Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine National Park

Introduction

Torres del Paine National Park was established in 1959 in the southern end of the Andes Mountains. It is located right in the heart of Patagonia, covering an area of about 180,000 hectares. The most magnificent scenery can be found at the nearby Los Glaciares National Park on the Argentine border. The climate here is changeable, sometimes clear and sunny, other times cloudy and rainy.

To visit the glaciers, you need to start from Puerto Natales, not far from Punta Arenas. After about half an hour’s drive, you will reach a cave that visitors must not miss — Cueva de Milodón, named after an extinct prehistoric mammal that disappeared from the region five thousand years ago. A large replica of the animal stands at the cave entrance. On the way to the glaciers, you can also enjoy colorful wildflowers, azure lakes, emerald valleys, and snow-capped mountain peaks.

Torres del Paine Park is also a renowned nature reserve in South America. The most common local wildlife, the Guanaco, is a brownish llama-like animal that, unlike other camelids, is not afraid of people. In addition, if you explore the glaciers and forests, you may share the wilderness with foxes, hares, and other animals.

Santiago, Chile