Cerro Castillo

One of the most beautiful hikes I have done. Very challenging and tough on the legs - but so worth it!

I have hike in many countries, including some of the Alps but I would say this is definitely one of the best. Went there during December 2021 and it was supposed to be nice summer weather but unfortunately a bad storm was coming in this park during my visit. Decided to do it anyway or else I would have to fly all the way across the globe again for this. Did a 3 days hike as I have fixed itinerary for the rest of my trip in South America. Basically it was raining, snowing and a little bit of sunshine. Wind can be very strong at some areas.

Straight into our top 10 day hikes. Certainly a good workout up and down, but the views start from about the 2km mark and don’t let up. Absolutely stunning panoramic view across the valley that gets better and better the higher you go. Then the lake. Wow! The top of the mountain was in cloud for us but the glacier and lake were very clear. Needed more than an hour at the top to soak it all in. Our recommendation is to go early. We checked in at 7.30am. Quick and easy to get your ticket, then you beat the crowds and have the peak largely to yourself before the masses arrive. To those complaining about the cost. Appreciate that there is a lot of work needed to maintain a path like this, keeping it from growing over. These paths aren’t ’natural’. And someone has to pay for the rangers who brief us and keep us safe and rescue people who hurt themselves. Either the Chilean taxpayer pays for all that or the users of the path do. The fee is about the cost of a single meal in a moderate restaurant. Stop complaining and enjoy the incredible scenery that the national parks service has made accessible to you.

I write this review relatively to other similar hikes. The good: very nice view at the end, similar to Fitzroy, Cerro Torre, Torres Del Paine, etc. Cold shower which you can use. The bad: 1. Boring hike, one view in your back that never changes and only up, up and up. It is also the same way back... 2. Way too expensive. It costs around 25 usd per person now, completely ridiculous in my opinion. 3. Hard steep unpaved road to cover with your car (4x4 or high car necessary) before getting to the main parking lot. You can leave your car before, but that means you have to cover more distance on foot. 2.5 - 3 stars relative to other hikes. The view at the end is still very nice, but it is not a fun hike. If you will do the other hikes mentioned above and you are not really into hiking up 1000 meters, skip this one. The area is still nice to drive through!

This was by far my favorite trek I did in Chile. I was lucky enough to have perfect weather the whole time, and I know that greatly contributed to my experience. The park had great amenities and the trails are well marked. The overall difficulty of this hike would be a 3:5 and I would definitely go out of your way to do this!!

Absolutely beautiful!

Nice landscape and really beautiful mountain, but staying up there for just one night costs 23000 clp! That’s roughly 30 euros per person (and therefore more expensive than Torres del Paine) and they don’t even have warm water or a toilet up there.

Expensive and inaccessible, you basically have to hitchhike from town to the entrance, which is a bit ridiculous. But I can't take stars away from the views on the hike. I think they could put more of the expensive entry fee towards accessibility though.