The Plan — Torres del Paine

Before you go

Emergency

131

Mountain rescue

Fire & rescue 132

Rescue is free

Rescue in Chile is a free public service (Bomberos, Cuerpo de Socorro Andino, Carabineros GOPE) with no fee for the rescue itself; hospital care afterward is billed. Inside the park, response is slow — an ambulance from Villa Cerro Castillo is about 1.5 h and the Puerto Natales hospital about 2 h away — so registering your route at CONAF control points is what gets help moving.

Standard travel insurance with trekking and emergency-evacuation cover is enough — insurance is not legally required. What is required: buy your park ticket at pasesparques.cl and register your day-by-day itinerary at CONAF control points; in the winter regime (about Apr 27–Aug 30) an accredited guide is mandatory on the Base Torres trail, and night trekking is banned.

SOS and rescue →When to turn back →CONAF — park rules, guide requirement, response times

Essential safety guides

SOS & rescue When to turn back Reading the weather Altitude illness Comms & beacons All guides →