The small port city of Puerto Natales in Chile is the doorstep to Torres Del Paine National Park, a vast expanse of lakes, peaks and glaciers that features some of the most iconic natural landmarks of the Patagonia region. The park’s famous W Trek and O Circuit are recognised among the world’s greatest multi-day hiking trails. If you’re planning any trekking in the area, it’s vital to have a good place to stay where you can prepare adequately beforehand and relax afterwards. We’ve compiled the best hostels in Puerto Natales for trekkers and backpackers to help you choose.
For premium accommodation options, check out our article on 9 stunning places to stay in Torres Del Paine National Park.
This article contains booking links for our recommended hostels, from which we may make commission at no extra cost to you.
The hostel prices in this article are shown in Chilean pesos (CLP). You can find the latest exchange rates at xe.com.
Puerto Natales: a quick overview
Puerto Natales was once a sleepy fishing port, but its proximity to Torres Del Paine National Park has transformed it into a hub for trekkers and backpackers from all over the world.
Located over 120 kilometres away by road, the city is the closest urban centre for accessing the park (which gives a good indication of the park’s remoteness).
With a population of less than 20,000, although Puerto Natales is technically a city, it has the feel of a port town that has been developed to cater for a growing conveyor belt of tourism. Its compact centre is packed with outgear gear and hire shops, tourist agencies and rustic restaurants. The outer streets are lined with colourful corrugated tin houses that typify rural Patagonian towns.
While there are plenty of people around throughout the hiking season (October to April), Puerto Natales has maintained its quiet charm. It oozes a relaxed ambiance that is perfect for preparation and relaxation either side of a long trek.
How to get to Puerto Natales
The remoteness of Puerto Natales makes it quite tricky to reach. The city has a small airport, but direct flights from Santiago are limited and generally only available during the busiest tourist season (November to March).
The nearest major airports are Punta Arenas, further south in Chile, and El Calafate, across the border in Argentina. From each of these you can reach Puerto Natales by bus, which will take a few hours and may require an extra overnight stop.
If you’re travelling through the region on a longer trip, the best way to reach Puerto Natales is by bus. Hire cars in Patagonia are expensive, and a range of good bus services provide a much cheaper and comfortable alternative. For more information, check out our guide to how to get around Patagonia by bus.
If you’re coming from the south, it’s likely you will be travelling to Puerto Natales from Punta Arenas. Several buses operate every day between the two cities. The journey takes about three hours, typically costs 12 US dollars and you can usually book on the day.
If you’re coming from the north, you’ll probably be arriving from El Calafate. This is a slightly longer bus journey of five hours that crosses the Chile–Argentina border. There are services every day, but it’s better to book this one in advance as they’re less frequent. You can book online using Busbud, or alternatively you can try booking through your accommodation or one of the tour agencies in town.
Puerto Natales hostels: a quick comparison
Below you can read in detail about each of our selected hostels in Puerto Natales. But first, here’s how they compare in brief:
| Hostel | Quick info | Prices | Book now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lili Patagonicos | Spacious hostel with excellent self-catering facilities, serves early breakfast | Dorms from $20, privates from $50 | hostelworld |
| Puma House | Hostel made from recycled materials with relaxed vibe, gear rental available | Dorms from $18, privates from $50 | booking.com | hostelworld |
| El Patagonico | Friendly, family-run hostel with well equipped kitchen and comfy social areas | Dorms from $24, privates from $50 | hostelworld |
| Niko’s II Adventure | Relaxed, spacious hostel with self-catering facilities, tour bookings available | Privates from $60 | booking.com | hostelworld |
| Red Point Patagonia | Run by a team of adventure enthusiasts, social vibe, has a climbing wall | Dorms from $17, privates from $39 | hostelworld |
Best hostels in Puerto Natales
Below we have compiled the top-rated hostels in Puerto Natales for providing a base for trekking or taking day trips into Torres Del Paine. One thing to note: while all the hostels we recommend offer free wifi, the signal strength in Puerto Natales is generally quite poor. Therefore, wherever you stay, expect the internet speed to be fairly slow.
Lili Patagonicos
We stayed at Lili Patagonicos before and after hiking the W Trek. The hostel provided everything we needed to get ready for the trek, and we couldn’t have been happier with our experience.
