Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

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Torres del Paine National Park Chile

Torres del Paine National Park is a national park that includes mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in the southern region of Patagonia in Chile. The park's main feature is the Cordillera del Paine. It is situated in a transitional area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. The park is 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales and 312 km (194 mi) north of Punta Arenas. It shares borders with Bernardo O'Higgins National Park to the west and Los Glaciares National Park to the north in Argentina. Paine, pronounced PIE-nay, means "blue" in the native Tehuelche (Aonikenk) language, while Torres translates to "towers". Torres del Paine National Park is part of the National System of Protected Forested Areas of Chile. In 2013, it covered approximately 181,414 hectares. It is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile, averaging around 252,000 visitors a year, with 54% being foreign tourists from all over the world. It is also part of the End of the World Route, a popular tourist scenic route. The park is one of 11 protected areas in the Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica, which also includes four national parks, three national reserves, and three national monuments. Together, these protected forested areas make up about 51% of the region's land (6,728,744 hectares). The Torres del Paine are the three distinctive 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 rise up to 2,500 meters (8,200 ft) above sea level and are connected by the Cuernos del Paine. The area also features valleys, rivers like the Paine, lakes, and glaciers. The well-known lakes include Grey, Pehoé, Nordenskiöld, and Sarmiento. The glaciers, including Grey, Pingo, and Tyndall, are part of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field.
Recommended airport
Puerto Natales (PNT)
Points of interest
  • Amalia Glacier
Nearby destinations
  • Cerro Castillo a 45.35 km