6 Best Day Hikes in Torres del Paine

Most people know Torres del Paine for one hike: the Base Towers hike. And it’s an amazing hike – trust me!

But there’s more to the park than just that trail, and that trail is a challenging hike. So if you’re looking for more hikes that are less visited, or hikes that won’t take all day and are still stunning, I’m going to cover those.

I visited Torres del Paine to backpack the O Circuit, but I entered the park a couple of days before my trek started so I could experience a bit more of the park. And while I didn’t get to see everything, I did get to go on some great short day hikes, and my favorite one, Mirador Condor, wasn’t on the O or W trek path at all!

1. Mirador Condor

This trail is steep and climbs relentlessly, but it’s not very long. Once you reach the viewpoint, you’ll be happy you put the effort into this hike, because the views of Lago Pehoé and Los Cuernos are fantastic!

You can also turn this hike into a loop and walk the main road between the two trailheads. This is a great hike to do if you are staying at camping Pehoé. The trailhead begins at the campground!

2. Salto Chico

This trail is very short, and while it seems to be on the Explora Hotel property, there is an official National Park signpost there, which to me means you can hike there.

You start from the gravel parking lot and national park sign and walk on the rickety boardwalk (watch your step!) towards the water. Keep following the boardwalk until you see the Salto Chico waterfall with Paine Grande in the background.

There’s a “no entry” sign at the end of the boardwalk where you start to enter the hotel area, so just turn around and go back the way you came.

3. Salto Grande & Mirador Cuernos

The views from this trail are pretty amazing. You will be treated to a front-row view of Paine Grande and Los Cuernos nearly the whole time!

If you are short on time in the park, this hike has a little bit of everything: a powerful waterfall, views of the mountains, and the glistening blue Lago Nordenskjold. You shouldn’t miss out on this hike!

Add another mile round trip and ~100 ft of gain if you have to park down at Estancia Pudeto.

4. Mirador Lago Grey

This hike can easily be done as a full-day hike if you catch the morning ferry from Pudeto to Paine Grande, and is an opportunity to see Glaciar Grey from afar!

This hike is very moderate and gradual, with little steep climbing over the course of the trail. The trail continues all the way to Refugio Grey, but the end of this route is a rocky overlook with views of Glaciar Grey in the distance.

When you’re about halfway to the overlook, you’ll also enjoy Lago los Patos, a small lake with a beautiful deep blue color. Hold on to your hat when you get to the overlook, this was the windiest day I experienced when I hiked the O Circuit!

Once you’ve enjoyed the view, turn around and head back to Paine Grande. Make sure you make it back in time for the last ferry of the day!

5. Mirador Base Torres

The crown jewel of Torres del Paine is seeing Las Torres (aka, the Towers) from the base of Lago Torres. If you’re doing this as a day hike, be ready for a long day! The earlier you can leave, the better, since this is the most popular hike on this list.

Just be sure to be coming down by 3:00 pm. Rangers will be on the trail to stop you from hiking up to the viewpoint if you are still ascending due to weather concerns.

6. Miradors Frances and Britanico

This is another very long day, but an absolutely fabulous hike and one of the gems on the W Trek!

If you are taking the ferry during the day, I’d only recommend going all the way to Mirador Britanico if you are a fast and fit hiker. But, if you are going to spend the night at Refugio Paine Grande (highly recommend if you want to do this hike), you can’t miss going all the way to Mirador Britanico!

If you can’t make it all the way to Britanico, Mirador Frances is still very beautiful, and it is really awesome to see all of the waterfalls streaming off of the huge chunks of ice still clinging onto the mountain. I will say though, if you don’t have a time crunch, know that the incline from Mirador Frances to Britanico is not as bad as the incline from Italiano to Frances!

At the large buildings before the Italiano campsites, you can find bathrooms (no toilet paper though), and a tap for potable water. So no need to carry water for the entire hike (but bring toilet paper)!

Should You Join a Hiking Tour of the Park?

If you are incredibly limited on time, don’t want to rent your own car, and don’t care about catching sunrise or sunset at the park, a tour can be great!

Most of the tours are day trips that leave from Puerto Natales. So if you’re planning to stay inside or closer to the park, make sure you double check with the tour if you can meet them somewhere.

I don’t think you need to join a tour if you’re a seasoned hiker, but if you’d like more information on the area, or feel more safe and confident with a guide, especially in cougar territory, a guide might be best for you!

