It is divided into two arms, because of the appearance of a peninsula of ice, commonly called the Island or Nunatak, that becomes apparent a little more with each year that passes. Torres del Paine National Park is considered the 8th Wonder of the World. 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 meteorological conditions of the park are variable due to the complex orography. The Great Tehuelche Paleolake vanished after being drained about 7,113 years before present. The windiest months are November - January,[18] which coincides with the peak tourism season. Torres del Paine National Park . Torres del Paine is a national park in Chilean Patagonia.It is in the southern tiers of the Andes and features mountains, lakes, and glaciers.. [12], In late December 2011 through January 2012, an Israeli backpacker was found by guilty to have started a fire after being caught by a park ranger when lighting up some paper roll in a forbidden area. [CITATION NEEDED], Nevertheless, recent paleoenvironmental studies performed within the Park indicate that fires have been frequent phenomena at least during the last 12,800 years.[17]. Torres del Paine National Park is one of the last remaining places where truly wild guanacos can be found. [16] The Israeli government sent reforestation experts to the zone, and has committed to donate trees to replant the affected areas. Only a portion of the latter is within the borders of the park. A sight with one of a kind mountains, blue lakes, desert pampas, rivers full of icebergs and ice fields the size of Hawaii, all await you at the Torres del Paine National Park. Paine means "blue" in the native Tehuelche (Aonikenk) language and is pronounced PIE-nay, while Torres means "towers".[4]. [1] It is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile. Hikers can opt for a day trip to see the towers, French Valley or Glacier Grey or a multi-day trek. Together, the protected forested areas comprise about 51% of the land of the region (6,728,744 hectares). When threatened, they have a habit of spitting. The puma's predation on guanacos in the park has been studied.[35]. Torres del Paine National Park is adorned with beautiful vegetation, including the evergreen Embothrium coccineum, which produces vivid red flowers grouped in corymbs, and Calceolaria uniflora, of striking shape and colors. Small valleys separate the spectacular granite spires and mountains of the massif. Torres del Paine National Park covers 181,414 hectares of Patagonian land and includes a massive variety of landscapes ranging from grasslands to subpolar forests and even glaciers. A certified guide is required to access some parts of the park. The blaze affected the areas east and south around Lake Pehoé. Visiting the park is recommended between September and April, during the southern spring, summer and early autumn. This image shows just a portion of the park, including Grey Glacier and the mountain range of Cordillera del Paine. A good example of the latter is the Cuernos del Paine, whose central bands of exposed granite contrast strongly with the dark aspect of their tops, which are remnants of a heavily eroded sedimentary stratum. The park has been elected as the fifth most beautiful place in the world by National Geographic,[42] and the 8th Wonder of the World by TripAdvisor. Torres del Paine is a national park in the Extreme South region of Patagonian Chile.It is located in the southern tiers of the Andes and features mountains, lakes and glaciers.. Torres del Paine National Park, located in the extreme south of Chilean Patagonia, is world-renowned for its spectacular views, formidable mountain ranges, and unpredictable weather. The guanaco is a wild relative of the domesticated llama and alpaca. There is plenty of public transport to get you from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park. [6] Gunther Plüschow was the first person to fly over the Paine massif. The name of the park can be roughly translated as ‘blue towers’ after the hallmark mountain range resembling a … In 2013, it measured approximately 181,414 hectares. [11], In February 2005, an accidental fire started by a Czech backpacker, which lasted for about ten days, destroyed 155 km2 (60 sq mi) of the park,[11] including about 2 km² of native forest. Book your tickets online for Torres del Paine National Park, Torres del Paine National Park: See 6,033 reviews, articles, and 6,206 photos of Torres del Paine National Park, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 15 attractions in Torres del Paine National Park. Most visitors arrive at the Carlos Ibáñez Airport, about 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of town, with direct flights from most major Chilean cities. The sun has since removed a lot of clouds, but unfortunately the highest … The flightless Darwin’s rhea also makes its home on the open plains of the park. In the winter using tyre chains is recommended due to unstable climatic conditions. Small, stunning valleys separate mesmerizing geological features, glaciers, and lakes of impossible blues. Best Dining in Torres del Paine National Park, Magallanes Region: See 719 Tripadvisor