Torres del Paine is Chile's most prized national park. Its 180,000 hectares of diverse scenery and wild landscape on the edge of the southern ice fields is one of the largest sources of temperate-zone glaciers in the world. It lies 120 kilometres north of Puerto Natales, gateway to the park and BlueGreen's base. The park was created in 1959 and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1978. Before that, it was part of a huge sheep estancia.

The name 'Paine' (pronounced 'pie-nee') comes from a Tehuelche Indian word meaning blue. The 'Torres' are named after three spectacular granite peaks, the highest reaching 2,900 metres, that form the centrepiece of Torres del Paine. These dramatic peaks are part of the Cordillera del Paine, the youngest mountain range on earth. Other notable peaks include Paine Grande at 3,050 metres and Los Cuernos (the Horns) that range from 2,200 to 2,600 metres. Forests, steppe lands, lakes and valleys surround them.

Trails in Torres del Paine cross diverse terrain and vegetation and clients will witness some face-slappingly beautiful scenery. Although gaining in popularity, the park still only receives a relatively few 80,000 visitors a year. Most of these follow the 'circuit' and the 'W' hikes so it is easy to avoid any crowds.

Highlights include silent and winding trails through ancient southern-beech forests; rides (and swims) across brain-chilling glacial rivers; canters across wide-open pampas; dazzlingly beautiful trails around lakes of amazing colours and hikes out to enormous glaciers and iceberg-filled lakes.

The 934 square miles of Torres del Paine contains many distinct ecosystems. Each ecosystem contains widely diverse landscapes, which themselves enable different flora and fauna to flourish, some found nowhere else on earth. Patagonia is home to over 40 species of mammal and 100 species of birds.

Among these, the protected guanaco, Patagonia’s largest land mammal, roams the plains in large breeding groups. Each group comprises a dominant male and a harem of females, each of which gives birth to one chulengo. They make for fascinating watching. The Puma, sometimes called the panther, cougar or mountain lion, also inhabits Torres del Paine in fair numbers. This is the southern-most inhabitant of the 27 recognized puma subspecies and one of the largest. It inhabits huge territories encompassing up to 40 square miles of rocky slopes, forests and open plains. It is a solitary, nocturnal hunter, feeding on small mammals, guanacos and sometimes, sheep owned by local ranchers. It has also been known to attack young or injured horses.

The critically endangered huemul deer is known to breed in the south eastern sectors of the park. This small deer is the national symbol of Chile and CONAF considers its conservation a high priority. For this reason, they have closed the Pingo Trail to horses.

Other mammals include the Patagonian Grey Fox. It feeds on hares, rodents and occasionally the leftovers of puma kills and can also be seen wandering the campsites in the park looking for scraps and unattended trash bags.

Some of the world's rarest bird species – the crested cara cara, and black vulture among them – are found in Torres del Paine. Other bird species include black-necked swans, flamingoes, ibis, pygmy owls, austral parakeets and southern lapwings.

Often seen gliding in the huge skies in search of carrion the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) flies as high as 15,000 feet and at speeds of up to 35 miles an hour. An unforgettable sight, it weighs in at 16 pounds, is four feet long and has a massive ten foot wingspan. Finger-like feathers at the end of these huge wings make for precision flying. It nests in rock cavities high in the mountains. Condors are bald-headed and the male condor is black with some white on its wings and a fleshy red or black crest about four inches long. The female has no crest. Young condors have fluffy brown feathers.

The largest bird in South America, the ostrich-like Rhea is also frequently seen roaming the grasslands. Grey-brown and white in colour and fast runners, they are sometimes called South American Ostriches. These fascinating animals protect themselves by living in groups.

Book one of our scheduled or tailor made tours and receive a free official park map.