Reserva nacional Magallanes
Reserva nacional Magallanes
Reserva nacional Magallanes
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
131 reviews
Excellent
73
Very good
52
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2
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1
Terrible
3
Nancy K
Fort Myers, FL342 contributions
Mar 2019
This hike was advertised as 1.2 miles each way to the top but it was much longer. There were many in our cruise excursion that must have thought it was a leisurely stroll through the woods but it was not. Although the path starts out relatively level, it quickly becomes an uphill hike. Many in our group had to stop and turn around. although we tried to reach the top, you were holding on to posts to stay upright. Our guide felt it was unsafe to continue. We still enjoyed our visit but you need to dress appropriately for the cold conditions.
Written 28 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eric
Missouri17 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
Many of the reviews below contain out-of-date, inaccurate, or incomplete information for this location, so below is updated information based on a visit in December 2018.
About: This is a forest reserve in the hills above Punta Arenas, with a ~10 km loop trail and several other side trails. These lead through lovely and diverse forests and feature several good overlooks including views over the city and across to Tierra del Fuego. It can be a short partial-day visit or a full-day hike, and is easily accessible with or without a car. A nice partial-day hike is the ~4 km loop out to the Mirador (overlook) Zapador Austral, with panoramic views of the region. Beware of high winds on the exposed parts of the trail. Other reviews are correct that the trails can be muddy and sloped, but they're not difficult for anyone with reasonable hiking experience.
Getting there by car: Find Avenue Independencia and head NW (out of town, away from the water). The name changes to Allende Gossens but don't worry about it. The road narrows to two lanes once it leaves town and starts to climb the hills, where it becomes Y-580. After a few km of climbing, look for a clear turnoff to the right onto Y-570. Although past reviews have commented on a lack of signage, this is no longer true: there is a very large and clear brown park sign indicating the way to the Reserva. Once you turn right here, it's a little over a km until the road passes through the gate into the Reserva and you'll see a nice white park office on the left. Park and go inside to pay your entrance fee and get a nice hiking map (one of the better ones we found in Chile) from the very friendly and helpful staff. Overall it's about 7km from the center of town. I don't know the office hours for the reserve entrance.
Getting there by bus: Go to the rural buses terminal at the corner of Chiloe and Carrera Pinto in downtown Punta Arenas; it's a nice wooden building with bathrooms, a small cafe, and clear schedules posted for all the different bus routes running to the surrounding area (for example, this is also where you catch the Rio Seco bus to the Nao Victoria museum north of town). Look for a small bus marked "El Andino" with a sign in the front window, the way all Chilean micros (local buses) do. Departures as of December 2018 were Monday-Saturday 09:00, 11:00, 13:15, 16:00, 17:00, 20:00; Sundays and holidays 10:00, 17:00. It's 300 pesos/person, paid to the driver when you board. There is a standard bus stop at the junction of Y-580 and Y-570, just over a km below the reserve (see the driving directions given above), where the driver will happily drop you; they're used to people doing this. You'll walk the last bit on a wide gravel road up to the reserve entrance; the road itself has nice views. The bus takes a bit less than half an hour, plus the walking time for the last km.
Getting back by bus: The bus route goes just a bit further along Y-580 before returning the way it came. Official departure times back down the hill, as of December 2018, were Monday-Saturday 07:30, 09:30, 11:30, 13:45, 16:30, 17:30, 20:30; Sundays and holidays 10:30, 17:30. Make sure you're at the bus stop at the road junction by the official time or even a little before, as the bus can be a bit early here. It's a good idea to know how long it took you to get from the junction up to the park office so you allow enough time to get back down. The stop has a basic shelter in case it's windy or raining. On the return trip, the bus takes a detour down a side road to the Monte Verde area, but don't worry, it'll turn around and head into Punta Arenas on the normal route soon enough.
Getting there/back by taxi: Some people choose to use a taxi instead, which has the advantage of not needing to meet the bus schedule. Any taxi driver should know where the reserve is, just have them take you there. Getting back, you can call one yourself if you have a working phone, but the staff at the reserve entrance will offer to call one for you if you prefer. We didn't use a taxi as the bus is far cheaper and quite convenient, but met other people doing so.
