Torres del Paine from El Calafate or El Chaltén
From the Argentine side to the Chilean one there is a border, another park and another currency. How to cross, how many days to give it and whether to stay in Puerto Natales or inside the park.
· Booking Directo, El Chaltén
Torres del Paine is on the Chilean side, a few hours from El Calafate, and a lot of people add it to their trip south. What you need to know first: there is a border, tickets are sold only online and the base is Puerto Natales, not El Calafate. Here is how to plan it.
From El Calafate to Puerto Natales
Several companies run this route by bus (Bus-Sur, among others), with more departures in summer than in winter. It takes 5 to 7 hours, depending on how long the border takes. The usual crossing is the Río Don Guillermo pass, near Cerro Castillo, already on the Chilean side.
- From November to March, book your ticket in advance.
- Keep your passport (or DNI for Argentines) handy: they ask for it at both checkpoints.
- Chile checks food: no fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy or honey without declaring it.
- On the other side you pay in Chilean pesos. Cards work almost everywhere.
Some connections drop you at Cerro Castillo and carry on in another vehicle straight to the park. Ask the company whether your ticket goes direct to Natales or has a change.
And from El Chaltén
There is no direct bus from El Chaltén to Chile in this area. You go back to El Calafate (about three hours, see the El Calafate – El Chaltén bus) and carry on from there. Doing it in one day is possible but long: most people spend a night in El Calafate in between.
The park ticket
From 1 May 2026, CONAF sells two kinds of ticket: a day ticket (one day) and a 2 or more days ticket, valid for a continuous period of up to 10 days. It is sold only online, on pasesparques.cl, and they ask for the QR code at the entrance. You cannot change the date once you have bought it. Prices for foreigners and Chileans are on that same site: check them there, because they changed this year.
A day trip or staying nearby
| How | Who it suits |
|---|---|
| Day tour from El Calafate | If you only have one day. It is a lot of road and border for a few hours in the park, mostly seen through the window. |
| 2 or 3 nights in Puerto Natales | The most common choice. Buses and tours leave Natales for the park every morning, and in the evening you are back in a town with restaurants. |
| Staying inside the park | If you want to reach the base of the Towers early, or do the W or O circuit. There are hotels, refugios and campsites; the refugios on the W are booked months ahead. |
How many days to give it
To see the main sights (the base of the Towers, Lago Pehoé, Grey) two full days in the park are enough, plus the travel day from El Calafate. The W circuit takes four or five days of walking; the O, more. As in El Chaltén, the weather changes fast: a spare day always helps.
How to get to Natales from elsewhere (Punta Arenas, by plane) is in cómo llegar a Puerto Natales (in Spanish).
Where to stay
In Puerto Natales, near the waterfront or the centre if you have no car: buses to the park leave from the bus station and many tours pick you up at your hotel. Below are places in Natales and in the park, all bookable direct on their own website.
Questions
Can I do Torres del Paine as a day trip from El Calafate?
There are tours that do it, but it is a lot of hours on the road and at the border for a few hours in the park. If you can, stay at least two nights in Puerto Natales or inside the park.
How long does it take from El Calafate to Puerto Natales?
Between 5 and 7 hours by bus, depending on how long the border crossing takes.
How do I get to Torres del Paine from El Chaltén?
There is no direct bus. You go back to El Calafate (about three hours) and carry on from there to Puerto Natales. Most people spend a night in El Calafate in between.
Where do I buy tickets for Torres del Paine?
Only online and before you go, on pasesparques.cl, CONAF’s official site. From 1 May 2026 there is a day ticket or a ticket for 2 or more days (up to 10 days in a row). They ask for the QR code at the entrance.
What can I not take into Chile?
Chile checks fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, honey and seeds at the border. Declare them or do not bring them: the fines are high.
