The Base Torres Lookout Hike: How to Hike to the Base of the Towers in Torres del Paine National Park
Are you looking to hike one of the most famous and iconic hikes in Patagonia? The Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine National Park is a challenging but super rewarding hike to the most famous viewpoint in Patagonia, the base of the Torres del Paine. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about hiking to the Base Torres Lookout, including how to get there, when to go, and what to expect on the trail!
Patagonia is a remote region of the world known for its amazing hikes through epic mountain scenery, and perhaps the most famous of all the hikes in Patagonia is the Base Torres Lookout trail in Torres del Paine National Park.
Torres del Paine National Park in Chile is a stunning alpine playground of unique granite peaks, turquoise lakes, and massive glaciers. Even if you’ve never heard of this park, you’ve likely seen pictures of its most iconic feature- the park’s namesake, the Torres del Paine (or Towers of Blue), and they are three of the most recognizable peaks in the world.
These three distinct peaks sit above a small turquoise alpine lake, and it is this exact scenery that has made Torres del Paine National Park so famous. Hikers from all over the world come to hike to the base of the towers to see this stunning scenery for themselves.
Because of its beauty and popularity, the Base Torres Lookout hike is busy, and unfortunately you probably won’t find any solitude on this trail, but we speak from experience when we say the hike to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine is totally worth the hype, and it’s a hike you simply cannot miss if you’re in Patagonia.
Ready to hike to the Torres del Paine? Then you’re in the right place!
In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know for the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine National Park. We’ll cover how to get to Torres del Paine National Park, the best time to hike to the base of the towers, how long it takes, what to expect on the Base Torres Lookout hike, and much more!
Alright, let’s get into it!
In this Base Torres Lookout trail guide:
Do I need a permit to hike the Base Torres Lookout trail in Torres del Paine?
Can I day hike to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine?
Best time to hike the Base Torres Lookout trail in Torres del Paine
How long is the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine?
How hard is the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine?
The Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine: Trail description and our experience
Where to stay for the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine
What to pack for the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine
Where is the Base Torres Lookout Hike?
The Base Torres Lookout hike is nestled within one of the most famous parks in Patagonia- Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile.
The Torres del Paine can be seen tucked deep in a valley in Torres del Paine National Park (you can see them peeking out behind the rainbow!)
This park is quite remote. The nearest major town is Puerto Natales, and most people will use this as a base for exploring Torres del Paine National Park.
It’s about a 2 hour drive from Puerto Natales to get to the park’s entrance at the Laguna Amarga ranger station. From this entrance, you’ll head to the Torres Region, where you’ll find a Welcome Center and the start of the hike to the base of the towers.
We’ll talk more about getting to the Base Torres Lookout trailhead in just a bit.
Map of the Base Torres Lookout Trail in Torres del Paine
This map shows the location of Torres del Paine, Puerto Natales, and the Torres del Paine trailhead.
The relative locations of Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, and Torres del Paine
Do I Need A Permit to Hike the Base Torres Lookout Trail in Torres del Paine?
While you don’t need any sort of special permit to hike to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine, you do need to pay the entrance fee to get into Torres del Paine National Park.
You must reserve your park ticket in advance here. There are two ticket types- one that is good for three days or less in the park, and one that is good for more than three days. If you don’t plan on doing any multiday trekking through the park, then the cheaper ticket should be sufficient. Make sure to save the ticket to your phone (and even print it out as a back up)!
Can I Day Hike to the Base of the Towers in Torres del Paine?
Hiking in Ascencio Valley near the Base of the Towers
Yes! You can absolutely day hike the Base Torres Lookout trail.
Often, the hike to the base of the towers is done as part of multiday treks through Torres del Paine. Two famous ones in the park are the W Trek and the O Circuit, which take on average 5 days and 8 days, respectively. If you have more time in the park, are keen on backpacking, and really want to experience a lot of the highlights of Torres del Paine apart from the base of the towers, we really recommend looking into either of these multiday hikes. Check out our trail description of the O Circuit and W Treks to see if they might be something you’re interested in!
