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Updated information Torres del Paine reopening: May 2021
We bring good news and that is that the health situation is improving little by little. And yes, that is good news, but it is not the good news we want to tell you about. From September Torres del Paine will reopen and the best part is that you can book your visit now. We tell you about it for months!
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September: On the 9th of this month the Central and French Sector camping will open again.
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October: On October 20th, the process is accelerated with the reopening of refuges in the Central and French Sector. All the W Trek options in Torres del Paine will be reactivated: Torres del Paine W Trek, Guided Torres del Paine W Trek, Guided W Trek Alternative, W Trek Express and 4 Days W Trek Private Experience.
Las Torres Hotel will also open and the All Inclusive Packages are back, so you can perfectly book the W Trek Torres del Paine Hotel Experience
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November: Finally, on November 1st, the Chilean Sector, Cuernos and Serón will reopen with their respective refuges, cabins and campsites. Oh, and the O Circuit Torres del Paine, we do not forget!
- Base of Torres del Paine hike
- Full day tour Torres del Paine
- W Trek Express
- W Trek
- Guided W Trek Alternative
The 2021/2022 season promises to be very adventurous and we couldn’t be happier. You will once again feel the cold air on your face, the satisfying tiredness of an unforgettable trek and the desire to travel through magical places. Do you share our excitement?
Today, November 26th, we are celebrating at Howlanders. One of our favorite destinations, Torres del Paine in Chile, is reopening its doors again.
Although it seemed that the entire 2020-2021 season was going to be closed, finally the authorities have allowed the return of tourists. However, with the uncertainty of these months, we can’t assure you if this reopening of Torres del Paine will be definitive, or if they will close again after some time.
For the moment, we will tell you all about the current situation of Torres del Paine National Park, with the respective measures in case you decide to visit it at this time.
Restrictions and access requirements
Requirements for foreigners to enter Chile
You have to take into account that from November 23rd to December 7th, Chile has imposed quite severe restrictions for foreigners.
In addition to the need to travel with a negative PCR performed during the 72 hours before boarding, all foreigners coming from a country classified by the OMS as community-transmission, i.e. with a high risk of COVID, must undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Chile.
So if you are in any of these countries on the list, for the moment, we only recommend you to travel if you are going to stay for more than 20 or 25 days.
If you have these days and you decide to travel to Chile, keep in mind that, in case of closing borders both in Chile and in your country of residence, it will be the only option for you to change the dates of the tour.
Access requirements for residents
If you are a resident of Chile, you have many more options to visit Torres del Paine.
However, until December 7th, only residents in “communes” that are in Phase 3 or higher according to the Chilean Government will be allowed to visit the park.
If this is your case, you are lucky. You can visit Torres del Paine without any problem.
Circuits
As for the Torres del Paine circuits, the W Circuit will be fully operational. Besides, it is the favorite circuit for most travelers so you will not miss the iconic viewpoint of Base Torres or the unique landscapes that this corner of the planet gives us.
The vehicle paths between Laguna Amarga and Rio Serrano (36 km) and the road to Rio Pingo (18 km) have also been opened.
On the other hand, the sectors of Laguna Azul, Laguna Verde, and Macizo Paine are still closed.
So, if you decide to travel now, you will be able to do all these tours:
Measures for COVID in Torres del Paine
Although we are all celebrating the reopening of Torres del Paine, we must bear in mind that we are still in a complicated situation, so we insist on following the security measures that have been set there.
If you don’t know them yet, we’ll tell you about the main measures here:
Documents
If you want to visit Torres del Paine, you must have the result of your negative PCRat hand, as well as a health passport that you can obtain from the Chilean government’s website.
Route sections
The social distance must be maintained at all times with other travelers, and in case of coinciding with more tourists, the use of the mask will always be mandatory. It will also be mandatory at all viewpoints.
It is recommended not to touch at any time the indications and signs exposed along the natural park.
Transport
Here too, the use of a mask will be mandatory, as well as respecting the assigned seat at all times. The capacity of the buses has been reduced, so the safety distance must be respected, even with passengers of the same group.
Accommodation
The entire W Circuit will have common use camping service, in addition to the sectors of Lago Pehoe and Serrano.
It will be possible to check-in online, to avoid queues and crowds at the arrival. As for the departure, schedules will be established to check out, to avoid overcrowding in the common areas of the accommodations.
It will also be mandatory to take the temperature on arrival at each accommodation, as well as to disinfect the shoes.
Bars y restaurants
In bars and restaurants of the park, the capacity has been reduced to ensure social distance. The digital menu has also been implemented through the QR codes, and the “to go” option has been put into operation in all the meals. Finally, the “self-service” option has been eliminated at each meal.
Concluding
If with all the restrictions, you are one of the lucky ones to be able to travel to the reopening of Torres del Paine, we recommend that you do so. We are sure that it will be a unique experience, with good temperatures, and with the park without the overcrowding of tourists.
If you are one of those who are restricted for the moment to travel to Torres del Paine, we encourage you to read the experience of our partner Javi in the W Trek, because very soon it will be your time to visit this wonder of nature.