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Grey Glacier, Torres del Paine, in summer and the rest of the year

Brief answer

For the Grey Glacier boat, December to February brings long days and most trails open, October, November, March and April are quieter but wetter in spring, and in winter the hotel stays open while the W needs a guide.

Season in brief

  • Fares run 1 October 2026 to 30 April 20271
  • Peak season is December to February2
  • W closed in June and July15

Light through the year

Sunset over Lago Grey, month by month

Pick a month to see when the sun goes down over the lake and what that month brings for the boat.

Sunset

Jan

  • Sunset approx. 22:03

The warmest month at Puerto Natales in 2025, with a mean high of 18.5 °C.17

Sunset is worked out for the 15th of each month on local time; Magallanes stays on UTC-3 all year. No weather station sits at the lake, so month notes use DMC data for Puerto Natales airfield, CONAF, Chile Travel and the boat operator.

The boat on Lago Grey has a season, a timetable and a lot of weather. Here is how summer, the shoulder months and winter change the trip, month by month.

Editorial team, greyglaciercruise.click · Updated November 12, 2026 · Reading: 8 min

Quick look

  • Main seasonPublished boat fares run from 1 October 2026 to 30 April 2027.1
  • Peak monthsDecember to February brings long days and the most visitors.2
  • Wettest stretchAt Puerto Natales, September 2025 was the wettest month, with 104.6 mm.3
  • WinterThe lakeside hotel stays open; in the 2026 winter the W needed a certified guide.4,5
  • DeparturesMorning, midday and afternoon sailings from the hotel beach.6,7,8

When the Lago Grey boat runs

The boat to the Grey Glacier leans towards summer, but it is not a summer-only trip. Hotel Lago Grey, which runs the Grey III catamaran, publishes its current fares as valid from 1 October 2026 to 30 April 2027,1 and that window is the core season most visitors plan around. The hotel itself stays open through the year,4 so in the cold months the question is not whether the lake is there, but whether a given departure goes ahead on your day.

Each sailing needs at least 25 passengers to leave,9 which matters far more in a quiet month than in January. In high summer the problem flips: on busy days the operator adds a fourth departure to the usual timetable,10 and Chile Travel advises booking catamaran trips well ahead because demand runs high.11 If your dates are fixed, secure the boat and the park ticket first, then arrange the bus, the transfer or the rental car around them.

Weather writes the real calendar. CONAF closes trails at short notice when it issues a preventive early warning, and the Playa Grey trail was among the routes it shut from 10 November 2026 for gusts, rain and possible storms.12 That is the beach boat passengers cross on foot to reach the boarding area,13 and the park estimated reopening on Thursday 12 November 2026.14 A spring trip should keep a spare day near the sailing rather than squeeze it into the last afternoon.

Temperatures

A year of highs and lows at the gateway town

MonthMean highMean lowRain
January18.5 °C7.2 °C35.9 mm
March14.8 °C4.2 °C71.6 mm
April12.1 °C0.6 °C18.1 mm
June6.3 °C-2.1 °C38.7 mm
July4.6 °C-3.3 °C78.2 mm
September11.4 °C-0.4 °C104.6 mm
October12.5 °C2.3 °C91.1 mm
December14.9 °C5.9 °C41.6 mm

DMC figures for 2025 at Puerto Natales airfield (station 510005); the lake sector lies about 100 km away by road.17,18,3,16

Summer on Lago Grey, December to February

Chile Travel calls December to February the peak season, with the most visitors, longer days, milder weather and nearly every trail open.2 For the boat that means the full timetable, long evenings for the walk back over the beach, and the easiest chance to pair the sailing with a hike on the same day. It also means company: check-in at the hotel starts an hour before each departure, and in these weeks that hour is worth using rather than arriving at the last minute.

If you are planning the Grey Glacier in Torres del Paine in December, you arrive right at the start of that peak. The weather service's records for the Puerto Natales airfield, in the gateway town about 2 hours by road from the lake sector,16 show December 2025 with an average high of 14.9 °C, an average low of 5.9 °C and 41.6 mm of rain for the month.17,18,3 January 2025 was the warmest month there, with a mean high of 18.5 °C in the tables.17

Summer does not mean warm on the water. Chile Travel describes the weather here as extremely unpredictable and windy,19 and its Puerto Natales page recommends warm, waterproof clothing even in summer, as the climate tends to be cold and humid in every season.20 On the outer deck in front of the ice, a fleece under a shell feels right in January just as it does in October. Sunglasses matter too, since the light bounces off water and ice from every side.