However, if you are short on time, don’t like the idea of multiday hiking, and simply want to do a one day out and back hike to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine, then a day hike is totally possible, and, in fact, it’s the most popular way to hike to the Torres del Paine towers.
Just keep in mind, it will be a long day on the trail, so you really have to be mindful of the time and know your pace. This is especially true if you are relying on public transportation (buses) to get you to the park (we’ll talk more about this below). In this case, you’ll be under the time constraints of the bus schedules.
Even if you drive on your own to the park, you still have to get an early start on the trail and be mindful of the time. This is mostly because of the fact that there are trail cut off times on the Base Torres Lookout hike that you have to be aware of. There are several points along the trail that you can’t continue on past a certain time:
The Chileno campsite and refuge: This is located approximately two thirds into the hike. The trail from here to the Base Torres Lookout closes at 2 pm.
The Torres ranger station: Found about halfway up from the Chileno campsite to the Base Torres Lookout is a small ranger station. The trail beyond this point closes at 3 pm.
The Base Torres Lookout: This lookout itself closes at 4 pm, and rangers may head up there to start ushering any remaining people back down the trail.
The trail closure at the Torres Ranger Station on the way up to the Base Torres Lookout
The park has these closure times in place for safety reasons and doesn’t want anyone hiking in the dark. The trails here can be quite rugged and rocky, and there are also pumas in the park that become more active at night.
Because of the trail length and the cut off times, it’s key to get an early start on the Base Torres Lookout trail, so it’s hard to avoid the crowds on this one. It’s a very famous trail and everyone aims to get on the trail early, so don’t expect much solitude on the trail or at the base of the towers unless you got a really early start, or you are a very fast hiker.
So is there any way to avoid the crowds on the Base Torres Lookout hike?
If you don’t mind an overnight camping trip, you may be able to avoid at least some of the crowds…
Staying at Chileno campground on the Base Torres Lookout hike
The Chileno campsite is a backcountry campground that sits just over halfway into the Base Torres Lookout hike. (There used to be the option of staying in the refuge here, but this currently doesn’t look available.)
It’s nestled along a river in the Ascencio Valley and provides a great starting point for an early morning hike up to the base of the towers. From here, the Base Torres Lookout is 2.5 miles / 4 km with 1,624 ft / 495 m of elevation gain (it will take about two hours).
The Chileno campsite
The catch? Well, because of its prime location, getting a spot at Chileno campground is pretty hard. You have to reserve a spot in advance, and overnighters, W Trekkers, and O Trekkers are all vying for the limited space here.
To check availability and book your space, head over to Las Torres website. You’ll see that they have a few different options, all of which are quite pricey.
You can reserve a spot to pitch your own tent ($ 50 USD per person in prime season for two people)
You can pay for a pre-set up tent with all the gear in it- helpful for not having to lug all your own camping gear up the trail ($150 USD per person based on double occupancy)
You can also pay for half or full board, or individual meals. This is useful at this campsite because you aren’t able to use camping stoves at Chileno due to the wind and resultant fire hazard, however you can still pack up your own simple food that doesn’t require cooking. Full board is $120 USD (dinner and breakfast and a packed lunch) while half board is $65 USD (dinner and breakfast).
Reservations for Chileno typically open up sometime in April or May for the following summer season, and they usually book out within a couple of days, especially for the peak summer months of December, January and February. Once April hits, we recommend checking their website frequently to see when reservations open and be ready to book when they open for your best chance.
Those who are lucky enough to get a spot at Chileno often take advantage of its prime location to get an early start and catch sunrise on the towers in the morning. On a clear morning, the sunrise creates a beautiful orange glow on the granite peaks that is breathtaking.
Getting such an early start will also help you beat the bolus of day hikers who have to hike the full way up the trail. You’ll probably run into them all at some point while you are still up at the lookout or on your way down to the trailhead, but you might have a bit more solitude at the best part- the Base Torres Lookout!
Best Time to Hike the Base Torres Lookout Trail in Torres del Paine
The summer months in Patagonia between November and March are the best times to hike to the Base Torres Lookout, with October and April being more of a shoulder season where you could still see snow on the trails.
