Torres del Paine National Park

4.8 (11,030 reviews)

National ParkTourist AttractionParkPoint of InterestEstablishment

Best time to visit

Summer, roughly November through March, brings 17 or more hours of daylight and the calmest trekking weather of the year. March and April add autumn colors and noticeably lighter crowds on the trails.

Budget tips

Entry runs about 35,000 Chilean pesos for foreign adults, close to $40 USD, so make one long stay count instead of paying twice. Stock up on groceries in the gateway town before heading in, and reserve the bus, refugio beds, and campsites early because prices climb fast near high season.

Recommended for

Multi-day trekkers, Photography enthusiasts, Wildlife and nature lovers, Solo adventure travelers

Plan your visit

5-7 days for the full W trek; 1 day minimum to hit the two top lookouts

About

Quick facts: Roughly 181,000 hectares of raw terrain hold granite towers that jump 2,800 meters into the sky, a valley glacier, and lakes stained a milky turquoise by glacial silt. Some 200,000 visitors arrive each year, yet a guanaco herd grazing beside the trail or a condor circling on a 3-meter wingspan always steals the show.

Highlights: The glowing trick happens before the sun is even up: for about twenty minutes at daybreak, the three granite towers ignite a vivid orange, but only a few days per month when the clouds break just right. Stand at the Grey Glacier lookout and you'll hear the ice groan, crack, then thunder as chunks the size of buses shear off and slam into the water.

Insider tips

Wear three layers under a windproof shell, since gusts above 100 km/h can literally stop you mid-step on exposed ridgelines.
For the best light on the dark-capped Cuernos, walk to the Salto Grande viewpoint around 8 PM when the setting sun flushes the granite pink.
Start the Base de las Torres trail by 7 AM from the main entrance to beat shuttle crowds and catch calmer morning wind.
Carry purification drops, because streams run milky with glacial flour and refugio tap water can taste faintly of iodine.