Torres del Paine O Circuit Could Reopen 1 November 2026

CHILE · PATAGONIA TRAVEL

The long trekking loop around Chile’s Paine massif could return to the calendar at the start of November. Hikers who plan ahead need a park pass, campsite bookings and spare days for the weather.

Torres del Paine’s O Circuit, the multi-day trek around Chile’s Paine massif, could reopen as early as Sunday, 1 November 2026. CONAF, which runs the park, keeps the loop closed until 31 October and will check weather and safety before reopening.

Foreign adults pay from about US$49 for a multi-day park pass, sold only online and best bought before travel. Last season the loop was shut for weeks after five foreign hikers died in a November storm.

What CONAF Has Announced

CONAF’s park page says the Macizo Paine circuit, also known as the O, stays closed from May until 31 October 2026. It describes that date as provisional and says any change will be announced through official channels.

Pases Parques, CONAF’s official ticket site, adds that reopening depends on weather and safety conditions at the time. CONAF is Chile’s national forest corporation, which manages national parks under the Agriculture Ministry.

In a September statement carried by G5 Noticias, a Chilean news site, CONAF said the loop was closed until 1 November. It added that reopening the John Garner Pass depends on a prior technical and weather review by the agency.

The pass, also spelled John Gardner, sits between the Los Perros and Paso sectors on the remote back side of the massif. In the same statement, John Revello, CONAF’s regional director in Magallanes, said the measures are a bet on safe tourism.

The W trek and Base Torres day hike are open, and CONAF ended its winter guide rule there on Wednesday, 16 September. Microcrampons and trekking poles remain recommended or required as a safety measure, depending on trail conditions.

Why the O Circuit Closed Last Season

In November 2025, five foreign hikers died near the Los Perros sector during heavy snow and very strong winds. El Desconcierto, a Chilean news site, reported that none of the five was walking with a guide.

CONAF closed the loop after the deaths and reopened it in December with stricter controls. These included a cap of 100 hikers a day, one-way walking and mandatory registration at the Coirón ranger station.

CONAF also placed two rangers each in the Dickson, Perros and Paso sectors and stationed Carabineros, Chile’s national police, at Dickson. The measures were set out in a CONAF statement on 6 December 2025, reported by 24horas and El Dínamo.

From 1 January 2026, CONAF dropped a temporary guide requirement on the loop and adopted a new mountain trail protocol. It includes an early warning system with set limits for wind, rain and temperature that can trigger preventive trail closures.

National alerts from Senapred, Chile’s disaster prevention service, and weather office forecasts now sit at the centre of park decisions. CONAF says access to the circuit will always depend on the weather, the protocol and the rangers’ judgement on the ground.

Tickets and Prices for Foreign Visitors

Park passes are sold only online through Pases Parques, the official sales portal that CONAF links from its park page. El Mostrador, a Chilean news site, reported in June that passes must be bought in advance.

Since 1 May 2026, CONAF has offered two pass types: a single day, or a pass for two or more days. El Mostrador reported that the multi-day pass covers a continuous stay of up to ten days.

Pases Parques lists these starting prices for foreign visitors in Chilean pesos. Conversions use CLP 981.82 per US dollar, the open.er-api.com rate of 15 October 2026.

• Foreign adult, 18 to 59, more than one day: CLP 48,500 (about US$49)
• Foreign adult, 18 to 59, one day: CLP 32,400 (about US$33)
• Foreign youth, 13 to 17: CLP 16,600 (about US$17) for one day, or CLP 48,500 (about US$49) for more than one day
• Foreign visitors aged 60 and over: CLP 32,400 (about US$33) for one day, or CLP 48,500 (about US$49) for more than one day
• Children aged 12 and under: free

Chilean adults pay CLP 14,200 (about US$14) for more than one day, so foreign hikers pay more than three times as much. The site asks buyers to book Chilean and foreign tickets in separate steps but in the same cart.

The park pass does not include campsites, refuges or the catamaran on Lake Pehoé, which are paid services from private operators. Buy only through official sites, since CONAF says official park information comes only from itself and Pases Parques.

Rules on the Trail

The park requires campsite or refuge bookings for the W and O treks, and hikers without them cannot enter the mountain area. The rule does not apply to day hikes such as Base Torres or to roadside campsites like Pehoé and Serrano.

