Torres del Paine Guide: Adventure Planning for Beginners
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If you’re planning a trip to the Patagonia region, you probably have Torres del Paine – Chile’s crown jewel National Park – on your list. Torres del Paine is a nature lover’s dream. Towering peaks, turquoise glacier-fed lakes and rivers, and unique wildlife make it a bucket-list destination.
The first thing I ever knew about Torres del Paine were the famous “Towers” that stand tall above a stunning blue alpine lake – and I knew I had to go and see them. I just had no idea how. Patagonia seemed so far away and in another world. I didn’t speak Spanish, didn’t know if I needed to rent a car, what else there was to see and do, and how much hiking I wanted to do.
Well, I ended up doing tons of research, and flew down to Torres del Paine to hike the O Circuit in January 2023. And of course, I discovered a ton of things my initial planning missed – like the chance to take a day off hiking to kayak on Lago Grey!
Whether you’re dreaming of multi-day hikes or just want to experience the iconic views, this guide walks you through what I wish I’d known before my first visit. We’ll cover reservations, transportation, best activities, when to go, and the details that make all the difference in planning your trip.
Best Time to Visit Torres del Paine
Summer (November – mid March) is the best time of year to visit Torres del Paine. This is when most hiking trails will be open and tours will be running.
It’s also the most popular time to visit. Refugios and campsites will be full, and things like lodging will be more expensive, in general.
I visited the park at the end of January to hike the O Circuit and had a great time. Even though it was the high season, I didn’t feel like it was overly crowded in most of the park – except for when I was hiking Mirador Las Torres (felt worse than summer in Yosemite Valley at that point).
The fall season (mid-March – April) is actually stunning in the Patagonia region. They have lots of beautiful fall foliage to admire, and crowds and the wind is starting to lessen, while hiking trails are still open! When I get to go back, I want to visit in the fall because it looks so magical.
You can visit Torres del Paine in the off-season (April – September), but the park is in winter conditions with lots of snow. You also need to visit the park with a licensed guide in the winter months, which might not actually make your trip any less expensive than visiting in the summer.
When to Book Your Vacation
If you’re planning to visit during the high season (November – March), you’ll want to make your reservations as early as humanly possible.
Most hotels and campgrounds don’t explicitly state online when they open their booking calendars for the season, but it’s only gotten more competitive and earlier in recent years.
When I visited in January 2023, I made all of my O Circuit campground reservations at the end of June (2022) just fine. But now, you need to book ASAP when reservations open, which is usually April – May of the prior year.
If I were you, I would begin to plan your trip to Torres del Paine one year – 9 months in advance. This will ensure you get the most options for booking accommodations.
How To Get To Torres del Paine National Park
Torres del Paine National Park is located in southern Chile, close to the border with Argentina in the Patagonia region. It is incredibly far away from both Santiago and Buenos Aires, the capital cities of both countries.
But, you’re most likely going to be flying into one of those cities first, before your secondary flight further south, closer to the park.
Flying to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales
Flying to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales are going to be the most convenient options for reaching Torres del Paine.
First off, you want to make sure you’re flying to these cities from Santiago, Chile. Flights to these cities from other countries in South America are way more expensive than thru Santiago (it was like $300 more for me to fly from Buenos Aires to Punta Arenas vs. Santiago).
I flew San Francisco (SFO) → Santiago (SCL) → Punta Arenas (PUQ), and spent 2 nights in Punta Arenas before taking a bus to Puerto Natales and onward to Torres del Paine.
You can also fly from Santiago to Puerto Natales (PNT), but there were fewer flights daily to PNT from Santiago and they were more expensive for me (by like $150 each – much more than the price of a bus ticket). Plus, I wanted to do a penguin tour in Punta Arenas, so flying there worked out for me!
Taking the Bus
As I said above, I used the bus to take me from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales, and then to Torres del Paine.
