Mountain Scenery

The iconic granite peaks and towers of Torres del Paine rise dramatically to 3,000 meters, creating one of the world's most spectacular mountain landscapes.

           Puma Tracking

Home to the most accessible wild puma population in the Americas, offering unique opportunities to walk with and photograph these magnificent big cats.

          Epic Hiking

An extensive network of trails includes the famous W and O circuits, plus numerous day hikes offering stunning views of glaciers, lakes, and mountains.

          Glacial Wonders

The Southern Patagonian icefield spills dramatic glaciers into turquoise lakes, creating an ever-changing landscape of ice and water.

          Wildlife Viewing

Beyond pumas, the park hosts abundant wildlife including guanacos, Andean condors, flamingos, and the ostrich-like ñandus.

         Diverse Ecosystems

The park transitions from Magellanic subpolar forests to Patagonian steppes, creating distinct habitats for unique flora and fauna.

            3-5 nights 

A short stay of 3-5 nights allows you to experience one area of the park, typically based at a single lodge. This gives enough time for key highlights like a day hike to Base Torres, some wildlife viewing, and perhaps a boat trip to the glaciers, though you'll need to be selective with activities.

           6-8 nights 

Most of our guests opt for 6-8 nights, which allows for a split stay between the eastern and western sectors of the park. This provides time for both serious puma tracking (2-3 nights) and classic park activities like hiking and boat trips (3-4 nights). It also builds in flexibility for weather changes.

             10-14 nights 

Longer stays allow for either a complete circuit of the park or combination with other Patagonian destinations like Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina. This duration also accommodates complete hiking circuits like the O Trail (7-9 nights) with additional time at comfortable lodges.

The cost of Torres del Paine tours

A journey to Torres del Paine ranges from moderate to high-end luxury, with costs varying significantly based on accommodation choices and activities. You can expect to spend between USD 300 to 2000 per person per night.

 
The main factors affecting price are your choice of lodges (from simple refugios to exclusive luxury properties like Awasi Patagonia) and your chosen activities (especially specialized experiences like dedicated puma tracking).

 
For higher budgets, we can recommend the finest lodges with private guides and exclusive experiences. Consider combining premium properties like Explora, Awasi, or Tierra Patagonia, with dedicated puma tracking experiences and private excursions.
For medium budgets, we suggest mixing accommodation types, perhaps combining a quality lodge like Hotel Las Torres or Patagonia Camp with simpler options. Another strategy is to include more time in places like Puerto Natales, where costs are lower.

 
For lower budgets, we can focus on mid-range hotels and incorporate more self-guided activities. We can also explore alternative Patagonian destinations that offer similar experiences at lower price points.

The W Trail

Named for its W-shaped route, this classic 100km trek typically takes 3-4 nights. It covers the park's main highlights, including Glacier Grey, Valle Francés, and the Base Torres viewpoint. The trail uses a combination of refugios (mountain shelters) and hotels for accommodation.  While popular, it doesn't get as remote as the longer routes.

The O Trail

A more challenging circuit that incorporates the W Trail but adds a vast loop around the northern section of the park. At 154km and taking 7-9 nights, it ventures into the park's more remote areas. Only open November to March, this demanding trek requires carrying all camping gear and supplies, making it suitable only for experienced hikers.

The Q Trail

This is essentially the O Trail with an additional 20km extension along Lago Pehoe's western shore. Rather than taking the catamaran across the lake, hikers complete the 'tail' of the Q. This is the most comprehensive way to experience the park's trail system, though it requires serious commitment and experience.

Puma Tracking

Although there are pumas ranging all the way through the Americas, from the Arctic Circle all the way down to the southern tip of South America, it’s here in Torres del Paine that they are most accessible and most reliably viewed.

Although there are now several ranches to the east of the national park which claim to offer puma experiences, there is one location which stands head and shoulders above all others, namely the Refugio Laguna Amarga (an extremely simple rural property, but which just happens to provide access to the best and most reliable puma experience in the world).

This area is known as ‘pumaland’ and is the location where the BBC and NatGeo filmed their amazing puma documentaries.

Renowned wildlife photographers including Frans Lanting, Art Wolfe and Tom Mangelsen all agree that walking with pumas here ranks right up there among the world’s most exciting big cat experiences.
 
The pumas of Laguna Amarga are the only wild big cats in the world that you can reliably walk with as they play, hunt and sleep, right in front of your eyes.
 
In order to experience these big cats properly it’s usually best to stay at the very simple guest house on the ranch itself, which allows you to immerse yourself properly in whole puma project.
 
It’s all really rather extraordinary and, remarkably, still a pretty well-kept secret.

When to visit Torres del Paine 

The park experiences dramatic seasonal changes that significantly impact activities and experiences. Understanding these variations is crucial for planning your visit. We consider four key factors: weather conditions, wildlife behavior, visitor numbers, and accommodation availability.

Oct-Dec: Early summer 

This is the start of the main season, with warming temperatures and longer days.

• Daytime temperatures reach 8-16°C, though nights can still drop close to freezing.
• Wildlife is very active, with birds nesting and guanacos giving birth.
• Visitor numbers are moderate until mid-December, when they spike for the holidays.
• All accommodations are open and operating full activity schedules.
• Wind speeds can be high, particularly in November.

