Car Rental🚗: Upon arriving in the charming town of Puerto Natales, you can easily rent a car to explore the surrounding areas. The town is well-equipped with numerous car rental services. While larger chains like Europcar often find themselves fully booked for the next day, smaller local companies usually have a variety of vehicles available.
Price💰: We opted for a Volkswagen Tiguan 4WD SUV, which cost us 120,000 Chilean pesos per day. Do note that this price does not include tire and full glass insurance, so be sure to factor that into your budget.
Tips⚠️: When driving, exercise extreme caution with your speed and lane positioning. The winds in Torres del Paine🌬️ are notoriously fierce, capable of shifting your vehicle’s position. I experienced this unnerving phenomenon twice, and it was quite frightening. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel at all times. I can’t imagine how some people manage to hike for days in such conditions; with my slight build, I’d be blown away in a heartbeat if the weather turns bad.
Itinerary🏔️
Day One1️⃣: Start your adventure by heading out from Puerto Natales along Route 9, then take Ruta Y156 and Ruta Y150 to the fork before Laguna Amarga (East Entrance). From there, head north to marvel at the majestic Cascada Paine waterfall and the stunning Laguna Azul. This route covers all the major attractions in the northern part of the park.
Afterward, return to the East Entrance and drive towards Serrano (South Entrance). Along the way, you’ll encounter breathtaking waterfalls like Salto Grande and Salto Chico, picturesque viewpoints, and the serene Lago Sarmiento. Finally, make your way back to Natales via Serrano. If you set off around 10 am, you should be able to return by about 7 pm, allowing ample time for sightseeing and a short 30-minute hike to the large waterfall.
Day Two2️⃣: Begin your second day by taking Route 9 and Y290 to Serrano (South Entrance) and enter the park. Drive towards Lago Grey Station. Once you reach the rest station, embark on an hour-long round trip hike to the Grey Glacier viewpoint🧊. The view of the glacier is somewhat limited, but you can also opt for a boat tour from Hotel Lago Grey for a closer look.
Since we had plans to visit El Calafate for more glacier hiking later, we chose to stick to the viewpoint. Afterward, exit through the South Entrance and return to Natales. If you start around 12 pm, you should be back by 6 pm.
If you have extra time, consider driving to specific hiking spots for a more immersive experience.