I was able to drop luggage off at the hotel in Puerto Natales that I was staying at after my trip to Torres del Paine, and continue onto the park and even do a short hike in the evening – all on the same day – it was pretty seamless!
I used Bus Sur for all of my bus transportation in Chile, booking via BusBud, and was really happy with them. I don’t speak Spanish except for a few common words and did not have issues navigating the buses.
There are pros and cons to using the bus to get to Torres del Paine.
First, the pros: it’s more economical, more sustainable, and actually really convenient and easy, especially if you’re planning to stay in the central area of Torres del Paine.
The cons to taking a bus are what you’d expect: lack of flexibility, the bus doesn’t go everywhere in the park (so you will miss out on sights if you’re relying on it), and it’s not the most comfortable means of transportation.
Overall, I was happy taking the bus. It got me to Camping Pehoe, so I was able to hike and explore in that area, and then I took it back to the Central area from Pudeto the next day to start the O Circuit.
Renting a Car
If you’re looking for more flexibility during your time in Torres del Paine, or if you’re staying in the Rio Serrano area, you’ll want to rent a car.
Most people will rent a car from the Puerto Natales area, though if your flights are out of Punta Arenas, renting from there is probably more convenient even though it’s further away.
The roads in Chile are not terrible – so I wouldn’t be concerned about renting a car and something going wrong – but I would still make sure you had good liability insurance on it because there are some unpaved roads and you don’t want to be financially responsible for a rock cracking the windshield.
If you do rent a car, be aware that there is no gas in Torres del Paine. I’ve heard that you should ask the rental company for an extra canister and fill it up in Puerto Natales so you don’t run out while in the park. Some lodging facilities may sell you gas – I’d email or call your lodging ahead of time to inquire.
Interestingly, there is an electric vehicle charging station at Hotel Lago Grey, which is pretty cool and maybe a sign to come for the future?
Even though I was satisfied with taking the bus to Torres del Paine for my trip, I think if I was not hiking the O Circuit or W Trek, and was staying in a hotel and day hiking, I would definitely want a car if my lodging didn’t include a shuttle.
Visiting From Argentina
Torres del Paine is relatively close to El Calafate, Argentina. It’s about 3.5 hours by car, but you do need to cross the international border, which can add 1+ hours to the trip.
If you’re traveling from El Chaltén or El Calafate, you’ll either take the bus or drive a rental car over.
On my trip, I took Bus Sur from Puerto Natales to El Calafate and we crossed the border at Paso Río Don Guillermo near Cerro Castillo.
I have heard that some rental car companies won’t let you drive the car across the border, so just make sure you book with a company that does let you drive over the border. A friend told me that she had no issues with Hertz. They do charge you for the paperwork to be able to cross with the car, which is pretty standard for car rental companies. Don’t try to lie to get around paying – you will be asked for the paperwork at the border crossing.
7 Best Things to Do in Torres del Paine
1. Day Hiking
Hiking is one of the top activities to do in Torres del Paine! The most popular hike in the park is to Mirador Base Torres – the famous “Towers”. This trek is 12.5 miles (20 km) long with approx. 3,300 feet (1,000 m) of elevation gain.
There’s a lot more hikes in Torres del Paine though – so check out my day hiking guide to learn more about them!
I’d definitely recommend hiking Mirador Base Torres and Mirador Condor at minimum!
2. Backpacking
Overnight hiking is one of the most popular activities in Torres del Paine! The vast majority of backpackers will be hiking the W Trek or the O Circuit.
The W Trek is a 3-5 day trip to the most popular viewpoints in the park, while the O Circuit is a longer route around the less visited backside of Torres del Paine at 7-9 days long.
Overnight backpacking is tightly regulated in Torres del Paine. You must make reservations for camping far ahead of time, and wild camping is not allowed in the park: you must camp in designated backcountry campgrounds.
There are some backpacking options to more remote sections of the park, but you must hike with a licensed guide to visit those places.
