline, 10 daily, from US$120 return. Cheapest one-way tickets with Sky. To Santiago, LanChile (LanExpress) and Sky Airline several daily, from US$200 return, via Puerto Montt (sit on the right for views). To Porvenir, Aerovías DAP, 2-3 daily Mon-Sat, US$34 one-way, plus other flights, with Twin-Otter and Cessna aircraft, 10 kg baggage allowance. To Puerto Williams, Aerovías DAP, daily in summer (book well in advance), US$95 one-way, 10 kg baggage allowance.

International

To Ushuaia (Argentina), Lan Chile, 3 weekly in summer, 1 hr, from US$200 one-way; reserve well in advance from mid-Dec to Feb. To Falkland Islands/ Islas Malvinas, LanChile, Sat, US$600 return. International Tours & Travel, T+500-22041, http://www.falklandstravel.com , serves as LanChile agents on the Falkland Islands.

Bicycle and motorbike

Bike parts from José Aguila Quezada, Arauco 2675, T061-265399. Motorbike parts from Violic, Sanhueza 285, T061-241606, also in the Zona Franca.

Bus

Buses depart from the company offices as follows: Bus Sur, Menéndez 552 T061-227145, http://www.bus-sur.cl; Cruz del Sur, Pingüino and Fernández, Sanhueza 745, T061-242313, http://www.busesfernandez.com; Gesell, Menéndez 556, T061-222896; Ghisoni, Queilen Bus and Tecniaustral, Lautaro Navarro 971, T061- 222078, www.ghisoni. terra.cl; Pacheco, Colón 900, T061-242174, http://www.busespacheco.com.

Services and frequencies change every year, so check on arrival at the helpful Sernatur office. Timetables are also printed daily in El Austral. The services detailed below are for high season only. There is a project to build a new bus terminal north of town by the Zona Franca to be shared by all bus companies.

Fernández, Buses Pacheco (best buses) and Bus Sur (cheapest), all run several services each day to Puerto Natales, 3 hrs, last departure 2000, US$9 one-way, US$16 return (although this means you have to return with the same company). Buses may pick up at the airport with advance booking and payment. To Coyhaique, 24 hrs, Bus Sur, 1 per week via Argentina, US$55, meals not included. Pacheco (semi cama and salon cama), Queilen Bus and Cruz del Sur have services through Argentina to Osorno, Puerto Montt and Castro, several weekly, 36 hrs to Castro, US$50-75.

To Argentina

To Río Gallegos, Pingüino, Ghisoni and Pacheco, 2 or 3 daily between them. All cost US$12 and take about 5 hrs. For services to Buenos Aires it is cheaper to go to Río Gallegos and buy an onward ticket from there. Pacheco and Tecni Austral have buses most days to Río Grande via Punta Delgada, 8 hrs, US$33, heavily booked. To Ushuaia via Punta Delgada, US$50, 12-14 hrs, book any return at same time, Tecni Austral and Pacheco, Mon-Sat between them.

Car

Car hire

Try looking in the local newspaper for special deals and bargain if you want to hire a car for several days. Budget, O’Higgins 964, T061-202720, www.budget patagonia.com; Econorent, Waldo Seguel 443, T600-200 0000, http://www.econorent.cl; EMSA, Roca 1044, and at the airport, T061-222 9049, http://www.emsarentacar.cl. Avis agents; Hertz, O’Higgins 931, T061-613087, http://www.autorentas.cl; Lubag, Colón 975, T061-242023, http://www.lubag.cl; Magallanes Rent a Car, O’Higgins 949, T061-220780, http://www.magallanesrentacar.cl; Payne Rent a Car, Menéndez 631, T061-240852, http://www.payne.cl, try bargaining, friendly.

Boat

For ferry services to Tierra del Fuego, see page . Transbordadores Austral Broom, Bulnes 05075, T061-218100, http://www.tabsa.cl, has a weekly ferry service to Puerto Williams, leaves Wed, 34 hrs, US$175 in a reclining seat, US$210 in a bunk.