Rain by month

Rainfall at Puerto Natales airfield through the sailing season

  • September104.6
  • October91.1
  • November93.8
  • December41.6
  • January35.9
  • February42.2
  • March71.6
  • April18.1

Monthly totals for 2025 from Chile's weather service (DMC) at the Teniente Gallardo airfield in Puerto Natales, the gateway town, not at the lake.3

Spring and autumn, the shoulder months

March to November is the low season in Chile Travel's terms, with lower prices and snowy scenery but colder days and more restrictions.21 On Lago Grey the shoulder months at either end of the fare season, October and November in spring and March and April in autumn,1 are where that trade gets interesting. The published sailings still apply, the summer crowds thin out, and the evening light arrives earlier, which photographers tend to welcome.

Rain is the spring catch. At the Puerto Natales airfield, September, October and November 2025 brought 104.6 mm, 91.1 mm and 93.8 mm of rain, against 18.1 mm in April of that year.3 Wet days came all through the year, with between 10 and 20 days a month recording at least 0.1 mm.23 Inside the park the amount also changes with distance from the ice field. A CEQUA guide for the park puts annual rainfall at about 1,000 mm in the west, falling to 400 mm in the east.24

Autumn has a gentler feel. Mean highs at the Natales airfield were 14.8 °C in March 2025 and 12.1 °C in April,17 with average lows down to 0.6 °C by April.18 That is cool rather than harsh, and it suits travelers who will trade a little warmth for a quieter beach walk and more space on the rail. The lenga forests on the slopes above the lake also turn color in this season, a sight that summer visitors never see.

Pick your season

When should you sail to the glacier?

Match your priorities to the months that suit them.

  • If I want the longest days and every trail open

    December to February

    Chile Travel's peak season, with longer days and most trails open.2

  • If I want fewer people on deck

    March or April

    Chile Travel's low season starts in March, with lower prices but colder days and more restrictions.21

  • If I want snow on the mountains

    June to September

    The Chilean winter; the lakeside hotel stays open.22,4

  • If I want to hike the W as well

    Avoid June and July

    The W closes then, and in the 2026 winter it was open only with a certified guide.15,5

  • If I want the driest spell

    Look at April or January

    In the 2025 records at Natales they had 18.1 mm and 35.9 mm of rain.3

Grey Glacier in Torres del Paine in winter

Chile Travel places the Chilean winter between June and September,22 and the hotel on the lakeshore rates it among the finest seasons in the park, citing still air, varied colors and fewer visitors.4 Read that as the view of a business that stays open all year rather than as a forecast. What winter can offer is snow on the Paine massif, a low sun over the water and a lake without the summer traffic, but you need flexible dates to catch it.

Winter also brings rules that summer visitors never meet. In the 2026 winter season, 1 May to 15 September, CONAF admitted walkers to the W only with a certified guide.5 For that winter Chile Travel also listed microspikes or crampons, poles and a headlamp as mandatory kit.30 Since 16 September 2026 the W and the Base Torres lookout are open for independent hiking again, although the park may require guides in severe weather.5,31 Chile Travel adds that the W stays closed in June and July.15 These rules concern the trails, so for the boat itself, ask the operator which winter departures are running.

Reaching the lake is the other winter question. Chile Travel advises checking road conditions before setting out, as some roads close under accumulated snow,32 carrying snow chains with tires in good shape,27 and asking ahead, because some cabins and tours close for the season.29 In the 2025 records for Puerto Natales, July had a mean low of -3.3 °C, and the coldest reading of the year, -15.6 °C, came on 29 June.18,33

Plan the day

Price the Grey boat for your group

The boat alone, or with the road from Puerto Natales included.

Compare 3 alternatives

Price the Grey boat for your group

The boat alone, or with the road from Puerto Natales included.

2 people
  1. Boat from the hotelGrey III sailing · per person, from $120

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    View
  2. Boat with transferFrom Puerto Natales · per person, from $276

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  3. Boat and park daySmall group · per person, from $290

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    View

GetYourGuide's starting prices, converted at the ECB reference rate; exact pricing appears when you book.

