It's the Paine River, meaning "blue" in the Tehuelche language, that gave its name to the Torres del Paine National Park. Fed by waters from the melting ice cap and the Paine range, it winds between Laguna Azul and Amarga lakes before flowing into Lake Toro. Discover this magnificent waterway that cuts through southern Chile.

Discovering the Rio Paine

The Río Paine is a river located within the Torres del Paine National Park, in the 12th region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica. This legendary river encircles the Paine massif.

Originates in Lake Dickson, this river reaches Lake Paine over a distance of 9 km. It then continues southward for 15 km before turning west toward Lake Nordenskjöld, then plunges into the Paine Falls. From there, the río Paine continues its journey toward Lake Pehoé. It then reaches Salto Grande, a spectacular waterfall standing 65 meters high. It's an ideal spot to observe rich indigenous flora and fauna. The río Paine passes through another waterfall nicknamed Salto Chico. From there, it continues for 6 km before emptying into the northwest entrance of Lake del Toro.

The Paine River is characterized by a unique glacial regime. Flooding occurs in summer, resulting from the melting of glaciers and nearby snow. In winter, the flow is lower.

What to see near the Paine River?

The Rio Paine Viewpoint

The Rio Paine Viewpoint is a vantage point not marked on maps, yet it offers great touristic potential. It takes just a few minutes' drive from the tourist center to reach it. Along a sandy shore, a trail leads to the discovery of the river. It's also one of the best places to contemplate the Cuernos del Paine.

Salto Grande

Salto Grande is an impressive waterfall located on the Paine River. In the surroundings of this cascade, you can admire vegetation typical of the region and numerous animals from Patagonia, such as wild guanaco. Salto Grande is the largest waterfall in Torres del Paine National Park. It overlooks Lake Pehoé, from which a catamaran can take you to the Paine Grande camping and lodge.

The Paine River Falls

Between Lakes Nordenskjöld and Pehoé, the Paine River passes through several waterfalls, including the Paine River Falls. This one is located in the Laguna Amarga sector, near the path leading to Laguna Azul. The Cascada del Rio Paine is particularly remarkable for its position facing the picturesque Paine massif. You can observe the 3 granite spires of Torres del Paine: De Agostini (to the south) and Central and Monzino (to the north). Climbers from around the world come to attempt the ascent of these vertical walls.

To reach the Paine River, you must first get to Torres del Paine National Park.

By plane

Take a flight from Santiago, Chile to the island of Chiloé. From there, take another flight to Punta Arenas.

By bus

To reach the entrance to Torres del Paine National Park, take a bus departing from Punta Arenas. The journey takes 3 hours.

By catamaran

Finally, take a catamaran to the Rio Paine. The cost of the round-trip journey is 15,000 pesos per person. Departure occurs daily at 7:30 a.m., and the crossing takes approximately 30 minutes.