Puerto Natales is a rambling town of 16,000, spread along the sloping coast of the Seņoret Canal between the Ultima Esperanza Sound and the Almirante Montt Gulf. This is the jump-off point for trips to Torres del Paine, and many visitors to the park will find themselves spending at least a night here.
The town itself has grown recently to accommodate more tourism-oriented businesses, but it is still basically a small center with rows and rows of weather-beaten tin and wooden houses.
Puerto Natales has a frontier-town appeal and boasts a stunning location with grand views out onto a grassy peninsula and glacier-capped peaks in the distance. From May to September, the town virtually goes into hibernation, but come October, the town's streets are crowded with international tourists decked out in parkas and hiking boots on their way to or back from the park.
