lonelyplanet.co Along the western shore, Puerto Rio Trang has a petrol station. Boat tours visit Capilla de Marmol (marble chapel) when the water's calm, North of town an (unfinished) gla- cier-lined road to Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael bumps toward the coast. Res- ddencial Darka (067-419-500; Arayanes 330; 6 inl breakfast US$10/20) has a few decent rooms and a friendly owner. Wild camping is possible on the windy beach, or 10km west at Lago Tranquilo. About 13km east of Cruce El Maitén Puerto Guadal has petrol and provisions. Pitch a tent lakefront, or hunker down at the well- weathered Hosteria Huemules (‘2 067-431-212; Las Magnolias 382; r per person USS10), attended by its next-door host Don Kemel. No less than legend, he’s sometimes willing to share a tale of navy days in Valparaiso or his youth in Beruit. Chile Chico 067 / pop 4000 Gold and silver mines dot the roller-coaster road from Puerto Guadal, ending in Chile Chico, a sunny oasis of wind-pummeled pop- lars and orchards. From here, buses connect to Los Antiguos (p151) and Ruta 40 leading to southern Argentine Patagonia. Nearby Reserva Nacional Jeinemeni (admision US$2), 60km. away, isa treasure of flamingos and turquoise mountain lagoons. Aside from a few expen- sive tours, there's little transportation. You can try to grab a ride in with Conaf (411-325; Blest Gana 121) rangers. ‘There is tourist information (411-123; cnr (O'Higgins & Lautar) and a Banco del Estado (Gonzstez 112) for money exchange. You can stay at the ultrafriendly Kon Aiken (411-598; Pedro Burgos 6; camping per person USSS, dm USS10) or the endearing Hospedaje No Me Olvides (campsites per person USSS, s USS16), 200m from town toward Argentina; it has snuggly, large and clean rooms, kitchen use and meals. Oliser (2 411-904; O'Higgins 426;sUSS10) has tip-top ample rooms above the phone center. Hos- pedaje Brisas del Lago (7 411-204; Manue! Rodriguez 443; id USS15/24) is comfortable and clean, but lacking sparks. Café Bizabeth y Loly (Pedro Gonzilez 25; mains USS3- 9) offers evening café-culture, strong coffee and delicious authentic baklava. El Monchito (O'Higgins 250; meals USS7) prepares scrumptious tortellini and offers set menus on ferry days. SOUTHERN PATAGONIA 517 Getting There & Away BOAT Mar del Sur's auto-passenger ferries cross between Chile Chico and Puerto Ingeniero Tbéfiez, (2% hours) several times a week. De- parture days and times change often: check at the Entel office in Chile Chico for the latest posting. Rates are: passengers US$5, bicycles USS4, motorcycles USS8 and vehicles US$36. Reservations are highly recommended; for contact information, see p15. Bus For transportation from Coyhaique to Puerto Thaitez, Puerto Rio Tranquilo and Chile Chico, see opposite. From Chile Chico, Acotrans (411-582) goes to Los Antiguos, Argentina (US$5, 20 minutes). Transportes Condor (@ 419- 500) goes to Puerto Rio Tranquilo (US$12, 3% hours), stopping in Puerto Guadal (USS6). ‘Transportes Ales ( 411-739;Rosa Amelia 00) does the same trip, going on to Cochrane (six hours) on Wednesday and Saturday. On Wednes- day morning the shuttle continues from Rio Tranquilo (you must spend the night there) to Coyhaique (US$14, 10 to 12 hours). SOUTHERN PATAGONIA The wind is whipping, the mountains are jagged and waters trickle clear. This desolate area first attracted missionaries and fortune seekers from Scotland, England and Croatia. Writer Francisco Coloane described these early adventurers as ‘courageous men whose hearts were no more than another closed fist.” The formation of estancias (extensive grazing establishment, either for cattle or sheep, with a dominant owner or manager and depend- ent resident labor force), and the wool boom that followed created reverberating effects: great wealth for a few gained at the cost of native populations, who were nearly exter- minated by disease and warfare. Later the region struggled as wool value plummeted and the Panama Canal diverted shipping routes. Patagonia’s worth may have been hard-won and nearly lost but it is now under reconsid- eration. While wealth once meant minerals and livestock, now it is in the very landscape. For visitors, the very thrill lies in Patagonia’s isolated, spectral beauty. Torres del Paine receives 200,000 visitors a year and a growing518 SOUTHERN PATAGONIA ++ Punta Arenas number set sights further south to Tierra del Fuego and Antarctica PUNTA ARENAS 31061 / pop 125,000 If these streets could only