3. Photography
Torres del Paine is one of the most beautiful places in the entire world – it’s not called the Eighth Wonder of the World for no reason! So it’s no surprise that landscape photography is highly sought after here. I know it drew me in for sure!
Some of the most popular features to photograph are Los Cuernos – “the Horns”, Lago Nordenskjöld, Las Torres – “the Towers”, and Lago & Glacier Grey.
4. Kayaking
Sadly, I was not able to kayak on my trip, but it is a popular activity in the park with a guide! Kayaking at Lago Grey or any of the lakes in Torres del Paine is probably the most popular kayaking tour in the park – and it lets you get pretty close to Glacier Grey – such a cool experience!
5. Grey Glacier Trekking Tours
Bigfoot Patagonia leads glacier trekking tours on Glacier Grey. You’ll get to strap on crampons and carry an ice axe and explore the ever-changing top of the Southern Patagonia Icefield! I didn’t do this in Torres del Paine, but I did get to do it at Perito Moreno in Argentina and it was a super cool experience that I’d highly recommend!
Note: any tour in the vicinity of Glacier Grey – kayaking or ice trekking – requires you to begin from the Grey Refugio, so you’ll need to factor in getting there to the time & cost of the tour ($200 round trip boat ride or boat ride + 6 mile hike one-way from Paine Grande Refugio).
6. Boat & Lake Tours
Lago Grey is one of the most magnificent lakes in Torres del Paine because it’s also home to Glacier Grey! Hotel Lago Grey runs the Grey III Navigation, a 3 hour 45 min ferry ride across the whole lake and up to Glacier Grey. It costs $110/adult round trip and there are 3, sometimes 4 daily voyages.
Another lake tour option would be riding the ferry from Pudeto to Paine Grande Refugio across Lago Pehoé. This is a much shorter excursion (~45 min each way) and gives you time to explore the W trail around Paine Grande. In fact, if you want to hike to Mirador Grey or Vallé Frances, you’ll need to take this ferry to begin your hike!
7. Wildlife Viewing
Guanaco and pumas are some of the most famous wild animals in Torres del Paine and there are multiple tours with experienced guides that know exactly where to find these beautiful animals. I wish I had the chance to do this on my trip – but that just means I have to go back!
How to Best Experience Torres del Paine (DIY vs. Guided)
There’s essentially 2 ways to look at your time in Torres del Paine: do everything on your own, or pay a guide to show you around.
I think a combination of the two options is probably the best way to fully enjoy the park!
Do-It-Yourself
You can definitely experience Torres del Paine without the help of a guide. I did it all myself: from my camping bookings to the bus rides to hiking the O Trek – and I barely speak any Spanish (seriously – it’s Hola, Gracias, lo siento, and los baños).
The park is not hard to navigate – when I can return to the park, I want to rent a car and be able to drive myself to more viewpoints and places I missed the first time – especially as a photographer and wanting to be at certain spots at sunrise & sunset.
If your goals are mainly hiking and checking out park viewpoints, I think a rental car DIY option is the perfect way to go.
Guided Tours
Guided tours are really helpful if you don’t want to spend the extra money to stay in the park or rent a car. You can stay in Puerto Natales and book day trips from there into the park, and it will probably cost less and be less stressful than renting a car each day and driving yourself into the park daily (2 hours each way) from Puerto Natales.
You can also book guided tours if you’re staying in the park for certain activities – like if you decide to book a few nights at the Grey Refugio – you’ll need to book the Grey Navigation to get there and you can also book Glacier & Kayaking excursions with Bigfoot Patagonia.
This option is perfect for people who are not doing the W or O Treks and who want to experience a little bit more of Patagonia – not just the hiking trails and roadside views.
All-Inclusive
Let’s be honest – planning an international trip is a lot of work, and can be stressful. If you don’t want to worry about anything, I’d highly recommend booking your trip through the luxury hotels I’ve listed below. Their all-inclusive packages will vary, but most include transfers, meals, lodging, and some tours!
