Top 5 Things to Do in Torres Del Paine Trekking Tours

There are two ways to do the Torres Del Paine tour. One is to go on your own. The other is to join a guided tour. A guided tour would be ideal if you get the right one because, as usually happens, guides on such guided tours simply take unsuspecting tourists past the most important points that one should not miss. It is for tourists to know beforehand and make sure they are not disappointed.

The French Valley

Join the Torres Del Paine trekking tours by all means instead of setting out on your own but make sure they include the French Valley. If they do not, insist on making a detour or stopping here for some time. It is tough to navigate the steep ascents and descents with the ever present risk of avalanches but the view of the Nordenskjold Lake is just marvellous from the top. You get to the French Glacier lookout and rest, glorifying in the magnificent spectacle spread before you. Continue onwards to the Mirador Britanico. The mountains towering above simply overawe you.

Salto Grande

The W Portion of the Torres Del Paine is full of hidden wonders and one can pass by them within a short distance and not know about it. The Salto Grande waterfall is one such location near the Cuernos or Horns of Torres del Paine. Many tourists simply go on to the Horns blissfully unaware of this beautiful setting on the way.  Stand by the gorge and let the strong winds ruffle your clothes and hair; stare into the vista or the frothy foaming water below and you know the awesome beauty of Nature.

Glacier Grey

The Glacier Grey is another gem on the Torres Del Paine circuit that one should not miss for anything in the world. You have to take a boat cruise at extra cost that may not be included in the tour cost so what, do it nonetheless. The 15 minute boat ride from Refugio Grey is a wonderful journey itself and the icing on the cake is the huge glacier tinged in blue spread out right before you. Walking on the vast expanse of ice of the glacier is an ethereal experience as is the opportunity to explore ice caves.

Grey Lake

The Grey Lake visit is a continuation of the Glacier Grey trek where you come upon an enchanting lake after crossing a hanging bridge on the River Pingo. It is a sight to behold as the water is full of giant icebergs that have detached from the Grey Glacier.  Combine these two excursions with a stay at the Patagonia Lodge

The Base of the Towers

It takes 45 minutes of trekking over steep paths to reach the base of the towers. You spend 3 hours gone one way and then another 3 returning but the few minutes you spend at the Base are worth a life time’s memory. The mile high towers in black granite are simply astounding. Just keep in mind that the hike can be quite tiring and you may not have much time left to do anything else on that day.

These are the places to visit on your W trek tour of the Torres Del Paine but what do you do besides that? If you go on your own, it is well worth booking campsites in advance or a stay in the lodges along the route. If you like to rough it out there are open campsites that simply allow you to stay for the night and some basic amenities like bathing and cooking. There are spots where one can go horse riding and this should be on your bucket list of things to do in the Torres. The park offers scenes so varied that if you do not have a good camera along to capture the view, it is simply unpardonable. Take a dip in the lake or in any of the rivers if you can stand the cold water. Enjoy campfire (some campsites may not allow open fires) when you can.

Joining a trekking tour like the one chiletourpatagonia.com offers is a good idea but make sure in advance and insist on visiting these 5 places in the Torres. They are sure to accommodate such requests.