Tortel, Coastal commune in Capitán Prat Province, Chile.
The commune of Tortel spans across 19,930 square kilometers of land between the Northern and Southern Patagonian Ice Fields at the Pacific Ocean.
The settlement of Caleta Tortel, established in 1955, developed from a lumber industry based on the extraction of Guaytecas Cypress in the region.
The inhabitants of Tortel constructed an elaborate system of wooden walkways extending 8 kilometers through the cove, reflecting their connection to the forest.
Access to Tortel remained limited to air and boat transportation until 2003, when the X-904 road connected it to the Carretera Austral network.
The entire commune contains dense vegetation and steep hills, making boat travel necessary between houses when not using the elevated wooden pathways.
Location: Capitán Prat Province
Capital city: Caleta Tortel
Elevation above the sea: 7 m
Website: http://municipalidaddetortel.cl
GPS coordinates: -47.83333,-73.56667
Latest update: May 27, 2025 11:36
Patagonia extends across the southern reaches of Chile and Argentina, encompassing a range of natural landscapes from active glaciers to volcanic peaks. The region presents a mixture of ice, stone and water, with national parks protecting thousands of square miles of undeveloped terrain. The land was shaped by glacial processes that left deep valleys, lakes and dramatic mountain formations. The collection includes prominent locations across both countries. In Argentina, Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre rise above the valley of El Chaltén, while Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the few ice formations worldwide that continues to advance. Los Alerces National Park protects ancient alerce trees that have stood for millennia. On the Chilean side, the Marble Caves at General Carrera Lake form carved rock structures, Queulat Hanging Glacier feeds waterfalls, and the towers of Torres del Paine define one of South America's most recognizable mountain landscapes. San Rafael Lagoon provides access to tidewater glaciers, while remote protected areas such as Kawésqar National Park and Pumalín Douglas Tompkins National Park preserve extensive temperate rainforests. Historical sites like Cave of Hands display prehistoric rock art.
Carretera Austral
37.5 km
Perito Moreno National Park
98.4 km
Villa O'Higgins
102.9 km
Laguna San Rafael National Park
94.6 km
Northern Patagonian Ice Field
92.9 km
Caleta Tortel
4 km
Brüggen Glacier
157.3 km
San Rafael Glacier
127.8 km
Cerro San Lorenzo
97.8 km
Volcán Lautaro
132.1 km
O'Higgins Glacier
121 km
Monte San Valentin
138.8 km
Aguja Poincenot
165.7 km
Viedma
175.2 km
Aguja Saint Exupery
166.6 km
Exploradores Glacier
151.5 km
Nef Glacier
90.1 km
Jorge Montt Glacier
59.6 km
Lago Cochrane Nature Reserve
112.6 km
Faro Cabo Raper
193.9 km
Arenales
71.4 km
San Quintín Glacier
121.4 km
Bernardo Glacier
93 km
Huemul Glacier
145.8 km
Lago del Desierto Provintial Reserve
147.6 km
Colonia Glacier
74.2 km
Puesto Arbilla
153.9 km
Steffen Glacier
39.9 kmReviews
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