As an example of a simple partial-day visit, we took the 13:15 bus up to the reserve, giving us plenty of time for a leisurely hike out to the Mirador Zapador Austral before returning to catch the 17:30 bus with time to spare. This works really well in combination with one of the morning penguin tours to Isla Magdalena.
About: This is a forest reserve in the hills above Punta Arenas, with a ~10 km loop trail and several other side trails. These lead through lovely and diverse forests and feature several good overlooks including views over the city and across to Tierra del Fuego. It can be a short partial-day visit or a full-day hike, and is easily accessible with or without a car. A nice partial-day hike is the ~4 km loop out to the Mirador (overlook) Zapador Austral, with panoramic views of the region. Beware of high winds on the exposed parts of the trail. Other reviews are correct that the trails can be muddy and sloped, but they're not difficult for anyone with reasonable hiking experience.
Getting there by car: Find Avenue Independencia and head NW (out of town, away from the water). The name changes to Allende Gossens but don't worry about it. The road narrows to two lanes once it leaves town and starts to climb the hills, where it becomes Y-580. After a few km of climbing, look for a clear turnoff to the right onto Y-570. Although past reviews have commented on a lack of signage, this is no longer true: there is a very large and clear brown park sign indicating the way to the Reserva. Once you turn right here, it's a little over a km until the road passes through the gate into the Reserva and you'll see a nice white park office on the left. Park and go inside to pay your entrance fee and get a nice hiking map (one of the better ones we found in Chile) from the very friendly and helpful staff. Overall it's about 7km from the center of town. I don't know the office hours for the reserve entrance.
Getting there by bus: Go to the rural buses terminal at the corner of Chiloe and Carrera Pinto in downtown Punta Arenas; it's a nice wooden building with bathrooms, a small cafe, and clear schedules posted for all the different bus routes running to the surrounding area (for example, this is also where you catch the Rio Seco bus to the Nao Victoria museum north of town). Look for a small bus marked "El Andino" with a sign in the front window, the way all Chilean micros (local buses) do. Departures as of December 2018 were Monday-Saturday 09:00, 11:00, 13:15, 16:00, 17:00, 20:00; Sundays and holidays 10:00, 17:00. It's 300 pesos/person, paid to the driver when you board. There is a standard bus stop at the junction of Y-580 and Y-570, just over a km below the reserve (see the driving directions given above), where the driver will happily drop you; they're used to people doing this. You'll walk the last bit on a wide gravel road up to the reserve entrance; the road itself has nice views. The bus takes a bit less than half an hour, plus the walking time for the last km.
Getting back by bus: The bus route goes just a bit further along Y-580 before returning the way it came. Official departure times back down the hill, as of December 2018, were Monday-Saturday 07:30, 09:30, 11:30, 13:45, 16:30, 17:30, 20:30; Sundays and holidays 10:30, 17:30. Make sure you're at the bus stop at the road junction by the official time or even a little before, as the bus can be a bit early here. It's a good idea to know how long it took you to get from the junction up to the park office so you allow enough time to get back down. The stop has a basic shelter in case it's windy or raining. On the return trip, the bus takes a detour down a side road to the Monte Verde area, but don't worry, it'll turn around and head into Punta Arenas on the normal route soon enough.
Getting there/back by taxi: Some people choose to use a taxi instead, which has the advantage of not needing to meet the bus schedule. Any taxi driver should know where the reserve is, just have them take you there. Getting back, you can call one yourself if you have a working phone, but the staff at the reserve entrance will offer to call one for you if you prefer. We didn't use a taxi as the bus is far cheaper and quite convenient, but met other people doing so.
As an example of a simple partial-day visit, we took the 13:15 bus up to the reserve, giving us plenty of time for a leisurely hike out to the Mirador Zapador Austral before returning to catch the 17:30 bus with time to spare. This works really well in combination with one of the morning penguin tours to Isla Magdalena.
