Ultra Paine runs near Torres del Paine on 26 September

Ultra Paine, whose 26 September 2026 course ran near Torres del Paine National Park, brought trail running into the landscape around Puerto Natales in Chile. The 12th edition used five distances and finished at Villa Río Serrano, while the race routes remained outside the park boundaries.

The event gave the national park a current sporting connection without changing access to its protected trails. Its course offered views towards the park's principal mountains, making the surrounding landscape part of the race setting rather than a venue inside the reserve.

Ultra Paine ran near Torres del Paine on 26 September

The organiser scheduled Ultra Paine for Saturday, 26 September 2026, in the Commune of Torres del Paine. The programme comprised 5K, 14K, 21K, 35K and 50K distances, with the finish for every route in Villa Río Serrano.

The five starting points were spread across the surrounding roads and properties. The 50K began at Estancia El Kark, the 35K at Cruce Bahía El Bote, the 21K at the Patagonia Camp access, the 14K at Mirador Grey and the 5K at Hotel del Paine.

The organiser listed Puerto Natales as the base city for Ultra Paine. Kit collection and event information were centred there, and official buses left the city for the starting points before returning from Villa Río Serrano.

Race lengths ranged from 5.3 km (3.3 miles) for the shortest course to 51.5 km (31.8 miles) for the longest. The published profiles included ascents from 24 metres (79 ft) to 1,333 metres (4,373 ft), underlining the difference between the routes. The organiser's race description for 26 September gives the course locations and finish sector.

Torres del Paine National Park gives the race its setting

CONAF records that the protected area was created on 13 May 1959 and covers 227,298 hectares. In 1978, UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme declared it a Biosphere Reserve.

The park's Paine mountain range is an independent system within the Patagonian Andes. Its highest elevation is 3,050 metres (10,006 ft), while glacial movement shaped the surrounding valleys, lakes, rivers and glaciers over millions of years.

That geography explains the race's visual link with the park even though the 26 September routes stayed outside its limits. Ultra Paine used the commune and surrounding roads as its course, while the national park supplied the mountain backdrop identified by the organiser.

CONAF describes 17 ecosystems in the protected area, including Patagonian steppe, pre-Andean shrubland, Magellanic deciduous forest and Andean desert. The official park information from CONAF also identifies the W and Base Torres trails among the main walking areas.

Race routes stayed outside the park boundary

The organiser's event information states that all Ultra Paine routes were outside the national park, so the race itself did not require entry to the protected area. Travellers visiting the park separately should treat the race course and the park visit as two different activities.

CONAF lists access from Puerto Natales through the Y-290 route, while other approaches include the road network from Punta Arenas and Route 9. Inside the park, the Base Torres and W trails include demanding sections, and winter conditions can make poles or microspikes advisable.

Visiting Torres del Paine National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Ultra Paine took place on 26 September 2026, with five distances finishing at Villa Río Serrano near the park.
• The race routes were outside the park boundary, so visitors entering the national park were not using the Ultra Paine course.
• Puerto Natales was the event base, and the park can also be approached by road from Puerto Natales through the Y-290 corridor.
• The park includes steep and demanding mountain trails, including the Base Torres route and sections of the W. Winter conditions can include snow and ice.
• Chile's official language is Spanish and its national currency is the Chilean peso.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Torres del Paine National Park

When did Ultra Paine take place near Torres del Paine National Park?

The 12th edition took place on 26 September 2026 on routes in the Commune of Torres del Paine.

Were the Ultra Paine routes inside the national park?

No. The organiser stated that all routes were outside the park boundaries, although they had views towards its principal mountains.

Where is Torres del Paine National Park and how do you get there?

The park is in Chile's Magallanes region, with Puerto Natales as a nearby base. Road access includes the Y-290 route from Puerto Natales and routes from Punta Arenas.