traveler reviews of 16 Torres del Paine National Park restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. Among the lakes are the Dickson Lake, Nordenskjöld Lake, Lake Pehoé, Grey Lake, Sarmiento Lake, and Del Toro Lake. [43], The park can be reached by Chile Route 9, which is paved and connects Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales and continues as an asphalt road for 100 km and then becomes a gravel road. Torres del Paine National Park was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1978, the Torres del Paine National Park (situated in the Magallanes 12th region in Chile) is internationally recognized as one of the most beautiful, unique and uncontaminated places on the planet. Torres del Paine National Park is ranked #2 out of 9 things to do in Chilean Patagonia. The area also boasts valleys, rivers such as the Paine, lakes, and glaciers. Welcome, here you will find trips, tours, programs, excursions, information, tips and much more. The park is famous for strong winds. Grinding glaciers and granite peaks mingle in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. [36] Other birds occurring in the park include the Chilean flamingo, Darwin's rhea, coscoroba swan, black-necked swan, Magellanic woodpecker, Magellan goose, and black-faced ibis. Schedule and Information Season 2019 – 2020; How to Get to Torres del Paine; Useful Tips Torres del Paine; Torres del Paine; National Park; Maps of Torres del Paine; Municipalidades; Plants and animal life of Torres del Paine; What to visit; Accommodation. Torres del Paine National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Torres del Paine)[3] is a national park encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia. All are vividly colored, most due to rock flour suspended in their waters. Perhaps the most well-recognized area in Chile, Torres del Paine National Park has come to define Patagonia. Four companies travel from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine each morning and all … Mirador Las Torres (The Towers) Distance: 8km (5miles) Duration: 4.5 hours. [2] It is a popular hiking destination in Chile. Photo by Artur Stanisz Torres del Paine National Park comprises some of the most jaw-dropping landscapes on Earth, from towering mountains and jagged peaks, to luminous glaciers and reflective lakes. Among them are Andean condor, black-chested buzzard-eagle, rufous-tailed hawk, cinereous harrier, chimango caracara, magellanic horned owl, austral pygmy-owl, to name but a few. The park averages around 252,000 visitors a year, of which 54% are foreign tourists,[2] who come from many countries all over the world. The Southern Patagonian Ice Field mantles a great portion of the park. Torres del Paine National Park. They extend up to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level, and are joined by the Cuernos del Paine. The highest mountain of the group is Paine Grande, whose height was measured in 2011 using GPS and found to be 2,884 m (9,462 ft). Several European scientists and explorers visited the area in the following decades, including Otto Nordenskiöld, Carl Skottsberg, and Alberto María de Agostini. To the north stands the granite arête called Aleta de Tiburón (English: Shark's Fin). Torres del Paine National Park is a beautiful nature park In Torres del Paine National Park we take a nice walk to the Cuernos viewpoint, the closest possible location to fully admire the mountains. Some of the dominant plant species of the Pre-Andean shrubland are Mulinum spinosum (a cushion plant) and Escallonia rubra, which are frequently associated with other species, including Anathrophyllun desideratum and Berberis buxifolia. The main river flowing through the park is Paine River. Other mammals include foxes and pumas. This world-class tourist attraction attracts visitors from around the world for its various hiking trails, in particular the popular "W Circuit". [25] In the case of Las Torres, what once was their overlying sedimentary rock layer has been completely eroded away, leaving behind the more resistant granite. Torres del Paine is a Chilean commune located in the inland of Última Esperanza Province and Magallanes Region.The commune is administered by the municipality in Cerro Castillo, the major settlement in the commune. The eastern arm measures about 1.2 km while the western has a width around 3.6 km. During summer, daylight hours are long given the southern latitude. www.torresdelpaine.com - contacto@torresdelpaine.com The head of French Valley is a cirque formed by tall cliffs. Outside of this time frame, the weather becomes extreme for the majority of the public. Above the tree line in the Andean Desert, Escallonia rubra, Empetrum rubrum, and Senecio skottsbergii take the place of Nothofagus pumilio trees. Cooking with the campstove is not permitted except in refugio locations. [44], National park in southern Chilean Patagonia, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "CONAF, Por Un Chile Forestal Sustentable", "Blown Away in Patagonia – Hiking Torres del Paine National Park", "60th Anniversary of Torres del Paine National Park", "Chile and Czech Republic work to restore