talk: this wind- wracked former penitentiary has hosted tat- tered sailors, miners, seal hunters, starving pioneers and wealthy dandies of the wool boom. Exploitation of one of the world’s larg- est reserves of hydrocarbon started in the 1980s and has developed into a thriving pet- rochemical industry. Today's Punta Arenas is a confluence of the ruddy and the grand, geared toward tourism and industry. Orientation Punta Arenas’ regular grid street plan, with wide streets and sidewalks, makes it easy to walk around. The Plaza de Armas, or Plaza Mufoz Gamero, is the center of town. Kiss the foot of the Ona statue for luck. Street names change on either side of the plaza. Most landmarks and accommodations are within a few blocks of here. Information Internet access is widely available and ATMs are common. Conat (2 223-841; José Menéndez 1147) Has detalls on the nearby parks. Entel (Navaro 957; (© until 10pm) For phone service, Hospital Regional (244-040; Angamos 180) Hostal Calafate (Magallanes 926; per hr USS1; Tom) internet acess Information kiosk (Plaza Mufor Gamero; {3 8am-7pm ‘Mon-Fri, Sam-8pm Sa) La Hermandad (Lavtaro Navarro 1099) Exchange money here Lavasol( 243-607; (Higgins 96; per load US$3) Laundry Post office (Bories 911) One block north ofthe plaza Sernatur ( 241-330; Waldo Sequel 689; £3 8:15am- 6:45pm Mon-Fri 8:15am-8pm Mon-Fri in summer) Has \welkinformed staff, and accommodations and transporta- tion lst. Telefénica (Nogueira 1116) For phone service. Y9am- Sights & Activities The heart of the city, Plaza Mufioz Gamero is surrounded by opulent mansions, including the Palacio Mauricio Braun (Magallanes 949; admission (4 1030am-Spm summer, to 2pm winter), the luxurious seat of power of the 19th-century Braun-Menéndez family, who were sheep www. lonelyplanet.com farmers turned land magnates. Among South America’s most fascinating cemeteries is Ce~ menterio Municipal (ulnes 949), a mix of humble immigrant graves with heartfelt inscriptions and extravagant tombs of the town’s first families, A monument to the Selk’nam com- memorates the indigenous group that was wiped out during the wool boom. Museo Regional Salesiano (Av Bulnes 374; admis- sion US$3; (3 10am-12:30pm & 3-6pm Tue-Sun) touts missionary peacemaking between indigenous groups and settlers. Worthwhile material ex- amines the mountaineer priest Alberto de Agostini and various indigenous groups. Among the historical displays at Museo Naval ¥ Pedro Montt 981; admission US75¢; Sat) is a well-told account of the Chilean mis- sion that rescued Sir Ernest Shackleton's crew from Antarctica. Reserva Forestal Magallanes, km from town, offers great hiking and mountain biking through dense lenga and coigue. A steady slog takes you to the top of Mt Fenton where views are spectacular and winds impressively strong. While tame by all standards, skiing is possible (with views of the strait). The Ski ‘Club Andino ( & 241-479; www.clubandino.cl in Spanish) rents cross-country equipment (USS6 for two hours) and downhill gear (USS16 per day). Inhéspita Patagonia (2 224-510; Lautao Navarro 1013) offers treks to Cape Froward, the south- ernmost point on mainland South America For kayaking check out Turismo Yamana ( 221- 130) Av Colén 568) or Nautica { 3 223-117; Camino Rio Seco km7.5) by the port. Tours Worthwhile day trips include tours to the ‘Seno Otway pingiiinera (penguin colony; tours US$10, admission USS5; &Dec-Mar) and to the town's first settlements at Fuerte Bulnes & Puerto Hambre (tours US$14, admission USS2). Lodgings can help arrange tours, or try the following: Turismo Aonikenk (f= 228-332; worn aonikenk. com; Magallanes 619) Well regarded with multilingual staff. Turismo Pali Aike (223-301; www.tuismopaliaike «om; Lautaro Navarro 1129) Turismo Pehos (ft 244-506; www pehoe.com; José Menéndez 918) Turismo Viento Sur ( Fagnano 565) $ 226-930; www.vientosur.com; Tours on the Barcaza Melinka to see pen- guin colonies on Isla Magdalena (Monumento Natural Los Pingiinos; adultchld USS30/15) leave Tuesday,www.lonelyplanet.com SOUTHERN PATAGONIA ++ Punta Arenas 519 PUNTA ARENAS oO OF Ng OSG reste Qe rou OC See tar Boss ok Semper y Sere on ot es ole 2m d era ie goa a pe oe naa otienter be $4 tees se stonrs & actives techy aaa Ca ceeere | raise Regn Sacsusa 4 52 ine 33 Tons Yana 9 wal 8 inte Stitt tes a: a Cine Estrela. ae sizes |r cy Magellan | ‘erolineas Argentinas. 45 D4 ax aoe eine 8S ‘Suga tame sky, | “orstuy SE 30 Dé Pachamama. “At D3 Turismo Sandy Point. 57 CA ‘eae