Towers like columns holding glaciers, raising above turquoise blue lakes, Patagonian wind that strong that is almost blowing you away. This is definitely one of the most fascinating places on Earth I have been so far.

Torres del Paine is located in the north of Chilean Patagonian in the former Mapuche and Tehuelche territories. Other native inhabitants of the park that are, however, still at home there, are for example pumas, Patagonian foxes, hares and others. When you arrive at the park, you get instructions how to live along these animals to avoid any fights (especially the ones with pumas).

In Torres del Paine you can spend weeks hiking. The longest hiking circuit is called the ‘O’ circuit. Very famous is the ‘W’ trek leading through the most beautiful parts of the park. On my trip, I had only 2 days for Torres del Paine. Together with my friend, we started with the western part of the ‘W’ trek, going from Refugio Paine Grande to the glacier ‘Grey’. Walking from the lake Pehoe, the path is crossing meadows and going up on the hillside of the Torres mountains. Passing a sparse forest, duck lake (‘Lago de los Patos’) without ducks and finally, if you get over the extremely windy pass, you’ll have a view on a scenery with glacier Grey merging into lake Grey, falling apart into ice bergs which are floating then all over the lake.

On the second day, we set off direction Valle del Francés. This valley in the heart of the national park is one of the highest points accessible by hiking trails. Walking along the lakes Pehoe and Stokenberg, you reach the river that goes through the whole Valle del Francés. Climbing up along the river you can already see the glacier caps on the top of the mountains sliding down to the valley. Sometimes the silence is disturbed by the noise of breaking ice of the glacier. When you finally reach the plateau of the valley, unforgettable panorama view on Torres opens in front of you. Crossing the plateau, you reveal more more of this panorama until you reach the view point (mirador), where you have the full panorama view. When you look down through the valley, you can see the lakes of the national park all with different colors.

Things I recommend in Torres del Paine

• ‘W’ trek (or at least Valle del Francés and Glaciar grey)

and if you have more time

• as much as possible 🙂

How to get to Torres del Paine

• By bus from Puerto Natales
• By boat from Puerto Natales