Fort Bulnes & Port Famine

Historic tour – Half Day – by land

Join a historic tour to Fort Bulnes & Port Famine.

In 1584, the Spanish navigator Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa founded the first settlement in Southern Patagonia to proclaim the region in the name of the Spanish crown. Gamboa’s colony “Ciudad de Rey Don Felipe” (King Philip City) turned out to be a disaster and did not last for long. About 300 people died of starvation, diseases or were killed in conflicts with the natives. The place soon became know as Puerto del Hambre (Port Famine).

In 1843, the Chilean government sent out an expedition to build the first Chilean settlement in Patagonia, Fort Bulnes, very close to Gamboa’s original settlement. The reason was quite similar, hence to emphasize the Chilean authority over these Southern lands, and, even more important, over the Strait of Magellan that was the only reasonable seaway between the Atlantic and the Pacific ocean until the Panama Canal was opened in 1914.

Today, the rebuild wooded fort and a hand full of cannons overlook the Strait of Magellan from a beautiful peninsula.

Every day at 9:00 am, pick up at Hospedaje Magallanes in Punta Arenas. Travel time South is about one hour. For most of the time, the road follows the coastline of the Strait of Magellan. Visit Port Famine & Fort Bulnes. Return to Punta Arenas at about 2 pm

Tour Includes

  • Transfer from/to Hospedaje Magallanes
  • English speaking tour guide

Additional Costs

  • Entrance fee CLP 10,000 per person
  • Optional tips to your tour guide and/ or your driver

Regular Departures

Our half-day tour to Fort Bulnes departs every day from September 01st through Apr 30 at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm 

Price for Regular Departures

CLP 30,000 per person (about USD 35 – p/p*)

+ Park entrance fee CLP 10,000 per person (about USD 11 – p/p*)

* Aug 29, 2023 exchange rate

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