Day Trekking in Torres del Paine: 6 Must-See Routes
Everyone talks about the W or the O. But the truth is that Torres del Paine National Park offers other options, beautiful treks of 1 to 8 hours with spectacular and unknown views of this unique corner of Chilean Patagonia. If you want to absorb the environment at a slow pace, a combination of these hikes in no more than a weekend can be an excellent and economical option to get to know the park. Cover photo by @luca.mountainscape.
Updated August 2024.
Map of the treks for the day in Torres del Paine
Red: trail to Laguna Cebolla
Negro: trail to Mirador Cuernos
Blue: Trail to Mirador Cóndor
Green: Grey Lake Peninsula
Magenta: trail to Mirador Ferrier
Amarillo: trail to Base Torres
As you can see, the trails are a bit far from each other. That is why it becomes essential that you move by vehicle within the Park. Renting a car from Puerto Natales has an approximate cost of 50 thousand Chilean pesos each day, combined with the fact that the entrance to the National Park costs 9 thousand for 3 days (for foreigners it costs approximately 32 thousand), this is one of the cheapest ways to get to know Torres del Paine without a tour. If you can get 3 or 4 people in the car, the value per person is even lower than the regular buses that travel to the park (15 thousand Chilean pesos round trip).
Remember to buy your ticket to the park in advance through the official website.
1. Laguna Cebolla
Photo by Dante Sartor.
It is one of the longest routes on this list, but at the same time one of the easiest. Its great advantage is that you do not need to pay the entrance fee to the national park to do it. It is a journey of approximately 10km from Laguna Azul. It is an ideal hike for a family with children or if you are looking for a relaxed trek to explore the surrounding area. Along the way you will meet several of the flying inhabitants of Patagonia such as the Black Woodpecker or the beautiful Kestrel. Being an almost empty area of tourists, the trail is perfect to feel the power of Patagonia in solitude, and not to mention the view of the Towers that awaits you in the Laguna Cebolla.
Duration: 5 hours (round trip)
Difficulty: Casualty
How to get there: You must go to the entrance of the National Park through the Amarga Lagoon. A little before reaching the Porter’s Lodge, there is a detour to the right that will take you to the Blue Lagoon. Here you can park and start the trail on foot.
2. Cuernos Viewpoint
Photo by wanderingsunsets.com.
Thanks to its short duration and almost no slope, the Cuernos circuit is suitable for all types of public. The route is full of attractions, starting with the imposing Salto Grande and then entering mysterious lagoons within the Patagonian steppe. In addition, it is very common to run into groups of guanacos during the journey. At the end you will reach a viewpoint with a panoramic view of Lake Nordenskjöld, with the grandiose Cuernos del Paine posing static on the calypso of the water. In front of the viewpoint is also the Valle del Francés, one of the valleys that is crossed during the W Circuit.
Duration: 2 hours (round trip)
Difficulty: Casualty
How to get there: Follow the signs for the park to the Salto Grande. There you can leave your vehicle in the parking lots and walk 10 minutes to the Falls. If you continue walking, you will see the beginning of the trail marked.
3. Condor Viewpoint
The shortest trek on this list, but with a higher degree of difficulty than the previous ones. After 45 minutes of steep climb up the hills in front of Camping Pehoé, you get, in my opinion, the most incredible view of the National Park from any angle. From the top of the hill you have a 360º panoramic view that surrounds almost all the wonders of the park including the Pehoé, Nordenskjöld and Sarmiento Lakes, the Cuernos del Paine and the entire sector of the Sierra del Toro with its infinity of lagoons to the south. It is highly recommended to do it close to sunset, where the colors of the sky play with the waters of the Pehoé.
Duration: 1 hour and a half (round trip)
Difficulty: Medium-high
How to get there: You must head towards the Pehoé camping area. There you can park your vehicle and then walk east for about 5 minutes to the trailhead. This is marked with a sign that describes the route.
4. Grey Lake Peninsula
A friendly and charming route that crosses rivers, beach and forests. The circuit begins by crossing a suspension bridge over the Pingo River, and then walking among large Lengas listening to the sound of the carpenters. The panorama opens up when you reach the beach of Lake Grey, which you must cross until you reach a small peninsula. Here you will first head towards the Grey Lookout, where you can see up close a group of ice floes that have traveled from the glacier of the same name. Hidden behind the viewpoint is the continuation of the path through the peninsula. The feeling of walking here is unique thanks to the compact mix of shrubs, low-lying trees, lagoons, and seasonal flowers like orchids.
Duration: 2 hours (round trip)
Difficulty: Casualty
How to get there: You should head towards the Grey Nursery in the southwest sector of the National Park. Here you can park your vehicle and right there begins the path to the peninsula.
5. Ferrier Viewpoint
The view from the Ferrier viewpoint. Photo by @mikkasukka.
This is the highest-intensity trek on the list, a challenge that rewards the traveler with perhaps the lesser-known view of the National Park. The beauty of the Ferrier circuit is that you cross an endless number of different terrains. Here you will find the most beautiful forests of Torres del Paine, especially in autumn when the diversity of colors are like candy to the eye. The journey quickly becomes a constant ascent that goes from 100 to 700 meters in only 2.2 kms. Near the top is a dense and mysterious forest, with several fallen trees and closed canopies that prevent you from seeing the sky. Once at the viewpoint there is nothing but rock and a wind that shakes and excites the soul while observing the glacier and Lake Pingo, the glacier and Lake Grey, the Paine massif, an infinity of other lakes, the Sierra Baguales and even Argentina.
Duration: 4 to 5 hours (round trip)
Difficulty: Loud
How to get there: You should head towards the Grey Nursery in the southwest sector of the National Park. Here you can park your vehicle and then walk to the beginning of the trail next to CONAF. Be aware that the trail closes at 3 pm, so we recommend making the journey in the morning.
The autumn colours on the trail to the Ferrier viewpoint.
6. Torres del Paine Base
Photo by @mydetoxtravel
The spectacular route that takes you to the classic postcard of the National Park. The trail to the Torres del Paine Base is intense, lasts 8 hours round trip and is still the most famous of all. Observing the Monzino, Central and D’agostini towers on the emerald lagoon at the base is almost a religious experience that everyone should live at some point in their lives. The trail is beautiful and crosses the Ascencio Valley, next to the river of the same name. At Denomades we have a trek to the Las Torres Base from Puerto Natales, it includes pickup at the hotel, shared transportation, bilingual guide (Spanish and English), and trekking poles.
Duration: 8 hours (round trip)
Difficulty: Loud
How to get there: Inside the Park you must go to the Hotel Las Torres, so we recommend entering from Laguna Amarga. A little before the hotel there is a parking lot where you can leave your vehicle to start the hike.
Grey Lake Beach.
Do you want to know more about Torres del Paine National Park? At denomades.com we have all the information you need:
- Torres del Paine W Circuit: Everything You Need to Know
- Torres del Paine O Circuit: Everything You Need to Know
- 7 reasons to visit Torres del Paine in Winter
- W in Torres del Paine: Advantages of hiring a program
- How to get to know Torres del Paine without trekking
- Trekking: Tips to avoid dying in the attempt
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