Our 10 favourite viewpoints in Torres del Paine National Park, from roadside miradors to W-Trek lookouts, with directions and hike times for each.
By: Mark Barnes | Last Updated:
Torres del Paine doesn’t hide its best viewpoints in difficult-to-reach places.
Many of the most striking panoramas are right by the side of the road or a short walk from the car park. However, others require a full day’s hike.
After a couple of trips through the park, these are our ten favourites.
The first seven are reachable by car. The final three sit on the multi-day W-Trek; however, they can also be reached on day hikes.
We’ve mapped every viewpoint below, with directions, distances and hike times for each, so you can plan exactly how much of this list fits into your trip.
Overview of Torres del Paine Viewpoints
Below is a table of our favourite viewpoints in the park.
The first seven viewpoints are easily accessed by car. Five are right by the side of the road, whereas two require a short-ish hike.
The last three viewpoints are all on the 4- to 5-day W-trek. This multi-day trek requires sleeping in refugios or campsites.
However, the three viewpoints can also be reached on longish day hikes, allowing you to sleep in hotels – which is what we did. They were three excellent but long days.
| # | Viewpoint | Round Trip Day Hike |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mirador Cóndor | 1.4 miles |
| 2 | Hosteria Pehoé | No walking |
| 3 | Explora Salto Chico Boardwalks | No walking |
| 4 | Laguna Amarga | No walking |
| 5 | Mirador Ferrier | 3.6 miles |
| 6 | Puente Weber | No walking |
| 7 | Mirador Río Serrano | No walking |
| 8 | Mirador Las Torres Base | 12.7 miles |
| 9 | Mirador Británico | 16.6 miles |
| 10 | Mirador Lago Grey | 7.4 miles |
Map of Best Views in Torres del Paine
To help you get your bearings, we have put all the viewpoints on the map below. We have included where to park and the trails you need to hike.
We cover details of how to get to each viewpoint in the sections below.
If you have the map open on your phone as you drive or walk around, you can follow your progress towards the viewpoint.
Click on the top right corner to open our map in your Google Maps app. Click the star next to the title to save it to your Google account.
Best Viewpoints in Torres del Paine
1. Mirador Cóndor
Mirador Cóndor was our favourite viewpoint in Torres del Paine National Park, despite the wild winds that greeted us when we got there.
The viewpoint sits atop a small rocky hillock, only 253m in altitude. Yet it has 360-degree views stretching over the Pehoé area and beyond.
The most remarkable view is to the north, where Los Cuernos (The Horns of Paine) and the top of Las Torres (The Towers) rise above the blue-green Lago Pehoé.
This is a magical place for sunrise, and (as the name suggests), that’s also a good time for spotting condors trying to catch the morning thermals.
The mirador requires a short, steep hike. The winds here can be fierce, especially as you near the summit, so try to come here on a calm-ish day. We came early one morning before the winds picked up and still struggled to get through the gully just before the summit.
But the effort was well worth it.
How to get there – Park at the car park just north of Camping Pehoé (marked on the Google Map above). The path heads eastwards and then northwards to reach the summit. The hike to the summit is 0.7 miles and takes about 40 minutes to climb the 650ft of ascent.
The trail is fairly clear, and we have marked it on the map above. The winds near the top can be fierce, so make sure you have windproof and warm clothes. Allow about 1 hour and 10 minutes for the 1.4-mile round trip.
2. Hosteria Pehoé
Hosteria Pehoé is possibly the best-located accommodation in Torres del Paine National Park. Sitting on a small island in Lago Pehoé, it is connected to the mainland by a narrow, 100m-long pedestrian walkway.
This is why we think this viewpoint is so special. The bright red hostel glistens against the mountains and lakes, the wooden walkway creates an excellent foreground for photographs, and the black sand beach at the back of the island is a lovely spot to watch the waves lap onto the shore.
This is another great spot for sunrise, and it does not require any walking as you can park right next to the footbridge.
