Torres del Paine National Park

Localization

South Chile; 112 km north of Puerto Natales

Access

Easy

Characteristic

2 400 km²; Mountainous region with lots of lakes, rivers and glaciers. Southern Patagonian Ice Field mantles a great portion of the park. Remarkable rocky massifs rising dramatically above the Patagonian steppe The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. It lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. Typical ecosystems: Patagonian steppe, Pre-Andean shrubland (bush), Magellanic deciduous forest (temperate zone), alpine biotopes and Andean Desert. Open country comprises about 80 % of the park's surface.

Fauna + Flora

Mammals:

Carnivores - Skunks (Mephitidae): Humboldt´s Hog-nosed Skunk; Molina´s Hog-nosed Skunk

- Dogs (Canidae): Culpeo Fox; Argentinian Grey Fox

- Cats (Felidae): Geoffroy´s Cat; Puma

Even-toed Ungulates - Camels and Lamas (Camelidae): Guanaco

- Deers (Cervidae): Huemal

Birds:

Struthioniformes - Rheas (Rheidae): Lesser Rhea

Tinamiformes - Tinamous (Tinamidae): Patagonian Tinamou

Podicipediformes - Grebes (Podicipedidae): Great Grebe; Hooded Grebe; Silvery Grebe; White-tufted Grebe

Pelecaniformes - Cormorants and Shags (Phalacrocoarcidae): Neotropic Cormorant

Ciconiiformes - Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae): Black-faced Ibis

Phoenicopteriformes - Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae): Chilean Flamingo

Anseriformes - Gees, Swans and Ducks (Anatidae): Crested Duck; Lake Duck; Ruddy Duck; Spectacled Duck; Torrent Duck; Ashy-headed Goose; Ruddy-headed Goose; Upland Goose; Yellow-billed Pintail; Red Shoveler; Flying Steamerduck; Black-necked Swan; Coscoroba Swan; Speckled Teal; Chiloe Wigeon

Birds of Prey - American Vultures (Cathartidae): Andean Condor; Turkey Vulture

- Hawks, Eagles, Buzzards, Kites and Old World Vultures (Accipitridae): Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle; Cinereous Harrier; Bicolored Hawk; Red-backed Hawk; Rufous-tailed Hawk

- Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae): Chimango Caracara; Crested Caracara; White-throated Caracara; Aplomado Falcon; Peregrine Falcon; American Kestrel

- Rails, Crakes, Coots and Gallinules (Rallidae): Red-gartered Coot; White-winged Coot; Austral Rail; Plumbeous Rail

Charadriiformes - Wading Birds (Scolopacidae): Baird´s Sandpiper; White-rumped Sandpiper; South American Snipe

- Plovers (Charadriidae): Tawny-throated Dotterel; Southern Lapwing; Two-banded Plover

- Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae): Magellanic Oystercatcher

- Seedsnipes (Thinocoridae): Grey-brested Seedsnipe; Least Seedsnipe

- Gulls (Laridae): Brown-hooded Gull; Dolphin Gull; Kelp Gull

- Terns (Sternidae): South American Tern

Columbiformes - Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae): Eared Dove; Rock Dove

Psittaciformes - Parrots (Psittacidae): Austral Parakeet

Strigiformes - Owls (Strigidae): Magellanic Horned Owl; Short-eared Owl; Rufous-legged Owl; Austral Pygmy Owl

- Barn and Grass Owls (Tytonidae): Barn Owl

Coraciiformes - Kingfishers (Alcedinidae): Ringed Kingfisher

Piciformes - Woodpeckers, Wrynecks and Piculets (Picidae): Chilean Flicker; Magellanic Woodpecker; Striped Woodpecker

Perching Birds - Ovenbirds or Horneros (Furnariidae): Austral Canastero; Cordilleran Canastero; Lesser Canastero; Bar-winged Cinclodes; Dark-bellied Cinclodes; Scale-throated Earthcreeper; Common Miner; Short-billed Miner; Thorn-tail Rayadito; Wren-like Rushbird; Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail; White-throated Treerunner