Written 16 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Casa_Baskey
Campbell River, Canada133 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
The cost to enter the park is $4500 chilean pesos (~ $7.50 USD) per person. This was payable in cash and one person in the group needs to register their information with the Ranger as a person responsible for the group.
The administration office Ranger suggested to take the “Mirador Zapador Austral” trail (~2.5 Km to the viewing platform) which offered panoramic views of Punta Arenas and the bay. IF we arrived earlier – we would have had time to do an extended hike – but turns out the path we chose was excellent and we enjoyed it very much. Not a trail for those with mobility issues, as some inclines were challenging – but if you have a moderate fitness level, this trail is very good! the park also offered shorter, less challenging trails – if need be.
We really took our time walking to the Mirador and let the larger groups pass us by. We were very thankful that we did this, as when we finally arrived at the Mirador, it was only the four of us – with the entire viewing platform to ourselves. Truly magnificent!!!
The time we took also allowed us to take in the sights, sounds, and beautiful birds along the way.
When we finished our hike, returning to the Administration Office, the Ranger kindly phoned a Taxi to pick us up. We thought she was calling our original driver, but it was a straight forward cab call and another driver showed up within 15 minutes to take us back to the port directly. He was slightly less expensive ($8 USD, or $2 pp) and again only a 10 minute drive.
We certainly made sweet lemonade out of the lemons that Solo Expediciones gave to us in Punta Arenas and we are very thankful to the Tourist Info booth near the park for the excellent recommendation to visit the National Forest.
The administration office Ranger suggested to take the “Mirador Zapador Austral” trail (~2.5 Km to the viewing platform) which offered panoramic views of Punta Arenas and the bay. IF we arrived earlier – we would have had time to do an extended hike – but turns out the path we chose was excellent and we enjoyed it very much. Not a trail for those with mobility issues, as some inclines were challenging – but if you have a moderate fitness level, this trail is very good! the park also offered shorter, less challenging trails – if need be.
We really took our time walking to the Mirador and let the larger groups pass us by. We were very thankful that we did this, as when we finally arrived at the Mirador, it was only the four of us – with the entire viewing platform to ourselves. Truly magnificent!!!
The time we took also allowed us to take in the sights, sounds, and beautiful birds along the way.
When we finished our hike, returning to the Administration Office, the Ranger kindly phoned a Taxi to pick us up. We thought she was calling our original driver, but it was a straight forward cab call and another driver showed up within 15 minutes to take us back to the port directly. He was slightly less expensive ($8 USD, or $2 pp) and again only a 10 minute drive.
We certainly made sweet lemonade out of the lemons that Solo Expediciones gave to us in Punta Arenas and we are very thankful to the Tourist Info booth near the park for the excellent recommendation to visit the National Forest.
Written 6 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dan n
10 contributions
Mar 2018 • Solo
The toughest part is the hike to get to the hike. It is possible to take public transportation, but it only gets you half the way there. You first need to walk along Avenida Independencia towards the reserve and find this 'microbus' along the way. This 'bus' looks like a an old-school VW mini-bus that costs 300 CLP and will drop you off at the intersection of Y-570 and Y-580. You then have another 1.2km to the entrance. I never found out where the micro bus stop is in the city, but if you walk west along Avenida Independcia and you see a tiny VW bus, flag it down. The regular city buses will not take you towards the Reserve. The microbus afternoon schedule is very limited, so you should plan to walk (2hr to Plaza de Armas) or flag down a taxi. See photo. The bus time table (roughly) is: 6:30, 7:30, 9:00, 11:00, 13:15, 16:00, 17:00, 20:00.
Once you arrive, there is a CLP 4000 entrance fee, and you fill out some information with the rangers. It is very easy to navigate through the reserve--just follow the red markers throughout the trail. The longest hike loops in a circle and takes 3 to 4 hours to complete. The trail is very, very muddy--I don't think it ever gets dry there, so be careful about slipping in the mud. It is not a popular hike so you will be the only person there, which is a pleasant feeling.
The views are similar to what I've seen in Torres del Paine and Tierra del Fuego, but one of the viewpoints definitely made me pause to enjoy it. The view of the city is limited, but you do see many, many trees covering the reserve. In the autumn season, the trees changed to some beautiful colors.