The year on the lake

How the sailing year unfolds

  1. October

    Fare season opens

    The current published boat fares begin on 1 October 2026.1

  2. December to February

    Peak season

    Longer days, milder weather and most trails open.2

  3. Busy summer days

    Extra departure

    A fourth sailing joins the timetable when demand is high.10

  4. April

    Fare season closes

    The published fares run until 30 April 2027.1

  5. June and July

    W closed

    The W trail shuts for the depth of winter.15

  6. All year

    Hotel open

    The lakeside hotel stays open through every season.4

Morning or afternoon on the boat

On Hotel Lago Grey's published timetable, sailings leave the beach at 09:30, at 13:00 and at 16:00, and check-in opens an hour before each.6,7,8 The morning and midday boats run on a set schedule straight to Refugio Grey, where trekkers with single-leg tickets get on or off, and only then continue to the ice.34 The afternoon boat reverses that order and visits the glacier before calling at the refugio.35 For a round-trip passenger the sailing feels similar either way.

Which slot suits you depends on the rest of your day. The morning boat is back at the beach at 12:15, leaving the afternoon free for a lookout walk near the hotel or the drive back to town.6 The afternoon boat returns at 18:45, after which you still face the walk across the beach.8,13 Outside high summer, check the sunset time for your month before picking the late slot.

If you plan to hike before or after sailing, CONAF's trail hours matter. The park's 2026-2027 bulletin opens the entrance stations at 07:00 from September to April and at 08:30 from May to August, and gives every trail its own latest entry and closing time,36,37 while walking without daylight is prohibited.38 An early boat pairs well with an afternoon hike, and a late boat pairs better with a morning on the trail. Either way, eat before you board, because the walk, the queue and the sailing add up to a long stretch.

Video

When to visit Torres del Paine, season by season

EcoCamp Patagonia on YouTube · Nothing is fetched until you hit play.

December to February (Peak Season): This is when the largest number of tourists gather, as the days are longer, the weather is more pleasant, and most trails are fully open.
Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service)2

Before you go

Season checklist for the Grey boat

Book and plan3

  • Book the boat early for December to February11
  • Get the park pass on the official site, a day or more before25
  • Keep a spare day for weather closures12

Clothing3

  • Base layer, fleece and a waterproof shell26
  • Leave cotton at home26
  • Hat, gloves and sunglasses for the deck

Winter extras3

  • Snow chains and good tires if you drive27
  • Cash from Puerto Natales: no ATMs in the park28
  • Ask which tours run: some close in winter29

What to pack for each season

The same layering works from October to April, with only the weight of each layer changing. Chile Travel's packing advice for the park is a synthetic or merino base layer, a fleece or down middle layer and a windproof, waterproof jacket on top, and it warns against cotton because cotton holds moisture.26 Add a warm hat and gloves for the outer deck. In December you may peel layers off on the beach and put them all back on in front of the ice.

Winter changes the list for anyone who plans to walk as well as sail. The microspikes, poles and headlamp that Chile Travel's winter notice required on the trails are not needed on the boat,30 but they decide whether a short hike can be added to the day. Waterproof boots matter more than in summer, since snow and slush make the beach walk heavier. If you drive, keep chains in the car and a full tank, as there are no fuel stations in or around the park.39

Some things belong in every season's bag. There are no cash machines in the park, so Chile Travel suggests withdrawing money in Puerto Natales,28 and mobile signal exists only at Villa Monzino, well away from the lake.40 Download your boat confirmation and your park ticket before you leave town. Pack a bottle of water and something to eat for the beach walk, and keep your camera in a pocket that zips, since the deck can be wet and windy.

FAQ

Short questions, short answers.

What is the best month for the Grey Glacier boat?
December to February for long days.

Those are the peak months, with longer days and most trails open; October, November, March and April trade warmth for fewer people.2,1

Does the Grey Glacier boat run in winter?
The hotel is open all year; ask about sailings.

Hotel Lago Grey does not close in winter, but the published fares cover 1 October 2026 to 30 April 2027.4,1

Is it cold on Lago Grey in summer?
Cool, and often windy.

At Puerto Natales the December 2025 mean high was 14.9 °C; Chile Travel calls the weather extremely unpredictable and windy.17,19

What time does the boat leave?
09:30, 13:00 or 16:00.