The staff are happy to provide all the essential information about trekking in Torres Del Paine. As it was our first ever unguided multi-day hike, we found this very reassuring and it helped to calm our nerves. The spacious kitchen and communal space is perfect for preparing trekking food, and we got a great night’s sleep in a dorm room with single beds (not bunk beds).
A hearty breakfast of bread, eggs, fruit, cereal, yoghurt and juice is served from an early hour, which meant we could fuel ourselves before taking the 7am bus into the park to start our trek.
Cost: dorms from $20 / privates from $50
Facilities include: free breakfast | free wifi | hot showers | equipped kitchen | laundry | book exchange | luggage storage while trekking
Puma House
Puma House is one of the top rated hostels in Puerto Natales. It’s a hostel that makes a difference, as it is made almost entirely of recycled materials. It’s a small place with a friendly, relaxed vibe and plenty of rustic charm.
The hostel is run by the duo of Hector and Juan, who are welcoming hosts and can provide all the information you need to help plan your trekking in Torres Del Paine.
Gear rental is available on site, and a satisfying breakfast is served early to cater for trekkers. There’s also an outside area where you can dry off your gear after trekking.
Cost: dorms from $18 / privates from $50
Facilities include: free wifi | hot showers | laundry | security lockers | luggage storage while trekking | 24-hour security
El Patagonico
El Patagonico is a homely, family-run hostel with a relaxed environment that’s perfect for pre- and post-trekking.
The hostel has a clean and well equipped kitchen for self-catering, comfy social areas for chilling out, and spacious rooms.
The family staff team can help with any aspects of organising trekking trips, including advising on what to take, arranging bus transfers into the park, and camping gear rentals.
Cost: dorms from $24 / privates from $50
Facilities include: free breakfast | free wifi | hot showers | equipped kitchen | book exchange | luggage storage while trekking
Niko’s II Adventure
Niko’s II Adventure is a pleasant, spacious hostel and an ideal preparation base for hiking in Torres Del Paine. It has a great location, just a couple of blocks from the ocean front and within close walking distance of the centre of Puerto Natales.
The hostel has everything you need for self-catering and getting yourself organised for trekking, with a kitchen, good-sized rooms and luggage storage. You can book other tours such as Perito Moreno Glacier, horseback riding and boat trips through the hostel.
A wholesome breakfast of bread, eggs, jams and famous homemade juice is served every day. There’s also a free pick-up service from the bus station when you arrive.
Cost: privates from $60
Facilities include: free breakfast | free wifi | 24-hour reception | hot showers | equipped kitchen | luggage storage while trekking | 24-hour security
Red Point Patagonia
Self-described as a ‘true backpacker hostel’, Red Point Patagonia is run by a team of local guides and climbers, and is a natural base for adventurous travellers. If you’re a climber this is a particularly good choice, as there is a climbing wall on the premises.
The hostel is located close to the bus station, making it a short and convenient walk when it comes to getting transfers into Torres Del Paine. It’s about 15 minutes’ walk from the centre of Puerto Natales.
The staff team does a great job of fostering a social vibe and making guests feel comfortable. It’s also one of the cheapest hostels in town for both accommodation and gear rental.
Cost: dorms from $17 / privates from $39
Facilities include: free breakfast | free wifi | hot showers | equipped kitchen | book exchange | fitness centre | luggage storage while trekking | laundry
Puerto Natales hostels: map
Use the map below to locate the hostels recommended in this article:
Further reading on Patagonia
For everything you need to know about planning, preparation and training for the W Trek, check out our complete guide for first-timers. We’ve also compiled the 12 most beautiful day hikes in the park. If you’re travelling elsewhere in the region, see our Patagonia itinerary, guide to the best Patagonia hikes, and the best times to visit Patagonia for inspiration in planning your trip.
If you’re planning a longer trip in Patagonia, you might enjoy some of our other articles:
- The ultimate Patagonia trekking guide | 25 best trails and essential tips
- How much does a Patagonia trip cost? Here’s what we spent
- Patagonia packing list: what to take for the hiking season
- 11 awesome things to do in Ushuaia, Argentina
- El Chaltén trekking guide: Laguna de los Tres
- Camping in El Chaltén: a guide to free sites
- 20 things to do in Bariloche, Argentina
- Trekking in Bariloche: the Cerro Llao Llao trail
- Trekking in El Bolsón: Cerro Piltriquitrón day hike
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