Once you arrive, there is a CLP 4000 entrance fee, and you fill out some information with the rangers. It is very easy to navigate through the reserve--just follow the red markers throughout the trail. The longest hike loops in a circle and takes 3 to 4 hours to complete. The trail is very, very muddy--I don't think it ever gets dry there, so be careful about slipping in the mud. It is not a popular hike so you will be the only person there, which is a pleasant feeling.
The views are similar to what I've seen in Torres del Paine and Tierra del Fuego, but one of the viewpoints definitely made me pause to enjoy it. The view of the city is limited, but you do see many, many trees covering the reserve. In the autumn season, the trees changed to some beautiful colors.
Written 30 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
martsky54
Leighton Buzzard, UK27 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
Just outside the town of Punta Arenas, this park is an oasis that delivers wonderful views and a delightful walk through the woods. There are several walks of different lengths and keepers at the park entrance help to select the one for your alloted time.
Our two hour walk (out and back) took us up to a beautiful viewpoint above the town, with views across the countryside. The staff are most helpful and offer information leaflets. The walk we chose had excellent posts marking the way - impossible to get lost.
Best way to get here - hire a taxi from the town centre for around $10. Park staff will call for a return taxi when you wish.
Our two hour walk (out and back) took us up to a beautiful viewpoint above the town, with views across the countryside. The staff are most helpful and offer information leaflets. The walk we chose had excellent posts marking the way - impossible to get lost.
Best way to get here - hire a taxi from the town centre for around $10. Park staff will call for a return taxi when you wish.
Written 7 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Horizonchaserer
7 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Here's how to get there, cause it's tricky to find info on. From the city, head west up Independencia. It's around 7kms from the water. Keep going up the hill, the road will become unsealed (good condition dirt) - keep going. Stay on the main road and after around 5.5k from town, look for the sign which will lead you to the right. Then, just follow to the entrance where you'll see the park rangers' office. They will give you a map and advice.
We are terrible Spanish speakers, but could use hand signals to get through. I think entry is 1500 pesos (according to a sign), but for some reason we didn't pay. It looks like you used to be able to camp there, but I don't think you can there anymore.
We were asked how long we had, and sent on an approx 2 hour (easy) walk to a view (mirador) which had a 'Z' in it. Walk was easy to follow, and lovely - out of the wind with all the trees too!
There were mountain bike tyre tracks on the tracks, so some must bike it. But, the trail we were on had steps, and was too steep for a biking slob like me.
Nice way to spend some time.
We are terrible Spanish speakers, but could use hand signals to get through. I think entry is 1500 pesos (according to a sign), but for some reason we didn't pay. It looks like you used to be able to camp there, but I don't think you can there anymore.
We were asked how long we had, and sent on an approx 2 hour (easy) walk to a view (mirador) which had a 'Z' in it. Walk was easy to follow, and lovely - out of the wind with all the trees too!
There were mountain bike tyre tracks on the tracks, so some must bike it. But, the trail we were on had steps, and was too steep for a biking slob like me.
Nice way to spend some time.
Written 19 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Geoff G
Clifton Hill, Australia97 contributions
Dec 2015
If you have a spare day while in Punta Arenas and the weather is good I would recommend going here. There are a couple of short hikes through pretty forest that opens up to some views over the city. Without rushing you could do both hikes that are currently open in under 3 hours. A taxi will set you back about 4,000CLP (and they should offer to come and pick you up when you ready to come back down) and is only 10 mins from centre of town along Independencia and then a dirt road. I've read some reviews that mention penguins - misleading. The intro mentions mountain biking but I wouldn't take a bike up there personally.... narrow paths with a number of walkers on a weekend, a little bit muddy and a few stairs. Unless they have separate paths for bikes? Entrance set us back 1,500CLP per person
Written 1 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adriana S Pagano
Belo Horizonte, MG62 contributions
Jan 2014 • Couples
This is a very good place to do some light to moderate trekking while in Punta Arenas. The park is near town (you can reach it by car, a short taxi drive or bike, if you can manage a strong up-slope on the way to the park made up for by a downhill on the way back to town). Most of the paths are very well signalled and merge with paths off the reserve, if you want to hike longer. Wonderful views in the woods and from the hilltops.
