The three iconic grey pillars, clear deep blue lakes, and endless wide open golden plains combine to form arguably the most famous protected natural area in the Western Hemisphere.
Part of what makes Torres del Paine magical is how it has resisted development. The roads are unpaved gravel and the closest airport is a 90-minute drive away. Formal lodging inside the park is extremely limited and huge portions of the park are inaccessible without guides and special permits. This ensures that even the busiest areas remain pristine – it also means that spending time in this stunning place entails various logistical challenges.
We visited in January, the height of Chilean summer, and stayed in cabins in the Villa Serrano area by the park’s south entrance. We did not do either the W- or O-trek (the two iconic thru-hikes in Torres del Paine), opting for day hikes instead. Even with extensive research ahead of time, there was plenty I wish I’d known in advance – I’ll cover all of it here.
Getting There
The park is accessible by road only. This is typically managed by first flying into either regional capital Punta Arenas (there are several daily flights in from Santiago, and a handful of other Chilean destinations) or Puerto Natales (seasonal daily flights from Santiago). Overland car travel is also possible from the east via Argentina.
We flew via Punta Arenas, and spent a night there (Hotel Almasur, from $210 summer/$50 winter) and a night in Puerto Natales (AKA Patagonia, from $127 summer/$75 winter – one of the most wonderful places that I’ve ever stayed).
By renting a car, our trip became much more flexible, although getting to Torres del Paine by bus is very manageable from either city, especially on a shoestring.
The drive from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales was about three hours on Highway 9, a lonely trip across wide open pampas scattered with sheep, guanacos, and rheas. There were a handful of tiny towns along the way, with bathrooms available with a snack purchase, but there are no gas stations for the 120 miles from the split with Highway 255 all the way to Puerto Natales. There is no gas or formal car service available beyond Puerto Natales, so it’s vital to plan accordingly – consider purchasing an extra gas can in case of emergency.
The park has two main entrances: the Serrano entrance, in the south, and the Laguna Amarga entrance, in the east. (Two others, Lago Sarmiento and Laguna Azul, aren’t convenient to many trails or facilities, and are occasionally closed.) Choosing between the two entrances is pretty straightforward based on where your lodging or trailhead is. The legendary Mirador las Torres hike (read about it here), the O-trek, and the Las Torres hotel/camping zone are best accessed from Laguna Amarga; while Lago Grey, lodging at Rio Serrano, and Lago Pehoé lodging are best accessed from Serrano. If traveling by bus or as part of a single-day trip, the vast majority of tours will use the Laguna Amarga entrance. We entered the park at the Serrano entrance, right by where we were staying.
Heading north from Puerto Natales on Highway 9, there is a left turn lane about 10 miles out of town for Highway Y-290, which goes to the Serrano entrance – stay straight on 9 for all other park access points. The drive from Puerto Natales to the park gate is 50 miles. The only facilities are about 16 miles into the drive, at the archaeological Mylodon Cave site (we didn’t go see the cave, but the bathrooms were very clean).
After the cave, Y-290 turns from paved to gravel for 8 miles. The next stretch is paved, and then continually switches back and forth between the two surfaces. Based on Chilean highway surface maps and previous reports of Y-290 as entirely gravel, I would assume that it is in the process of being entirely paved at some point soon.
Between the changing surfaces, rolling hills, constant sharp turns, and frequent pulloffs to admire the views, this is not the quickest drive. If making great time, it is feasible in 90 minutes. We did not make great time due to a 30-minute roadwork delay, arriving at the Cabañas Lago Tyndall in Villa Serrano at 3 p.m.
Traveling by bus is also a great option – Bus Sur is probably the best option outside of private transport arranged through a tour provider. They offer direct transport between Argentinian and Chilean locations, including several locations in Torres del Paine from September to April. Tickets from Punta Arenas (either the city bus terminal or the airport) can be under $20 to the park (About 5 hours with a transfer in Puerto Natales). The 12-hour ride between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia is about $60.
Our Stay
The cheapest way to stay in Torres del Paine is to camp, either at an established site or as part of a thru-hike. Other than that, lodging options start to get pricey – if not already sold out. Hotel rooms range from a few hundreds to thousands of dollars.
The best compromise – which we opted for – is the Cabañas Lago Tyndall, which start at $210 for a four-person cabin. They are located in the Villa Serrano area, located just outside the south entrance to the park. This area also houses a car/motorcycle camping zone and four hotels of various luxury levels. (That was my observation in January 2025; based on other information online, Villa Serrano seems to be expanding, with some websites listing only two hotels.)
The cabins have full (but small) kitchens, wifi, and either one or two bathrooms depending on the cabin. There are also at least two restaurants in Villa Serrano: Don Pascual at the Pampa Lodge and Qawaskar at the Hotel Río Serrano. We ate at Don Pascual on our last night in the park – prices weren’t cheap, but the portions were enormous, so it felt reasonable given the remote location.
Within the Park
If traveling by private vehicle, it’s possible to buy a park entry pass on arrival, but the online platform is very straightforward (For foreigners: $55 for 3 days or less; $75 for longer stays). When entering the park, you pull over at the welcome center to have your pass scanned; when we entered very early in the morning one day, the welcome center was still closed so we could drive straight in.
Car access in Torres del Paine consists entirely of unpaved, narrow roads over rugged terrain. As a result, traffic moves fairly slowly within the park; I would plan for an average driving speed between 25-30 mph, in addition to any road work stops or breaks to admire wildlife and scenery.
This map is the best resource for navigating the park. Note that several trails require guided access – typically due to elevated risk of encountering pumas – while others are unidirectional. Closing times are enforced and subject to change, which obliged us to change our route the first day from the Ferrier Lookout to Lago Grey. It wasn’t the end of the world, since we were able to watch icebergs calve as a result, but it’s better to err on the earlier side in case of unforeseen delays. If driving, access to the Mirador las Torres hike is additionally constrained by the small parking lot.
Other Preparations
- Formal lodging in Torres del Paine is extremely limited, extremely expensive, and sells out up to a year in advance for the summer season. Campsites also sell out well in advance. It is vital to make reservations well ahead of time if not camping as part of a trek, although the shoulder season offers more flexibility.
- Before leaving Puerto Natales, make sure you’re stocked up on provisions – while there are a handful of restaurants in the park affiliated with the more luxurious hotels, they are fairly expensive, and there are no grocery stores.
- We had a slow leak in one of our pickup’s tires, which was fortunately slow enough to not require a patch or spare. However, it could have been much worse given the rugged roads and sparse cell service. If getting to the park by car or motorcycle, it’s imperative to be prepared to fix things yourself (or speak enough Spanish to get help).
- Even in the height of summer, weather is highly unpredictable in southern Chile. I recommend budgeting an extra day for any hiking or sightseeing you want to do, in order to work around rain and fog. And pack clothes accordingly – in January, it got into the 30s at night, and the wind is severe.
Torres del Paine is legendary for a reason, and remains the crown jewel of southern Chile’s remarkable network of protected areas. While regional tourism infrastructure is robust, it is still an isolated part of the world, and being well-prepared will make a huge difference – particularly during the height of summer. Gazing up at the snow covered mountains, the last thing you’d want on your mind is a return to Puerto Natales to restock food or supplies.