Torres del Paine Park — MercoPress", "Feasibility study of using a Small Satellite constellation to forecast, monitor and mitigate natural and man-made disasters in Chile and similar developing countries", "Cómo el fuego destruye esta reserva de la biósfera", "Infografía: Áreas afectadas por el incendio en Torres del Paine", "Historia paleoambiental del ecotono bosque-estepa al interior del Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (Región de Magallanes, Chile) durante los últimos 14.800 años", "Processes controlling the composition of precipitation at a remote southern hemispheric location: Torres del Paine National Park, Chile", "Ice Elevation, Areal, and Frontal Changes of Claciers from National Park Torres del Paine, Southern Patagonia Ice Field", 10.1657/1523-0430(2004)036[0379:IEAAFC]2.0.CO;2, "Tectonic controls and Cenozoic magmatism at the Torres del Paine, southern Andes (Chile, 51°10'S)", "Incremental growth of the Patagonian Torres del Paine laccolith over 90 k.y. The park is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales and 312 km (194 mi) north of Punta Arenas. The park is one of the 11 protected areas of the Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica (together with four national parks, three national reserves, and three national monuments). The park can also be reached through maritime and aerial routes. The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. Most of the rivers and lakes of the park drain into Última Esperanza Sound via Serrano River. [31], In the park 85 non-native plant species have been recorded, of which 75 are of European origin and 31 are considered to be invasive.[32]. Wikipedia | Google | Google Images | Flickr. There are buses that leave from Puerto Natales. [19], The rainiest months are March and April, with a monthly average rainfall of 80 mm. The well-known lakes include Grey, Pehoé, Nordenskiöld, and Sarmiento. [24] Orogenic and erosional processes have shaped the present-day topography, and glacial erosion is mainly responsible for the sculpturing of the massif in the last tens of thousands of years. [37] The refugio locations also have campsites and tent for hire. The park contains four vegetation zones: Patagonian steppe, Pre-Andean shrubland, Magellanic subpolar forests and Andean Desert. The visitor impact on the park has been scientifically measured.[41]. Ascencio Valley is the normal route to reach the Torres del Paine lookout, which is located at the bank of a milky green tarn. In the Valley of Silence the gigantic granite walls of Cerro Fortaleza and Cerro Escudo (Shield Mountain) stand face to face with the western faces of the Torres del Paine. Torres del Paine National Park admin 2017-05-03T18:19:45+00:00 We are wildlife fanatics, but we are well aware that perhaps most serious travelers are not as focused on wildlife as we are. Padre Mariano 391 - Oficina 1102Providencia - Chile, un sitio de Discover Chile SPA – Prohibida la reproducción del texto o fotografías sin autorización de Torresdelpaine.com – © Derechos reservados a Torresdelpaine.com, Prohibida la reproducción del texto o fotografías sin autorización de Torresdelpaine.com, © Derechos reservados a Torresdelpaine.com, Schedule and Information Season 2019 – 2020, Plants and animal life of Torres del Paine. Located in the south, Torres del Paine National Park is probably the most popular park in Chile for its amazing Patagonian landscape that includes glaciers, lakes, rivers and mountains. [26][27], During the last glacial period glacier extent in the area peaked about 48,000 years ago, much earlier than for the more northern locations of Chiloé and Llanquihue. Torres del Paine National Park is a maze of towering mountain peaks, turquoise lakes, and sparkling glaciers, but the three more important ones are: Las Torres, Los Cuernos del Paine… The Magellanic deciduous forest is home to various species of trees such as the Nothofagus pumilio and Nothofagus antarctica. [5] She and her party are sometimes credited as being the first "foreign tourists" to visit the area that is now called Torres del Paine National Park.[6]. The landscape of the park is dominated by the Paine massif, which is an eastern spur of the Andes located on the east side of the Grey Glacier, rising dramatically above the Patagonian steppe. Cerro Catedral is named so because its east face resembles a cathedral's facade. The longitude of the glacier in its path towards the interior of the park is 15 km. The courses of water come from a longitudinal profile and are very turbulent with brusque changes in course, generated by waterfalls and rapids. The park possesses a large drainage network, which consists of numerous rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and cascades that come from the Southern Patagonia Ice Field and flow towards the southeast until the Última Esperanza Sound that bathes the coasts of the city of Puerto Natales. The Torres del Paine are the distinctive three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range or Paine Massif. Torres del Paine National Park is located about five hours north of the town of Punta Arenas, the closest major city. The