December, January, and February are peak season months to hike in Torres del Paine, as they bring the best weather and longest days, but of course, they are also the most popular.
We hiked in Torres del Paine in mid- to late March and had overall good weather, but we did see snow on higher elevations in the park (luckily not anywhere on the Base Torres Lookout hike!).
However, no matter when you go, come to Torres del Paine expecting anything. Mountain weather is notorious for being unpredictable and changeable by the minute- and Torres del Paine is no exception. You can experience sunny skies and warm temperatures one minute, and then cold, rain, and sleet the next.
Be prepared for all kinds of weather on the hike to the Base Torres Lookout
We had to take shelter and wait out the rain at the Base Torres Lookout- they were hidden for several hours before they finally appeared!
Also, definitely be prepared for the notorious Patagonia winds! Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park are known for their super strong wind gusts, reaching up to 60 mph or more. The valley you’ll be hiking to get to the base of the towers has one area in particular called Windy Pass, and there’s a reason for its name.
We experienced the strongest sustained winds of our life through here! It made it super hard to walk forward, as we were walking straight into the head wind, and it was blowing up all the dirt and gravel from the trail into our faces. It was a short section, thankfully, but it was really something. You might have to hunker down and brace yourself through stronger gusts along the trail.
Windy Pass on the Base Torres Lookout hike definitely lives up to its name!
We’ve also seen accounts of crazy wind and weather near the end of the trail when the hike crosses over the exposed rocky moraine just beneath the base of the lookout. Luckily, we were okay up here in terms of wind, but again, it’s something to come prepared for.
We definitely recommend keeping your eye on the weather forecast all the way up to the day before, and even the morning of, your hike to the Base Torres Lookout, and trying to have some flexibility in your itinerary in case the weather doesn’t cooperate. This isn’t a trail you’ll want to be on in bad weather (and if that’s the case, the towers will likely be hiding anyway).
But another reason is that the park rangers can close the trail to the Base Torres Lookout if they think it’s too dangerous due to bad weather. Usually this closure will happen at the Chileno campsite or at the Torres ranger station. This actually happened on the day we hiked to the towers (fortunately we made it up to the lookout before the trail was closed!). But we definitely wouldn’t want you putting in all the effort to get here and hike most of the way up only to find a rope running across the path with a trail closure sign.
Rainy, windy, and foggy weather on the way up to the Base Torres Lookout
How to Get to Torres del Paine National Park
The main airport that people will fly into to visit Torres del Paine National Park is in Punta Arenas, Chile, however it is also possible to fly into the airport directly in Puerto Natales as well.
If your only goal is to day hike to the Base Torres Lookout, or you want to do this hike along with some other day hikes or sightseeing, then it’s probably most convenient to rent a car when you land in Chile. This way you can make your own schedule and not have to rely on bus schedules.
If you don’t want to drive yourself, or if you plan on doing the Base Torres Lookout hike as part of the W Trek or the O Circuit, it’s probably best to just rely on buses to get you to and from the park. If you’re doing one of the multiday treks, your very expensive rental car will just be sitting in a parking lot for 5-8 days, so it’s kind of a waste. We found the buses in this region of Patagonia to be very convenient and easy to figure out, and also pretty cheap as well!
Getting to the Base Torres Lookout trail by car
If you have a car, head to the Torres del Paine entrance called Laguna Amarga. Here, you’ll have to stop at this station and check in with the rangers, showing them your pre-purchased park pass, and potentially other documentation such as your passport and tourist PDI card.
Once you’re checked in, you’ll want to drive about ten minutes to the Welcome Center in Las Torres region of the park where you’ll start your hike to the Torres del Paine. There is a large parking lot here.
Getting to the Base Torres Lookout by bus
Frequent buses run between Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, and Torres del Paine.
If you fly into Punta Arenas, you can book a bus right from the airport to take you to Puerto Natales for about 8,000 CLP, or less than $9 USD one way. Check the Bus Sur website for their schedules and updated pricing, and to book a ticket. It’s about a three hour ride.
Then, you can book a bus for the next day from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine. We do recommend booking this ticket in advance, either online or at the central bus station in town. There are a handful of buses throughout the day, but for a day hike to the Base Torres Lookout, you’ll want the earliest start you can get, so you want to make sure you get a spot on one of the first buses in the morning.
