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TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK
Torres del Paine National Park is located in the commune of Torres del Paine, Province of Última Esperanza, Region de Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena.
It was created on May 13, 1959, originally called Lago Grey National Turistic Park, and two years later it was renamed Torres del Paine National Park.
Located in the Region de Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena, in the province of Última Esperanza, specifically in the commune of Torres del Paine, it has been administered by the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) since 1973. Since 1975, the park rangers maintain a permanent presence in the area, watching over the conservation of biological diversity, natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.
This natural area is protected by the state and it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO in 1978 and was recognized as the eighth wonder of the world after a contest on the virtualtourist.com website, of the TripAdvisor Media group, in 2013.
Its surface area is officially 227,298 hectares, with some defined rules of use that are found in a management instrument called the Management Plan, which allows the organized use of the spaces to ensure conservation in a protected area.
It is an unparalleled tourist destination for its great variety of landscapes, fauna and flora, which has been reflected in the increased number of visitors in the last decades, reaching about 300,000 people per year.
How to arrive?
Transport from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine
For those who travel by bus, the main companies that cover the route to Torres del Paine are:
Transportation from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales
Between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales there are approximately 250 kilometers of distance on a well-paved road.
The designated entrances for vehicles to access the park are:
Rates
You may enter Torres del Paine National Park through any of the following gates: Laguna Amarga, Sarmiento or Serrano, where you must present your ticket (QR code) to the Park Rangers to validate your entrance.
ONLINE TICKET PURCHASE
You can buy your ticket by visiting https://pasesparques.cl/ and save time waiting at the gates, avoiding crowds.
RATES FOR CHILEANS:
UP TO 3 DAYS
CHILD <12 YEARS OLD | FREE |
ADOLESCENT 12 TO 17 YEARS OLD | $ 3.700 CLP |
ADULT >18 YEARS OLD | $ 7.300 CLP |
SENIOR >60 YEARS OLD | FREE |
FOR MORE THAN 3 DAYS
| CHILD <12 YEARS OLD | FREE |
| ADOLESCENT 12 TO 17 YEARS OLD | $ 10.500 CLP |
| ADULT >18 YEARS OLD | $ 10.500 CLP |
| SENIOR >60 YEARS | FREE |
RATES FOR FOREIGNERS:
UP TO 3 DAYS
CHILD <12 YEARS OLD | FREE |
ADOLESCENT 12 TO 17 YEARS OLD | USD 17.0 |
ADULT >18 YEARS OLD | USD 35.0 |
SENIOR >60 YEARS OLD | USD 35.0 |
FOR MORE THAN 3 DAYS
CHILD <12 YEARS OLD | FREE |
ADOLESCENT 12 TO 17 YEARS OLDS | USD 49.0 |
ADULT >18 YEARS OLD | USD 49.0 |
SENIOR >60 YEARS OLD | USD 49.0 |
Shelters and campsites
The National Park offers various lodging services depending on the recreational activities you wish to do.
For mountain hiking, specifically on the W Trail and the Macizo Paine Circuit, it is necessary to make reservations for overnight stays, as it is obligatory to access to these mountain circuits. It is important to keep in mind that this requirement does not apply to day hikers or full-day visitors (vehicular road), or to campsites located along the vehicular road (Serrano and Pehoé).
To make reservations for overnight stays within the National Park, you must book through the companies that provide the service as detailed below:
Integrated reservation system for Torres del Paine National Park (Reserva Las Torres, and Vértice Patagonia).
Huts and camping sites: Francés, Cuernos, Chileno, Serón and Central.
- (+56 61) 2614184
- (+56 61) 2614185
- info@lastorres.com
Huts and camping sites: Grey, Paine Grande, Los Perros and Dickson.
- (+56 61) 2412742
- (+56 61) 2415693
- ventas@verticepatagonia.cl
WEATHER
In Torres del Paine it is possible to experiment the four seasons in a single day. For this reason, it is crucial to bring appropriate clothing for each occasion to protect yourself from strong gusts of wind, rain and even snow.
Patagonia’s weather is an important factor to take into consideration. The maximum temperature reaches 20°C in summer and drops to 0°C in winter. Thermal sensation can make the ambient temperature 6 to 7 degrees colder. The water temperature usually ranges between 4 and 5 degrees Celsius.
Although it is possible to visit the park all year round, it is recommended to visit between October and April, where you can enjoy days with more than 16 hours of sunshine, sunny weather and fewer rainy days.
