Attractions
Known for its turquoise lakes, emerald woods and raging rivers, Torres del Paine National Park is the perfect place for hiking. Each of its treks its special in its own way: Los Cuernos del Paine, Torres del Paine and Valle del Francés are some of them.
Check out our most recommended attractions in Torres del Paine!
Torres del Paine
Several granite peaks nearby simulate the teeth of a tiger, rising dramatically about a kilometer (more than half a mile) into the sky. The national park is named after them. To see them requires an eight-hour round trip.
Address: Torres del Paine National Park
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park (87 USD)
Los Cuernos del Paine
Los Cuernos del Paine, also known as ‘Paine horns’, is the name given to a group t of granite peaks in Torres del Paine, a visually impressive group of mountains, standing at 2000 metres high. The Cuernos are located in the middle of the W Trek, the most popular route for trekking in Torres del Paine National Park. From the top of Valle Francés and Pudeto viewpoint you’ll get the best views of Los Cuernos!
Address: Commune of Torres del Paine
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park
Valle del Francés
It is a 10-hour, medium-difficulty trek (round trip). It starts from the Cuernos del Paine or from Lake Pehoé. On clear days, this hike is one of the most beautifuls inside the park, and if you complete the hike and reach the British camp, it’s possible to see the Paine Grande to the west and the spectacular Torres del Paine and the Cuernos to the east, surrounded by glaciers .
Address: Valle del Francés.
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park
Lago Pingo
This lake is one of the least visited, thus,an excellent place for bird watching. The trail begins with an easy walk through a pleasant valley, past an old baqueano post. From there, the trail will take you through the forest on rolling terrain, further on you will find the Pingo waterfall until you finally reach another old baqueano post, a bit ramshackle but picturesque. You can make this path as long or as short as you want. The trail starts from the same parking lot that goes to Gray Lake.
Address: Lago Pingo.
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park
Mirador Nordenskjöld
The trailhead for this ride begins near the Pudeto catamaran dock. This trail begins with an up-close visit to the Salto Grande waterfall. Then the road winds through a deserted beach and thorny bushes to a lookout point with spectacular views towards the French Valley and the Horns, looking over Lake Nordenskjöld. This trail is a good place to see wildflowers in the spring, but it can get very windy in late summer.
Address: Lake Nordenskjöld
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park
Glaciar Grey
You can reach the Grey Glacier by taking a 4-hour trek that becomes a little more challenging at the end. You will go through a beautiful path that ends with a view of the lake and the Grey Glacier, after crossing extensive forests of lengas, coigües and ñires. You can also enjoy views of this glacier by taking a 3-hour boat trip through floating icebergs.
Address: Grey Glacier.
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park (Except the boat trip)
Salto Grande
Another noteworthy attraction in Torres Del Paine is the Salto Grande waterfall. Found within a beautiful setting, Salto Grande lies on the Paine River and is located nearby the famous Cuernos (Horns) of Torres del Paine, which provides visitors gorgeous views while surveying the falls. Guests can hike to the waterfall, where they will experience unusually strong winds, a feature that makes this attraction even more unique. Together with the gorgeous colors of the water and the sky above, the picturesque surrounding scenery and the sporadic gusts of wind, the Salto Grande waterfall is a great place to visit while in Torres del Paine.
Address: Torres del Paine National Park
Days and times: Open every day, at all hours.
Price: Included in the price of the National Park
Las Cuevas del Milodon
To visit these caves is to make a direct trip to prehistory and discover the size of one of the largest animals that inhabited this area, known as “Milodon”. This is an ideal family outing.
Address: Y-290 8, Natales, Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile
Days and times: Every day from 09:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:00).
Villa Turística Río Serrano
This town, popularly known as “little town” Serrano, is the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. It is located 80 kilometers away from Puerto Natales and is frequented by travelers seeking tranquility, privileged nature and activities typical of this area, like fishing, horseback riding and hikes through the Magellan pampas. A fabulous opportunity to go into forests of lengas and ñires, breathe fresh air and contemplate guanacos, huemules and caiquenes.
Address: Río Serrano
Days and times: Every day, at all times.
Eating & Drinking
Check out our most recommended Restaurants & Bars in Torres del Paine!
Coiron Restaurant
Hotel Las Torres Amargura, Torres del Paine National Park. Tel: + 56-61-617450
Regional / Vegetarian Friendly
The best time to visit is during the day since the view from its living room, surrounded by mountains and parks, is incredible. There are many options for different palates and they are all very tasty and do not disappoint. There are several vegetarian-friendly dishes.
Quincho Pampa Lodge
Lot 1, Rio Serrano Sector, Torres del Paine National Park. Tel: + 56-53-162911.
International /Southamerican / Chilean.
A very quiet restaurant with beautiful views. Its bread basket stands out for its variety of breads, always warm. It offers a good variety of grill and meat. There are those who think that its cuisine is the best in the area!
Asador Patagónico
Prat 158, Puerto Natales. Tel: 56-61 / 413-553.
Grill /South American / Chilean.
