- 8 mins
Torres del Paine National Park is a wonderful place to explore. Did you know the park covers an area of 227,298 hectares? That's enough territory for many days of adventure. Knowing how to get around the park is essential, and we have all the information you need right here, including the most popular trekking circuits, landmarks to help orient yourself in the park and how to build a mental map of everything you need to know about this incredible national park.
What is the O Circuit?
To understand the map of Torres del Paine National Park, you need to start with the O Circuit, the park’s most challenging trail. As its name indicates, the O is a circle route that begins and ends at the same point.
Around 110 km long, some people manage to complete it in seven days, others in nine, depending on their pace. The important thing is to enjoy the scenery and the satisfaction of achieving the dream of trekking aficionados around the world.
The O Circuit loops around the entire Paine Massif in a counterclockwise direction, passing through the Estancia Zone and the Central Sector. On the right-hand side, the view is taken up by the imposing Serón Sector, bordered by the Paine River. Continuing along the northern part of the circuit, you will reach the Dickson Sector, then the trail stretches northwest to Los Perros and then the Grey Glacier. At this point, the O Circuit continues along the trail known as the W.
What is the W Circuit?
The W Circuit is the little sister of the O Circuit. Unlike the O, it runs clockwise along the southern base of the Paine Massif.
It begins in the Estancia Zone and the Central Sector and leads you directly to Base Torres, to the center-left of the massif on the map.
The adventure continues as the trail leads you to the shores of Lago Nordenskjöld, where you will reach the Cuernos Sector. There, the three majestic peaks or cuernos (horns) will escort you on one side, with the turquoise waters of Nordenskjöld on the other.
After a more challenging trek through steep terrain, you will arrive at the Francés Sector, a favorite among those doing the circuit. Here you can visit Británico Lookout, which offers one of the most spectacular views of the entire route, encompassing forests, mountains and hanging glaciers. The last segment of the trek brings you alongside Lago Grey, offering stunning vistas of its glaciers. The return is along the same route.
What can I use as landmarks to orient myself in the park?
Memorizing the entire map of Torres del Paine National Park is not easy. But here are some tips that allow you to use certain landmarks to orient yourself in the park.
In the south, the immense turquoise body of water that is Lago Nordenskjöld will be your constant companion as you tour the southern sector of the park. Whether you are heading to the Cuernos Sector or the Francés Sector, as you walk from east to west you can see the lake on your left-hand side, surrounded by towering peaks.
In the western part of the park you will find the Grey Sector, famous for the Grey Glacier that lies at the north end of the lake of the same name.
In the north is Lago Dickson and the Paine River, which borders the park on the east and reaches the Serón Sector.
Clockwise on the map, from the park entrance, the sectors are as follows: Central Sector, Cuernos, Francés, Grey, Los Perros, Dickson and Serón.
Get to know the off-line map of Las Torres Patagonia
One tool that can be very useful for your trip is the Las Torres Patagonia app, which gives you access to a wide range of information, from flora and fauna descriptions to functions exclusively for our guests.
One of the app’s most useful features is the off-line map, which enables you to find your location in real time and provides information such as how close you are to the landmarks you are heading towards, and what other places you can visit along the way.
The app can be downloaded for free from the AppStore or Google Play.
It will undoubtedly be a very useful tool for your adventure; just keep your cell phone charged and we will take care of the rest.