The bus to Torres del Paine will take about 2 hours and costs about 14,000 CLP, or $15 USD.
All buses to Torres del Paine National Park will stop at the Laguna Amarga entrance, and everyone has to get out here to check in with the park and show your pre-purchased entrance ticket. Again, be sure to have this saved to your phone and/or printed out to show park staff.
Checking in at the Laguna Amarga entrance of Torres del Paine
Once you’re checked in, look for the small park shuttles in the parking area- these will take you to the Welcome Center in Las Torres region of the park.
This shuttle has an additional fee and is booked separately from the bus. We were able to purchase with cash in person once there (4,000 CLP or $5 USD per person), but you can also pre-book this as well. It didn’t seem like you have to worry about not getting space on this shuttle. Once the first filled up, they brought in another one to fit everyone else waiting. They seem well-prepared to handle everyone that comes in on the buses, and also well-timed with the bus schedules.
If you’re relying on buses to get to Torres del Paine, just be mindful of the bus schedules, which you can see on the Bus Sur website. There are just a handful that leave from the park every day back to Puerto Natales, and you’ll likely be getting the 8 pm one (the last one of the day). So just be sure you are back to the trailhead about an hour before that to give yourself enough time to catch a shuttle from the Welcome Center back to the Amarga entrance, where you’ll get your 8 pm bus back to Puerto Natales.
How to get to the Base Torres Lookout trailhead (map adapted from the park brochure)
The Base Torres Lookout trailhead
The trail for the base of the Torres del Paine officially starts right near the Las Torres Hotel. However, if you aren’t staying there, you’ll either park or be dropped off at the Welcome Center as we described above.
From the center, it’s about a 1.5 km easy and flat walk (roughly 20 minutes) through the meadows to the hotel where the trailhead is.
The start of the Base Torres Lookout trail behind the Welcome Center. You’ll follow signs to the Torres Hotel where the true trailhead is.
It can be a bit confusing in this area since there’s a lot here- the Welcome Center, the Central campsites and refuge area, and trail for the O Circuit, but just keep following signs towards Las Torres Hotel on the path alongside a dirt road that leads to the hotel and trailhead.
Hiking by the Torres Hotel at the start of the Base Torres Lookout hike
For this guide, we assume you’ll be starting at the Welcome Center, so all of our hiking stats reflect this.
How Long is the Base Torres Lookout Hike in Torres del Paine?
Here are our hiking stats for the Base Torres Lookout hike that we logged with our Garmin watch.
Distance: 11.3 miles / 18 km out and back
Elevation gain: 3,303 ft/ 1,007 m
Time: 8-10 hours
Map of the Base Torres Lookout trail in Torres del Paine
Our satellite map of the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine
How Hard is the Base Torres Lookout Trail Hike in Torres del Paine?
The hike to the base of the Torres del Paine is moderately challenging. It’s a long and steady climb with a lot of overall elevation gain, and on top of that, you’ll have to be prepared for any potential crazy weather.
The last bit of hiking at the top is the steepest and most challenging of the whole hike. You’ll basically have to navigate through a steep boulder field, using poles and rock blazes to stay on track. Up here, you’re also totally exposed to the elements. It’s a short section, though, and there’s no scrambling or anything technical about it.
Much of the first half of the hike to the base of the towers is a steady climb up a rocky trail
Near the Base Torres Lookout, the trail becomes a rock pile that you’ll be navigating using orange blazes and poles to keep you on track
Really, the Base Torres Lookout hike is just a matter of endurance, and you want to make sure you can handle a double digit mileage day on the trails.
The Base Torres Lookout Hike in Torres del Paine: Trail Description and Our Experience
Here’s our experience hiking the Base Torres Lookout trail in Torres del Paine to give you a good idea of what you can expect on the hike!
A note about our experience: We hiked to the base of Torres del Paine as part of the O Circuit. It was our 8th day on the trail. We camped at Chileno the night prior, and then hiked up to the base of the towers the next morning followed by the long hike out back to the Welcome Center. When we did this hike, we had awful weather in the morning. It was rainy and foggy and the towers were shrouded in clouds when we first arrived. But after we waited it out long enough (like, three hours!), the towers finally appeared! It was still an overall gloomy day on the trail, though.
