Torres del Paine National Park

A protected area in Chilean Patagonia known for the Paine mountain massif, glaciers, lakes, and wildlife. Its landscape includes steppe, forests, and subpolar ecosystems.

Paine Massif: A mountain group in Torres del Paine National Park, dominated by granite peaks and sedimentary rock formations. Its distinctive peaks define the park’s best-known skyline.
Southern Patagonian Ice Field: A large ice field in the Andes of southern Chile and Argentina, feeding numerous glaciers. Its ice feeds glaciers that shape the park’s western landscapes.
Kawésqar: An Indigenous people of the channels and fjords of southern Chile, historically associated with maritime life. Kawésqar history forms part of the wider human story of the region.
Patagonia: A sparsely populated region at the southern end of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile. The park is one of Patagonia’s best-known protected landscapes.
Climate change in Patagonia: Observed and projected changes in temperature, precipitation, and ice across the Patagonian region. Changing conditions affect the glaciers and ecosystems that define the park.
Torres del Paine: Three prominent granite towers in the Paine Massif, rising above a glacially carved valley. These towers give the park its name and draw climbers and hikers.
Glacial landform: A landform created or substantially reshaped by the movement and melting of glacier ice. Glacial erosion and deposition formed many of the park’s valleys and lakes.
Aónikenk: An Indigenous people of southern Patagonia, also known as Tehuelche, whose traditional territory included parts of the region. Their presence predates the park and belongs to the history of Patagonian grasslands.
Puerto Natales: A Chilean port city in the Magallanes Region and a common gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. Many trips to the park begin or are supplied from this town.
Glacier retreat: The long-term loss of glacier area or length when melting exceeds the accumulation of new ice. Retreat in the region’s ice fields can alter landscapes and water systems.

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Magallanes RegionBroader topic: It is the region’s best-known protected landscape and a major destination for trekking.