TORRES DEL PAINE...
One of the most spectacular
treks of the Americas
Torres del Paine National Park © Jeroe Peys / Istockphoto
"The Paine massif is unrivaled...In its colors and form it is without doubt one of the most fantastic and spectacular sights that human imagination can conceive".
Father De Agostini
Torres del Paine is Chile's most spectacular National Pak and one of the most stunning and diverse of South America.
With heights up to 9,000 feet, takes its name from the three distinctive granite towers (torres) that, together with the horns (cuernos), raise above the Patagonia steppe in a majestic setting within the park.
The region is known as Chilean Patagonia, composed by two sub-regions: Aisen and Magallanes (Chile's XII Region) where the park is located and nature explodes in a concert of mountains, glaciers, islands and icebergs, marking the end of the South America continent.
To have a taste of this magnificent setting, visit South America from Space and South America through Astronaut Photography.
One of the mos inaccessible, unique, uncontaminated and beautiful places in the world, Torres del Paine is a must-go destination, ideal for hikers, climbers, adventure sports oriented and nature lovers in general.
Chile adventure travel par excellence...
- trekking
- horseback riding
- climbing
- kayaking
- rafting
- fly fishing
For kayaking lovers, there is a three day trip -arrange it at Puerto Natales - that goes from rio Serrano through Bernardo O'Higgins National Park and continues along fiordo Ultima Esperanza to glaciar Balmaceda.
Best time to visit is October to April - Spring and Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
You could combine it with a visit to El Calafate, Argentina, and the equally impressive Glaciers National Park (Parque Nacional Los Glaciares), where Perito Moreno glacier is located.
Visit Patagonia Photo Gallery for some impressive pictures of the area.
Torres del Paine: Glacier Grey © Marcelo Silva / Istockphoto
The town of Puerto Natales, Chile,your best gateway to Torres del Paine National Park - about two hours driving through a gravel road - it's also where many buses depart to El Calafate and Rio Gallegos, in Argentina's Patagonia.
But is not only the Paine massif (masizo) what identifies best Torres del Paine National Park with its 181,000 hectares of extension.
It has rivers such as Paine, Pingo, Serrano and Grey, and several lakes...
- Sarmiento
- Nordenskjold
- Pehoe
- Dickson
- Pingo
Several glaciers...
- Grey
- Pingo
- Frances
- Frances
...and waterfalls...
- Salto Chico
- Salto Grande
It has four distinct ecosystems, each of them loaded with particular landscapes, flora and fauna, that can be described as Pre-Andean scrub land, Magellanic forest, Magellanic tundra and high altitude vegetation.
Herds of guanacos, flocks of ñandues, pumas, guemuls and Chilean Grey foxes among its forty different species of mammals.
A huge variety of bird fauna - about one hundred of them - such as the Andean condor, black-necked swan, Chilean flamingo, Magellanic woodpecker, black-chested eagle, etc.
Torres del Paine, Lago Ranco © Istockphoto
There is a large network of trails that allows for a single and multiday treks, with refuges and camping grounds - also hotels and hosterias that we'll talk about later.
The most popular treks include...
- Pingo Zapata circuit
- Paine circuit
- Dickson glacier circuit
- Grey glacier-Frances glacier circuit
- Las Torres (towers) circuit
- Paine lake circuit
- Laguna Verde circuit
An interesting reading to carry is "Trekking in the Patagonian Andes" by Clem Lindemayer, another jewel from Lonely Planet Publications.
You could also get some inexpensive Chile and Argentina Maps here.
Give yourself between three days and a couple of weeks to explore Torres del Paine.
Carry all-weather trekking gear as you could experience four seasons on a single day. A good pair of trekking shoes, woolen cap, sunglasses, sun block and a 0 to 20 degrees sleeping bag with a sleeping mat.
According to the length of your stay, you may want to stock up non-perishable food at Puerto Natales before moving in.
You could rent a car there as well, but there are buses to take you to one of the park main entry points...
- Porteria Sarmiento
- Laguna Amarga
- Laguna Azul
There is an entrance fee of about U$S 15.00 per person.
Torres del Paine National Park was declared World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1975.
You have to visit it, because it's both a truly unique South America travel experience and one of the most beautiful corners of the Earth...
How to Get There:
Lan Chile Airlines has daily flights from Santiago to Punta Arenas, 200 km south of Puerto Natales. From there, Route 9 to the park entrance at lake Pehoe.
From Argentina you can get to the park through El Calafate and Rio Gallegos.
There is also the option to get a ferry from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales - four day trip.
Where to Stay:
There are several hotels within the park boundaries, kind of expensive though...
- Explora
- Lodge Lago Grey
- Lodge Las Torres
- Lodge Rio Serran
...and some refuges (refugios)...
- Refugio Chileno
- Refugio Las Torres
- Refugio Los Cuernos
- Paine Grande Mountain Lodge
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