Destination news · Torres del Paine · Updated [08 OCT 2026]
Access to Torres del Paine National Park will change over the next two years. Scheduled works on a stretch of the Laguna Amarga sector run from September 2026 to November 2028, and they require changes to the entry routes and to the itinerary of several of the destination’s best-selling excursions.
The park is not closing and no excursion is being suspended. What changes is where you enter, how long the drive takes and which viewpoints you visit along the way.
The essentials
- Where: a stretch of the Laguna Amarga sector.
- When: September 2026 to November 2028, in two stages.
- Stage 1: entry remains at Laguna Amarga with alternative routes.
- Stage 2: entry moves to the Sarmiento gate.
- The key change: the Base of the Towers trek adds 18 km each way.
Stage 1: September 1, 2026 to March 1, 2027
In this first stage entry remains at the Laguna Amarga gate, with a detour on the approach routes.
| Excursion | How it works |
|---|---|
| Full Day Torres del Paine | Entry via the Laguna Amarga gate, routes Y-160 and Y-166. The Laguna Amarga viewpoint is replaced by Cascada Paine. The rest of the itinerary stays the same. |
| Base of the Towers trek | Entry via the Laguna Amarga gate, through Cascada Paine. Return to Puerto Natales on the same route. |
| Gate-to-gate hiking | Keeps its usual route. |
Stage 2: March 1, 2027 to November 1, 2028
The second stage moves entry to the Sarmiento gate and changes distances within the park. It runs for twenty months, so every program including Torres del Paine in that period will have to be built around this setup.
| Excursion | How it works |
|---|---|
| Full Day Torres del Paine | Entry via the Sarmiento gate, route Y-150. The Laguna Amarga viewpoint is replaced by the Laguna de los Cisnes viewpoint. The rest stays the same. |
| Base of the Towers trek | Entry via the Sarmiento gate, routes Y-150 and Y-156. The distance to the Las Torres Welcome Center rises from 120 to 138 km. |
| Gate-to-gate hiking | Entry and exit via the Sarmiento gate, routes Y-150 and Y-156. Cascada Paine is replaced by the Laguna Larga viewpoint. |
A possible window in winter 2027
During July and August 2027 there may be a window to return to the Stage 1 routes. That possibility depends on how the works progress and on Patagonian winter conditions, so for now it is not something anyone can plan around with certainty.
What it means in practice
The impact is concentrated in Stage 2 and in the Base of the Towers trek. Eighteen extra kilometers each way mean earlier departures and later returns, on a hike that already demands eight to ten hours.
By type of program
- Full-day programs: the most affected. Leaving from and returning to Puerto Natales each day means absorbing the extra distance twice per day.
- Accommodation inside the park: far less affected, because the long transfer happens only once. Worth recalculating whether it now beats going in and out daily.
- Program descriptions: they need updating. Complaints appear when a traveler reads one route and experiences another without being told.
The new viewpoints
Cascada Paine, the Laguna de los Cisnes viewpoint and the Laguna Larga viewpoint are points of interest in their own right, and in some cases they offer framings of the massif that the traditional circuit did not include. The pending work is updating each program description.
Frequently asked questions
Is Torres del Paine National Park closing?
No. The park remains open and every excursion continues to operate. What changes are the access routes and some points along the itinerary.
How much longer will the Base of the Towers trek take?
From March 2027 the distance to the Las Torres Welcome Center goes from 120 to 138 kilometers. That is 18 extra kilometers each way.
Is the Laguna Amarga viewpoint lost?
During the works, yes. It is replaced by Cascada Paine in Stage 1 and by the Laguna de los Cisnes viewpoint in Stage 2.
Should we switch to accommodation inside the park?
For itineraries including the Base of the Towers between March 2027 and November 2028, it is worth recalculating. The longer daily transfer may tip the balance.
Could the old routes return before 2028?
There may be a window during July and August 2027, subject to the progress of the works and to winter weather. It is not confirmed.
Let’s review your Torres del Paine departures
If you have groups or FITs confirmed for 2027 or 2028, we will go through how they work under the new access setup and what is worth adjusting in timing and accommodation.
We will update this article as changes to the works calendar or the access routes are confirmed.
