REGION: South Patagonia
ACTIVITY LEVEL: 3 (Easy – Moderate)
SUMMARY:
The Photographic hike around Torres Del Paine National Park in Patagonia is a top activity. It is among the best pastimes for nature enthusiasts. It is also a favorite for those who enjoy photography. You will visit Condores Lookout at Nordenskjöld Lake. You will walk around several spots. These include Fauna Trail, Sarmiento Lake, Amarga Lagoons, and Cisnes Lagoon. You will also see Paine Cascade and the famous Salto Grande. You will enjoy this tour a lot. This experience ranks among the best hikes in the area. These hikes are spectacularly beautiful with the surrounding nature and not physically challenging at all. We’ll see an abundance of wildlife like Guanacos, Foxes, Ñandues, Condores, and, if we have luck, the great Puma lion. We will drive around the Paine Massif, and we’ll get an incredible panoramic view. This path leads through forests, rivers, bushes, and rocks. The journey offers one of the most sought-after views. The walk lasts approximately 8 – 10 hours total. It covers a distance of 16 Km/ 10 Miles round trip.
You will be richly rewarded by one of the most breathtaking views in Patagonia. From this viewpoint, you will see the Massif Paine and the great Andes Mountain Range with your friends or family. This excursion is well-suited for photographers, senior active travelers, and families.
DURATION:
8 – 10 hours. (10 Miles/ 16 Km) Hike. Elevation Gain: Around 220 meters (750 feet). *We can shorten the hike on request.
MIN./MAX. PEOPLE: 2 – 12 people (more can be arranged).
SEASON: Seasonal. From September until April, weather permitting.
ITINERARY:
Pickup from your Hotel in Puerto Natales, Villa Serrano, or Torres Del Paine areas (or as arranged). Recommended hour to start: 7:30 a.m. or 8:00 a.m.
The Torres Del Paine National Park is declared the Eighth Wonder of the World. It is also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The park is known as one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on the planet. This geological work of art formed around 12 million years ago. It is a magnet for trekking and climbing aficionados. This makes it the third most-visited park in Chile. This National park is also part of the Route of Parks of Patagonia.
Your local guide will pick you up from your hotel in Puerto Natales or Torres Del Paine. You will then drive to the sector of “Porteria Sarmiento”, “Laguna Amarga,” or “Porteria Serrano.” The route depends on the area where you are.
We’re headed to Torres Del Paine. The Torres are soaring, spikey “towers” of granite. They were carved by ancient glaciers. These formations are one of the signature sights of Chile. We’re headed to part of the park that was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. At the entry to the park “Laguna Amarga”, “Porteria Serrano,” or “Porteria Sarmiento,” you will see intensely turquoise waters. These waters signal the theme of the day: water, both liquid and frozen.
This will allow you to marvel at the beauty of its topography and its abundant flora and fauna. We will hike up through the valleys and canyons. You’ll see ducks, frogs, woodpeckers, long-legged rheas, and Andean condors. You also spot other local species of fauna. This is the natural habitat of the Guanaco, the endangered Andean deer, and the Puma lion. And we’re to spot them during our walk.
We start our journey with many photo stops. We also walk around lookouts like Mirador Condores, Mirador Lago Nordenskjöld, Cascada Paine, and Salto Grande waterfall. We_love walking on the Cañadon Macho trail. We also enjoy the Fauna trail. It puts us in the midst of everything the park has to offer. We see pampas and Magellanic forests. We also see waterfalls and glaciers. There is a view of the snowcapped Campo de Hielo Sur (the Southern Ice Field).
There are lagoons, too, that are breeding and feeding grounds for a variety of birds. At the top of the trail, the views of the snow-capped mountains are stupendous. We take our time to absorb it all. We linger over a picnic lunch. After a big day at the most famous national park in Chile, we will be back at the hotel.