Torres del Paine National Park: What to Do?
Torres del Paine is part of Patagonia and located in Chile. For most travelers, it is the highlight of their trip through Patagonia and we completely understand why. The dramatic rock formations and stunning lakes are simply worth visiting. Below, we share all the tips you need for a visit to Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia.
How to Get to Torres del Paine National Park?
There are several ways to get to Torres del Paine National Park. You can travel by car via the Carretera Austral or fly to Puerto Natales. From this town, daily buses depart to the park, but for convenience you can also rent a car. We also saw many people hitchhiking. If you’re traveling to Torres del Paine in Patagonia on a tight budget, this can be a good option. Just make sure to plan extra time so you have enough time to see everything if no one will pick you up!
What Is the Best Base for Torres del Paine?
We stayed a few nights in Puerto Natales and drove to the park from there, which takes about 1.5 hours. If you want to stay closer to the park, be prepared for very high prices for hotels or campsites. €100 per night may already be the minimum just before the high season. That said, the accommodations are beautiful and located right in the middle of the nature.
Where to Stay in Torres del Paine
As mentioned, Puerto Natales is a great base for visiting Torres del Paine. We used Airbnb, which was significantly cheaper than Booking.com. Near the park, there are several campsites offering pitches for campervans and tents. If you’re camping with a tent, you’ll usually get a spot with a small roof above it so your tent can stay dry. This is very handy given the frequent rainfall in this region.
The Weather in Torres del Paine National Park
The weather in this part of Chile is extremely unpredictable. We even had to completely change our itinerary in order to hike to Torres Base Camp in good weather. We usually check the forecast using the Windy app, but unfortunately it isn’t always accurate. Our advice is to only head out when it’s dry and to plan extra time so you won’t be disappointed.
Entrance Fees for Torres del Paine
In Chile, it’s very common to pay an entrance fee for national parks. For Torres del Paine, you’ll pay almost €30 per person for a 3-day ticket. Tickets must be purchased online in advance via the official website of the park, and the minimum ticket duration is always three days.
Tip: You can pay with Revolut, even if the website says foreign cards are not accepted. Having a PayPal account can also be very useful.
Things to Do in Torres del Paine
There are many hiking trails in the national park, ranging from easy to challenging. We didn’t complete them all because the weather turned bad after the first day, but you could easily spend three days doing different hikes here. There are also some amazing viewpoints.
Torres Base Camp
The most popular hike in the park is the one to Torres Base Camp. As part of the W Trek, this hike can also be done as a day hike. You’ll be on the trail for about 8 hours in total, covering 22 kilometers. It’s a tough hike, but absolutely worth it!
W Trek or O Trek
Looking for a multi-day hike? Then you can choose between the W Trek or the O Trek. These routes follow the shape of their names and take between 5 and 8 days to complete. On the official Torres del Paine website, you can see the routes and the locations of the campsites. Be aware of the high accommodation prices! This was the main reason we decided not to do these treks.
Tip: If you want to hike the W Trek or O Trek, start planning well in advance, as campsite spots sell out quickly.
Grey Glacier
From the viewpoint near the glacier hike, you can already see Grey Glacier in the distance. Large chunks of ice regularly float across the water. There are several activities you can do here, such as a boat tour or kayaking along the glacier.
Short Hikes in Torres del Paine National Park
There are also plenty of shorter hikes in the national park. We walked to the Condor Viewpoint and the Grey Glacier viewpoint. Be sure to check out our Patagonia Google Maps Guide with the trails we found most worthwhile.
