After nearly 12,000 years from its aboriginal settlement, the icy and remote destination in the middle of Chilean Patagonia was only reached by true explorers and scientists from the late 19th century until the park’s creation in 1959. Later called Torres del Paine National Park due to its most notable geological features, the 3 large granite towers, the protected area soon became known throughout the planet.

Since then, every year it receives up to 150,000 tourists, mostly foreigners. Mainly during the summer, they seek out the harsh, but still preserved environments of the park, despite the instances of fire, as seen in the burnt trees. The diversity of ecosystems, biological endemism and geological formations are relevant enough to justify its designation as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and its inclusion in most lists of the best trekking circuits in the world.

As the area is hundreds of miles from the nearest airport in El Calafate (Argentina), home to the impressive Perito Moreno Glacier, visitors can only reach Torres del Paine by land. One of the most common options, although quite expensive, is to hire a tourist bus trip from the old city or from Puerto Natales, Chile. Alternatively, you can drive a rented vehicle through the part of the park carved out by tens of kilometers of roads, where you can see groups of guanacos and rheas amid the steppes and bushes, flocks of flamingos in multicolored blue ponds, and the world’s largest flying bird (Andean condor) in the sky and mountains. You can also start some navigations in the beautiful Gray and Pehoé glacial lakes.

The most recommendable way to approach the park, however, is to delve into the surprising landscapes by following the trekking circuits: the O, which is the longest, or the W. The latter is well traveled by young adventurers and even older ones, with their large backpacks, canes and waterproof clothing, to overcome the uneven terrain and unpredictable weather. On the same day, you can witness the sun, rain, snow, wind, and even a waterspout!

To alleviate the fatigue of 3 to 5 days of walking, there are free and paid campsites well located along the sections. In addition to a hot bath and electricity, you can buy groceries, although the prices are somewhat outrageous. So make sure you have enough food with you, because the berries that you can find on the way will definitely not be enough for your caloric expenditure. At least water won’t be a problem, as there are numerous pristine springs along the trails.

The best views can only be achieved on foot, which makes it worth all the effort. The base of the towers that surround an azure lake, the melting rapids and the subpolar forests of Magallanes on the rise of the French Valley, the wall of the Gray Glacier and its drifting icebergs; these are some of the amazing sights explorers will see every mile on their way.

Leaving the park leaves that feeling of joy and desire to return, fulfilling the local saying that whoever eats the caulking will return one day. All this makes Torres del Paine National Park an almost obligatory destination for those who enjoy getting out of their comfort zone, entering into harmony with nature and facing great adventures.