- Tapaculos (Rhinocryptidae): Andean Tapaculo

- Tyrants (Tyrannidae): Fire-eyed Diucon; White-crested Elaenia; Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant; Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant;  White-browed Ground-Tyrant; Rufous-backed Negrito; Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant; Great Shrike-Tyrant; Grey-bellied Shrike-Tyrant; Tufted Tit-Tyrant; Chocolate-vented Tyrant

- Plantcutters (Phytotomidae): Rufous-tailed Plantcutter

- Swallows and Martins (Hirundinidae): Blue-and-white Swallow; Chilean Swallow

- Thrushes and Chats (Turdidae): Austral Thrush

- Mockingbirds, Catbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae): Patagonian Mockingbird

- Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae): Correndera Pipit

- Wrens (Troglodytidae): House Wren; Sedge Wren

- Blackbirds, Orioles and Cowbirds (Icteridae): Austral Blackbird; Yellow-winged Blackbird; Long-tailed Meadowlark

- Buntings, American Sparrows, Juncos, etc. (Emberizidae): Common Diuca-Finch; Yellow-bridled Finch; Grey-hooded Sierra-Finch; Mourning Sierra-Finch; Patagonian Sierra-Finch; Plumbeous Sierra-Finch; Rufous-collared Sparrow; Greater Yellow-Finch; Patagonian Yellow-Finch

- Finches (Fringillidae): Black-chinned Siskin

 

Plants:

Dicotyledons:

Ranunculales - Ranunculaceae: Buttercup (Ranunculus sericocephalus); Hamadryas magellanica; Marsh Marigold (Caltha dioneifolia)

- Berberidaceae: Barberry (Berberis buxifolia) - dominant species of bushy forest

Brassicales - Crucifers (Brassicaceae): Onuris alismatifolia

Rosales - Rosaceae: Acaena lucida

Fabales - Fabaceae: Anarthrophyllum patagonicum

Fagales - Nothofagaceae: Lenga Beech (Nothofagus pumilio) and Antarctic Beech (Nothofagus antarctica) - dominant species of decidious forests

Proteales - Proteaceae:  Chilean Firebush (Embothrium coccineum) 

Malpighiales - Violaceae: Violets (Viola commersonii and V. tridentata)

Apiales - Apiaceae: Mulinum spinosum - dominant species of bushy forest

Ericales - Empetraceae: Crowberry (Empetrum rubrum) - dominant species of alpine biotopes

- Epacridaceae: Lebetanthus myrsinites

Escalloniales - Escalloniaceae: Redclaws (Escallonia rubra) - dominant species of bushy forest

Lamiales - Verbenaceae: Vervain (Verbena tridens)

- Scrophulariaceae: Ourisia fuegiana and O. ruelloides; Slipper Flower (Calceolaria uniflora)

Dipsacales - Valerianaceae: Valerian (Valeriana sedifolia)

Asterales - Asteraceae: Abrotanella emarginata, A.submarginata and A. trilobata; Nardophyllum bryoides; Nassauvia latissima; Perezia lactucoides; Olympic Mountain Ragwort (Senecio websteri) and Ragworts (Senecio eightsii, S.  humifusus and S. skottsbergii - dominant species of alpine biotopes)

- Stylidiaceae: Phyllachne uliginosa

Monocotyledons:

Poales - Grasses (Poaceae): Bluegrasses (Poa darwiniana and P. yaganica); Fescues (Festuca cirrosa and Festuca gracillima - dominant steppe grass); Hairgrass (Deschampsia kingii)

Asparagales - Iridaceae: Grasswidow Olsynium obscura

- orchids (Orchidaceae): Chloraea chica and Ch. magellanica; Codonorchis lessonii; Gavilea araucana, G. littoralis, G. lutea and G. supralabellata

 

Possible activities

Excellent conditions for walking and trekking - network of well marked pathwaysfor one or several days trips

Kayak, rafting, mounaineering, fishing

Note

Declared Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO

Hikers are not allowed to stray from the paths.

Extraordinary beautiful landscape

Best time to visit XI-IV

Picture - source wikipedia