Cruceros Australis operate a pair of luxury cruise ships, sailing twice weekly from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia via Cape Horn and Puerto Williams. The trip lasts 4 days with daily excursions and, weather permitting, fantastic views of glaciers and wildlife; details from Comapa in Punta Artenas or direct from Cruceros Australis SA, Miraflores 178, piso 12, Santiago, T02-6963211, www.aust ralis.com. Advance booking advised.

Government supply ships are only recommended for the young and hardy; take a sleeping bag, extra food and travel pills. For transport on navy supply ships to Cape Horn, ask at Tercera Zona Naval, Lautaro Navarro 1150, be prepared to be frustrated by irregular sailings (about 1 every 3 months) and inaccurate information. You will almost certainly need a letter of recommendation. During the voyage across the Drake Passage, albatrosses, petrels, cormorants, penguins, elephant seals, fur seals, whales and dolphins can all be sighted.

Most cruise ships to Antarctica leave from Ushuaia (Argentina). However, there are a few operators based in Punta Arenas, for example Antárctica XXI, Lautaro Navarro 987, piso 2, T061-228783, www.antarctica xxi.com who offer a flight/cruise package.

Taxi

Ordinary taxis have yellow roofs. Reliable service is available from Radio Alce vip, T061-710999, and Taxi Austral, T061-247710/T244409. Colectivos (all black) run on fixed routes within the city, US$0.70 for anywhere on the route.

Banks

Several on or around Plaza Muñoz Gamero many 24 hrs, all have ATMs. Banks open Mon-Fri 0830-1400, casas de cambio open Mon-Fri 0900-1230, 1500-1900, Sat 0900-1230; good rates at Cambio Gasic, Roca 915, of 8, T061-242396. German spoken; La Hermandad, Lautaro Navarro 1099, T061- 243991, excellent rates; Scott Cambios, Colón y Magallanes, T061-227145; Sur Cambios, Lautaro Navarro 1001, T061-225656.

Consulates

Argentina, 21 de Mayo 1878, T061-261912, open weekdays 1000-1530, visas take 24 hrs; Belgium, Roca 817, of 61, T061- 241472; Brazil, Arauco 769, T061-241093; Germany, Pasaje Korner 1046, T061-241082, Casilla 229; Italy, 21 de Mayo 1569, T061- 221596; Netherlands, Magallanes 435, T061- 248100; Norway, Magallanes 990, T061- 241437; Paraguay, Bulnes 0928 Dp14 piso 1, T061-211825; Spain, Menéndez 910, T061- 243566; Sweden, Errázuriz 891, T061-224107; UK, Catarates de Niaguara 01325, T061-211 535, helpful, with information on Falkland Islands; Uruguay, José Nogueira 1238, T061- 241594.

Internet

Lots of places offer access, including at Magallanes y Menendez, and below Hostal Calafate on Magallanes, ½ block north of Plaza. Prices are generally US$1 per hr.

Laundry

Lavaseco Josseau, Carrera Pinto 766; Lavasol, O’Higgins 969, the only self- service laundry, Mon-Sat 0900-2030, Sun (summer only) 1000-1800, US$6 per machine, wash and dry, good but busy.

Medical services

Dentist: Rosemary Robertson Stipicic, Roca 932, T061-22931, speaks English. Hospitals: Hospital Regional Lautaro Navarro, Angamos 180, T061-244040, public hospital, for emergency room ask for urgencias; Clínica Magallanes, Bulnes 01448, T061-211527, private clinic, medical staff the same as in the hospital but fancier surroundings and more expensive; minimum charge US$45 per visit. A list of English-speaking doctors is available from Sernatur.

Post office

Bories 911 y Menéndez, Mon-Fri 0830-1930, Sat 0900-1400.

La Chocolatta -
On one of the main roads, Colonel Bories, is a small, German-influenced coffee shop that comes closest to a European coffee house. They have a variety of pastries and chocolates (obviously) to go along with the coffee and or tea. In between Av. Colon and Jose Menendez on Av. Bories.