Torres del Paine National Park

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Picture Perfect Patagonia

The main attraction of this National Park and Biosphere Reserve is its famous mountains, which you have no doubt seen on hundreds of postcards of Chile. You will be pleasantly surprised by its hiking trails, which will take you through forests and by waterfalls and lakes with fantastic views of the snow capped Campo de Hielo Sur (Southern Ice Field).

Enjoy the 17 hours of daylight in summer, and do not miss the sunrise, when the horns of the Torres del Paine Massif turn purple and then red. Take a boat trip on Lake Grey to the glacier of the same name or paddle a kayak among enormous blue and white icebergs.

While the most spectacular views will require a bit of effort, anyone can enjoy the park's main landmarks by driving around. It is home to 97 km of roads that wind through stunning landscapes that range from Patagonian steppe to forest. This is the perfect place to combine short hikes with a good rest. You can choose from five-star hotels and excellent lodges as well as very comfortable campsites. You can even try "glamping," an option that involves camping with all the comforts and details of a good hotel.

Another one of the park's attractions is the chance to photograph native fauna. The animals are not afraid of humans, so you can get close enough to take photos of guanacos, ñandúes, foxes, huemuls and, with a lot of luck, pumas.

Featured Destinations of Southern Patagonia

Antarctica		Strait of Magellan
Punta Arenas		Tierra del Fuego
Torres del Paine National Park		Puerto Natales

Tours you can do

Hiking Torres del Paine		The Mylodon Cave
Dientes de Navarino		Magdalena Island
Marino Francisco Coloane Park		Puerto Edén
Última Esperanza - Mariano Glacier		Cruises to Puerto Williams and Cape Horn

Getting There

By Bus

Buses to the park leave daily from Puerto Natales at 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Buses leave only in the morning during November, March and April.

By Car

The park can be visited year round from Puerto Natales. The most common route is 154 km (60 of which are paved) and reaches the park gates at Sarmiento and Laguna Amarga. Y-290, an 80 km long gravel road that leads to the park gate at Serrano, opened recently.

Tips

01

Spend at Least Three Days	Avoid the Rain	No Shortage of Water
Plan on staying at least three days, because the Paine Massif, like any great mountain, is often obscured by clouds. The longer you stay, the more likely you will see it in all its glory.	Check the weather before choosing your route. In bad weather, begin your tour in Laguna Amarga, which leads to the steppe route through the park and has less rain. In good weather, enter by Serrano for the best views of the massif and Torres del Paine and to visit the forests and Grey Glacier.	Drinking water can be had in most parts of Torres del Paine National Park. It is completely pure, so you won't have to filter it.

02

Clothing	Upriver	Off-season
Be sure to dress in layers, even during the summer. In a single day you can experience intense heat and cold and gusts of wind of up to 100 km/h. Be sure to bring sunglasses and sunblock.	The most adventurous and entertaining way to reach Torres del Paine National Park is by boat. The journey begins on a slow boat from Puerto Natales that sails the waters of Última Esperanza Fjord and then visits the Serrano glacier. Next, you'll take a zodiac along the Serrano River on a route that offers excellent views of the Southern Ice Field.	Enjoying and traveling around Torres del Paine National Park during the summer is wonderful, but it is truly stunning when it is covered with snow. The park is open year round and the climate is more stable during the winter because there is less wind.