Reserva nacional Magallanes
Reserva nacional Magallanes
Reserva nacional Magallanes
4.5
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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 wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
132 reviews
Excellent
73
Very good
53
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
3
NekoCat
Franklin, MA694 contributions
Nov 2024 • Couples
The perfect activity our last day in PA before heading to the airport. We were greeted by the Park Steward when we arrived who described the different hikes, lengths and how long they would take. There is a big map displayed outside the office you can take a photo or scan a code. In a separate window you pay a fee and log-in your name. When your hike is over, you should log-out as well. Restrooms available on-site and plenty of car parking. Everything was very organized.
I wouldn’t say the trails are gorgeous, more like a dark thick forest with lots of mossy trees and good shelter from the wind. Each trail leads out to a rewarding vista (mirador) with beautiful and expansive views of the city, river and straights. We saw a hawk with prey and some song birds.
I wouldn’t say the trails are gorgeous, more like a dark thick forest with lots of mossy trees and good shelter from the wind. Each trail leads out to a rewarding vista (mirador) with beautiful and expansive views of the city, river and straights. We saw a hawk with prey and some song birds.
Written December 8, 2024
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.
Peter G
Kihei, HI646 contributions
Feb 2020
Our visit to this national park on the outskirts of Punta Arenas was our best experience of our visit. You need not book a tour; it is easily accessible by taxi (the rangers will call a taxi for your return; fares were 5800 CLP and 4400 CLP for our trips). We were greeted by friendly rangers who outlined the hiking options, then guided us to the appropriate trailhead. Entrance is 5000 CLP for foreigners, and 2500 CLP for Chilean nationals. We chose a 2 hour loop trail which took us to a spectacular overlook of the city and the Strait. En route, we passed through amazing forests with trees covered in a white moss. The trail was in excellent repair and was very well marked. This was a wonderful excursion, especially for a Sunday when most everything in Punta Arenas was closed.
Written February 10, 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.
Erichero
Durban, South Africa91 contributions
Feb 2020
Has several nice walking options and the guides at the base station are helpful and one of them could talk English. With my limited time I chose the 1.5 hour walk, and there was a 40 min walk as well. There are probably longer options too. The 1.5h walk goes through a pretty forest and some meadows with forest flowers. The view from the top is fairly impressive. It's not the best reserve you'll visit in the world, but it's quaint and rural and a bit boutique. I had a great time.
As other reviews mention, you can get the orange El Andino bus for 300 pesos, but the route differs depending on the time of the day. The 9am one (Mon to Sat) goes all the way to the park - for the others you'll need to ask the driver to stop at the 570 intersection (when you see the big brown Reserva Forestal sign). From there you'll walk about 20 to 30 minutes up the hill. When I came back down, I waited for 40 minutes at the bus stop for the return trip and the bus never came. The route is reasonably busy so you might be able to thumb a lift if there's a problem.
Here are the schedules from the bus station (the wooden huts at intersection of Chiloe and Carrera Pinto. X indicates that the route includes the reserve itself.
Mon-Sat:
To: 9:00 (X), 11:00, 13:15, 16:00, 17:00 (X), 20:00
Back (leaving El Andino) (no Xs): 7:20, 9:40, 11:30, 13:45, 16:30, 17:40, 20:30
Sun:
To: 10:00 (X), 13:00, 17:00 (X)
Back (leaving El Andino): 10:40 (X), 12:30, 17:40 (X)
As other reviews mention, you can get the orange El Andino bus for 300 pesos, but the route differs depending on the time of the day. The 9am one (Mon to Sat) goes all the way to the park - for the others you'll need to ask the driver to stop at the 570 intersection (when you see the big brown Reserva Forestal sign). From there you'll walk about 20 to 30 minutes up the hill. When I came back down, I waited for 40 minutes at the bus stop for the return trip and the bus never came. The route is reasonably busy so you might be able to thumb a lift if there's a problem.
Here are the schedules from the bus station (the wooden huts at intersection of Chiloe and Carrera Pinto. X indicates that the route includes the reserve itself.
Mon-Sat:
To: 9:00 (X), 11:00, 13:15, 16:00, 17:00 (X), 20:00
Back (leaving El Andino) (no Xs): 7:20, 9:40, 11:30, 13:45, 16:30, 17:40, 20:30
Sun:
To: 10:00 (X), 13:00, 17:00 (X)
Back (leaving El Andino): 10:40 (X), 12:30, 17:40 (X)
Written February 21, 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.
Elena
24 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
The reserve is near Punta Arenas and you can get there by public transport. Just go to the small bus station in Chiloé with Carrera Pinto where the local buses departs (estación municipal). It only costs 300 pesos and takes less then half an hour (as per 2020). The route is "el Andino" and is an orange minibus. The timetable can be found in their Facebook or in the station. I took it on Sunday and actually stopped at the entrance of the park so there was no need to be dropped at the junction of Y-570 with Y-580 as other reviews mention, so check with the driver. Entrance to the park is 5000 pesos for foreigners, but it's worth it. I did the longest hike they offered called circuito las Lengas which is about 10km in addition to Mirador de las Minas. Highly recommended. The hike for people with reduced mobility is interesting as well as it have signs with info of the park and local vegetation and animals.
Written February 10, 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.
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 February 28, 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 December 16, 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 January 6, 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 March 30, 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 May 7, 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 February 19, 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.
Carolina L
Quilpue, Chile
Se puede visitar en julio ? CĂłmo se llega desde el centro ?
Written June 12, 2018
We took a taxi from the City Centre ($8-10)
[Tome un taxi desde el centro de la ciudad - $8-10]
Written July 3, 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 January 29, 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 February 6, 2018
hay colectivo para llegar desde el centro. que tarifas tendran? Gracias
Written July 24, 2016
Hola, la verdad es que los colectivos no llegan hasta la reserva, estos suben por la Avenida Salvador Allende (Que es la continuaciĂłn 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 tambiĂ©n es buena opciĂłn, ya que solo esta a unos 8 minutos en vehĂculo.
Written October 1, 2016
CĂłmo llego en auto?
Written September 27, 2015
Hay que tomar la Avenida Independencia e ir en direcciĂłn 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 bifurcaciĂłn y posterior entrada al parte luego de recorrer unos 8-10 minutos en VehĂculo.
Written October 1, 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 December 26, 2014
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