Milodon Cave Tour (Puerto Natales)

Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument is a Natural Monument located in the Chilean Patagonia, 24 km northwest of Puerto Natales and 270 km north of Punta Arenas. The monument is situated along the flanks of Cerro Benitez. It comprises several caves and a rock formation called Silla del Diablo (Devil's Chair). The monument includes a cave which is notable for the discovery in 1895 of skin, bones and other parts of a giant ground sloth called Mylodon (Mylodon darwini).

The largest cave in the monument is the 200 m long Milodon Cave. It was discovered in 1895 by Hermann Eberhard, German explorer of Patagonia. He found a large, seemingly fresh piece of skin of an unidentified animal. In 1896 the cave was explored by Otto Nordenskjöld and later it was recognized that the skin belonged to Mylodon - an extinct animal which died 10,200 - 13,560 years ago.

In the cave and other caves of the monument have been found remnants of other extinct animals and human remnants.

At the entrance of the monument is a life size replica of the prehistoric Mylodon, which was a very large herbivore, somewhat resembling a large bear. It became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch.

Available: from Monday to Sunday
Tour duration: 4 hours 30 minDeparture time: 08.30am
Includes:
• Transfers in/out from Hotels in Puerto Natales
• Guide
• Entrances