If you are in the mood for a Patagonian barbecue, Asador Patagónico will not disappoint you. Authentic family atmosphere. Rich food and rich wines. Their bread basket is very particular, you’ll see why…
Pehoe
Lake Pehoé Torres del Paine sector. Tel: + 56-61-2722853
Regional / Meats
The restaurant of Hostería Pehoe invites you to enter one of the most remote passageways of Patagonian cuisine and enjoy one of the most spectacular views of the Cuernos del Paine. You can have lunch, dinner or enjoy a drink in the lounge accompanied by a table of meats, cheeses and seafood in a warm atmosphere.
Hotel Lago Grey Bar & Restaurant
Lago Grey sector. Tel: + 56-61-2410172
Regional food / Meat / Pasta
This restaurant combines delicious gastronomy with the unique surroundings of Hotel Lago Grey, ensuring a unique experience in each dish. Two menus are offered daily for lunch and dinner. Selected and absolutely natural products are used in its preparation. In addition, its varied wine cellar offers the best of Chilean vines.
Tips & Advice
You can do a full-day visit to the main attractions from Puerto Natales or El Calafate, but we recommend that you stay at least one night in one of the hostels,hostels or refugios inside the park. If you are really into hiking you can do the famous W circuit (4 days, 3 nights)
The climate in Patagonia is a very important factor to consider. The maximum temperature reaches 20 °C in summer and drops to 0 °C in winter.
Although it is possible to visit the park throughout the year, it is recommended to do it between October and April, when you can enjoy days with more than 16 hours of light, sunny and with less rain. In low season, it is likely that many services are closed, although the lower influx of tourists can be a plus for those seeking greater tranquility on their trip.
The park officially lies in the “temperate climate of cold rain without a dry season”.
Flight: If you are travelling from Santiago de Chile, this is the most direct and fastest way to get to Punta Arenas, the city with the closest airport to Torres del Paine National Park. With a LATAM direct flight you can reach Punta Arenas in 3h 30 min. From the Punta Arenas Airport you must continue the trip by public bus or rented vehicle to reach the park (around 3 hours driving on paved road). And, if you are in Buenos Aires, the fastest option to get to Torres del Paine National Park is to take a plane from the Argentine capital to the city of El Calafate and then take a bus or rented vehicle to reach the park and drive for about 6 hours.
Bus: You can take a public bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales (Chile) (240 kms, approximately 3 hrs). Or you can take a public bus from El Calafate (Argentina) to Puerto Natales (Chile), a 7-hour trip (depending on the waiting time at the border crossing).
Self-drive: You drive to Torres del Paine from different points of Patagonia, such as El Calafate (Argentina), Punta Arenas (Chile) and Puerto Natales (Chile).
No, there aren’t. You can provide yourself enough Chilean pesos in the nearest town (Puerto Natales o El Calafate in Argentina) Even though some hotels have credit cards, connections might be lousy due to the remoteness of some areas.
In restaurants, it’s customary to tip about 10% of the bill. Note that tips can’t be added to credit-card bills, so carry cash for this purpose.
For tour guides , estimate around USD 10/15 per person, for a full day tour and half of it for the driver. In hotels, you should tip porters for handling bags:USD1.00 for every two bags.
Same amount is calculated for drivers if they help you with your suitcases, the housekeeping (between USD0.50 – 1.00 per night), and the concierge staff if the have helped you to arrange dinner reservations, transportation or leisure activities. In Chile we don’t regularly tip taxi drivers.
If you haven’t booked a full-board program (all meals included) calculate some money for lunch (US 25 +) and dinner (US 40 + ) depending on the restaurants / hotels you visit. Some hotels accept credit cards, but we recommend taking cash in case the connection does not work. To have cash will help you with the tipping as well.
When it comes to tourism purposes, nationals of certain countries can travel to Chile visa-free, provided that they will stay for less than 90 days. The visa-exempt nationals can travel to Chile with their passport and obtain a Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) from the immigration authorities upon the border crossing. Learn about countries requiring a visa to visit Chile here.
Torres del Paine National Park is characterized by having an unstable trans-Andean climate, with strong winds, especially in summer. The average temperature in summer is 12 ° C, with a minimum of 0 ° C and a maximum of 23 ° C, the annual precipitation reaches 700 mm.
Warm clothes and fleece are always a great choice because they will warm you and protect you from the winds, quick-drying clothes (the advantage of special fibers is that they dry very quickly and the body does not get cold), windbreakers and / or waterproof jacket, walking shoes and sunscreen. Dress up in layers. So this could be your packing list:
The entrance fee to the park is unique, independent of the length of stay of the person who pays it and varies according to season.
During the high season (that is, from October 1 to April 30) only cash payments are accepted in Chilean pesos, dollars or euros. The entrance fee for a foreign adult is 24USD. During the low season (that is, from May 1 to September 30) only Chilean pesos are received and the ticket price is 15USD.
