Torres del Paine from El Calafate: Full-Day 4x4 Tour

Cross into Chile and hike to the Horns of Paine in one day

A full-day tour departing El Calafate at 6:30 am in a 4x4 Overland Truck, crossing the Argentine and Chilean borders to reach Torres del Paine National Park. The tour includes a 1.5-hour hike to Pehoe Lake's Horns viewpoint, stops at Salto Grande Waterfall and Nordenskjold Lake, and returns to your hotel between 9 and 11 pm. Hotel pickup, bilingual guide, lunch and beverages are included. You must provide passport details at booking and carry your passport on the day of travel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Torres del Paine National Park4h
2. Salto Grande Waterfall30m
3. Nordenskjold Lake30m

Full-day tour to Torres del Paine

• Pick up from hotel at 6:30 AM
• Drive 3 hours to Argentina border
• Complete Argentina immigration and customs
• Proceed to Chilean border at Cerro Castillo
• Complete Chile customs procedures
• Stop at Cafeteria El Ovejero for break
• View Paine massif at first viewpoint
• Enter Torres del Paine National Park at Serrano gate
• Stop at Salto Grande waterfall viewpoint
• Stop at Nordenskjold Lake viewpoint
• Stop at viewpoint of the Paine horns
• Short hike to Pehoe Lake shore and Horns viewpoint
• Stop at Sarmiento Lake viewpoint
• Stop at Cerro Castillo village for facilities
• Return trip to El Calafate
• Arrive at accommodation around 9:30 PM

The experience

The truck picks you up at your El Calafate hotel at 6:30 am and heads toward the Chilean border, a three-hour drive across Patagonian steppe. The vehicle is a latest-generation 4x4 equipped with a toilet and Wi-Fi, and your bilingual guide handles the customs paperwork at both the Argentine and Chilean border crossings. A 20-minute stop at Cafeteria El Ovejero, a characteristic Patagonian bar just inside Chile, breaks up the drive and gives you a chance to stretch and photograph the landscape.

You enter Torres del Paine National Park at 1 pm through the Serrano gate. The main event is a 1.5-hour hike of 4.5 kilometers to the Horns viewpoint on the shore of Pehoe Lake, where the turquoise water, the Paine Horns, French Valley and Almirante Nieto Mount all come into view at once (weather permitting). Before that hike, you stop at a viewpoint overlooking the Paine River, and afterward you visit Salto Grande Waterfall and Nordenskjold Lake, each with their own vantage points. A final stop at Sarmiento Lake Viewpoint offers a chance to spot guanacos and foxes against the Paine range before you head back toward the border.

The return journey retraces the route through both border crossings and arrives at your El Calafate hotel between 9 and 11 pm, depending on how long customs takes. Box lunch with beverages is provided during the day. The itinerary can shift due to weather and road conditions, and border wait times vary. The operator advises travel insurance and confirms that you are responsible for carrying valid travel documents.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in El Calafate.
• professional bilingual guide in English or Spanish.
• air-conditioned 4x4 Overland Truck with toilet and Wi-Fi.
• box lunch with beverages.
• Torres del Paine National Park entry.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

AgesAdult (10 to 75 years) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 36

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 43 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 40

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Say Hueque Travel

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup from El Calafate means you do not need a rental car or a separate transfer to start the day. The truck collects you early and returns you late, so the full park experience fits into one departure from your accommodation.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is the Horns viewpoint hike actually like?

The hike to Pehoe Lake's Horns viewpoint covers 4.5 kilometers and takes 1.5 hours at an easy difficulty level. You walk to the shore of the lake and stand in front of the Paine Horns, French Valley, and Almirante Nieto Mount, with turquoise water in the foreground. Weather can affect visibility.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to the meeting point?

Hotel pickup in El Calafate is included. The truck collects you at 6:30 am and returns you between 9 and 11 pm the same day. You do not need to arrange separate transport to or from your accommodation.

What happens at the border crossings?

Your guide assists with customs documentation at both the Argentine and Chilean borders. The operator collects your passport details at booking to speed up the process, and you must carry your actual passport on the day of travel. Border wait times vary and can extend the overall day length.

Is lunch included, and can dietary needs be met?

A box lunch with beverages is included. You must declare any dietary restrictions or allergies at the time of booking so the operator can arrange an appropriate meal.

What is Salto Grande Waterfall?

Salto Grande is a 10-meter waterfall inside Torres del Paine National Park. The tour makes a stop at the lookout point to view it as part of the scenic drive through the park.

What should I bring and what do I need to know before booking?

Bring your passport and travel insurance is recommended. You must provide your full passport name, number, date of birth and nationality at booking, written exactly as they appear in your passport, or you will not be able to cross the border. Carry the same passport you declared on the day of travel.