Base of the Towers
A glacial lake.
Thomas Fuhrmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Winky from Oxford, UK — CC BY 2.0 · Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 3.0
One of the world's most beautiful national parks, at the heart of Chilean Patagonia since 1959, centred on the Paine massif, whose name means blue in the region's native language: towering grey granite towers, horns of dark peaks over pale rock, glaciers and lakes in turquoise and emerald. Its most famous hike goes to the Base of the Towers, a long day climbing through the Ascencio valley, forest and boulders to a glacial lake beneath the three towers. Trekkers walk the famous W route in four or five days between the towers, the French Valley and Grey Glacier, and the full O circuit around the whole massif in over a week. Those who walk less see the park on a full-day drive past lake lookouts and the Salto Grande waterfall, herds of wild guanacos, condors and sometimes pumas. Tickets are sold online only, and refuges and campsites need booking months ahead in summer. Patagonian wind is fierce and changeable, and conditions can turn within an hour, so dress in layers with a wind- and rain-proof jacket.
A glacial lake.
Four or five days.
Wild herds.
Chilean Patagonia, about 112 km north of Puerto Natales
One day for a driving tour or the Base of the Towers hike, four to five for the W trek, with lodging booked ahead.