Parque Nacional Torres del Paine in southern Chile is a world-renowned area with mountain ranges up to 9000 ft, including the spectacular Cuernos del Paine at 6300 ft. Thousands of visitors annually come to trek, camp, mountain climb, hike and ride through the park on any of the numerous trails or stay in lodgings and venture out on daily walks.
If you wish to hike or trek through the park, and depending on your time, physical fitness, interests and weather, you'll have several choices for the trails, or circuits. (See map.) The circuits, three to eleven day tours, have varying grades of difficulty and may take you less or more time based on your abilities and the weather. Touring with a guide is recommended if you're not familiar with the terrain and weather conditions. Trails may change without much notice.
This trek is the longest, with varying grades of difficulty, and passes through the wonderland of craggy, granite peaks, snow clad mountains, glacier-fed lakes, waterfalls and rivers, pampas and thick Magellanic forests.
This trek begins from the Laguna Amarga entrance, closest to Puerto Natales, where you can rent camping gear and obtain supplies.
There is a hostel, the Hostería Las Torres, near the Laguna Amarga entrance. To begin your trek, cross the river over the footbridge bridge and continue to Campamento Serón for an overnight stay, crossing meadows and taking in the views of Laguna Azul to the east.
