Full-day Hiking Tour To The Base Of Paine Towers At Torres Del Paine National Park

The trip was awesome! Our two tour guides, Juan Pablo and Ignacio, were friendly, kind and knowledgeable. They explained everything we’d be doing so we’d know what to expect and were reassuring and encouraging at challenging points along the route

It was a wonderful hike to a beautiful place. María Jesús, our guide, was very knowledgeable, engaging and kind and made 39,000 steps fly by! Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting TdP.

Ricardo & Hugo were the best guides we could have asked for! They were knowledgeable, kind, adaptive for everyone in the group and really helped us see a glimpse into Chilean culture. They set a great pace that was manageable for all parties and checked in on everyone physically many times throughout the hike. Would HIGHLY recommend people to use this company & even request Ricardo and Hugo. The excursion was appropriately priced, there was good communication before pickup, and our guides had great energy. Such a fun day!

The change of scenery along the hike was a delight. Time (45 min) to enjoy the towers at the base was nice too. Definitely worth it. Did this in running shoes and it was doable, but definitely recommend hiking shoes for grip on several sections of the trail.

“The average hike length is 8 hours but I’ve had many trips that have been over 11” ; the somewhat ‘menacing’, certainly ‘sobering’ words of my Guide Valentina, as we prepared for the ‘off’. Looking up, I could feel the acute angle of my neck ! I’d been told - warned - that this officially categorised ‘challenging’ activity had within it 3 phases, the first being an ascent taking circa 90 minutes. An aerobic workout that definitely tested. And replenishing water bottles from the gushing rivers/falls was as necessary as it was a relief. Phase 2 - through the forest - was easier, albeit each ‘down’ was met with the next ‘up’. The occasional returning hiker’s telling grin - in sync with a recurring ‘keep going’ salutation - was commensurate with a presumed sense of descending joy ! The 3rd and final ‘stretch’ was arguably the hardest. You’re 10Km ‘in’ at this stage and ahead of you is a last 1Km that takes a good 50 minutes to complete. You’re clambering over uneven rocks & small boulders, all the time ascending. You sweat. You ache. You occasionally entertain the odd expletive. This is arguably as much a mental resilience issue as it is physical. Then…there ‘they’ reveal themselves ! South, Central & North, alongside Condors Nest. Magnificent ! Dramatic. Imposing. ‘Mighty’ ! Beautiful too. And all of this with the tranquility of a shimmering lake in the foreground. Any hint of negativity dissipates, all doubts are forgotten. Because no doubt - it’s worth it ! ‘That’ sight before you impacts…and with it, there’s a powerful sense of achievement. Memorable. And being one of the first to reach the destination brought privilege, in that there was a discernible peace about the environment, that later - after eating our lunch - had been replaced with lots of busyness and queuing for the best photo opportunity. Don’t be lulled into a false belief that the return to base is straightforward. Occasionally slipping & sliding on the rocks in the first phase, equates to a need for a more minded purpose of footing. Hiking protocol dictates that you give way to Ascenders. For each ‘down’ there continues to be an ‘up’…right to the end. But Vally telling me ‘You’re the real deal Hiker JP’ at the end of 7 hours, 20 minutes was a moment of magical affirmation.

This trek is challenging. I did it in under the average 8 hours and my body was tested. Lots of ‘uphill’, often clambering over a path full of rocks and small boulders. Uneven stepping to say the least. After the first 20 minutes, it’s a constant climb for 1.5 hours. And the final ‘push’ is another 45 minute climb. Coming down, it’s easy to lose your footing and slip/slide. I did this 3 times - and lived but have the bruises. Better shoes needed than the runners I had. But…the experience beyond the physical test is wonderful. Amazing scenery and a ‘destination’ that is truly breathtaking. In short, it’s ’worth It’ ! My travelling companion damaged his back the day before our booked hike. He was advised to refrain from physical exertion. I emailed Viator, late on the night before, admittedly well outside of the cancellation policy terms. What’s so disappointing ( and in the context of me being a regular Viator customer ) is that the cost of the 1 x hike could not be transferred to another, less strenuous trip. Poor judgement ? Bad customer service ?