How Many Days Should You Spend in Torres del Paine National Park?
How much time to spend in the park really depends on exactly what you want to do! I think everyone needs at least 3 days to get a good taste of the park.
If you’re planning to hike the W or O treks, you’ll need to spend 5-9 days in the park just to do the hike. Backpacking either of these routes gives you an excellent overview of the most popular parts of the park, but you won’t be able to do everything unless you give yourself a couple more days before or after your backpacking trip to explore a little bit more.
My 10 Day Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrive at Camping Pehoé from Punta Arenas, hike Mirador Condor
- Day 2: Enjoy Lago Pehoé, Hike Salto Grande & Mirador Cuernos, bus to Central Camping
- Day 3 – 10: O Trek & return to Puerto Natales
Where To Stay Near Torres del Paine
When you’re deciding where to stay in Torres del Paine, you need to consider a few things.
- You need to decide your budget and adjust your expectations based on that.
- How close you want to be to the main attractions in the park.
- If you want to rent a car or not.
- If you want to or are okay with camping (with your own gear or rented gear).
There are some areas near the park where you do need a car if you want to stay there and also explore Torres del Paine – because there is no bus service from the properties to the park (like the hotels in the Rio Serrano area).
Budget Accommodations
If you’re on a budget and trying to visit Torres del Paine, you’ve basically got two options. Campgrounds and Refugios within the park, or staying in Puerto Natales, a two hour drive from the park, and driving in to explore (or taking guided day tours from the town).
Camping inside the park will allow you to have the most access and time to see everything Torres del Paine has to offer, and it’s what I chose to do for a few days before I started the O Circuit. I camped at Camping Pehoé and Central.
I did have all of my own camping equipment with me, so I didn’t need to rent anything from the vendors, which would have increased costs.
If you want to camp at the W Trek Campgrounds, I highly recommend the service Torreshike.com because it’s so much easier to see the availability on their website vs. checking in with the two separate vendors of the various campgrounds. Just select “Custom Trek” vs. “W and O Trek”. You can use this website to book campgrounds and indoor Refugio dorm-style beds.
More budget hotel recommendations:
Midrange Lodging Options in Torres del Paine
Hosteria Pehoe is probably the best, less expensive option in the park. It has amazing views, is literally on the lake, and is close to many great hikes. However, I’ve heard reports that the rooms are pretty dingy for what you’re paying. Essentially, you’re paying to be in one of the most beautiful destinations on Earth! And not much else.
Here are some more midrange lodging options:
Luxury Hotels
There’s no shortage of luxury hotels in and near Torres del Paine. If you are wanting a once-in-a-lifetime trip and are good paying the price for that – you won’t be disappointed! Most of these luxury lodges include some kind of meal plan and some even include transfers to/from Puerto Natales, and include personalized tours in the park, making them a great option for people looking for an all-inclusive option.
These are some examples of high end hotels in Torres del Paine:
Packing For Patagonia’s Infamous Weather
The weather in Patagonia is… chaotic. Even in the summer.
Winds exceeding 100+ mph are possible, you could experience sun, rain, and snow all on the same day – I experienced all four seasons on my O Circuit hike! The park service can even close trails due to conditions.
Don’t let that dissuade you from visiting though! It’s all part of the experience. But try to make sure your itinerary is flexible enough so if there is bad weather on your trip, you can make sure you do the high priority activities on the best weather days!
Make sure you bring:
- Rain Jacket: You want something fully wind and waterproof, but also breathable if you’re hiking a lot in it! All seams should be taped and pit zips are helpful.
- Rain Pants: You’ll want to put these on top of your regular hiking pants in case it starts pouring down rain.
- Puffy Jacket: Down or synthetic – whichever you prefer. You’ll want this for evenings when the temperatures drop.
