The Natural Monument of the Milodon Cave is located in the Southern Zone of Chile and is made up of three caves, where remains of milodons were found, large mammals already extinct.
This cave has a great tourist attraction, both for the discovery of this species, and for the beautiful landscapes that surround this natural monument. It is only 24 km from Puerto Natales, where the crossing to Torres del Paine Park begins and ends. A must-see if you plan to do this route or if you are passing through Puerto Natales.
From Puerto Natales, it is 17 km to the north along Route 9, to the Milodón-Cerro Castillo fork. From this point, turn left onto Y-290, advancing 8 km to the entrance and parking lot of the Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument.
This tour can be done by car, taxi or bicycle. Taxis have fixed fares for this route, which may be around CLP 15,000 (round trip). For the most motivated, this journey can be made by bicycle, in which case it takes around 2 hrs. The cost of renting bicycles for this excursion is around CLP 6,000. CONAF has parking for bicycles at the entrance to the natural monument.
The natural monument Cueva del Milodón has a series of trails, the most popular being the Cueva Grande trail, which leads to the largest of the 3 caves and where there is a full-scale replica of a milodón. This trail lasts 1 hour. Many people only take this tour.
However, it is highly recommended to do the rest of the trails, which offer magnificent views and views of the flora and fauna of the place. The Mirador trail lasts 45 minutes and the Cuevas y Aleros trail lasts between 3 and 4 hours. The trails have a low difficulty, without being physically demanding and with well-marked trails.