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Torres del Paine National Park in Chile's far south draws more than 150,000 tourists a year, with adventure-seekers from around the world coming to explore the park's glacial lakes, granite mountains and rolling hillsides.

Yet one of the park's best features for budget travelers is its easily-navigable trails, rendering hired guides unnecessary, even for first-time backpackers.

What you will need, however, is appropriate trekking gear and camping equipment. Fortunately, it's all close at hand in Puerto Natales, the gateway to the national park. We show you how to make the most of the sleepy town while preparing for your Patagonian trek - and, later, while celebrating your return.

Preparing for the trek

Though once home to a thriving ranch industry, Puerto Natales has transformed in recent decades to become a full-service tourism provider. Accommodations range from bare bones budget hostels to luxury boutique hotels with spas and sea views.

First-time trekkers will do well to stay in one of the town's well-established backpacker hostels, where just about everyone in the dorms or shared kitchens is en route to the park or just returned from a stellar trek, and eager to share their wisdom. Hostels Kawashkar and Erratic Rock are two local favorites for foreign tourists, each offering low-cost dorms, trekking gear for rent, bus tickets for sale and entry to the park, as well as bookings for the Navimag ferry, which travels the Patagonian fjords between Puerto Natales and Puerto Montt to the north.

No matter where you stay, novice backpackers should plan to sit in on one of Erratic Rock's "3 o'clock talks," where the hostel's expat owners run through all the do's and don'ts of trekking in Torres del Paine. With years in the business and ample experience in the park, this is the best way to get all the packing, hiking, cooking and weather tips a hiker could need before venturing into the expanse of pampa and rugged mountains.

Once you've gathered up all advice you can, it's time to start assembling your gear and food.

Hostels and tour agencies throughout town rent gear, but make sure to try out everything before taking it home - there's nothing worse than a tent with a broken zipper for a four-day trek on one of the continent's windiest peaks. For those arriving without gear, don't forget to rent the essentials: a sturdy backpack, a sleeping bag for sub-zero temperatures, a sleeping pad, a tent, trekking poles, a headlamp and fresh batteries, a basic mess kit for cooking and eating, a water bottle, a small gas stove and gas, and any basic first aid you may need.

Torres del Paine is well-known for its unpredictable weather. Blue skies and sun give way to killer winds, rain and snow without more than a moment's notice, so it's best to be prepared for anything. Make sure you've packed heavy duty waterproof hiking boots, sunscreen and sunglasses, thermals if hiking in winter, basic rain gear, and a hat, gloves and thick socks to get you through the cold nights.

As for food, local supermarkets offer decent stocks of dried foods, popular on the trail. If you have money budgeted for some high quality snacks, check out The Dried Fruit Guy for an ample selection of dried fruits and nuts. Ask your hostel owners for food, too - many hikers return from the trek with extra dried foods, leaving communal kitchen cabinets full of extra oatmeal, nuts and rice.

Now pack and weigh your bags, have a hearty meal and get a good night's sleep - the 2 ½ hour bus ride to the park departs not long after sunrise, and you'll want to be well-rested for the days to come.

Celebrating a successful return

You're invigorated but exhausted, haven't showered in nearly a week, and can't wait to show off your spectacular photos from inside the park to family and friends back home. But wait - you've surely scheduled at least one night in Puerto Natales to recover from the trek, and revel in your accomplishment.

Kick back, relax and treat yourself to something special - from an ice-cold Guinness draught can at El Bar de Ruperto to a surprisingly tasty thin-crust pizza at Mesita Grande, looking out on the Plaza de Armas. La Picada de Don Carlitos is a local favorite for hot meals, massive meat sandwiches and greasy Chilean fare, and seafood lovers will delight in the town's ample upscale offerings.

Once you've had a chance to rest up and shower, leave your trekking attire behind and take advantage of the lighter side of Puerto Natales.

Patagonia Dulce offers a top-notch selection of desserts, fancy coffees and chocolate delights at the end of the world. Just a short walk west and you reach Seno Última Esperanza (Last Hope Sound), where a walk along the shore of the sound is enough to rest the soul.

Walk along the waterfront and take in the glaciers and mountains in the distance. And if you're looking for a bit more indulgence, the nearby hotel Indigo offers a restaurant, bar and lounge and ample spa treatments sure to cure aches and pains from the trek.

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