Torres del
Paine National Park, in Chile’s Patagonia region, is known for its soaring
mountains, bright blue icebergs that cleave from glaciers, and golden pampas
(grasslands) that shelter rare wildlife such as llama-like guanacos. Some of
its most iconic sites are the 3 granite towers from which the park takes its
name, and the horn-shaped peaks called Cuernos del Paine.
Torres del Paine National Park is part of the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado de Chile (National System of Protected Forested Areas of Chile). In 2013, it measured approximately 181,414 hectares. The park averages around 252,000 visitors a year, of which 54% are foreign tourists, who come from many countries all over the world. It is also part of the End of the World Route, a tourist scenic route.
The park is one of the 11 protected areas of the Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica (together with four national parks, three national reserves, and three national monuments). Together, the protected forested areas comprise about 51% of the land of the region (6,728,744 hectares).
The Torres del Paine are the distinctive three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range or Paine Massif. From left to right, they are known as Torres d'Agostini, Torres Central, and Torres Monzino. They extend up to 8,200 feet above sea level, and are joined by the Cuernos del Paine. The area also boasts valleys, rivers (such as the Paine), lakes, and glaciers. The well-known lakes include Grey, Pehoe, Nordenskiold, and Sarmiento. The glaciers, including Grey, Pingo, and Tyndall, belong to the Southern Patagonia Ice Field.
Lady Florence Dixie, in her book published in 1880, gave one of the first descriptions of the area and referred to the three towers as Cleopatra's Needles. She and her party are sometimes credited as being the first "foreign tourists" to visit the area that is now called Torres del Paine National Park.
Several European scientists and explorers visited the area in the following decades, including Otto Nordenskiöld, Carl Skottsberg, and Alberto María de Agostini. Gunther Plüschow was the first person to fly over the Paine massif.
The park was established on May 13, 1959 as Parque Nacional de Turismo Lago Grey (Grey Lake National Tourism Park) and was given its present name in 1970.
In 1976, British mountaineer John Gardner and two Torres del Paine rangers, Pepe Alarcon, and Oscar Guineo pioneered the Circuit trail which circles the Paine massif.
In 1977, Guido Monzino donated 30,000 acres to the Chilean Government when its definitive limits were established. The park was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978.
In 1985, a tourist started a fire that burned about 58 square miles of the park. The blaze affected the areas east and south around Lake Pehoe.
In February 2005, an accidental fire started by a Czech backpacker, which lasted for about ten days, destroyed 60 square milesof the park, including about 2 km² of native forest. The Czech government offered aid after the fire and donated US$1 million to reforestation efforts.
In late December 2011 through January 2012, an Israeli backpacker was found by guilty to have started a fire after being caught by a park ranger when lighting up some paper roll in a forbidden area. This burned about 68 square miles of the reserve, destroying about 36 km² of native forest and affecting most of the areas around Lake Pehoe and the western areas around Lake Sarmiento, but moving away from the Cordillera del Paine, the park's centerpiece. The Israeli government sent reforestation experts to the zone, and has committed to donate trees to replant the affected areas.
Nevertheless, recent paleo-environmental studies performed within the Park indicate that fires have been frequent phenomena at least during the last 12,800 years.
The national park has over 252,000 visitors per year. It is a popular hiking destination in Chile. There are clearly marked paths and many refugios which provide shelter and basic services. Hikers can opt for a day trip to see the towers, walk the popular "W" route in about five days, or trek the full circuit or "O" route in 7 to 9 days. The refugio locations also have campsites. Cooking with the campstove is not permitted except in refugio locations. Camping is only allowed at specified campsites and wood fires are prohibited throughout the park. Fantastico Sur (private) and Vertice Patagonia (concessionaire) feature various refugios and campsites in the park. Since October 2016, it is mandatory to book campsites or refugios before entering the park. For less adventurous visitors, there are several hotels located around the park.
Hikers are not allowed to stray from the paths in the national park. The visitor impact on the park has been scientifically measured.
A certified guide is required to access some parts of the park. These arrangements need to be made before entering the park.
Visiting the park is recommended between September and April, during the southern spring, summer and early autumn. During summer, daylight hours are long given the southern latitude. Outside of this time frame, the weather becomes extreme for the majority of the public. During the southern winter, daylight dwindles to only 8 hours a day.
The park has been elected as the fifth most beautiful place in the world by National Geographic, and the 8th Wonder of the World by TripAdvisor.