Everything was perfect. The highlight of my time in chile was this trek. From the tour guides to the food, it was perfect. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Thanks again guys! Aaron

It was great, fantastic tour couldn’t have been happier great guides and everything was good. Highly recommend

We understood that the maximum group size was 6 hikers/group. I believe our group was 14 with a fairly wide range of hiking capability. That meant that the group as a whole was delayed considerably by the slow walkers. Seating in the bus was very cramped, especially over the rear wheelwell. The hike was more demanding than advertised. With significant undulations in altitude the net elevation gain belies the cumulative elevation gain. The hiking distance was advertised to be 19 km, not the 23 we walked probably because the ground transportation doesn't get hikers to the trailhead. The drop-off point probably falls a couple kilometers short of the trailhead. The lunch, for an additional fee, was barely palatable. It would have been useful to know on the ascent that water at the midway rest stop was potable. We weren't advised of that until we returned on our descent. The blue towers are spectacular and well worth the hike. But this guided group fell well short of expectation.

This was a great trip. My husband is coeliac and we have found it somewhat difficult finding good food for him in South America. We requested a gluten free meal for his lunch box, and it was done with no hesitation, and was delicious! Our guide was attentive, knowledgeable and personable, and made sure that everyone was doing well throughout the day. Can I please remind everyone that this is a challenging hike, with two very steep sections each way and needs to be treated with respect. You need to be in good health, in good shape and with the right gear to get the most out of the day. Make sure you read up about the hike before you choose to do it. This is a day I will never forget. Thank you!

<p>Moderate hike is an understatement. The suggested mileage should include the additional 5 miles round-trip to trek from the parking lot to the trail head. Inspect your lunch items before you set out on the hike, and be prepared to supplement with your own preferences--every ounce matters in an 18 mile day, so only take what you'll want to eat. Make sure you take enough water. There may not be a place to refill on the trip. The restrooms cost money at the rest area / campsite halfway through the hike. The description says the limit is 5 people in a tour, and we felt weighted down with 7--not sure why we had additional people, but it was tough making it through the more difficult parts of the hike when we would lose momentum. Super long day, but worth it. A great way to see a ton of highlights in one day.</p>

Really. This tour can be done by yourself 5 times cheaper. This is basically a rip off. You can take the bus from the city and pay 7000 pesos go up and down and come back by another 7000 pesos( company name is bussur or buses Fernandez). Instead they want you to pay more than 100 000 pesos for the transport and guide. We barely see guide during the trip. It was just at the beginning when he said go up and on the way down when he said go down. He was way quicker and went away and waited in the car, sometimes during way down we did not know where to go needed to figure out ourselves. We actually did our tour alone and still paid for it. To be honest I would like to get the refund cause this was not really a trip but just very very expensive transportation. Nevertheless it is worth visiting the park. Just read tour description copy the plan and do it yourself.

<p>It was totally amazing, definitely recommend for you to do it. Well it was kinda moderate hike and some part was high, i would recommend to do some hiking trainning before hand, however the tour provided you with 2 poles so they help with your balance. Make sure you prepare for extra 2-3 kms once coming down to get to your car park i know when your legs were tired and relaxed and have to do a couple extra kms could be tiring. Bring some extra yummy food from home because the food they provided were not sufficient.<br/> The group was small only 5 the guide John. He was a great guide very attentive, cheerful and caring. He kept checking our pace and how we were travelling, gave us some tips and suggestions, he was very knowleagable about the granite and mountains and told us about the how the mountains formed the way they are now. Absolutely Otra Vez!</p>

<p>DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR! The path is hard to miss and transport to the park is sufficient. The guide talked twice to us, left us behind, didn't provide additional information. Despite on time, he complained to the driver that my girlfriend stopped so often assuming that she didn't understand Spanish.</p>

<p>We decided to book this tour after researching numerous different options. It seemed like it would provide a challenging days walking aimed at those with a good level of fitness and would make the most of our one day in Torres del Paine. However we found the pace slow with many breaks taken, not always in the most scenic of spots which is an accomplishment in such a beautiful natural park! Our guide walked mainly right at the back of the group, sometimes on her own and spoke to us twice. The first time was to tell us the rough route and the second time was a quick explanation of who had first climber the towers. It would have been nice to have had more information on the local history, wildlife and plants which is what I would expect from a professional guide. We ended the trek feeling disappointed and as though we had paid for a transfer and for a lady to come for a walk with us in silence.</p>

