Things to do in Torres del Paine
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Torres del Paine
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Trekking season: refugios open, long daylight. December to February is peak.
Shoulder: some refugios closed, volatile weather, far fewer people.
Winter: short days, snow, most refugios closed.
Best things to do in Torres del Paine
Base de las Torres
The three granite towers over a glacial lake: the payoff of the whole park.
Grey Glacier
Boat navigation between blue icebergs to the face of the retreating glacier.
French Valley
Hanging valley walled by granite, ending at the Británico amphitheatre.
Lago Pehoé
The impossibly turquoise lake with the Cuernos del Paine behind it.
Salto Grande
Powerful waterfall between two lakes, fifteen minutes off the road.
Milodón Cave
Huge cave of the giant ground sloth, the classic half-day from town.
Mirador del Cóndor
Short steep lookout where condors ride the thermals at close range.
Lago Grey
Shoreline walk among beached icebergs with the glacier in the distance.
Where to stay in Torres del Paine
Puerto Natales
trek logistics
Gateway town with gear shops, buses and restaurants; every trek starts and ends here.
Inside the park, east side
Base Torres dawn starts
Wake up at the trailhead for the towers with no bus involved.
Inside the park, west side
Grey Glacier days
At the quiet end of the W, by the boat dock and ice hike.
Refugios on the W
the trek itself
Dorm bunks with bedding, showers and cooked dinners where W trekkers sleep.
Think twice about
- Punta Arenas as a base
Three-plus hours each way to the park; fine for a flight connection, useless for trekking.
- El Calafate for the Chilean park
The border crossing eats a whole day each way.
- Camping outside designated sites
Prohibited and fined; it is all park or estancia land.
Best restaurants in Torres del Paine
Mesita Grande
Wood-fired pizzas and empanadas: the standard post-trek dinner.
La Disquería
Seafood and steaks with pisco sours, a step up from the pizza places.
La Casona
Patagonian lamb and king crab in season at the lodge on the hill.
El Living
The reliably vegetarian-friendly café in a lamb town.
La Burbuja
Thirty years of family-run seafood: pailas marinas, honest cooking.
La W Restaurante
Unusual and good Chilean-Korean fusion after days of refugio food.
Refugio Grey restaurant
Three-course trek dinners at long tables with hikers from everywhere.
Best bars in Torres del Paine
Last Hope Distillery
The town distillery bar: calafate sours and the return-to-Patagonia ritual.
Outdoor things to do in Torres del Paine
W Trek
The classic 4 to 5 day trek, refugio to refugio, carrying only a daypack.
O Circuit
The full 7 to 9 day loop including the wild back side and Gardner Pass.
Base Torres day hike
The towers as a very long day: 20 km and 10 hours, weather window required.
Grey Glacier ice hike
Crampons-on guided walking on the glacier itself, half a day.
Estancia horseback riding
Full-day estancia ride with lamb asado lunch: the proper rest day.
Lago Grey kayaking
Guided kayaking among the icebergs, quieter than the big boat.
Best hotels in Torres del Paine
Singular Puerto Natales
Luxury conversion of a cold-storage plant on the waterfront.
Hotel Simple Patagonia
Design-led and central, built for trekkers.
Weskar Lodge
Lodge feel on the hill, home of the La Casona restaurant.
Hotel Las Torres Patagonia
At the Base Torres trailhead: wake up inside the park for the dawn hike.
Explora Patagonia
All-inclusive lodge on Lago Pehoé with guided everything.
Tierra Patagonia
Design lodge with the massif view, all-inclusive.
Refugio Grey
Dorm bunks, hot showers and cooked dinners on the W.
Refugio Paine Grande
The biggest refugio, at the foot of the French Valley day.
Is Torres del Paine expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | CLP 60,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | CLP 150,000 a person |
| Splurge | CLP 350,000 a person |
| No limits | CLP 700,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Grey Glacier: a few days ahead
- Puma tracking: weeks ahead
- W Trek: months ahead
- O Circuit: months ahead
- Grey Glacier ice hike: a few days ahead
- Estancia horseback riding: a few days ahead
- Lago Grey kayaking: a few days ahead
- Refugio Grey restaurant: months ahead
- Refugio bunks for December to February the moment dates are fixed.
- Park entry online before you go.
- Explora and Tierra Patagonia months ahead.
- Grey Glacier navigation days ahead in January and February.
Is Torres del Paine safe?
- Very safe from people; the risks are wind, river crossings and hypothermia. No signal on much of the W. Emergency number 133.
Torres del Paine travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- The car-park sunrise at the towers: the hike earns the empty version.
- Cheap unlicensed puma tours that disturb wildlife.
- Buying all gear new at home when Puerto Natales rents everything.
- The O circuit without training: the Gardner Pass ends unprepared treks.
Getting around Torres del Paine: public transport and more
- Buses Puerto Natales to the park take 2 hours; book the day before in season.
- The Lago Pehoé catamaran is part of W logistics, not optional.
- Inside the park it is feet or nothing.
- Rent gear in Puerto Natales, not at home.
Who Torres del Paine suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Torres del Paine your trip
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