Fuerte Bulnes (Regular excursion)

52 kilometers south of Punta Arenas lies the Strait of Magellan Park. The road to the park skirts the Strait, where—with a bit of luck—you might spot oystercatchers, Magellan geese, cormorants, and on a clear day, dolphins or sea lions.

The visit begins at the Visitors Center on the park’s upper grounds, featuring a multimedia exhibition on the region's formation and the history of its inhabitants. Its terrace offers a sweeping view of the entire Strait, reaching all the way to Puerto del Hambre (Port Famine). It was here that Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa founded the city of Rey Don Felipe in 1584—a project that resulted in one of the harshest colonization stories in southern history.
Next, we head down to Fort Bulnes, a National Historic Monument. Founded in 1843 and reconstructed a century later, it was the first Chilean settlement in the region and led to the founding of Punta Arenas five years later. Visitors can explore its wooden palisades, chapel, and the governor's house.
The tour wraps up along the Coastal Trail, a gentle walk through forests and rocky shores with panoramic viewpoints over the Strait. The route to the park is fully paved, and the Visitors Center includes a cafe, gift shop, and wheelchair ramps.