Complete Torres del Paine National Park (8 Days)

Day 01 – Arrive into Santiago de Chile

Founded in 1541 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago lies in Chile’s Central Valley. The city is surrounded by world-class vineyards and is within an hour of both the Pacific Ocean and the Andes. Today you’ll arrive into Santiago de Chile International Airport (SCL) where we will meet you and transfer you to your hotel.

Day 02 – Morning Panoramic Tour of Santiago de Chile

The tour begins with a visit to San Cristobal Hill in the north-east of the city. Rising 2,640 feet over the city – the second highest natural point in Santiago, you’ll be offered panoramic vistas of Chile’s capital. You then travel to the heart of the city and Plaza de Armas, the central location from where the city has grown throughout the centuries. The excursion will visit the cities most important and impressive buildings such as the Cathedral, the City Council Building, the Central Post Office and the National Historical Museum. You will also visit some the original colonial neighborhoods, visiting landmarks such as Concha y Toro Square. The tour will finish in the eastern part of the city, the more modern side of Santiago.

Day 03 – Wines of the Casa Blanca Valley

Driving toward the port city of Valparaiso, you’ll leave the cityscapes of Santiago to explore the surrounding wine country. Passing through Chile’s longest tunnel – Lo Prado Tunnel, you’ll emerge into the Curacavi Valley, before continuing onto the famous Casablanca Valley. Established in 1993 by descents of Italian immigrants, the Casas Bosque Vineyard is now one of the biggest producers of wine in Chile. Covering 580 acres, this family run boutique vineyard now produces some 1.2 million bottles of wine a year. Famous for its world-class chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and syrah wines, the Casas Bosque Vineyard is considered to be one of the best vineyards in Chile. Lunch at Tanino, the vineyards own award-winning restaurant is included. After lunch you’ll visit the vineyard’s wine cellars for a personal tasting session.

Day 04 – Fly to Patagonia, Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park

Today you’ll fly to the remote port town of Punta Arenas in the far reaches of Patagonia. On arrival you’ll take the 4-hour journey directly to Hotel Lago Grey in Torres del Paine National Park. One of the only hotels situated within the national park, Hotel Lago Grey is built in a privileged spot on the southern banks of Lake Grey. With an exceptional restaurant, well-appointed rooms and epic panoramic views of the lake and surrounding snow-capped mountains, Hotel Lago Grey is the perfect base to adventure out into the national park.

Day 05 – Boat Navigation to Grey Glacier & Salto Grande

Surrounded by the rugged wind-swept mountain scenery of Torres del Paine National Park, you’ll start the day with a boat navigation on Lago Grey. The destination is Grey Glacier, a 5-mile wide, 30-feet high ice block which forms part of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field. This 3-hour excursion offers visitors a gentle introduction to the flora and fauna of the region with awe-inspiring views of Grey Glacier – an incredible creation of mother nature.

In the afternoon the adventure starts with a 45-minute drive to Pudeto in the heart of the park’s lake district. The trail takes us to Sendero Mirador Cuernos, possibly the park’s most spectacular viewpoint. Here you’ll have panoramic vistas of Los Cuernos (the horns), Mount Paine Grande and the French Valley. We continue the trail to Salto Grande, a raging aquamarine cascade that channels water between lakes Nordenskjöld and Pehoé. The roundtrip hike takes about 2 hours to complete.

Day 06 – Torres del Paine Base Trek

The three rugged granite towers that form Las Torres del Paine are perhaps one of the most iconic sights in Patagonia and form the culmination of the Torres del Paine Base Trek. Following a 1-hour drive we arrive at the Estancia Torres del Paine, the starting point of the trek. Crossing the Ascencio River, we will follow a continuous ascent to El Chileno Camp. Navigating ever-changing landscapes from matorral shrubland to old-growth lenga trees, we’ll follow an undulating trail until we arrive at the base of the Torres Glacier. With a final push, we’ll ascend steeply the last forty-five-minutes of the trail to arrive at the base of Las Torres. Towering high above a turquoise lagoon, the three jagged towers of Las Torres stand majestically before you in this surreal yet incredibly scenic part of Patagonia.

The Torres del Paine Base Trek is a challenging hike and is suitable only for trekkers who are in good physical shape. The trek covers 11.2 miles in a timeframe of approximately eight-hours.

Day 07 – Valle Bader (Horseback & Hiking)

Explore a rarely visited corner of the park on this combined horseback and hiking excursion. The route follows 9 km (5 miles) of the famous “W” Trail before reaching the junction of a small side trail that veers off to the right. At this point, the group leaves the horses behind, setting off on “the Horns” (Los Cuernos), that affords an awesome view of French Glacier coming down from Mount Paine Grande, the Cuernos del Paine peaks rising behind us, and down the valley to the lakes. From here you’ll cross the lake by catamaran before returning to the hotel.

Day 08 – Transfer to Punta Arenas, Fly to Santiago, International Departure

Following breakfast, you’ll return to Punta Arenas by road, where you’ll catch a domestic flight to Santiago de Chile and connect to your international flight home.