Check-in at Hotel Lago Grey opens an hour before each departure, and a fourth boat joins the schedule when summer demand peaks.6,7,8,10

Can bad weather stop the trip?
Yes, at short notice.

CONAF closed the Playa Grey trail from 10 November 2026 under a preventive weather warning.12

Which months are the wettest?
Spring, in the 2025 records.

At the Puerto Natales airfield, September, October and November 2025 brought 104.6 mm, 91.1 mm and 93.8 mm of rain.3

Is the W open in winter?
Not in June and July.

Chile Travel says the W closes in those months, and in the 2026 winter season CONAF admitted walkers to it only with a certified guide.15,5

Sources

  1. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navigation ↩
  2. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  3. Direccion Meteorologica de Chile (DMC, Chile weather service) · Agua caida, Teniente Gallardo, Puerto Natales Ad. (510005), 2025 ↩
  4. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Preguntas frecuentes ↩
  5. CONAF, Torres del Paine National Park Administration, 2026-2027 season newsletter (parquetorresdelpaine.cl) · Torres del Paine National Park Newsletter 2026-2027 Season (September-April) ↩
  6. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navegacion ↩
  7. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navegacion ↩
  8. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navegacion ↩
  9. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navegacion ↩
  10. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navigation ↩
  11. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Grey Glacier ↩
  12. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Torres del Paine ↩
  13. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navegacion ↩
  14. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Torres del Paine ↩
  15. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  16. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Grey Glacier ↩
  17. Direccion Meteorologica de Chile (DMC, Chile weather service) · Temperatura maxima, Teniente Gallardo, Puerto Natales Ad. (510005), 2025 ↩
  18. Direccion Meteorologica de Chile (DMC, Chile weather service) · Temperatura minima, Teniente Gallardo, Puerto Natales Ad. (510005), 2025 ↩
  19. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Essential Torres del Paine: Base Torres and Grey Glacier ↩
  20. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Puerto Natales ↩
  21. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  22. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · The sign you were looking for to travel to the Chilean Patagonia in winter ↩
  23. Direccion Meteorologica de Chile (DMC, Chile weather service) · Agua caida, Teniente Gallardo, Puerto Natales Ad. (510005), 2025 ↩
  24. CEQUA regional research centre, Innova CORFO project for the park · Guia de conocimiento y buenas practicas para el turismo en el PN Torres del Paine (PDF) ↩
  25. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  26. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  27. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · The sign you were looking for to travel to the Chilean Patagonia in winter ↩
  28. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  29. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · The sign you were looking for to travel to the Chilean Patagonia in winter ↩
  30. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · Torres del Paine: How to get there and where to stay ↩
  31. CONAF, Torres del Paine National Park Administration, 2026-2027 season newsletter (parquetorresdelpaine.cl) · Torres del Paine National Park Newsletter 2026-2027 Season (September-April) ↩
  32. Chile Travel (Sernatur, Chile National Tourism Service) · The sign you were looking for to travel to the Chilean Patagonia in winter ↩
  33. Direccion Meteorologica de Chile (DMC, Chile weather service) · Temperatura minima, Teniente Gallardo, Puerto Natales Ad. (510005), 2025 ↩
  34. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navigation ↩
  35. Hotel Lago Grey (operator of the Grey III boat) · Navegacion ↩
  36. CONAF, Torres del Paine National Park Administration, 2026-2027 season newsletter (parquetorresdelpaine.cl) · Torres del Paine National Park Newsletter 2026-2027 Season (September-April) ↩
  37. CONAF, Torres del Paine National Park Administration, 2026-2027 season newsletter (parquetorresdelpaine.cl) · Torres del Paine National Park Newsletter 2026-2027 Season (September-April) ↩
  38. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Torres del Paine ↩
  39. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Torres del Paine ↩
  40. CONAF, Corporacion Nacional Forestal (Chile) · Parque Nacional Torres del Paine ↩

More to read

More for planning your day on Lago Grey

GuideWhat the Grey Glacier boat costsGuideGrey, Serrano or Perito Moreno from Puerto NatalesGuideGetting to the Lago Grey boat from Puerto NatalesGuideIs the Grey Glacier cruise worth it

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