TIPS
- Remember that from 13:00 to 15:00 hours, the stores in Puerto Natales are usually closed for a lunch break, and the commune of Torres del Paine has no bank services.
- Torres del Paine National Park has no ATMs. Therefore, it is better to withdraw money upon arrival in Puerto Natales, where there are ATMs and banks.
- There are no currency exchange services inside Torres del Paine National Park, so it is advisable to exchange foreign currency for Chilean pesos while in Puerto Natales.
- The roads inside Torres del Paine National Park are winding, and the maximum recommended speed is 40 km/h. The strong crosswinds can make it difficult to drive, so be cautious and reduce your speed.
- Don’t worry about water. The rivers and streams you will encounter provide perfectly drinkable water.
- Wear all-weather clothing. Even in summer, night temperatures drop quickly, and the rain can come unexpectedly at any time.
Flora & fauna
The Torres del Paine National Park, Eighth Natural Wonder of the World, is home to a wide variety of ecosystems, making it a treasure among Chile’s protected wildlife sites.
The impressive biodiversity of flora and fauna is due to the ecological communities where more than 100 bird species, 25 mammal species, and 270 plant species live.
Flora
We invite you to learn about the flora and fauna of Torres del Paine National Park.
Among the flora we can identify:
- Pre-Andean scrubland, which covers most of the park’s surface, and is found on plateaus and plains.
- Magellanic deciduous forest composed mainly of Lenga trees (Nothofagus pumilio).
- Patagonian steppe that covers plains and plateaus of the region. Characterized by low shrubs, cushion plants and grasslands.
- Andean Desert that corresponds to all the territories that, due to the climatic conditions determined by the altitude, present a vegetation lacking trees and tall bushes. The plants remain in vegetative dormancy for a large part of the year.
- Notro (Embothrium coccineum): small tree with red flowers that grows among bushes, visible on the trail that connects Hostería Las Torres with Campamento Los Cuernos and in the Pingo Valley.
- Calafate (Berberis microphylla): famous shrub with black fruits and yellow flowers found on the trail that connects the Las Torres sector with Camp Serón.
- Clover (Armeria maritima): medicinal herb easily recognizable by its large pink flower. This plant is present on the trail that connects the Laguna Amarga Portal with the Sarmiento Portal.
- Flor zapatilla (Calceolaria uniflora): orange-flowered herb that grows on rocky terrain such as the base of Las Torres.
- Pea flower (Lathyrus nervosus): easily confused with lavender, this herb with purple flowers and slender petals can be seen in the French Valley if you look carefully.
Fauna
The diversity of environments described above translates into a rich presence of mammals that inhabit the park. The most sought after and feared species is the puma (Felis concolor), which resides in the eastern sector. If you wish to see the so-called “mountain puma”, it is best to visit during the months of November and December, when the cubs leave their burrows and the guanacos give birth to their cubs, which are preyed upon by the pumas.
Other emblematic species of Torres del Paine are:
- Huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus): an endangered deer species protected within the park. With brown fur and herbivorous habits, huemul deer can be sighted in the western sector of the park, although they blend in well with the vegetation, making them difficult to see.
- Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus): with a wingspan of up to 3 meters, it is the largest flying bird in Chile. It nests high in the rocky mountains, in caves along vertical walls, and lays a single egg that incubates for 60 days. It is the national symbol of Chile.
- Guanaco (Lama guanicoe): camelid with reddish fur and white spots, commonly seen in the park, especially around Laguna Amarga, Laguna Azul and Lago Sarmiento.
- Culpeo fox (Lycalopex culpaeus): also known as the Andean fox, recognized by its reddish fur on its head and legs. This fox can be observed in the areas of Grey, camping Pehoé, and near the park administration.
- Chilla fox (Lycalopex griseus): similar to the culpeo fox but with a grayish coloration and yellowish spots, it does not exceed sixty centimeters in length. It lives around Laguna Azul, Sarmiento and Lake Nordenskjöld.
- Nose skunk (Conepatus chinga): A solitary omnivore known as skunk, it measures about 70 centimeters and emits a strong smell as a defense mechanism. It is found in the areas surrounding Laguna Amarga, Sarmiento and Azul.
- Black-chested buzzard eagle (Geranoaetus melanoleucus).
- Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus)
- Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
- Spectacled Duck (Anas specularis)
- Magellanic Woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus)
- Kingfisher (Ceryle torquata)
- Patagonian Finch (Phrygilus patagonicus)
- Diuca finch (Diuca diuca)
- Rufous Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis)