What to Pack for Hiking in Torres del Paine

It’s true what they say: you can experience all four seasons in one day in Patagonia! The weather is dynamic, even in the summertime.

Good rain gear and layers are really important in Patagonia. You’ll be thankful to have them if the weather turns on you!

Check out my Hiking 101 and 10 Essentials posts for in-depth information. All of these suggestions hold true for hiking in Patagonia.

In general, I would have the following with you:

• Backpack with comfortable straps
• Sweat-wicking hiking clothes: long sleeve tops and pants for sun and wind protection
• Puffy jacket or fleece for insulation on cold days
• Rain jacket for both rain and wind protection
• Trail runners or hiking shoes and midweight, sweat-wicking hiking socks
• Sun protection: sunscreen, SPF lip balm, sunglasses
• Warmth: beanie, lightweight gloves, possibly waterproof shell gloves/ mitts
• Map: topo maps downloaded offline. GaiaGPS or AllTrails
• Basic first aid kit
• Headlamp, especially if doing sunrise or sunset hiking

How to Visit Torres del Paine

Torres del Paine is approximately 110 km driving distance from the city of Puerto Natales. To visit the park, most people will fly into Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales, and take a bus to the park. Bus travel is the least expensive way to travel to the park, and is reliable.

I took the bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine with Bus-Sur, and it is the company I would recommend booking with. The other bus companies seemed to have more of an in-person presence, so if you have a flexible schedule and don’t mind booking things last minute, you could also look into the other companies.

An entry fee is required to visit Torres del Paine, and to make your life easier, you should pre-pay for your entrance online. There are two fee options depending on how many days you want to spend in the park. One is a three-day entry pass, which costs $35 USD, and a 4+ day pass, which costs $49 USD, as of 2023. You can book your entry pass here.

If you’re still wrapping your head around planning your full trip to Torres del Paine National Park, I’ve got a full park guide to help you get started with planning your time here!

Should You Get a Rental Car to Go Hiking in Torres del Paine?

I went to Torres del Paine using only the bus system. The big goal of my trip was just to get there because I was hiking the O Circuit. But, I ended up going to the park a little early because I wanted to see some places that I wouldn’t be able to see on the backpacking trip.

All this to say is that I did feel a little trapped without my own car. The buses are amazing, and it’s great that they even come out here and drive all the way to Lago Grey, but they only run 3 times per day during the high season and only stop at certain places.

There were some viewpoints I really wanted to see, but couldn’t, because the bus didn’t stop there. I think if you are only going to be day hiking or doing day trips in Torres del Paine, renting a car is the way to go! I will be renting a car on my next visit to the park so I can explore more.

Something to note though is that there are no gas stations outside of Puerto Natales. The round-trip distance from Puerto Natales to Laguna Amarga Entrance station is 220 km, and that doesn’t take into account driving around the park. So, you will probably want to bring extra fuel in a separate container. From what I’ve read, it sounds like rental car companies can provide this container for you.

Where Should You Stay For Easy Access to Hiking Trails?

The best place to stay is in the park! You don’t have to splurge on accommodation either. If you want a bed, staying in the Central or Paine Grande Refugio is your best bet for easy access to amazing hiking trails.

You don’t have to hike or backpack to get to either of these Refugios either. Central can be accessed by the Las Torres shuttle from the Laguna Amarga entrance station, then by a really short walk from Estancia (the bus station). Paine Grande can be accessed via the catamaran boat from Pudeto, the ferry stop. You can get to Pudeto very easily via the bus (see table above).

You can also stay in the domes at Camping Pehoé for a real bed.

At all of these places, you can buy hot food and snacks, so you don’t even need to worry about bringing meals!

If you are willing to camp, you’ll save even more money! You can camp at all of the above locations, but Camping Pehoé is the only one that allows you to have your car at your campsite too. You can reserve rental camping gear at Central and Paine Grande ahead of time, but Pehoé has limited on-site rentals, as they are more set up for car campers with their own gear. You can always rent gear in Puerto Natales though. There are multiple gear rental businesses.

If you need something a little more upscale, there are multiple hotels inside the park. These hotels usually come all-inclusive with food and tours. You will be paying quite a bit of money to stay in these places, especially during the high season, so be aware!

Are these hikes on your Torres del Paine bucket list? Any questions about hiking in Torres del Paine?Let me know below!