park was established on 13 May 1959[7] as Parque Nacional de Turismo Lago Grey (Grey Lake National Tourism Park) and was given its present name in 1970. This is probably what … The Czech government offered aid after the fire and donated US$1 million to reforestation efforts. Torres Del Paine National Park . [28] During the late Pleistocene and early Holocene a series of proglacial lakes existed in the Torres del Paine area. The park is also known for its flora and fauna. [38][39] For less adventurous visitors, there are several hotels located in and around the park. See pictures and our review of Torres del Paine National Park. This last glacier is rapidly receding. Torres del Paine National Park Tourism: Tripadvisor has 20,989 reviews of Torres del Paine National Park Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Torres del Paine National Park … [10], In 1985, a tourist started a fire that burned about 150 km2 (58 sq mi) of the park. It lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite captured this summertime image of the park on January 21, 2013. [29] The last of these lakes, the Great Tehuelche Paleolake, covered what is now Sarmiento and Del Toro lakes plus a large area to east making Cazador Range a peninsula. A study of the exact chemical components of the precipitation in the park has been carried out.[20]. [34] It is also home to the endangered Chilean Huemul. The eighth natural wonder of the world and home to some of South America's best treks. The jaw-dropping landscapes of this eighth wonder of the world are humbling indeed. The Southern Patagonian Ice Field feeds four main glaciers; they are from north to south the glaciers: Dickson, Grey, Zapata, and Tyndall. The finding came after melting glaciers revealed new rock faces beneath. The name "Paine" comes from a Tehuelche Indian word meaning "blue". Much of the geology of the Paine Massif area consists of Cretaceous sedimentary rocks that have been intruded by a Miocene-aged laccolith. This represents double the July–October (winter) rainfall, which are the drier months. The park borders Bernardo O'Higgins National Park to the west and the Los Glaciar… The zone is characterized by cool summers, with temperatures lower than 16 °C (61 °F) during the warmest month (January). Lady Florence Dixie, in her book published in 1880, gave one of the first descriptions of the area and referred to the three towers as Cleopatra's Needles. To the east, from north to south, lie the peaks Fortaleza (Fortress), La Espada (The Sword), La Hoja (The Blade), La Máscara (The Mummer), Cuerno Norte (North Horn), and Cuerno Principal (Main Horn). Cerro Cota 2000 is named for its elevation; its highest contour line is about 2,000 m (6,562 ft). The vegetation of the Patagonian steppe is dominated by Fescue species (mainly Festuca gracillima), which are resistant to harsh winds and weather conditions that are typical of the Patagonian region. The Southern Patagonian Ice Field takes up the entire western side of the park. The Paine Massif is almost completely encircled by the Rio Paine. The glaciers, including Grey, Pingo and Tyndall, belong to the Southern Patagonia Ice Field. Torres del Paine. The colossal walls of Cerro Cota 2000 and Cerro Catedral punctuate the western region of the Valley. The park, 181,000 hectares on the Seno de Ultima Esperanza, or Last Hope Inlet, was created in 1959 and declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. [8], In 1977, Guido Monzino donated 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) to the Chilean Government when its definitive limits were established. The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. This study examined four biotic zones that made up the territory of the park, determined by their vegetational type. According to the Köppen climate classification, the park lies in the “temperate climate of cold rain without a dry season." A study on the beech trees and forest regeneration patterns in the park was published in 1992. Cover photo full. Since October 2016, it is mandatory to book campsites or refugios before entering the park. The last study of significant scope carried out concerning the flora of the park was realized by Pisano in 1974. Torres del Paine National Park is part of the Sistema Nacional de Áreas Silvestres Protegidas del Estado de Chile (National System of Protected Forested Areas of Chile). The sun has since removed a lot of clouds, but unfortunately the highest … It lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. ", "Video: Dinosaur 'graveyard' discovered in Chile - Telegraph", 20.500.11820/d73c13fd-aeb3-4417-9158-4618d8263360, "Evolution of the Great Tehuelche Paleolake in the Torres del Paine National Park of Chilean Patagonia during the Last Glacial Maximum and Holocene", "Catálogo preliminar de la familia Orchidaceae del Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, XII Región, Chile", "Plantas introducidas en el Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, Chile", "A Wild But Fragile Chile: Torres del Paine National Park", "Las rapaces del Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, Chile: biodiversidad y conservación", "National Geographic The World's Most Beautiful Places Special Issue", Parque Nacional Torres del Paine at CONAF, Torres del Paine at the Chile Tourism Board, Torres del Paine National Park Travel Coverage at, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Torres_del_Paine_National_Park&oldid=991245468, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 November 2020, at 01:59. Torres del Paine National Park lies within the commune.Paine means "blue" in the native Tehuelche (Aonikenk) language and is pronounced PIE-nay. Studies of the glaciers in the park have given scientists a clearer picture of the epochs of the earth, or what happened after the last glacial age.