On the southern border of Torres del Paine National Park, this small town on the banks of the Serrano River stands out for its diverse tourism offerings. Hotels, cabins, camping areas and restaurants attract thousands of visitors each year to enjoy its magnificent view of the Paine massif. It’s located 80 kilometers from the city of Puerto Natales, near Villa Monzino, the administrative center of the Torres del Paine National Park.

This strategic location makes it the starting point for activities such as sport fishing, horseback riding, trekking through the plains and navigating the Serrano River to Bernardo O’Higgins National Park to see the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers.

Alojamiento, Alimentación y Actividades

Villa Río Serrano has ample tourist services. The town stands out for the incredible views and its strategic location at the southern entrance of Torres del Paine National Park. There is a wide variety of hotels, as well as cabins and campsites. For more information, check out:

Region

Torres del Paine

Province

Última Esperanza

Population

50

Climate and Rainfall

Cold steppe, 700 mm.

Nearest National Park(s)

Torres del Paine National Park

Bernardo O’Higgins National Park

Kawésqar National Park

Don’t Miss

  • Navigating the 38 km Serrano River via zodiac boat or kayak.
  • Sport fishing on the Serrano River
  • Horseback riding with beautiful views of Cerro Donoso, the Serrano River waterfall, Cerro Balmaceda and the Paine massif.
  • Visiting Torres del Paine National Park (remember that the refugios and campsites require prior reservation).

How to get

Villa Río Serrano is located within minutes of Torres del Paine National Park through the new driving route via Cueva del Milodón; it’s 80 km from Puerto Natales and 327 km from Punta Arenas. Access is via the Y-290 route, better known as the Lago Porteño route, mostly paved.

Another alternative is to arrive via the Don Guillermo river border crossing, which connects Torres del Paine with the town of El Calafate, Argentina. This access is located in Villa Cerro Castillo, 44 ​​kms. from Villa Río Serrano.

Several daily buses connect the town with the cities of Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales from companies such as Buses Fernández and Bus Sur.
There is a bus from Puerto Natales to Villa Río Serrano 3 times a week (1 daily departure). For more information, consult with Buses Galán at the Puerto Natales rodoviario.

From Puerto Natales you can embark on a day trip to Bernardo O’Higgins National Park (site of the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers), followed by a trip up the Serrano river by zodiac to Villa Rio Serrano.

Several airlines offer daily flights to Punta Arenas. There are also flights on the Santiago-Puerto Natales route, consult airline websites for details.
Dap Airlines offers two flights per week between Balmaceda (near Coyhaique) and Punta Arenas.

Tips

  • Plan your trip in advance due to the inexistence of some services in Villa Río Serrano.
  • The telephone signal is unstable and null on the way. Not all companies have coverage (Entel is the one with the largest signal in the town).
  • For more information on the region, visit www.munitorresdelpaine.cl
  • In Chile, the closest airports are Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas; in Argentina the city of Calafate has national connections.
    There are several car rental options in Puerto Natales and at the Punta Arenas airport.
  • For more information on border crossings, check www.pasosfronterizos.gov.cl
  • It is not necessary to have a reservation to enter Torres del Paine National Park, but reservations are required to stay in the campgrounds or mountain refuges located on the trekking circuits.
  • The reservation system of www.parquetorresdelpaine.cl is only for free campgrounds managed by CONAF. Go to www.verticepatagonia.cl and www.fantasticosur.com to reserve the rest of the lodgings and concessioned campsites within Torres del Paine National Park.
    Check the access fees to the Torres del Paine National Park in advance and bring cash for payment. The ticket can be bought in advance online or at the point of sale of the Puerto Natales highway. For more information: here.
  • There are no banks, exchange offices or gas stations in Villa Río Serrano, the closest services are in the city of Puerto Natales.
    The fishing season runs from October 15 to April 15.
  • Remember that fishing requires a license issued by the National Fishing Service (Sernapesca)
  • The presence of Didymo, an invasive algae, has been registered in the Serrano river. Boaters must pass through mandatory disinfection stations, where a stir-dry-wash process must be carried out.

Basic Services

  • Cell Service

Visitor’s Center

In Villa Rio Serrano there is no tourist information office.

Torres del Paine Municipality Tourism Office: Due to Covid-19, the office is not open to the public.

Address: El Pasajero #268
turismo@munitorresdelpaine.cl
+56991954383

Sernatur Puerto Natales Office
High Season Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm.
Low season: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm.
infonatales@sernatur.cl
+569 40018256

Important Dates

«Fiesta a la Chilena en Villa Cerro Castillo»
último fin de semana de Enero.

«Biatlón solsticio de invierno»,
Mes de Junio.

«Cicletada Ruta Mistraliana»
Mes de Febrero.

«Aniversario comunal»
Mes Octubre.
Para mayor información visita www.munitorresdelpaine.cl

Copyright 2018 Ruta de los Parques de la Patagonia