Jan-Mar: Peak summer

Generally considered the optimal time to visit, especially March.
The warmest and most stable weather, with daytime temperatures 10-20°C.

• March brings puma cubs emerging from their dens, making it prime time for big cat viewing.
• January and February see peak crowds, but March quietens significantly.
• All hiking trails are accessible, including the full circuit routes.
• Advance booking is essential, particularly for premium lodges.
  

Apr-Sep: Winter season 

Winter brings a different side to Torres del Paine, with dramatic conditions but unique rewards.

• Temperatures drop to 2-4°C during day, often below freezing at night.
• Pumas are most visible as they descend to lower elevations.
• Visitor numbers are very low, except for a brief July school holiday period.
• Many lodges close, but specialist wildlife properties remain open.
• Some trails become inaccessible due to snow, but lower-altitude hikes remain possible.
• Significantly lower prices at operating properties.
  
  

Shoulder Seasons (Sep-Oct & Mar-Apr)

These transitional months often offer the best balance of conditions.

• Weather can be unpredictable but crowds are thinner.
• Wildlife viewing remains excellent, particularly for pumas and birds.
• Most facilities are open but with more availability and sometimes lower rates.
• Autumn colors in April can be spectacular.
• Spring brings wildflower displays across the grasslands.

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What our guests say

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Boat & Kayak Trips

The park's dramatic lakes and waterways offer stunning perspectives of the landscape. The most popular cruise departs from Hotel Lago Grey, heading north to view the impressive Glaciar Grey - a massive wall of blue ice descending from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. For more adventurous travelers, kayaking provides intimate water-level views, with options ranging from gentle paddling on the Rio Serrano to exciting expeditions around the glacier faces. These water-based activities offer unique photographic opportunities and a different perspective on the park's dramatic geography.

Horse Riding

Experience Patagonia as the locals do, on horseback with traditional gauchos as your guides. Several lodges maintain their own stables, with Explora Patagonia and Hotel Las Torres offering particularly strong programs. Rides range from gentle two-hour excursions to full-day adventures across the steppes and through lenga forests. Each ride is tailored to your experience level, and the gauchos' deep knowledge of local traditions and landscapes adds a cultural dimension to the experience.

Vehicle Safaris

For those seeking a less strenuous way to explore, or when weather conditions make hiking challenging, vehicle safaris provide comfortable access to the park's dramatic viewpoints and wildlife. Local guides know the best spots for watching guanacos, condors, and other wildlife, and can share their extensive knowledge of the park's ecology. These drives are particularly valuable during winter months or for photographers carrying heavy equipment, offering flexibility to chase the best light and weather conditions.

           Weather planning

The weather here can shift dramatically within hours. We recommend staying at least 4-5 nights to ensure flexibility for key activities and to catch those perfect clear-sky moments for iconic views.

           Visitor traffic
 
Popular trails like the Base Torres can get busy in peak season (Dec-Jan). We know the best timing for hikes and alternative viewpoints that offer similar grandeur with fraction of the crowds.

           Finding pumas

While many lodges advertise puma tracking, the eastern sector around Laguna Amarga offers unparalleled sightings. We recommend dedicated time here rather than trying to spot them on general game drives.

           Where to stay

The park is vast. Rather than choosing a single base, we often recommend splitting your stay between eastern and western sectors to maximize experiences while minimizing travel time.

           Winter visits

Don't dismiss winter (May-Sep). Though colder, you'll find fewer visitors, more stable weather patterns, and often the best puma viewing as they descend to lower elevations.

          Expert guides

The best experiences come from working with specific guides who know the area intimately. We partner with locals who understand both the landscape and wildlife behavior patterns.

          Adventure Activities

Visitors can explore by horseback, kayak, boat, or on foot, with options ranging from gentle day trips to challenging expeditions.

          Seasonal Beauty

Visit in summer (Oct-Mar) for longer days and milder temperatures, or winter for fewer crowds and enhanced puma viewing opportunities.

          Remote Location

Set in Chile's far south, the park forms part of a vast 67,287 square kilometer protected area - roughly the size of Ireland.

Selous / Nyerere

Set 200km inland from Dar es Salaam in the south of Tanzania, Selous (Nyerere National Park) is the only major wildlife reserve on the humid coastal plateau and has a uniquely languid and tropical feel, with a good range of wildlife, notably including wild-dogs and excellent motorboat safari.

In recent years, the Selous has been hampered by the construction of a major dam and intense animal poaching caused by the demise of hunting safaris, but solutions to both are on the way and the reserve remains a great place to visit.

Mahale Mountains

Set in the far west of Tanzania, Mahale Mountains is not only an incredibly scenic location on the distant shores of Lake Tanganyika, but it also happens to be the best location in Africa for chimpanzee tracking. In fact this is almost certainly the ultimate primate experience, even better than gorilla tracking. Guest accommodation is in just a couple of very remote camps.

Due to its remoteness, Mahale Mountains is very expensive to visit, but for the lucky few who are able to get here, it is a truly fabulous experience.