While hiking is an activity that can be enjoyed close to home, exotic locations can be found around the world, allowing you to take in breathtaking views that you might not have near your home. For instance, a hiking trip at Torres del Paine National Park, located in Chile, is a popular trip where you can enjoy striking examples of nature’s beauty. If you haven’t heard about what’s in store if you go hiking at Torres del Paine National park, here’s what you’re missing out on:

Majestic Mountains

One of the biggest selling points of hiking at Torres del Paine National Park is the Paine Massif mountain range, which is a spur of the Andes mountain range that has striking, jagged features, creating a lovely, scenic backdrop to your hike. This mountain range gives you wonderful peaks and steep cliffs to remind you of the awe-inspiring beauty that comes from the land. The Torres Del Paine that the park is named after, three mountains that resemble giant towers of rock, are particularly favored by rock climbers. If you think the mountains are beautiful, hiking at Torres del Paine National park is worth it just for a view at the Paine Massif.

Beautiful Flora

While at Torres del Paine, the hiking trails will take you through several valleys located between the mountains, giving you a closer look at the mountains all around, and a chance to enjoy the various flora of the park. Because the areas in the park vary in altitude, hiking at Torres del Paine will give you views of grasslands as well as forests that have smaller and smaller trees the higher up you go. If you’re the sort that enjoys studying plants while hiking, then Torres del Paine is a great destination.

Glaciers

One of the most interesting features you’ll see while hiking at Torres del Paine National park are the glaciers, which are a result of the park’s close proximity to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Because of these glaciers, the climate at the park remains relatively cool throughout the year, but it also means that this is one of the few places outside Alaska or Antarctica where you can watch glaciers and see icebergs floating in the nearby lakes.

The Hike

Torres del Paine caters to hiking trips, with over 60 miles of trails to enjoy, allowing for day trips or longer circuits of the trails. Many hikers choose to do what is called The W, which is a 5-day hike that allows you to enjoy many of the sights without having to complete a longer circuit of the park. However, whether you choose to do the short version or try to explore every inch of the trails, hiking at Torres del Paine National Park is a trip that will be hard to forget.