<p>This hike is amazing! I highly recommend it. Make sure you bring layered clothing that you can easily remove as you will need less during certain parts.</p>

<p>Loved the hike even though it was slightly hard, the guide and driver were absolutely profesional and nice. <br/> I would like to spend a little bit more time on Base Torres though.</p> <p>Bring your pair of poles/sticks rented in the Puerto Natales square by 2000 chilean pesos , they have some you can borrow, but just 1 for some people. If you are an amateur hiker you will need it.</p>

<p>Although I found the trek tough going as I think you need a certain level of fitness for the one day trip, I enjoyed it. The guide who was provided to us from a local hostel was fantastic and had a lot of knowledge of the area and especially timings. Even when he received a message about my special lunch request on the day of our tour extremely late message, he went out of his way to make sure I had what ever I needed. A great day that we will remember for the rest of our lives.</p>

<p>Awesome hike to the towers. A 19km round trip through varying terrain. Awesome view at the towers. Just hope for some good weather.</p>

Very tough excursion, about 9 hours of walking, 25 km in difficult but very beautiful terrain, it goes from a long wooded stretch to rocks that are very difficult to walk on, but in the end the view is priceless, you are presented with the towers which are truly spectacular !!

Hello, I would like to know if I can do a self-guided full-day trail, that is, it is not mandatory to hire a guide. Thank you so much!

Our guide Felipe was super nice, helpful and took great care of the whole group. He left those where he wanted to run fast, so I could stop where I wanted and shit pictures. Was 1 hour earlier than the first of the group above ;-) In the end it will be hard for most as it goes over big stones. In the middle of the hike there is a restaurant there will then take a break. A great excursion and the view at the end compensates the efforts before. A tip from me in the backpack something to take with me for dinner and something to drink. Great trip.

There are no words to explain one of the best adventures I've ever gone on!!!! It is recommended to thousand!!! And take care of nature, do not throw trash or waste !!!

Simply phenomenal. I had already read that trekking is tight and difficult, but we got even more excitement with lots of snow on the trails making the walk more exciting, but dangerous because it was smooth, but when we got there we found the lagoon completely frozen. Fantastic is worth much suffering.

Hiking route of high difficulty and not average as written! Guides have limited themselves to doing only the high-speed route without explaining anything about the park, fauna and territory! without also the opportunity to enjoy the walk, the landscapes and above all without paying any attention to all the members of the group! At a certain point we decided to look back and make the journey in total autonomy! NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO ENJOY TREKKING FROM START TO FINISH!!!

It takes about eight hours round trip to get to the base of the Torres del Paine and a lot of walking. It is a trekking of a greater difficulty in some points especially the last part that is the climb of the glacier moraine and that leads to the viewpoint and end goal of the trip. I did it at the beginning of September, which although it is still winter and in some sections the snow exceeds knee level, it is a season with lower rains and less wind than in summer. The other virtue of this date is the small influx of tourists, having the way practically for one. Consider carrying ice crampons, snow gaiters, and canes. Of course a dress according to the cold and rain. Also a backpack with food that provides calories and a change of clothes for the return (you have to consider that the park is 112 kilometers from Puerto Natales) and more than 350 kilometers from Punta Arenas. A must do at least once in a lifetime.

One of the largest national parks in Chile, where the Torres del Paine are located, chosen as the fifth most beautiful place in the world and also chosen by tourists around the world. This park is 112 kilometers from Puerto Natales and 312 from Punta Arenas city. The entrance to the park where you pay admission is reached by bus, and its price depends on whether you are a foreigner or a Chilean resident. UNESCO declared this park a Biosphere Reserve, almost 20 years after its creation in 1959. This park has one of the seven wonders of the world, has become one of the most visited points in Chile and the world. In addition to having powerful mountains such as Los Cuernos del Paine, beautiful lakes, lagoons, glaciers such as Grey Glacier and French viewpoint, and an infinity of different species of flora and fauna, it makes us have an unrivalled experience when observing the gliding condors, guanacos, cougars, and other species that can be appreciated in this magical place. According to tourists who have visited the park on more than one occasion, it is quite human-impacted, which is not a good thing, as fauna move away from their habitation and soils erode, in addition to forest fires that have occurred from human causes.