The hike to Chileno campground and refuge
The hike to the base of the Torres del Paine starts by the Welcome Center. From here, you’ll be standing at the base of the massive Cordillera del Paine (the main mountain range in the park). If it’s clear out, you might be able to see the tips of the Torres del Paine peeking out from deep within the valley ahead (and it will get you pumped for the hike!).
Starting the hike near the Torres Welcome Center. The Torres del Paine are tucked in the valley ahead (behind the rainbow!).
Follow signs towards the Hotel Las Torres to begin. This first part is an easy flat 1.5 km (0.9 miles) walk through a meadow that follows the dirt road to the Hotel and should take about 15 to 20 minutes at most. The official trail for the Base Torres Lookout starts here at the hotel.
From here, the trail continues to be relatively flat and easy, with just a few minor ups and downs as it traverses through the meadows beneath the Cordillera del Paine. You can make pretty quick work through here and before you know it, you’ll find yourself at a short suspension bridge, and I hope you enjoyed the flat walk up to this point, because from here, it’s pretty much all climbing!
Hiking the first easy part of the Base Torres Lookout hike before the real climbing begins
Heading towards the suspension bridge
Just after the suspension bridge, the trail splits, and you’ll follow signs towards Chileno to the right. Here, the path begins a steady but gradual climb up the hills and towards Ascencio Valley in which the Torres del Paine sit.
After the bridge, follow signs towards Sector Chileno and Mirador Base Torres
The path starts to ascend out of the valley (this is looking back down the trail towards the suspension bridge)
At one point, a trail will veer off for the horse path (this split is seen in the picture here)- be sure to stick to the hiker trail here
There’s honestly not too much to say about this portion of the hike as it doesn’t vary too much. It’s basically one steady climb that starts out gradual but does get steeper as you go. The path is a healthy mix of dirt and loose rock but it’s nothing difficult to navigate.
This is what most of the Mirador Base Torres hike looks like as you ascend up into Ascencio Valley
And the most important part? Don’t forget to keep looking behind you, because the views over the foothills and meadows of Torres del Paine really open up and get better and better the higher you get.
A look back down the trail at the views that have opened up behind you
Basically, this part of the Base Torres Lookout hike is simply an uphill slog, and it’s just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.
Towards the top of this long climb, you’ll come to a junction at the start of Ascencio Valley. Continue straight here to head deeper into the valley and towards the Torres (the other way heads back around the front of the massif as part of the W and O Treks).
Standing at the trail junction (looking back the way you came). Be sure to stay straight ahead as you head up to hike through Ascencio Valley and to the base of the towers.
The trail will continue its gradual climb through here, but the terrain is now different. Through here, the path will become more gravel and narrow as it traverses along the rocky slopes above Ascencio Valley. Here, you’ll get great views through the valley of a river below and mountains all around, and you’ll really feel like you’ve now entered into the alpine world.
This is a look at the trail as it now traverses the slopes above Ascencio Valley (again, this is looking back down the trail from where you came)
Not too far after the junction (about another 10 minutes), you’ll make it to Windy Pass, marked by a sign. As you get closer to it, you might start to understand where it gets its name from, as the winds through here can be quite strong.
On the day we hiked into the valley to stay at Chileno campground, we experienced the most insane wind of our lives here! We really had to brace ourselves against the wind, and it was quite hard to even move forward through it as we were walking right into the headwind. And the strong gusts would constantly whip dirt and gravel from the trail at us (so we highly suggest having some sort of bandana, buff, or face covering for when things get super windy!).
The next day when we hiked out, though, the air was perfectly calm. So it really depends on the day.
The scenic view through Ascencio Valley from Windy Pass
Once you get through Windy Pass, the trail begins a steady descent into the valley towards Chileno campground.
Descending into the valley
Getting closer to the stream crossing where Chileno camp sits
At the bottom, you’ll cross a footbridge over the Ascencio River right before arriving to camp.
