Torres del Paine was always going to be a highlight of our Patagonian experience in Chile  and it didn’t disappoint. We spend nearly a week exploring the national park.

Peak season was almost over so the park was very quiet. At times we felt we had it all to ourselves. A lot of people come here to do the “W”, a 4-5 day hike around the main mountains but we opted for day hikes instead. Each took us to breathtaking views of the park’s mountains, glaciers, lakes and wildlife.

We were surprised and thrilled to see icebergs from a glacier gathering along the shore of Lago Grey. The noise of them breaking thundered across the bay and the little pieces chinked and crackled like broken glass as the waves washed them onto the beach.

We saved the trek to the famous towers until last. The 20km hike was challenging at times, particularly the final ascent over tricky terrain. We could see the towers peaking over the ridge but we never seemed to get there! Eventually we were rewarded with the full view and another superb spot for a picnic.

More photos of Torres del Paine here.