[21][22][23]. How to get from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park . The spectacular nature park is located in Chile’s region of Patagonia and is a masterpiece of huge mountain peaks, bright blue glacial lakes and glistening glaciers. Torres del Paine National Park charges an entrance fee: for adults in high season, 18,000 Chilean pesos ($28); low season, 10,000 CLP ($16). The largest is Glacier Grey. These are: Valle del Francés (French Valley), Valle Bader, Valle Ascencio, and Valle del Silencio (Silence Valley). Torres del Paine National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Torres del Paine) is a national park encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia. Torres del Paine - Chile - Sudamérica, tour operador oficial Torres del Paine National Park is a beautiful nature park In Torres del Paine National Park we take a nice walk to the Cuernos viewpoint, the closest possible location to fully admire the mountains. Winter is relatively cold, with an average high temperature in July of 5 °C (41 °F), and an average low of −3 °C (27 °F). [33], Guanacos are one of the most common mammals found in the park. Glaciers include the Dickson, the Grey, and the Tyndall. It is also part of the End of the World Route, a tourist scenic route. These arrangements need to be made before entering the park. Torres del Paine National Park. Well, get ready to feel precisely that way among the turquoise waters, glaciers and towering granite horns of the Torres del Paine National Park. The park borders Bernardo O'Higgins National Park to the west and the Los Glaciares National Park to the north in Argentine territory. [6], In 1976, British mountaineer John Garner and two Torres del Paine rangers, Pepe Alarcon and Oscar Guineo, pioneered the Circuit trail which circles the Paine massif. The national park has over 252,000 visitors per year. Visit Torres del Paine National Park to sail the Pehoé River and observe the immense floating icebergs of Grey Lake Beach. Go on a 2-hour trek to… Duration: 15 hours History Peek into Patagonia’s historical past, starting from the region’s indigenous inhabitants to the modern tourism we know today. Fantastico Sur (private) and Vertice Patagonia (concessionaire) and the national parks service CONAF feature various refugios and campsites in the park. There are clearly marked paths and many refugios which provide shelter and basic services. The park is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales and 312 km (194 mi) north of Punta Arenas. [13] This burned about 176 km2 (68 sq mi) of the reserve,[14] destroying about 36 km² of native forest[15] and affecting most of the areas around Lake Pehoé and the western areas around Lake Sarmiento, but moving away from the Cordillera del Paine, the park's centerpiece. Just on April 30, 1970, the park adds 11,000 new hectares to its protected terrain and is baptized as it is known today: Torres del Paine National Park. The park has 7 documented species of Orchidaceae, including Chloraea magellanica. The amazing granite peaks that reach up to 2,900 meters in height shape the dramatic summits that give the park its name: the Torres … The park contains breeding populations of 15 bird of prey species and two others are likely reproducing here. Torres del Paine National Park Hotels on Tripadvisor: Find 11 164 traveller reviews, 10,912 candid photos, and prices for hotels in Torres del Paine National Park. Torres del Paine National Park . [40], Hikers are not allowed to stray from the paths in the national park. Soaring almost vertically above the Patagonian steppe, the granite pillars of Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine) dominate the landscape of South America's finest national park.Part of Unesco's Biosphere Reserve system since 1978, this 1810-sq-km park is, … [30] Ancient lake terraces marks the level attained by these lakes albeit great uncertainty exists regarding their evolution.[29]. From left to right they are known as Torres d'Agostini, Torres Central and Torres Monzino. [9] The park was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. In June 2014, scientists uncovered fossils of at least 46 ancient specimens of nearly complete skeletons of dolphin-like creatures called Ichthyosaurs which lived between 245 and 90 million years ago. Camping is only allowed at specified campsites and wood fires are prohibited throughout the park. During the southern winter, daylight dwindles to only 8 hours a day.