Chileno campground is a good place to rest before the final, and toughest, part of the trail to the Base Torres Lookout. Here you can use bathrooms (for a small fee if not staying here- about 500 pesos so be sure to have some cash on you), you can refill your water bottle here from a tap, and you can even buy some snacks or drinks from the cafeteria inside the refugio.
Arriving at Chileno campground- a good place to rest!
From here, you can even get a glimpse of the tips of the towers if the skies are clear- enough to keep you motivated and excited to keep going!
The Torres del Paine are barely peeking out above the trees
We recommend not lingering too long here, though- pay attention to trail cut- off times and your pace so you know you can complete the hike in time before dark and to make any transportation you need at the end of your hike.
Chileno Campground to the Base of the Towers
From the Chileno campground, the trail continues into the forest and crosses the river a few times on a couple of small footbridges.
Starting up the Base Torres Lookout trail from Chileno campground
From the river, the trail ascends pretty gently through the forest for a bit on a soft, well-maintained path, and it’s pretty easy-going here. Enjoy this part- because the trail is about to look much different!
The trail will spill out into a small clearing where the Torres ranger station is, and views to the surrounding mountains now start opening up. At this point, the trail closes at 2 pm each day, and can also close if rangers feel the path ahead is too dangerous under the current weather conditions.
Trail closure information at the Torres Ranger Station
From the ranger station, the trail now becomes much more rugged. The path is quite steep and very rocky and can be a bit slick with loose rock or running water. At first, the trail is still under tree line, but the forest is sparse through here and you’ll get views out towards the mountains and the now rugged alpine territory that you’ve entered into.
After the ranger station, the hike becomes quite steep and rocky
Looking back down the trail
Views of the valley below and the mountains across the way begin really opening up as you climb higher
You’ll even start to get glimpses of the Torres del Paine peeking out over the top of the moraine
Eventually, you’ll leave the tree line completely behind, and the path to the base of the towers will now be completely exposed and rugged all the way to the end (but the good news is you’re only about 20 minutes away from the Base Torres Lookout at this point!).
At first, there will be a narrow herd path that leads the way to the towers, but that herd path will quickly disappear into a maze of small rocks and boulders that you’ll need to ascend and navigate. Be sure to follow a combination of wooden poles with orange blazes, rock blazes, and small wooden signs to keep you on track. Also be sure to look around and enjoy the mountain and valley views!
Hiking up the moraine beneath the Torres del Paine (peeking out above)
This is a look back down the trail and across the valley
Towards the top of the Towers del Paine Lookout hike, you’ll navigate through rocky terrain by following blazes and posts to stay on track
Continue to follow the orange poles!
Looking back down the steep moraine towards the valley
Up here, you’re totally exposed to the elements- it can be incredibly windy and the weather can change fast, so just make sure you’re prepared for anything.
As you climb closer to the lookout, the tops of the Torres del Paine will start to come into view over the top of the rocky moraine, and the higher and higher you climb, the more of the Towers will reveal themselves- it’s actually really good motivation to keep going!
Getting close!
And before you know it, you’ll crest over the top of the moraine to one of the most iconic mountain views in the world- the Torres del Paine Lookout. You’ll see the three famous granite towers standing over a small pool of turquoise blue water, and immediately the long climb to get here will all be worth it.
The first views of the Torres del Paine!
Navigate through the rocky terrain to get to the base of the lake, find a good spot, and sit and enjoy the views- you’ve earned it! There will likely be a lot of people up here, but there’s a ton of space to spread out which is nice.
Enjoying the epic views at the base of the Towers!
It will be hard to pull yourself away, but once you’re ready, you’ll simply retrace your steps back to the trailhead.
As you navigate through the rocky boulder field at the top of the trail, you’ll now have great views into the valley below right in front of you. This is the hardest part of the entire descent, but it’s followed by the easy and fast jaunt through the forest to get back to Chileno campground.
Descending from the Base Torres Lookout
From the campground, you’ll have to climb your way back up to Windy Pass again, which is a steady and relatively steep climb, but it’s your last climb of the day.
The final climb of the day back up to Windy Pass before the long descent back down to the trailhead
From Windy Pass, it’s a long and steady descent back to the Welcome Center at the trailhead.
