How large is Torres del Paine National Park?

How large is Torres del Paine National Park?

700 mi²
Torres del Paine National Park/Area

What is Torres del Paine known for?

Torres del Paine National Park is best known as a hiker’s paradise. Its most famous hike involves a demanding 31-mile walk up and down the park’s valleys to see its most famous sights. The route takes the shape of a “W”, hence the name W Trek.

Why is Torres del Paine unique?

Although technically part of the Andes mountain range, the Paine Massif is an independent mountain formation with unique characteristics. 12 million years of the sedimentary layers of the earth being lifted up and slowly worn down by glacial erosion has resulted in this massif. Now only hard granite rock is left.

What type of mountain is Torres del Paine?

Paine Massif
The Torres del Paine are the distinctive three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range or Paine Massif. From left to right they are known as Torres d’Agostini, Torres Central and Torres Monzino. They extend up to 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level, and are joined by the Cuernos del Paine.

What animals live in Torres del Paine National Park?

Wildlife in Torres del Paine

• Wildlife in Torres del Paine. Pumas.
• Guanacos. Native to South America, and closely related to the llama, these elegant camelids can be found extensively across Torres del Paine National Park.
• Condors.
• Huemul deer.
• Smaller mammals and birds.
• Penguins.
• Whales.
• Dolphins.

Who found Torres del Paine?

In 1976, British mountaineer John Gardner and two Torres del Paine rangers, Pepe Alarcon, and Oscar Guineo pioneered the Circuit trail which circles the Paine massif. In 1977, Guido Monzino donated 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) to the Chilean Government when its definitive limits were established.

What does Paine mean in English?

Painenoun. An English surname, of Norman derivation, meaning someone who lived outside of a city (See Latin pagus).

What does Torres del Paine mean in English?

Towers of Paine
Torres del Paine is a national park in the Extreme South region of Patagonian Chile. The Torres del Paine (Spanish for “Towers of Paine”, “Paine” being the old indigenous name for the colour blue), three immense rock towers give the park its name.

Who established Torres del Paine National Park?

In 1977, Guido Monzino donated 12,000 hectares to the Chilean Government, helping to establish the park limits. One year later the park would become a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

How many Pumas are in Torres del Paine?

Currently, the population within the Torres del Paine National Park is estimated at between 50 to 100 pumas.

Are there penguins in Torres del Paine?

Penguins. Head south-east from Torres del Paine and you’ll find two particularly special penguin colonies. Visit the King Penguins on a day trip by plane from Punta Arenas, or a two-day ferry trip. Further north is a colony of 120,000 Magellanic penguins, which have made their home on Isla Magdalena.

How were the Torres del Paine formed?

The laccolith began to form 12.6 million years ago when an 18-cubic-kilometer pod of granite injected parallel to two sedimentary layers of the Cerro Toro Formation, forming a sill.

Where is Torres del Paine National Park in Chile?

Torres d’Agostini, Torres Central, Torres Monzino. Torres del Paine National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Torres del Paine) is a national park encompassing mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers in southern Chilean Patagonia.

How many people visit Torres del Paine a year?

It is one of the largest and most visited parks in Chile. The park averages around 252,000 visitors a year, of which 54% are foreign tourists, who come from many countries all over the world.

How tall is the highest mountain in Torres del Paine?

Ascencio Valley is the normal route to reach the Torres del Paine lookout, which is located at the bank of a milky green tarn. The highest mountain of the group is Paine Grande, whose height was measured in 2011 using GPS and found to be 2,884 m (9,462 ft).

Where is the Cordillera del Paine in Patagonia?

The Cordillera del Paine is the centerpiece of the park. It lies in a transition area between the Magellanic subpolar forests and the Patagonian Steppes. The park is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Puerto Natales and 312 km (194 mi) north of Punta Arenas.