A Fling With Torres del Paine

When somebody mentions Patagonia, chances are that they are referring to either Torres del Paine National Park in Chile or Mount Fitz Roy in Argentina. After finding out the astronomical cost of visiting Easter Island in the high season, we opted for a few days in Chilean Patagonia. Ironically, it did not take us long to discover that Patagonia is not exactly a budget option. Patagonia also requires significant time investments out of our limited vacation days due to its geographic location. Since it was a pretty long flight from Santiago, we had to check out Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales along the way.

Known for its dramatic granite peaks and turquoise-colored waters, Torres del Paine has attracted visitors since the publication of Across Patagonia by Lady Florence Dixie in 1880. Thanks to the commencement of regular flights from Santiago, this once-isolated region became relatively accessible compared to just ten years ago. Nowadays, the main obstacle to visiting Torres del Paine is not the physical distance but the exorbitant cost. Not only is the flight in and out of Puerto Natales unreasonably expensive, but the accommodation costs inside the park are particularly prohibitive for most travelers. I could not justify spending $250 for a bed in a glorified hostel.

LATAM, JetSmart, and SKY Airlies offer daily flights to Santiago during the summer season.

I initially hoped to partake in the fabled W-Trek, a multi-day hike that has been on my travel bucket list for ages. Our friends Ivy and Vince went on this trek two years ago and have been raving about it ever since. As much as I wanted to give that a go, we were woefully unprepared for it. Because it is such an iconic hike, hikers must book at least six months in advance for the high season by navigating the complex booking platform for the reserved campgrounds. After Brian’s debacle on the Inca Trail a few years ago, I was hesitant to commit to another costly and complex endeavor.

In the end, we decided to stay two nights at Hotel del Paine in Río Serrano, just outside of the southern entrance of the national park. The nightly rate was still ridiculously expensive, but it was still hundreds of dollars less than similar lodging options inside the park. To make the most out of our visit, we booked an extra night in Puerto Natales the evening before and after. In hindsight, Río Serrano was the best of both worlds. It was only a five-minute drive to the entrance, and we could get to the center of the park in half an hour. We were pleasantly surprised by the otherworldly scenery from the hotel.

The scenery from Río Serrano is unexpectedly beautiful.

Being a popular national park, Torres del Paine attracts a large number of visitors each day. Although an advanced reservation is not necessary, pre-purchasing tickets does speed up the process slightly. The three-day pass costs 32,400 CLP, which is beyond reasonable. Oddly enough, the park was not at all strict about access. Instead of having a staff member check the reservation at the entrance, visitors are required to check in and validate their reservation at the visitor center. It was an honor system. During our three-day visit, they only checked our reservation once. Ironically, the only time they checked our reservation was at the entrance to Laguna Azure, one of the least visited sections in the park.

With three and a half days, we had just enough time to explore the park without committing to any multi-day hikes. Do I wish we had gone on the W-Trek? Absolutely. But we were nevertheless grateful for all the little incredible hikes it has to offer. For casual hikers like ourselves, the series of half-day hikes made this visit a stress-free experience. The unpredictable weather of Patagonia makes flexibility invaluable. Although there is limited shuttle service available, I highly recommend self-driving to make the most out of your valuable time if the budget allows. Of course, hitchhiking is also a great option.

Grey Glacier

The weather on our first day was quite miserable, so we were inclined to have a more leisurely hike. Our first stop inside the park is Grey Glacier on the western side of the park. This glacier is the largest and is the second most popular attraction inside Torres del Paine. As such, this spot is also home to one of the most desirable hotels inside the park, Hotel Lago Grey. This understated yet elegant property sure made us jealous of the creature comforts at this prime location. It also happens to be the entrance to the trailheads for Grey Glacier.

The glacier is situated at the far end of a glacier lake and is only accessible through a multi-day hike, such as the W-Trek, or a glacier lake cruise. Unfortunately, we were too late to reserve a ticket on one of the four daily departures. Run by the same team as the hotel, the two-and-a-half-hour ferry costs a whopping 110,000 CLP per person. Visitors could also choose to explore the glacier’s edge by kayak. As much as I wanted to get up close to the glacier, we were secretly glad to save a little money. That would be a significant commitment of time and money, considering the inclement weather. I admit that I still felt a little jealous at the end of the day.

Whether you are taking the ferry or not, all visitors must take a one-mile hike along the pebble beach. We soon got our first glimpse of the impressive glacier. At the end of the beach is the embarkation point for the ferry. Looking at the massive vessel, I can’t help wondering how it got here from the shipyard. For those of us less fortunate souls, it was a left turn onto a trail to the lookout. As this was our first hike in Patagonia, we were naturally fascinated by the flora and fauna all around us. The trail circumnavigates the small island, and it soon brought us to the main viewpoint facing the glacier.

From the observation platform, the glacier appeared like a tiny ice sheet and was hard to make out its majesty without binoculars. Due to climate change, Grey Glacier has been retreating for decades. We were quite surprised by the scarcity of icebergs floating in the lake. The most beautiful part of the scenery for us was the gorgeous rock formations and the turquoise water. The stunning colors derive from “glacial flour,” fine-grained powder of silt and clay created by the immense force of the glacier. These fine particles are light enough to suspend in the water and refract only the blue and green light to the human eyes. This unique color is particularly pronounced along the southern shore of the lake.

Funny enough, the most memorable spot for me was Rio Pingo, a handy cafe at the trailhead. I was quite worried about finding a place to eat, so I was pleasantly surprised by the

Mirador Cóndor & Laguna Pehoé

The

Among all the short hikes in Torres del Paine, the

The

Salto Grande & Mirador Cuernos

The

The

Cascada Paine &

Having spent the majority of our time on the southern part of the national park, it suddenly dawned on me that we had yet to get a glimpse of the actual Torres del Paine, the three iconic granite peaks that are namesakes for the park.

The

Laguna Amarga Laguna Azure

Torres d'Agostini, Torres Central, Torres Monzino

The

The

Torres del Paine At Sunset

The best benefits of visiting Torres del Paine in January are the long daylight hours. For any avid photographers, the best time to be out and about was the so-called “golden hour,” the period shortly before and after sunset. Sadly enough, the golden hour coincides with the dinner time during our visit. Most of us