Our experience on a Torres del Paine Tour from Puerto Natales

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Last Updated on 21 May, 2026 by Daniel Silvente

Torres del Paine is one of our favorite destinations in the world, and this time we explored it on a Torres del Paine Tour from Puerto Natales. We joined the Paine Activo viewpoints trek, a one-day route through some of the most spectacular landscapes in Chilean Patagonia. Today, we’ll share what the experience was really like and everything we saw along the way.

Start of Torres del Paine Tour

We woke up very early at our accommodation in Puerto Natales, ready to start our Torres del Paine Tour. A van picked us up and we headed toward the park surrounded by the incredible landscapes of Chilean Patagonia. Although Puerto Natales is the closest town to Torres del Paine National Park, the drive takes around two hours each way, but it’s absolutely worth it to make the most of the experience.

Viewpoints of Torres del Paine Tour Stops

The Andean Condor

As we left Puerto Natales behind and made our way toward Torres del Paine National Park. We stopped for the first time beside a rocky cliff where Andean condors are often seen. Luckily, our guide spotted several of them flying above the area, so we got out of the van to watch them closely.

He even brought binoculars, which made the experience even better. Seeing these huge birds in the middle of Patagonia was incredible, especially knowing that some Andean condors can reach more than 10 ft😱 from wingtip to wingtip.

Sarmiento Lake

After spotting the Andean Condor, we followed the road towards Sarmiento Lake. At one of the ends of the lake, there was a viewpoint where we could enjoy the 90 square kilometers that it has and from which the views of the Torres del Paine National Park were already beautiful.

First hike of Torres del Paine Tour, Paine Activo

A few minutes later, we reached Portería Sarmiento, one of the entrances to Torres del Paine National Park. From here, we will start our first hike, which will last approximately 1 and a half to 2 hours, depending on the pace of our legs and the stops we make.

The route began with a slight and gentle ascent. It took us along the Aonikenk Trail to an archaeological site with remains of cave paintings more than 6500 years old. At that point of the hike, wildlife began to surround us. We kept seeing guanacos until we came out through Portería Amarca, the other ranger post.

Lunch at the Blue Lagoon

After this first hike, we returned to the van to go to the next stop of our Torres del Paine Tour. Here we took the opportunity to have some snacks from the delicious box lunch we had been given. Although the hike was easy, we were grateful to be under cover and rest from the strong Patagonian wind.

Lunch time was approaching, and the guide decided to stop for lunch at another spectacular viewpoint of Torres del Paine National Park. This time, with the Blue Lagoon as the protagonist.

Our box lunch included a sandwich, fruit, and chocolate, with vegetarian and meat options available. There was also a small quincho nearby, a typical Chilean sheltered area used for barbecues and gatherings, where we could warm up for a bit and use the restroom before continuing the tour.

Paine Waterfall

After lunch, we got back into the van and headed to the next viewpoint on our Torres del Paine Tour: Paine Waterfall. This impressive waterfall drops around 15 meters and is surrounded by incredible views of the Andes Mountains and the Patagonian landscape.

Lake Nordenskjöld

The next viewpoint of the tour is next to the clear waters of Lake Nordenskjköld. From this side of the lake, the guide explained to us the paths that we were going to take in the following days, since we were going to start the O Circuit of Torres del Paine. From this point and with his help and that of the explanatory maps of the place, it was easy to visualize the treks.

We also had a fun moment here when we spotted a group of local gauchos riding horses near the lake, and one of the horses suddenly escaped, forcing them to chase after it across the Patagonian plains.

Salto Grande Trail

The next stop on our tour was the Salto Grande trail. Here we did another hike, but very easy and very short, it only lasted 10 minutes. The views were wonderful. Here we saw a 12-meter-high waterfall and the river flowing into Lake Pehoé.

This part of the park is constantly battered by the wind because a phenomenon called the venturi effect occurs here, when the wind current crosses the narrow valley and accelerates, doubling its speed.

Condor Viewpoint

From here you can easily access the Los Cuernos viewpoint by a trail, a viewpoint to the Nordenskjöld Lake that is the determinate trail, but our guide suggested to change to a more demanding alternative to prepare us for the O Circuit in Torres del Paine.

For this we approached with the van to the beginning of the Mirador Cóndor trail. The wind did not make it easy for us, as we were little protected by the terrain. Although the climb to the viewpoint was short and demanding in equal parts, when you get to the top the views (and the wind) force you to sit down to admire Los Cuernos.

It was one of the most beautiful views of all the viewpoints of Torres del Paine, we do not know if it was because of the effort or because it really is. Afterwards, the descent to Lake Pehoé was not easy either, as we had to cross a pass where the venturi effect forced us all to go down holding on so that the wind would not throw us to the ground. Once there, we started our way back to Puerto Natales.

End of Torres del Paine Tour, Return to Puerto Natales

The experience was incredible from start to finish. Throughout the Torres del Paine Tour, our guide shared fascinating information about the anthropology of cave paintings, flora, fauna, geology and the formation of the National Park. He adapted to our physical condition and the demands of each of the hikes, proposing different difficulties and distances.

Of course, the route through the Torres del Paine viewpoints was a pleasant experience, in which we surrounded 180º of the park and in which we could understand all the geography of the place. We learned more in one day surrounded by nature than we did while taking Geography in high school 😅.

This Torres del Paine Tour from Puerto Natales combines easy walks with some of the most spectacular viewpoints in the park. Is the perfect option for travelers who want to experience Torres del Paine without doing a multi-day trek. Do you dare to enjoy it?