Mirador Las Torres Base — Attraction in Torres del Paine

One of the best hikes to do in the Chilean Patagonia. This is a 21.2 km round trip hike from the welcome center, camping and refuge Central, managed by Fantástico Sur, operating under the name Las Torres. The best way to start the hike is from the camping/refuge/hotel Central, aka Estancia Central, and you can do this as a one-day trip or as part of the famous W Trek or O Trek, many people doing the W Trek west to East will hike to this lookout after leaving the Francés or Cuernos camping/reguge or just hike from the Chilean camping/refuge. If you do it as a one-day hike you'll only need to get to the Torres del Paine National Park portería (entrance) at Laguna Amarga which you can do with a Bus-Sur from Puerto Natales and pay the Park entrance fee for 1-3 days, which you can do online in advance. Then there is a bus that can drive you from the Park portería to the welcome center as part of Estancia Central, you'll just jump in after entering the Park and paying CLS 4000 ($5 USD), or you can add an extra 7 km each way on this dirt road where the buses will run next to you. Talking about the hike itself from Estancia Central, the hike is demanding with sections in the upper part where you may want to help your feet with your hands in the bigger boulder areas. The scenery is beautiful all the way, with areas with different vegetation and animals, a lot of bird watching and you could be lucky and spot some mammals such as foxes and huemules. Don't forget to bring proper footwear and clothing, this area is very austral (meridional) and even in the good weather hiking season (November through April) high winds, rain and even snow are not uncommon. You should not think about doing this hike if you haven't done similar length and weather conditions in the past, this is not a beginners hike; you should expect 8-14 h to complete this hike depending on your physical and weather conditions. You don't need a guide to do this hike as long as you do it during the good weather hiking season. Your views when you you arrive to the top lake and the standing rock towers will pay off all the effort you've done to...

We did this hike with our 11-month-old baby in a hiking backpack. I would say this hike pushed us right up to our very limits and I wouldn't want to do anything tougher than this. That said, I would do the hike again if it was our first time. There were a lot of people on the trail when we went, and we were never alone. It is imperative to wear STURDY WATERPROOF shoes that go over your ankles, as you will be hiking IN a stream (not along, I do mean IN the flowing water) for about 15% of the total distance. The last scramble was not as bad as I'd anticipated, but obviously very tiring. The most dangerous part, in my opinion, is the first part of the descent over the rocks - GO SLOWLY. It took us 9 hours round-trip, including lunch, photos at the viewpoint, and two nappy changes (once at the camp right before the final ascent, and once at Refugio Chileno on the way down).

The view at the top was amazing and there's lots of space to sit for lunch. It wasn't that windy, though there were a few snowflakes on the way up.

For those with babies going up, you can use the bathrooms for free for nappy changes, just ask the staff (who speak English). We opted to do it on a picnic table outside for space reasons, and it...

Mirador is an incredible destination, offering breathtaking views that make the challenging hike worthwhile. However, it’s important to be prepared for the number of tourists at the top, especially during peak times. In certain popular spots, you might encounter a literal line of people waiting to take a photo. While this can feel a bit crowded, the good news is that there are plenty of other vantage points nearby where you can enjoy the stunning scenery and capture beautiful photos without the wait.

It’s also worth noting that the weather can be unpredictable, so checking the forecast before your visit is essential. The iconic peaks may be hidden by clouds, as was the case during our visit, but even then, the view was still spectacular. If you’re up for the effort, this hike is a rewarding experience that showcases the natural beauty of Patagonia, offering plenty of opportunities to soak in the scenery and create...