W-Trek Day 2 – The famous three towers

After a more or less good night of sleep we were ready and excited to head to the apparent main hotspot of the Torres del Paine national park, or at least the most famous: the three towers of Torres. Our enthusiasm was a little disturbed when we saw the masses of people and groups heading to the same destination, but after the first 20-30 minutes, as soon as the way started to get steeper, the crowds seemed to spread and we found ourselves in the midst of nature and all the fellow hikers were forgotten.

• Route: Camp Central – Camp Chileno – Mirador – Camp Central
• Duration: 6 hours
• Metres of height: ~850 m
• Length: 19 km

It is very easy to stay on track and follow the numerous signs. The first 1,5 to 2 hours lead mainly upwards, partly steep, to the Chileno campsite. Unfortunately we realised the beauty of the panorama behind us only at our way back, so take your time to turn around and be amazed by the endless landscapes.

After the Chileno camp the hike leads through forests and is not steep at all until you get to the former camp Torres, which is currently only available for mountain climbers. The last 45 minutes from that point are pretty steep and lead via fields of rocks. Suddenly you find all the guided groups and crowds of people from earlier, which only prepares you partly for the masses that expect you at the final Mirador, the lookout to the three towers. Don’t expect to see the final destination from the distance, as it shares its beauty only right at the end of the hike.

Once you reach the Mirador there is enough space to find a nice spot, best close to the lagoon, take a break and simply enjoy the view. We were lucky with the weather, that got better and better once we found our lonely spot.

The towers are truly impressive and definitely worth seeing, BUT (spoiler alert) don’t make them your only visit in the Torres del Paine national park!