Two private concessionaires, Las Torres Patagonia and Vértice Patagonia, run most campsites and refuges and take bookings on their own websites. The park also lists accredited tour operators as a booking route.

Every hiker must register on arrival at each ranger station, and must also sign out at the Paso and Perros camps. There is no phone or internet signal on the interior trails, so O Circuit hikers stay offline for days.

Trail closing times exist so that night does not catch hikers before the next camp, and only rangers can authorise exceptions. Between the Grey and Paso camps, two suspension bridges hang more than 20 metres (66 feet) high.

Open fires are banned in the park, and drones are allowed only for authorised research or professional filming. The State Department warns that starting fires in protected areas can lead to arrest, fines or removal from Chile.

Getting There and Entry Rules for US Citizens

US citizens need no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days, the State Department says. Passports must be valid for the whole stay, with one blank page per entry stamp.

Arrivals receive a Tourist Card valid for up to 90 days, which can be extended by 90 days for US$100. The department also says tourists must be able to show at least US$46 a day for expenses.

The department rates Chile at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, citing crime, unrest and health, in an advisory dated 19 August 2026. It notes a CDC health notice for Andes virus, a hantavirus, but calls the risk for most travellers extremely low.

In Patagonia, the department warns of minefields near the Argentine border and tells visitors to stay on marked roads and trails. It also encourages medical evacuation insurance, since medical help can take longer to arrive in rural areas.

Tourist transport to the park leaves from Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas, according to the park’s daily report. The department notes that strikes can cause significant delays in remote areas, naming Punta Arenas, the regional capital.

From Sunday, 1 November, the park runs two hours ahead of US Eastern time, as US clocks fall back that morning. Pases Parques lists summer access from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily between October and April, subject to weather.

What It Means for You

For US hikers, the O Circuit is due back early in the park’s October-to-April summer season, but its opening is not guaranteed. Book refundable campsites and flights where possible, and keep spare days in case rangers close the pass.

A foreign adult on the full loop pays from about US$49 for the park pass, before campsites, transport and gear. Those who prefer the shorter W trek can plan it now, with the same pass type and the same reservation rule.

What Is Not Known

CONAF has not confirmed that the circuit will reopen on 1 November itself, or how long a weather review could delay it. It has not said whether last season’s cap of 100 hikers a day will apply again.

Official pages checked on 15 October gave no reopening date for the closed back-side sections, such as Dickson to Los Perros. Pases Parques labels its rates as starting prices, so check the final amount at checkout.

What Comes Next

The circuit stays closed through Saturday, 31 October, and CONAF says any change to that date will come through its official channels. Hikers should check the park’s daily trail report and Pases Parques before booking and again before setting out.

A reopening on Sunday, 1 November, would give the loop six months before winter rules usually begin on 1 May. This year CONAF brought those rules forward to Monday, 27 April, because of local weather.

Connected Coverage

For background, read The Rio Times explainers on Chile’s natural resources and on Chile’s history from its origins to 2026. Visitors passing through the capital can use the Santiago city guide for expats and visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Torres del Paine O Circuit reopen?

CONAF keeps the circuit closed until Saturday, 31 October 2026, so the earliest reopening is Sunday, 1 November. The exact date depends on a weather and safety review at the time.

How much is the Torres del Paine park pass for Americans?

Foreign adults pay from CLP 48,500 (about US$49) for more than one day, or from CLP 32,400 (about US$33) for one day. Passes are sold online through Pases Parques, the official CONAF ticket site.

Do I need a guide or reservations for the O Circuit?

CONAF dropped its temporary guide requirement for the circuit on 1 January 2026, but it can add measures if conditions demand. Campsite or refuge bookings are mandatory, and hikers without them cannot enter the mountain area.

Sources: CONAF, Parque Nacional Torres del Paine; Pases Parques, Torres del Paine passes; Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, reservation rules; Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, recommendations 2026; Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, daily report; CONAF, mountain circuit operating protocol; G5 Noticias (14 September 2026); El Desconcierto (5 January 2026); 24horas (7 December 2025); El Dínamo (6 December 2025); BioBioChile (18 November 2025); El Mostrador (10 June 2026); US State Department, Chile country information; open.er-api.com, exchange rates (all accessed 15 October 2026).