It all depends on where you are staying. If you are staying in the hotels within the park, the possibilities are endless since contact with nature and the large expanses of green invite you to run everywhere. If instead, you are staying in Puerto Natales, a good option for running is the waterfront (Avenida Pedro Montt), that features an incredible view of the sea.
In the same way as with physical activity, meditation can be practiced in any corner of Torres del Paine. Contact with nature and with the impressive landscapes that this corner of the world offers invite you to connect with the environment and with yourself.
- Hosteria Pehoe
From this inn, both sunrise and sunset are dreamlike. If you don’t stay there, you can visit the restaurant, organize an early dinner and take a few photos of this fairytale sunset
You can do a full-day visit to the main attractions from Puerto Natales or El Calafate, but we recommend that you stay at least one night in one of the hostels,hostels or refugios inside the park. If you are really into hiking you can do the famous W circuit (4 days, 3 nights)
Flight: If you are travelling from Santiago de Chile, this is the most direct and fastest way to get to Punta Arenas, the city with the closest airport to Torres del Paine National Park. With a LATAM direct flight you can reach Punta Arenas in 3h 30 min. From the Punta Arenas Airport you must continue the trip by public bus or rented vehicle to reach the park (around 3 hours driving on paved road). And, if you are in Buenos Aires, the fastest option to get to Torres del Paine National Park is to take a plane from the Argentine capital to the city of El Calafate and then take a bus or rented vehicle to reach the park and drive for about 6 hours.
Bus: You can take a public bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales (Chile) (240 kms, approximately 3 hrs). Or you can take a public bus from El Calafate (Argentina) to Puerto Natales (Chile), a 7-hour trip (depending on the waiting time at the border crossing).
Self-drive: You drive to Torres del Paine from different points of Patagonia, such as El Calafate (Argentina), Punta Arenas (Chile) and Puerto Natales (Chile).
In restaurants, it’s customary to tip about 10% of the bill. Note that tips can’t be added to credit-card bills, so carry cash for this purpose.
For tour guides , estimate around USD 10/15 per person, for a full day tour and half of it for the driver. In hotels, you should tip porters for handling bags:USD1.00 for every two bags.
Same amount is calculated for drivers if they help you with your suitcases, the housekeeping (between USD0.50 – 1.00 per night), and the concierge staff if the have helped you to arrange dinner reservations, transportation or leisure activities. In Chile we don’t regularly tip taxi drivers.
When it comes to tourism purposes, nationals of certain countries can travel to Chile visa-free, provided that they will stay for less than 90 days. The visa-exempt nationals can travel to Chile with their passport and obtain a Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) from the immigration authorities upon the border crossing. Learn about countries requiring a visa to visit Chile here.
The entrance fee to the park is unique, independent of the length of stay of the person who pays it and varies according to season.
During the high season (that is, from October 1 to April 30) only cash payments are accepted in Chilean pesos, dollars or euros. The entrance fee for a foreign adult is 24USD. During the low season (that is, from May 1 to September 30) only Chilean pesos are received and the ticket price is 15USD.
In the same way as with physical activity, meditation can be practiced in any corner of Torres del Paine. Contact with nature and with the impressive landscapes that this corner of the world offers invite you to connect with the environment and with yourself.
The climate in Patagonia is a very important factor to consider. The maximum temperature reaches 20 °C in summer and drops to 0 °C in winter.
Although it is possible to visit the park throughout the year, it is recommended to do it between October and April, when you can enjoy days with more than 16 hours of light, sunny and with less rain. In low season, it is likely that many services are closed, although the lower influx of tourists can be a plus for those seeking greater tranquility on their trip.
The park officially lies in the “temperate climate of cold rain without a dry season”.
No, there aren’t. You can provide yourself enough Chilean pesos in the nearest town (Puerto Natales o El Calafate in Argentina) Even though some hotels have credit cards, connections might be lousy due to the remoteness of some areas.
If you haven’t booked a full-board program (all meals included) calculate some money for lunch (US 25 +) and dinner (US 40 + ) depending on the restaurants / hotels you visit. Some hotels accept credit cards, but we recommend taking cash in case the connection does not work. To have cash will help you with the tipping as well.
Torres del Paine National Park is characterized by having an unstable trans-Andean climate, with strong winds, especially in summer. The average temperature in summer is 12 ° C, with a minimum of 0 ° C and a maximum of 23 ° C, the annual precipitation reaches 700 mm.
Warm clothes and fleece are always a great choice because they will warm you and protect you from the winds, quick-drying clothes (the advantage of special fibers is that they dry very quickly and the body does not get cold), windbreakers and / or waterproof jacket, walking shoes and sunscreen. Dress up in layers. So this could be your packing list:
It all depends on where you are staying. If you are staying in the hotels within the park, the possibilities are endless since contact with nature and the large expanses of green invite you to run everywhere. If instead, you are staying in Puerto Natales, a good option for running is the waterfront (Avenida Pedro Montt), that features an incredible view of the sea.
- Hosteria Pehoe
From this inn, both sunrise and sunset are dreamlike. If you don’t stay there, you can visit the restaurant, organize an early dinner and take a few photos of this fairytale sunset
