Where you park for the night makes a real difference in Torres del Paine. A pitch near Lake Pehoé puts you close to Pudeto for an early walk towards the Cuernos. If the hike to Base Torres is the reason you came, it makes more sense to spend the preceding night nearer the eastern trailhead. This five-day loop from Punta Arenas gives you three days in and around the park and time on either side to collect and return the camper.
From Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales and the park gates
It is roughly 250 km on a paved road from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales. Stay in town on the first night if you collect the camper after a flight. Buy groceries and fill the tank here, as there is no petrol station inside the park. Download your entrance ticket and a map while you have a connection.
For Río Serrano or the Lake Grey area, approach from the south on the Y-290 towards the Serrano entrance. For the trailhead to Base Torres, look at Laguna Amarga on the eastern side. Sarmiento is another eastern entrance. Find your first stop and your campsite on the park map before choosing a gate. It is easier to change the order of two walks at home than to drive back across the park at the end of the day.
Where can you stay overnight in a camper?
Inside the park, use a site authorised for your vehicle. Two roadside options are particularly useful. Camping Pehoé suits a day around the lake and Pudeto. Camping Serrano works well if you are coming through the southern gate or heading back to Puerto Natales. Ask the campsite directly whether it is open on your dates, whether it accepts your setup and when you need to arrive. Mention a rooftop tent if you will need to unfold one.
A trailhead car park can be fine for the day and still be off limits overnight. One way to keep the trip flexible is to use an open campsite in Puerto Natales for the first or last night and confirm your pitch near the park for the nights in between. The park’s reservations page links to both roadside campsites.
Five days on the road with one full-day hike
Day 1 — Collect the camper and sleep in Puerto Natales
Allow time at handover in Punta Arenas to try the sleeping setup and go over the vehicle. In Puerto Natales, pick up something for a packed lunch as well as your evening meal. That leaves you free to choose tomorrow’s lunch stop according to the views and the wind.
Day 2 — Enter via Serrano and explore Lake Grey
Take the southern approach and spend the first day around Lake Grey. Choose a walk from the trails open that day, then head to your confirmed pitch at Serrano or Pehoé. This is a good day for a family group because you can shorten the walk without having to change where you sleep.
Day 3 — Pudeto, Salto Grande and the Cuernos viewpoint
Park in the designated area near Pudeto and continue on foot to the Salto Grande waterfall. If the trail is open and conditions are suitable, carry on to Mirador Cuernos. Keep this day movable. If strong gusts make the trail too exposed, postpone the walk and choose a designated roadside viewpoint instead. A second night at the same campsite takes the pressure off the afternoon.
Day 4 — Base Torres or a shorter day on the eastern side
Set aside a full day for Base Torres. Factor in the drive to the trailhead, the latest permitted start and the time you need to get back. If this is your main hike, arrange the previous night closer to the trailhead. For a lighter day, explore the Laguna Amarga area and return to Puerto Natales for the night. After a long hike, keep open the option of sleeping near the park.
Day 5 — Return to Punta Arenas
Leave time between your last overnight stop, refuelling, the vehicle handover and your flight. With only three days for the entire trip, choose either the lakes or the Base Torres hike. Fitting both into a short visit gives you little room to move things around if the weather turns.
Park tickets, campsite bookings and hiking access
Buy your entrance ticket in advance through Pases Parques and select a pass covering your visit. Arrange the camper pitch separately. Multi-day hikers on the W or the Paine Massif Circuit must reserve their mountain accommodation. A road trip with day walks uses a different booking process.
Before each hike, check trail status and ask the rangers about entry cut-offs and current access rules, especially for Base Torres. Winter conditions can bring a guide requirement. See CONAF’s Torres del Paine visitor information for park access and safety guidance.
Choosing a camper in Punta Arenas
For two people who want somewhere sheltered after a hike, look at the living space in the Hilux Pucón pickup camper. If you would prefer a compact vehicle, check the Suzuki Jimny against the amount of luggage you plan to bring. Compare the two Punta Arenas campers and enquire about your dates. Include your group size, route and return town. There is no charge or upfront payment to enquire. If you are considering a different starting point, compare 4×4 campers in other parts of Chile.
Still deciding between southern Patagonia and the Lake District? Our Chile camper itineraries by trip length can help you choose a starting point. If you want to continue to El Calafate, read about crossing into Argentina with a Chilean rental camper.
Lake Pehoé and Cuernos del Paine photograph by Miguel Vieira, Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
