Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget!
Even if you’ve never heard of Mirador Las Torres ~ chances are, you’ve seen it. Images of these towering spires are used on travel guides all over the world: they are the pinnacle of outdoor inspiration. Torres del Paine National Park is named after these famous peaks, which translate to: “Towers of Blue.” You could also call them “Towers of Pain,” & it would be entirely appropriate for this hike, which is quite possibly the most famous hike in all of Patagonia. But it’s also notoriously expensive! So let’s find out all about hiking iconic Mirador Las Torres on a budget!
Let’s Go to Patagonia!
The world-famous end to the Mirador Las Torres hike, in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park.
Map of Torres del Paine & Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales
Mirador Las Torres
Hotel Las Torres
Refugio Las Torres
Mirador Las Torres Hiking Info
- Mirador Las Torres Trailhead: Buses will drop you off close to “Hotel Las Torres,” & the trail head is very close to the hotel (behind it). Signs are well-marked ~ & you’ll also likely see many people on the trail.
- Mirador Las Torres Trail Distance: 11.2 miles round-trip (18 km), with 3,000 feet of elevation gain. I’ve done many hikes with 3,000+ feet of elevation gain ~ but this one feels MUCH, MUCH harder, & lasts MUCH longer!!! The 3,000 feet of gain is deceptive: the trail goes up & down along the way, & requires you to climb at the end of the hike, which feels exhausting. If you plan to do this in one day, you need STAMINA & ENDURANCE!!!
- Difficulty Level: Difficult. Most guides rate this hike as “intermediate.” I think they’re freaking CRAZY!!! I would personally label this as a “Difficult” hike, due to the amount of time it takes, the steep ascents, & the very rocky final kilometer. I personally found it more difficult than Mount Fitz Roy, in El Chalten.
- How Long it Takes to Hike: 7-9 hours (it took us 8 hours to do the entire hike, & I barely made my bus back to Puerto Natales at 7:45PM)!
- How Long it Takes to Hike the Final, Rocky Kilometer: 45 minutes minimum! (We timed it!) This is the hardest part: it’s steep, narrow, & in our case, very crowded. It’s not as steep as Fitz Roy’s final ascent, but it’s still challenging ~ & may bother your knees. Most people we passed on the trail used walking sticks.
- Campgrounds near Mirador Las Torres Hike: 1) Camping Central (at the base of the hike, near Hotel Las Torres), & 2) Refugio Chileno (about half-way up the Mirador Las Torres hike).
- Closest City to Torres del Paine: Puerto Natales, which is a two-hour bus ride from Torres del Paine’s entrance.
- Where to Stay in Puerto Natales: Puerto Natales has a wide range of accommodations ~ from hostels to fantastically expensive hotels. I stayed in two different hostels: 1) Vinnhaus ($25/night), & 2) Hostel Last Hope ($25/night, & not as bad as it sounds)! Vinnhaus is attached to an upscale coffee shop, & is super cute ~ I shared a bunk room here with three others. Last Hope is run by Diego, who is a superstar at helping people with their Patagonia trips. After hiking, I stayed at two hotels: 1) Hostal don Guillermo ($40/night), & 2) Keoken Patagonia B&B ($100/night). Both were cute, spacious, & I’d highly recommend either.
Best Money-Saving Tips!
- Camp in Torres del Paine, or stay at a hostel in Puerto Natales. DON’T stay at the hotels in Torres del Paine National Park!! They’re extremely pricey, & in many cases, not worth the money.
- Take the bus from Puerto Natales to the entrance of Torres del Paine. This costs less than $20, whereas most guides will charge you hundreds, if not thousands.
- Don’t take a “Guided Tour” through Torres del Paine, especially to Mirador las Torres. Guided tours typically start at $300+/day, & the minimum price my friend found for the famous “W” Trek was $1,000!! In most cases, the tours pack a lunch for you & provide transportation ~ but aside from that, you still have to get up the mountain yourself! They’re basically charging a huge premium for transport & food. If I was doing a multi-day trek, I’d consider going with a guide ~ but for a one-day hike, NO WAY.
- Grab your own food & water at one of the many markets in Puerto Natales, & bring a small backpack.
Collapsible Trekking Sticks
Trail Runners
Light Wind Breaker
Lightweight Backpack
Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget!
So you want to know about hiking iconic Mirador Las Torres on a budget, right? Rule #1: DON’T take a guided tour ~ just hike yourself! But what about if you’re traveling solo & don’t want to hike alone? I totally get it, & was in the same boat. Stay at a hostel in Puerto Natales ~ there are TONS to choose from. Not only will it keep your cost down, but hostels are the perfect place to meet hiking buddies. I met Siobhan (pictured below), at Hostel Last Hope.
Now, let’s take a photo journey to the famous Mirador Las Torres…
To keep your costs down, grab a bus from Puerto Natales to the Torres del Paine park entrance. This costs under $20 for a round-trip ride. (View from the bus).
Views like this await you, in Torres del Paine National Park, in Chile.
But first, you’ll need to wait in line & pay for your park entrance…
Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget!