Written 3 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dan D
Brunswick, GA58 contributions
Feb 2017 • Solo
If you've ever hiked Barometer in Kodiak, or similar mountains, then this is very similar. I biked (mostly walked) up from the pier to the Reserve. No road signs, no macadam, and what roads are there are under construction, or appear that way. That said, it was worth it. Well run and well care for by the Chilean Corps of Engineers and CONAF. Not an easy hike even after you get there. Trails are well marked, but there are precarious footings. The views of the valley and the city are awesome. Great for families and couples wanting some solitude, it was a Saturday and I passed maybe 15 people total on two trails.
If you follow the Goggle Maps it is spot on, the land parcels along the roads are marked by their Km distance from town. So when Google Map says "take a right at 2.8 Km on to 570" 570 isn't marked, but their are Km markings all along so you can find your way. There is NO signs for the park per se. So unless you're an adventurous kind, you may want to take a taxi (I had whole day free).
Again, not the 1st places I'd recommend (penguins, sea lions, wooden ships), but if you have 3-5 hours to spare well worth it.
If you follow the Goggle Maps it is spot on, the land parcels along the roads are marked by their Km distance from town. So when Google Map says "take a right at 2.8 Km on to 570" 570 isn't marked, but their are Km markings all along so you can find your way. There is NO signs for the park per se. So unless you're an adventurous kind, you may want to take a taxi (I had whole day free).
Again, not the 1st places I'd recommend (penguins, sea lions, wooden ships), but if you have 3-5 hours to spare well worth it.
Written 6 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
barbara s
Atlanta, GA99 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
Easy to find and hike forest preserve with very few visitors! My family of 4 took a taxi from the ship port for about $10 each way to the reserve and then hiked on our own in the reserve. No entrance fee--but very helpful park rangers who got us to the pathway and gave us a map. The hike was like a fairy tale forest and beautiful. Very windy and cold at the top so wear layers! good signage in park and wonderful day trip from our cruise ship
Written 17 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carolina L
Quilpue, Chile
Se puede visitar en julio ? Cómo se llega desde el centro ?
Written 12 June 2018
We took a taxi from the City Centre ($8-10)
[Tome un taxi desde el centro de la ciudad - $8-10]
Written 3 July 2018
kelleyidt
Colorado Springs, Colorado
I have tried four days in a row to book -- your system always throws me back to a mountain biking tour instead. How do I book the Magallenas National Reserve?
Written 29 January 2018
We took a taxi ride from Punta Arenas to the Park for less than $10 USD. Driver dropped us off at the Ranger's station. When we finished our hike, the Ranger called a cab to pick us up. No need to book anything, just show up. There is an entrance fee to the park.
Written 6 February 2018
hay colectivo para llegar desde el centro. que tarifas tendran? Gracias
Written 24 July 2016
Hola, la verdad es que los colectivos no llegan hasta la reserva, estos suben por la Avenida Salvador Allende (Que es la continuación de avenida independencia) y solo llegan hasta la parte poblada y pavimentada de la ciudad. Por lo que hay que tomar un taxi o rentar un auto. Ir en Bicicleta también es buena opción, ya que solo esta a unos 8 minutos en vehículo.
Written 1 October 2016
Cómo llego en auto?
Written 27 September 2015
Hay que tomar la Avenida Independencia e ir en dirección hacia los cerros, la avenida Independencia pasa a llamarse Av. Salvador Allendes por si acaso. El tema es que subes hasta la parte donde termina el pavimento y despues continuas por el camino de tierra hasta que te toparás con la bifurcación y posterior entrada al parte luego de recorrer unos 8-10 minutos en Vehículo.
Written 1 October 2016
Hola , voy a estar en Ayelen con una amiga en enero proximo y queremos alquilar un auto en alguna agencia local, alguien podrá pasarnos algun dato? desde ya muchas gracias
Written 26 December 2014
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