- Active Midlayer: Something like a fleece or wool layer to wear over your hiking shirt to keep you warm while you’re hiking – but not as heavy as your puffy jacket.
- Sweat-wicking top: Go for wool or polyester in Patagonia – when cotton gets wet it doesn’t dry and you’ll be miserable.
- Sweat-wicking hiking pants: Polyester pants will breathe the best and dry quickly if they do get wet. I didn’t think it was warm enough for hiking in shorts, personally!
- Accessories: gloves, beanie, and sunglasses depending on the weather for the day!
- Socks: again – make sure they’re sweat wicking! Wool and synthetics – no cotton here – we don’t want blisters!
- Shoes: Most people will want to wear waterproof hiking shoes in Patagonia so you’re prepared for any weather.
- Hiking backpack: bring a small day pack to carry your water and layers that you aren’t currently wearing!
Things You Need To Know About Torres del Paine
First, visit the official webpage and read their official quick guide for the season. It’s helpful for specific dates and trail time closures!
Because you’ll be exploring the outdoors and hiking in a foreign country, I always recommend having travel medical insurance in case something goes wrong. I’ve used SafetyWing on my travels and been happy with the coverage!
National Park Entrance Fee
There is a fee to enter Torres del Paine, and every visitor is checked at an entrance station for their ticket. You can buy them in advance from Chile’s National Park website here.
There are 2 options for park entry: the 1-3 day pass (32.400 CLP) or the 4+ day pass (46.200 CLP). Kids under 12 are free.
Tours and hotels don’t cover the park entrance fee. You’ll still need to pay it to get into the park!
WiFi & Cell Service
Is pretty much nonexistent. There are paid WiFi stations at some of the refugios, campsites, and the welcome center, but cell service is nonexistent and the WiFi is pricey, and not always that strong. You’ll want to inquire with your lodging if you’re staying inside the park to confirm if they have WiFi for hotel guests.
You’ll want to make sure you download driving and hiking maps offline so you can access them!
Credit Cards & Cash
Make sure you bring $4,500 CLP in cash (each way) if you plan to use the park shuttle to bring you from Laguna Amarga to The Central Area. This is the only place in the park where cash is required, and you’ll probably only need to worry about this if you’re taking the bus to Torres del Paine.
Credit cards work in the park at all the eateries and lodging and the WiFi machines. Make sure you use a credit card with zero foreign transaction fees! I use the Chase Sapphire Reserve to get even more travel benefits.
I would still keep some Chilean Pesos on hand just in case there’s any issues with credit card readers. There are no ATMs in the park, so you’ll need to get cash beforehand in the city.
Where to Eat in Torres del Paine
The food options are kind of limited in the National Park and in my opinion, are just ok. Every Refugio accessible to day trippers has a cafe that has a la carte options – usually pizzas and hamburgers. And has a small store with grab and go snacks.
If you’re staying overnight in a Refugio, you’ll either need to reserve your meals at the time of booking, or sign up for them upon arrival. Some places you can even place and order for box lunches.
There’s also a café to grab snacks at the Pudeto ferry terminal, the park welcome center, near Lago Grey, and Camping Pehoé. The hotels have dining facilities. Some, like Las Torres, are only available for guests, though. But Hotel Lago Grey does have a restaurant open to the public.
Overall, food is not the reason you’ll be visiting Torres del Paine, and I would inquire with your lodging about their food options before booking!
Patagonia Trip Planning: Next Steps
Now that you’ve got an overview of the park and what it offers, it’s time to dive deeper and make your dream trip real. Whether you’re debating between hiking the O Circuit or the W Trek, want to figure out which day hikes are worth your time, or need more information about the campgrounds and refugios – I’ve got detailed guides to walk you through it all.
Not sure where to start or feeling overwhelmed by the options? I offer one-on-one trip planning calls to help you map out your perfect Patagonia itinerary. No guesswork, no stress.
👉 Book a call with me here to get personalized help with your trip.