To save money, avoid hotels within the National Park at all costs! They’re CRAZY expensive!! If you want to stay in the park, reserve one of the campsites near Mirador Las Torres. My friend, Siobhan, made her base at Camping Central, near the start of the hike.
Before our hike, we set up Siobhan’s tent at the huge Camping Central campsite, near the base of the Mirador Las Torres hike.
INSIDER TIP: Campsites say they’re full?? Did you know, that if you show up at many of Torres del Paine’s camp sites after 7PM ~ they technically aren’t allowed to turn you away!? If you want to live on the edge (& I almost had to), use this as a last resort.
“Welcome Board” at Camping Central.
The trail is initially flat, as we made our way past Hotel Las Torres. Signs are very well-marked, & in February (when we hiked), there were plenty of people on the trail; it would be hard to get lost here. Soon after crossing a wooden bridge, the climb began ~ & it starts out pretty steep, right off the bat.
Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget!
After the initial climb, you’ll drop down into Refugio Chileno, which marks the half-way point of your hike. To see the towers at sunrise or sunset, you’ll need to stay at Refugio Chileno, making your final ascent in the wee hours. Bring a head lamp!
Refugio Chileno: the half-way point of your hike. There are tables here, & it’s a great place to grab a bite or a beer.
After the Refugio, you’ve got some relief: there’s a relatively flat section that winds through shaded forest. This part seemed less crowded, & we could chat easily (as we weren’t winded). Eventually, you’ll come out of the forest to an overlook, with signage pointing you towards the final ascent. If the clouds part, you also may get your first glimpse of the towers.
See those rocks?? That’s what you need to climb up on your final ascent to Mirador Las Torres!
After 45 minutes of rock-scrambling & LOTS of fellow hikers, the towers started to peek through…
Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget!
WE MADE IT!!!!
What you can’t see in this photo, are the HUNDREDS of other people here! Ha ~ but LOOK at that milky, turquoise water!!
I made it….
Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget!
What made this hike so difficult, in my opinion, was the descent. We started down at 3PM, after spending 45 minutes at the top. The rocky trail down was crowded with people, & we waited a LOT. This gets tedious & time-consuming. By the time we got to Refugio Chileno, I was sooo ready for the hike to be over. But then ~ we needed to climb…AGAIN!! I struggled mentally on that final climb, but luckily had Siobhan to help keep me going. We got off the mountain almost exactly 8 hours from when we started ~ & I rushed to catch my 7:30PM bus back to Puerto Natales!
The views you see in Torres del Paine will stay with you for a lifetime.
Hiking Iconic Mirador Las Torres on a Budget
And that’s a wrap on hiking iconic Mirador Las Torres on a budget ~ I hope this post has saved you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars! Important to Note: if you are NOT a fast hiker, & can’t hike to Mirador Las Torres in time to catch the bus back to Puerto Natales (we took the first bus up at 7AM, & caught the last one at 7:30PM), you will NEED to reserve a hotel or campsite in the park. Hotel Las Torres, which is linked below, is the absolute closest hotel to the hike.
If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments below!
xoxo Noelia
Read Next: What are the Best Hikes in Patagonia?
Sooo…we did this hike ourselves, & took your advice, going without a tour company (which saved us about $300)! We brought camping gear, just in case, but didn’t have reservations at any campgrounds. We finished the hike after 7PM, & weren’t able to catch the bus back to Puerto Natales – so we went to Camp Central & they allowed us to camp there, which was awesome! I also agree that this is definitely not a “moderate” hike, unless you’re Superman! And especially if you’re trying to complete it in one day. Solid article, & saved us a few dimes!
So glad to hear this, Alexandra! Love getting boots-on-the-ground feedback, & I do remember how HUGE that campground was too! It seemed like they could almost always squeeze in a few extra people there ; ) Thanks for writing! xoxo Noelia
How do you know where to go once the path ends and the mirador starts if you dont have a guide?
Hi there! The path basically ends AT the mirador (viewpoint), which you’ll know because there will be hundreds of people there. It looks out over the very turquoise lake, up to the Torres. I don’t believe that there’s much or any hiking past that point, & if you wanted to hike closer to the Torres themselves, you would most certainly need a guide. Hope that helps!
Hi.
Just one question I couldn’t find the answer in your post.
If I start from Refugio Torre Norte (close to the hotel) at 07:00 (in the morning, or even a little earlie) and am slow walker how long do I need to reach the Mirador and come back (with, let’s say, 30 minutes by that lake at Mirador Base) ?
You say you needed 8 h to do the circuit but did not say when you started it. Definetly I am much slower than you (I am 70 years old).
Thank You.
Hi there, thanks for writing! By the time we set up my friend’s tent & got breakfast/snacks, we set out around 11AM, & finished around 7PM, with 45 minutes at the top. And this was all walking at a pretty fast pace. So, if you leave around 7AM, even if you take up to 12 hours, you would finish around 7PM/sunset (depending on the season) ~ which should work. Or another thought: if you want to take your time, consider staying a night at Refugio Chileno, which is roughly at the half-way point of the hike. I hope all this helps!! xoxo Noelia
Thank You very much.
You’re welcome! Enjoy your hike!