Torres del Paine. Rudolf Abraham

      

      TORRES DEL PAINE

      TREKKING IN CHILE’S PREMIER NATIONAL PARK AND ARGENTINA’S LOS GLACIARES NATIONAL PARK

      by Rudolf Abraham

      JUNIPER HOUSE, MURLEY MOSS,

      OXENHOLME ROAD, KENDAL, CUMBRIA LA9 7RL

      www.cicerone.co.uk

      About the Author

      Rudolf Abraham (www.rudolfabraham.co.uk) is an award-winning writer and photographer whose love of travel and remote places has taken him from the Balkans to eastern Turkey, Central Asia and Patagonia. He is the author of ten books – five of them for Cicerone – and has contributed to many more, and his work is published widely in magazines.

      Other Cicerone guides by the author

      The Peaks of the Balkans Trail

      The Mountains of Montenegro: A Walker’s and Trekker’s Guide

      Walking in Croatia

      The Islands of Croatia: 30 Walking Routes on 14 Adriatic Islands

      St Oswald’s Way and St Cuthbert’s Way: Long-distance trails in Northumberland and the Borders

      © Rudolf Abraham 2016

      Second edition 2016

      ISBN: 978 1 85284 840 8

      Reprinted 2018 (with updates)

      First edition 2010

      Author photo by Ivana Abraham

      All other photos by Rudolf Abraham

      Printed in China on behalf of Latitude Press Ltd.

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      For my daughter, Tamara

      Acknowledgements

      I would like to thank Martina Diez-Routh of Travel Trade UK for her enthusiastic support of this project and for putting me in touch with clients in Chile; Adrien Champagnat, Maria José Eguigoren and Matías del Sol at Remota; André de Mendonça of South American Experience; Anna Francis and Mango PR; Hotel Fundador in Santiago; Alejandro of Hostal la Estancia in Punta Arenas; the Latin American Travel Association (LATA); John Biggar; Lisa Phillips at New Holland Publishers; Vicky Atkins at A & C Black; and Jonathan Williams and all the team at Cicerone. Finally I must thank my wife, Ivana, who checked the language section – and who was with me every step of the way.

      Updates to this Guide

      While every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of an edition. Any updates that we know of for this guide will be on the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk/840/updates), so please check before planning your trip. We also advise that you check information about such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, LA9 7RL.

      Register your book: To sign up to receive free updates, special offers and GPX files where available, register your book at www.cicerone.co.uk.

      Warning

      Mountain walking can be a dangerous activity carrying a risk of personal injury or death. It should be undertaken only by those with a full understanding of the risks and with the training and experience to evaluate them. While every care and effort has been taken in the preparation of this guide, the user should be aware that conditions can be highly variable and can change quickly, materially affecting the seriousness of a mountain walk. Therefore, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law, neither Cicerone nor the author accept liability for damage of any nature (including damage to property, personal injury or death) arising directly or indirectly from the information in this book.

      Front cover: Paine massif from near Lago Toro, Torres del Paine national park, Patagonia, Chile

      CONTENTS

       Map key

       Overview map

       Torres del Paine national park

       Location of routes

       INTRODUCTION

       Geography and geology

       Climate

       Wildlife and plants

       History and culture

       Early exploration and mountaineering

       Getting to Chile

       Transport within Chile

       Agencies and tour operators

       Visas and arrival

       Accommodation

       Language

       Food and drink

       Money and costs

       Keeping in touch

       Safety

       About this guide

       Trekking in Torres del Paine national park

       Refugios, campsites and hotels

       Transport to and around the park

       Maps

       Equipment

       Low-impact trekking

       What to do in an emergency

       TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK, CHILE

       Walk 1: Torres del Paine circuit (the ‘O’)

       Stage 1 CONAF Administración – Refugio Paine Grande

       Stage 2 Refugio Paine Grande – Campamento Italiano

       Stage 3 Campamento Italiano – Valle Francés (return)

       Stage 4 Campamento Italiano – Refugio Las Torres

       Stage 5 Refugio Las Torres – El Chileno

       Stage 6 El Chileno – Mirador Las Torres (return)