How to get there – Park at the car park for Hosteria Pehoé, right next to the wooden pedestrian walkway. There are three spots to check out: the wooden bridge, the hostel itself, and the black sand beach on the far side of the island.
3. Hotel Salto Chico
Explora Salto Chico Hotel is one of the most expensive and best hotels in Torres del Paine National Park. The hotel is on the edge of Lago Pehoé and is surrounded by a network of wooden boardwalks.
These boardwalks provide an excellent foreground for views over the Torres del Paine massif.
When we were last there, they were in a bit of disrepair, so be careful as you walk along them.
How to get there – Park at the Explora Salt Chico Hotel. There are a couple of sections to explore: the area north of the hotel and where the boards drop down to their pier.
4. Laguna Amarga
The best place to see Las Torres (The Towers), without a long hike is at Laguna Amarga. A small viewing platform sits atop a low hill perched just above the lake.
It’s right next to the road, so takes no effort at all.
We got here on a lovely morning, just before beginning the hike to the base of the towers (see later in post). There was barely a breath of wind and we managed to catch the reflections of The Towers in the lake.
Sadly, as you will see, the cloud came in before we got the hike completed.
How to get there – Park in the car park on the south side of Laguna Amarga.
5. Mirador Ferrier
This viewpoint requires a short but challenging hike. The benefit is that it shows a completely different side of Torres del Paine National Park.
Perched on a rocky outcrop in the western part of the park, what makes it special is not the view over the mountains, but instead the maze of rivers and lakes below.
Glacier Grey shimmers at one end of Grey Lake while at the other Rio Pingo and Rio Grey carve through black sand. Lake Pehoé glimmers a beautiful blue-green, while Lago Nordenskjöld laps the rocky flanks of the Horns of Paine.
We found the walk a bit of a heave, but were glad we made the effort once we got to the top.
How to get there – Park in the Rio Pingo Car Park at the southern end of Lago Grey. Sign in to the book at Guarderia Grey, which is at the beginning of the trail.
The walk is up a steep path and is pretty relentless. It is 1.8 miles to the viewpoint, during which you ascend 2,000 ft. Allow about 90 minutes to an hour to hike up, and another hour to get back down.
The trail is narrow and plants can scratch your legs. Wear shoes or walking boots with a good grip, and long trousers.
The round trip, including a picnic lunch and photos at the top, took us about 3 hours. We have marked the route of the walk on the map above.
There’s a restaurant at the car park, and this is where the Glacier Grey ferry leaves from, so you can combine both into an excellent day out.
6. Puente Weber
We loved this little stop near the southern entrance to the park. It’s right on the road so there is no need to walk anywhere.
Stand on the Puente Weber bridge, and a short pier stretches into Lago Pehoé with the Horns of Paine Massif behind.
How to get there – The Puente Weber Bridge is on the road between the Southern (Rio Serrano) Entrance to the park and Explora Salto Chico Hotel. Just pull over next to the bridge and hop out.
7. Mirador Rio Serrano
This is the only viewpoint on the list outside the National Park, but it’s well worth making the effort to get here. What makes it special is the way the Rio Grey twists and turns its way through a flat basin of fields, before the mountains suddenly rise behind.
It’s a striking contrast, and because we stayed in nearby Rio Serrano, we came here a few times at sunrise and sunset to soak it in.
How to get there – Mirador Rio Serrano is just outside the southern entrance to the park, a 5-minute drive from Rio Serrano town. There is a car park and information board right next to the viewpoint.
8. Mirador Las Torres Base
This is one of the iconic sights of Torres del Paine. Unfortunately, despite two attempts, we have never seen it cloud-free.
The three Towers of Paine; Torre d’Agostini (South Tower), Torre Central (Central Tower), and Torre Monzino (North Tower); are about 2,500 metres high. They rise almost 1,500 metres above Lago Torres, forming an imposing amphitheatre of near-vertical rock.