Where to Stay for the Base Torres Lookout Hike in Torres del Paine
There are a few places to stay for the Base Torres Lookout hike. Some are more convenient than others, but keep in mind that usually more convenient equates to more expensive!
Most people will base themselves in Puerto Natales, the closest major town to the park, about 2 hours away from the Laguna Amarga entrance. There are lots of cheaper accommodation options, restaurants, and gear shops here, and it’s easy to drive or take a bus to Torres del Paine from here.
Of course, it does mean you’ll have a very early morning to get to the park early enough to complete the hike, but it’s a small price to pay for one of the most epic hikes you’ll do!
Mountain views from Puerto Natales
The most convenient option is to stay right in Torres del Paine National Park. Las Torres Hotel is a luxury hotel that sits right at the trailhead for the Base Torres Lookout trail, so it seems like a no brainer, right?
Well, you might reconsider after you look at the price tag. But, if you can swing it, it would be a great way to avoid travel time and be able to hit the trail first thing in the morning to beat the rest of the day hikers who have the long drive to get here.
Las Torres Hotel on a gloomy day in Torres del Paine
Luckily, there are some cheaper options right next to Las Torres Hotel. Nearby is the Central Sector, which has a refuge and large campsite which also sit right at the trailhead for the Base Torres Lookout hike. There are lots of sites here, so it’s not as hard to get a spot here versus other campgrounds in the park, like Chileno.
If you want to camp, you can rent a bare site and bring all your own camping gear, or you can pay to have an elevated tent with all camping gear already set up for you when you arrive.
For pricing on both camping options and the refuge, check out the Las Torres website. It’s a relatively expensive campground, but it’s still way cheaper than the hotel and it puts you in a prime spot to start the hike to the base of the towers.
The Central campsite
There are a few other hotel options throughout Torres del Paine National Park, however this park is pretty big. These options are located around Pehoe Lake, which is still a one hour drive to the trailhead, and by Lago Grey and the other end of the park (the Rio Serrano Hotel), both of which are still about a 1.5 hour drive to the trailhead.
There are also some limited options to stay in between Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine. Some places along route 9 and Y-150 include places like this, this, this, and this- all of which are still about a one hour drive to the Laguna Amarga park entrance.
In short, if you don’t plan on staying at Hotel Las Torres or the Central Sector campsite, expect to drive anywhere between one to two hours to get to the Base Torres Lookout hike and prepare for an early morning to meet cut off times and transportation schedules.
What to Pack for the Base Torres Lookout Hike in Torres del Paine
We recommend all the usual day hiking essentials when hiking to the Base Torres Lookout, but here are some things we’d highlight specifically for this trail.
Layer and a wind breaker- The weather can change fast, and you’ll likely experience high winds along the Base Torres Lookout hike, so come prepared for all sorts of temperatures and weather.
Rain gear- Have a rain coat and pack cover at the very least.
Hiking poles- We don’t use them often and didn’t need them on this trail, however we can definitely see how they can be helpful for the last part of the trail through the boulder field to help navigate and to save your knees on the steep descent.
Cash- Have some Chilean pesos to spend at the Chileno refugio if necessary (to use the bathroom or get snacks or drinks). If you take the bus to the park and don’t pre-book the shuttle to the Welcome Center, this will require cash as well.
A buff or face covering- This will help in high wind areas when the head wind makes it hard to breath or blows up gravel and dirt in your face.
Hat and gloves- It can get very cold and windy when you break away from the tree line and at the Base Torres viewpoint.
Snacks and water – It’s a long hike so bring adequate food and water. Fortunately, you can refill water on the way up and down at the Chileno campground so you don’t have to overpack water and keep things a bit lighter.
More Patagonia Guides
Heading to Torres del Paine and want more information for your trip to Patagonia? Be sure to check out all of our other Patagonia guides!
We hope this guide to the Base Torres Lookout hike in Torres del Paine National Park helps you plan your perfect day on the trails in Patagonia. Let us know if you have any questions about the Torres del Paine lookout hike in the comments below, we are happy to help. Happy hiking!