The best trekking routes in Patagonia: Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares in Argentina

ByTravesía Pirenaica

Enjoy the Argentinean and Chilean Patagonia:

Practical guide

When to go?

December-April. January-February is high season, when most visitors arrive, so there can be overcrowding. March is generally the best month.

Cities & Services

Puerto Natales is the gateway to Torres del Paine, and also the base for short excursions to the Balmaceda Glacier and Sierra Baguales. There are multiple bases in the national park itself.

Not to be missed

  • The magnificent granite spires of the "towers" (Torres), and the distinctive, ringed shape of the "horns" (Cuernos).
  • Vast glaciers (Grey, Tyndall and Dickson) overflowing from the largest ice sheet in the southern hemisphere outside Antarctica
  • Remote valleys and immense cloudy and cloud-covered skies.
  • The beautifully unspoilt southern beech or lenga forest
  • The rich and varied flora and fauna and birdlife

READ ALSO: The best trekking routes in South America". 

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park offers remote wilderness, is easily accessible on foot with clear trails, good public transport and regular mountain huts and campsites.

The 140 km Torres del Paine Circuit 'O' at the southern end of the Andes is a long distance trek of astonishing beauty as it traverses the Paine Massif. This route takes 10-11 days to complete and is suitable for climbers in good physical shape.

Regarding the routes. The Torres del Paine circuit presents no technical difficulties, but it is a long and sometimes remote route, from which there is no convenient mid-trail exit point. Sudden weather changes, gale-force winds and torrential rains can make the adventure much more difficult.

  • Torres del Paine Circuit (the 'O') (10-11 days) // Stage 1 CONAF Administration - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 2 Refugio Paine Grande - Campamento Italiano / Stage 3 Campamento Italiano - French Valley (return) / Stage 4 Campamento Italiano - Refugio Las Torres / Stage 5 Refugio Las Torres - El Chileno / Stage 6 El Chileno - Mirador Las Torres (and return) / Stage 7 El Chileno - Campamento Japonés (and return) / Stage 8 El Chileno - Mirador Las Torres (and return) / Stage 9 Refugio Las Torres - Campamento Serón / Stage 10 Campamento Serón - Campamento Dickson Japonés (and return) / Stage 8 El Chileno - Refugio Las Torres / Stage 9 Refugio Las Torres - Camp Serón / Stage 10 Camp Serón - Refugio Dickson / Stage 11 Refugio Dickson - Camp Los Perros / Stage 12 Camp Los Perros - Camp Paso / Stage 13 Camp Paso - Refugio Grey / Stage 14 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 13 Camp Paso - Refugio Grey / Stage 14 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 13 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 14 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 14 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 14 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 16 Refugio Paine Grande - Refugio Paine Grande /
  • Torres del Paine half-circuit (La Caminata 'W') (4-5 days) // Stage 1 Refugio Las Torres - Mirador Las Torres (and return) / Stage 2 Refugio Las Torres - Campamento Italiano / Stage 3 Campamento Italiano - Valle Francés (and return) / Stage 4 Campamento Italiano - Refugio Grey / Stage 5 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 4 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 4 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 5 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 6 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande / Stage 7 Refugio Grey - Refugio Paine Grande
  • Salto Grande and Mirador Los Cuernos
  • Weber Bridge
  • Mirador Lago Toro and Laguna Verde
  • Condor Viewpoint
  • Pingo River and Zapata Viewpoint // Stage 1 Nursery Lago Grey - Camp Zapata / Stage 2 Camp Zapata - Mirador Zapata (return) / Stage 3 Camp Zapata - Nursery Lago Grey / Stage 3 Camp Zapata - Nursery Lago Grey / Stage 3 Camp Zapata - Mirador Zapata (return)
  • Other walks within the national park // Laguna Amarga - Portería Sarmiento / Laguna Azul and trail to Lake Dickson
  • Excursions from Puerto Natales // Cueva del Milodón / Balmaceda y glaciares Serrano (Bernardo O'Higgins National Park) / Sierra Baguales /

Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

  • Excursion from El Calafate // The ice walk on the Perito Moreno glacier /
  • The Huemul circuit // Day 1: El Chaltén to Laguna Toro / Day 2: Laguna Toro to Paso del Viento refuge / Day 3: Paso del Viento refuge to Lake Viedma / Day 4: zero day at Lake Viedma / Day 5: Lake Viedma to El Chaltén / Day 5: Lake Viedma to El Chaltén / Day 5: Lake Viedma to El Chaltén / Day 6: Lake Viedma to El Chaltén
  • Cerro Fitzroy (El Chaltén) and Cerro Torre // Stage 1 El Chaltén - Camp Agostini / Stage 2 Camp Agostini - Camp Poincenot / Stage 3 Camp Poincenot - Laguna de los Tres (and return) / Stage 4 Camp Poincenot - Laguna Piedas Blancas (and return) / Stage 5 Camp Poincenot - El Chaltén / Stage 4 Camp Poincenot - Laguna Piedas Blancas (and return) / Stage 5 Camp Poincenot - El Chaltén / Stage 4 Camp Poincenot - Laguna Piedas Blancas (and return) / Stage 4 Camp Poincenot - Laguna Piedas Blancas (and return) / Stage 5 Camp Poincenot - El Chaltén /

Other routes

  • Desert Lake Border Crossing
  • Trekking to Laguna Torre
  • Cerro Castillo Circuit
  • The trip to Cape Froward
  • The Hut to Hut Hike along the Nahuel Huapi