It is a remarkable sight; however, you have to earn it.
How to get there – Hikers on the W-Trek will get to Mirador Las Torres on the first or last day of their walk. However, it is also possible to get here on a day hike.
Park (free) at Las Torres Visitor Centre and follow the very well-signed trail to Mirador Las Torres. The hike to the viewpoint is 6.35 miles and ascends 3,150 feet. There is nothing technically challenging, but it’s a tiring and long walk.
The return journey is on the same route. Allow about 7 to 8 hours for the round-trip hike.
9. Mirador Británico
Mirador Británico is high up in the Paine Massif. What makes it special is how close you get to the enormous rock faces and towers. Instead of looking at them from a distance, you are surrounded by a circle of rocky peaks.
It is not as breathtaking or as sweeping as some of the other sights, but it feels more intimate, and the walk to get here is excellent, although extremely long.
How to get there – Mirador Británico is usually on Day 2 or 3 of the W-Trek, depending on which way you go; however, it can also be reached on a long day hike.
The hike begins at Paine Grande Refugio. It is 8.3 miles to the viewpoint, during which you ascend 2,800 feet. It takes about 5 hours to reach the viewpoint and about 4 hours to return. Allowing for a half-hour break for lunch, that’s a 9- to 10-hour round trip.
To make it worse, Paine Grande Refugio is not on a road, so you need to get the Pehoé Catamaran, which runs between Pudeto Pier and the refugio.
The first boat from Pudeto Pier to the refugio is at 8 am. The last return boat is 6:40 pm. (Make sure you book in advance, as these time slots sell out). This means you have a maximum of 10 hours to complete the trek. So there is a bit of time pressure too.
Another option is to spend a night at Refugio Paine and combine the Mirador Británico walk with the Lago Grey Mirador (see below).
10. Mirador Lago Grey
This viewpoint came as somewhat of a surprise. It was cloudy, murky day and it felt like weren’t going to see anything.
But just as we reached the viewpoint, the cloud lifted, and we could see Glacier Grey emerging out of the mist.
A few minutes later and we could trace the snout to the Patagonian Icefield behind.
It’s a wonderful place from which to view the glacier, and it is not too long a day hike. Take the Pehoé Catamaran to the start of the hike and back and it’s a fun day out.
How to get there – The easiest way to see Glacier Grey is to join a boat tour from the southern end of Lago Grey. Those on the W-Trek will see it on the first or last day of their hike.
However, you can get views under your own steam on a day hike. Park at Pudeto Pier (free), and take the Pehoé Catamaran to Paine Grande Refugio (book ahead).
Mirador Lago Grey is a 3.7-mile hike from Paine Grande Refugio. It ascends about 1,000 feet and takes about 2 hours. Return the same way you came making it a 4-hour round trip.
Stay the night at Paine Grande Refugio and combine it with Mirador Británico, or take the catamaran back for a great day out.
Best Viewpoints for Sunrise and Sunset
The best viewpoints for sunrise are Mirador Condor, Hosteria Pehoé and Explora Salto Chico Hotel boardwalks. They are all very close together and can be visited in under 2 hours.
Start the hike up Mirador Condor 40 minutes before dawn, watch the sun light up the mountains and then descend to Hosteria Pehoe and Explora Salto Chico boardwalks.
Another popular sunrise option is Mirador Las Torres, where the morning light gives the towers a gentle pink glow. However, it means setting off in the dark (about 4 hours before dawn) and hiking up to the viewpoint with a head torch.
For sunset, we loved the Rio Serrano viewpoint. The river cuts through the fields, which are given a golden glow by the dying sun.
More Argentina & Chile Guides
- Our top things to do in Buenos Aires.
- Where to stay in Buenos Aires – perfect for first timers.
- How to spend 2 days in Buenos Aires.
- All the best viewpoints in Torres del Paine National Park.
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Thanks for your support // Paul & Mark