page_title: Torres del Paine National Park
section_title: Tourism
hierarchical_section_title: Torres del Paine National Park / Tourism
caption_attribution_description: English: Torres del Paine National Park
context_page_description: Torres del Paine National Park is a national park encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia. The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. It lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. The park is located 112 km north of Puerto Natales and 312 km north of Punta Arenas. The park borders Bernardo O'Higgins National Park to the west and the Los Glaciares National Park to the north in Argentine territory. Paine means "blue" in the native Tehuelche language and is pronounced PIE-nay, while Torres means "towers".
  Torres del Paine National Park is part of the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado de Chile. In 2013, it measured approximately 181,414 hectares. It is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile. 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.
context_section_description: 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, French Valley or Glacier Grey or a multi-day trek.  Multi-day treks include the popular "W" route, which takes about three to five days, and the full circuit or "O" route, which typically takes 7 to 9 days. The refugio locations also have campsites and tent for hire.  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) and the national parks service CONAF 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 in and 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.
caption: Hiking trail in Torres del Paine
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