Torres del Paine National Park
Torres del Payne is a national park located in Patagonia, in Chile. It is very popular among tourists, since its endless landscapes have no equal on the whole planet. There are incomparable mountain peaks of the peaks that belong to the Andes. Translated, the name of the park means "Blue Tower". The Torres del Payne National Reserve was founded in 1959.
Since 1978, he has been a member of UNESCO and is considered a biosphere reserve. Its area is 2,420 km2, which includes a variety of mountain peaks with huge glaciers, numerous bays and lakes. In the middle of the reserve, three peaks rise from 2,600 to 2,850 m high, which is its main attraction. The highest mountain that is included in the park area is Payne Grande with its peak of 3,050 meters. Near the mountains is Lake Nordenscheld, which is named after its explorer. The weather conditions of the park are not predictable, here even in the middle of summer there can be snow, which immediately turns into rain. The air temperature in summer is close to 11 ° C, and in winter about 1 ° C. Hurricane winds – is a common occurrence of protected lands.
The formation of Torres del Payne is independent of the mountains of the Andes. Millions of years ago, a huge eruption of magma from under the earth's crust occurred here, which laid the foundation for the highlands in the middle of the park.
All visitors to the reserve, without fail, are photographed against the backdrop of the most popular peaks, which were recalled in the text above, with the name "Los Cuernos" and "Las Torres" ( towers ). Their unusual shape is formed under the influence of glaciers, as well as strong winds. Los Cuernos ( Los Cuernos ) also looks beautiful, the height of which is close to 2000 m. A recognized beautiful place among travelers is also the towers ( Las Torres ), which is translated as « Blue towers ». Tourists also love the beautiful landscapes that Glacier Gray Glacier gives, which is the most impressive in the Torres del Payne zone. The outstanding valley in the park is the French Valley, from which unique landscapes of glaciers, rocks, lakes, as well as a variety of plants and flowers open.
You can not help but notice, when entering the reserve, a wonderful lagoon with its own unique, flora and fauna, surrounded by mountain forest.
As for the plant world of the Torres del Payne reserve, its diversity is simply stunning. Here are almost all the landscapes of Patagonia – steppe, forest, as well as the mountain desert. Representatives of fauna are more than a hundred species of birds, and at least 25 species of mammals. Animals in the park feel like full owners, since hunting in the reserve is prohibited as 50 years ago. A variety of animal species are gonaco ( the most common in the ) park, cougars, foxes, hares, as well as deer that are considered on the verge of extinction.
The reserve has developed many tourist routes, among which the most famous is the W trail. Its route is planned in such a way that all the main attractions of the reserve are included here. This trail, equipped with various lodging houses, where you can take a shower and eat hot food.
The best time to visit the Torres del Payne National Park is from December to late February, when weather conditions will be on your side.
