Page 2: Trekking and climate conditions
Page 3: Trekking Circuits
Torres del Paine, Chile’s spectacular national park in southern Patagonia, is a wonderland of craggy, granite peaks, snow clad mountains, glacier-fed lakes, waterfalls and rivers, pampas and thick Magellanic forests, meadows, forests and no matter where you look, fantastic scenery.
The name, Torres del Paine, applies to the park, to a mountain range with heights up to 9000 ft and to the set of three peaks recognizable the world over. In addition, the Cuernos del Paine at 6300 ft attract thousands of visitors annually who come to trek, camp, mountain climb, hike and ride through the park on any of the numerous trails as well as those visitors who prefer to stay in lodgings and venture out on daily walks.
Torres Del Paine National Park is on the southern edge of the Patagonia Ice Cap on the Paine Massif. This mountainous region dates to at least twelve million years. Sedimentary rock and magma met and was thrust high into the air. You'll see Monte Paine Grande (3.050 msnm), Los Cuernos del Paine (2.600, 2.400, 2.200 msnm), Torres del Paine (2250, 2460 and 2500 msnm), Fortaleza (2800), and Escudo (2700 msnm). Some of these are covered in permanent ice.
After the ice age, when the ice fields covering the base of the massif began to melt, water and wind carved the rock into huge towers of varying shapes. Crushed rock and sediment colors the lakes in the park. The intense colors range from a milky, almost gray color, to yellows and greens and the intense blue caused by blue algae. Some of the lakes are named for their color, i.e. Laguna Azul and Laguna Verde. There are numerous rivers and small waterfalls and lagoons in the park. The largest rivers are Pingo, Paine, Serrano and Grey.
The park, 181,000 hectares on the Seno de Ultima Esperanza, or Last Hope Inlet, was created in 1959 and declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. The name "Paine" comes from a Tehuelche indian word meaning "blue". The Paine Massif is almost completely encircled by the Rio Paine. The river begins at Lago Dickson at the northern edge of the park, then crosses through the Paine, Nordenskljöld and Pehoé lakes and empties into the Lago del Toro at the southern end of the park. Orient yourself with this excellent interactive map with photos from Go Chile.
Vegetation varies in the park. Around Lago Sarmiento, Salto Grande and mirador Nordenskjöld, you'll find pre-andean heath. Magellanic forests grace the areas around Lago Grey, Laguna Azul, Pingo valley, Laguna Amarga, valle del Francés and Lago and glacier Grey. There are also mosses in the magellan tundra and pampas of swampy grasses depending on the elevation.
Depending on the number of days you want to spend in the park, you can choose from a variety of tours and trekking options. There is a one day tour by car or tour bus which hits the highlights of the park, the Torres, Cuernos del Paine and Lago Grey and Glacier, but it seems that if you’re making the effort to get to the park, it makes sense to spend at least a few days there.
Getting There
Getting there isn’t as complicated as it used to be, but it still involves getting to Patagonia. The park is located 150 kms. from Puerto Natales, located on the Seno de Ultima Esperanza. Puerto Natales is a typical fishing town surrounded by mountains and close to the border with Argentina. The park is 400 kms. north from Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan. (See this map of Chilean Patagonia.)
Most people fly to Punta Arenas and then take the bus to Puerto Natales, but if you have the time to take the ferry through the fjords from Puerto Montt or Chaiten to Punta Arenas, you’ll add another dimension to an unforgettable trip. You can fly to Punta Arenas from Santiago, or get there from points in Argentina.
The park has three entrances from the east: Lago Sarmiento, Laguna Amarga, most often used from Puerto Natales, and Laguna Azul where there are guarderias, ranger stations, maintained by CONAF, the keepers of Chile’s national parks.
From the west and south, there are guarderias at Lago Pehoé, Laguna Verde, Lago de Grey and the main headquarters, or Adminstrative Center, are on Lago del Toro. Each of the guarderias can provide camping and trekking information for any of the trekking circuits. Check on the distance and average trekking time for each portion of the trail and estimate the time you'll need. The trails may be well marked or rough tracks as they cross a variety of terrain. You’ll walk through pampas and thick Magellanic forests, along lakes with huge glaciers and icebergs, up and down steep hills, but no matter which trail you take, you’ll have excellent views.
Page 2: Trekking and climate conditions
Page 3: Trekking Circuits
