Hiking the iconic Mirador Las Torres trail in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
- That's How We Travel
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Summary. On this beautiful day in the Chilean region of Patagonia, we trekked the renowned Mirador Las Torres Trail in Torres del Paine National Park. This UNESCO site was a bucket list hike for us, and it did not disappoint. Roughly 13.5 miles in length with ~3,400 in elevation gain, this hike is easy enough for the moderately experienced hiker, even though it is technically rated as "hard." This isn't to say there aren't challenging sections, rather, generally the terrain is mostly even, there are many places to take a break, and only portions of the hike have any real serious elevation gain.
[This blog is part of our 10-days in Patagonia trip].
Logistics. The trail head for Mirador Las Torres is located in Torres del Paine National Park. There is parking at the Welcome Center but this fills quickly, so we recommend arriving early. The total drive time from where we stayed in Puerto Natales was about 90 minutes. Hitting the trail early will is also essential if you do not want to get behind a large or slower group on the single track sections of the trail. There are restrooms available both at the entrance to the Park (where you'll pay a day fee), and again at the Welcome Center.
The Trail. This is an out and back hike that from the Welcome Center will be approximately 13.5 miles in length with ~3,400 in elevation gain. This trail is rated as "hard," on All Trails, but we would give more of a "moderate," rating since the elevation gain is gradual for the most part, with only a few steep sections. So if you're a pretty good hiker and you are looking to level up, this may be a good challenge for you.
Our Hike. A large portion of the initial section of the hike consists of exposed trails. However, the scenery remains quite beautiful.
Forest. About halfway through the hike to the towers, you'll encounter a section with trees, bridges, and river rapids. This area also hosts one of the overnight camping sites of the W Circuit. Lunch and even beer, can be purchased here.
Arriving at the Towers. The final part of the hike involves climbing over several boulders, but the reward is visible ahead even as you huff and puff through this more difficult part of the hike.
Getting that Photo Op. This popular trail tends to get very crowded. We began our day early, so the wait for photos with the iconic backdrop wasn't too long. On our way back down, we encountered hundreds of hikers heading up, reinforcing our recommendation for an early start.
Video Summary. Here is a video of our day out on the Mirador Las Torres trail:
Back at the Welcome Center, we enjoyed a cold soda and did a little souvenir shopping before making the drive back to Puerto Natales. Since we were some of the first hikers back, there were many tables open and available. Again, this place presumably got overrun with tired hikers as the day grew longer.
Puerto Natales. In the evening, we had an amazing dinner at La Tapera and then took a stroll through the town. Numerous beautiful murals can be found throughout central Puerto Natales. Additionally, there are street vendors and small, hole-in-the-wall art sellers to visit. The town was super cute and we do wish we had stayed longer here. I guess we'll just have to return!
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