I have to admit that I had never even heard of Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park until a few weeks before we booked our trip. We had some airline miles with British Airways, and we discovered we could stop over in a lot of cities. I was reading a discussion thread where people were posting their itineraries, and one or more itineraries included Punta Arenas, Chile, with the note “Torres del Paine” beside the PUQ airport code for the city. It took only one Google search to see photos of the amazing spires that earn the Andes their nickname, “The Dragon’s Backbone,” and knew it was somewhere I had to go.
So we booked our flights to Chilean Patagonia, and the anticipation for our trek began. It wasn’t until a month later that I tried a second search for “Torres del Paine W trek booking” that I realized the information on how to actually get there is woefully lacking. Yes, I finally figured things out, but it should have been easier, and I wanted to pass that information on to you.
1. What exactly is the “W?”
The “W trek” is named for the physical shape of a four-day hiking route through Chile’s Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. It can be done in three days by the hard-core or stretched to 5 or more if you want to add a rest day or two in the middle. If you’re an experienced trekker, the “W” isn’t too bad of a hike, and you might consider trying “The O Circuit,” which is a 9-day loop around the entire park that includes the “W.” The length of “W trek” portion is just about 50 miles.
2. How do I get there?
By traveling to the end of the world. Seriously. Punta Arenas is the largest city south of the 46th parallel. Chile, while it is only about 100 yards wide, is the same length as the distance from Miami to Seattle. It’s far. To get there, there are basically three choices:
- Take a plane to Punta Arenas and then travel by bus to Puerto Natales where you will find transportation to the park, which is about a 90-minute bus ride from there.
- Come from the north by ferry and bus.
- String together multiple Andean treks by coming to the park from Argentina after having visited El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier.
3. Why is it worth my time, money and energy?
The scenery is simply some of the most spectacular on earth. It’s expensive if you’re trying to do South America on a budget, but I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.
This does come with a small caveat, though… If you’ve got a lot of time and you’re traveling through South America, by all means, visit Torres del Paine on your adventure. But if you’re from the United States, then you likely have limited vacation time. Getting to the park is pretty involved, and will take multiple days there and back.
If you’re from the US and you haven’t been to a) Yosemite, b) Yellowstone, c) the Grand Canyon AND d) Arches and Canyonlands, then I highly recommend you visit those four places first. These alternatives are just as beautiful, and they are right in your backyard. But again, if time isn’t a limitation, Torres del Paine is a must.
4. What will I see?
To get more specific on the scenery, you’ll witness breathtaking views of mountains, alpine lakes, forests, glaciers and more. You will likely see Andean Condors soaring overhead. While not really known for wildlife, you might see some animals such as foxes, owls, and other interesting birds along the way.
5. What is the weather like? What do I need to bring?
This trek is only open for about six months a year during the late spring, summer and early fall. The weather is notoriously unpredictable, as you can experience high winds, heavy rain, snow, and beautiful sunshine… all in the same day. It won’t likely get much below freezing during your trip, so as long as your gear is rainproof and windproof, you can stay warm with a few layers. Here are our packing lists which were more than sufficient: women’s list / men’s list.
While we were there, the weather was pretty fantastic aside from a few scary gusts of wind. But your experience could vary. A friend of mine told me about his experiences hiking the full Circuit where his tent was blown flat in his face at night by constant 70 mph winds, and he also had to cross a stream that flowed waist high. The “W” is far milder, and you don’t have to ford any raging rivers, but you should be prepared for the possibilities.
6. Where will I stay?
There is one luxury hotel in the park, Hotel Las Torres. That place looked amazing, with broad views up to the Towers, but it wasn’t in our budget so we thought about our other two options: camping and refugios.
If you’re an experienced trekker and you want to save money, then, by all means, camping is a great option. There are many campsites along the way, and camping gives you more flexibility to be in certain locations at the right time. For example, if you want to see the Towers at sunrise (the eponymous Torres del Paine), the only sane way to do it is to camp at the base, just before the ascent that would otherwise be at the end of several hours of hiking.
If you’re less experienced with camping, I’d highly recommend the refugios. These are dorm style accommodations where you will sleep 6 or more to a room. If you’re unlucky enough to be stuck with somebody like me (who snores!), bring earplugs. The refugios are warm, comfortable, and generally an easy way to relax after long days on the trail, but they are more expensive. We felt it was well-worth the extra money to treat ourselves with a warm dry room and a hot meal at the end of the day.
7. What about food?
You can either bring enough food to eat with you for the duration of your trek or you can buy one or more meals at refugios along the way. The park is incredibly remote, and it’s quite a feat to get food to some of these locations as well as haul trash away. For that reason, food is expensive. If you choose to buy 3 meals a day, you will need to budget about $40 per day.
Before my trip, I had read mixed reviews about both the quality and quantity of the food. I feared I would starve. I found my experience to be a positive one, as the food was decent given the surroundings, and I had as much as I could possibly eat. The lunches were huge! Just to be safe, we brought a lot of dried food supplies from Puerto Natales, and we didn’t need any of it (though we did enjoy the dried fruits and other sweet treats). If you are worried about the food, I’d suggest bringing enough food for one supplemental snack each day, just to be on the safe side. My guess is you’ll find that to be overkill.
8. How do I book the trip?
You can book your stay in the refugios through Fantastico Sur. This company owns the private land that includes a good portion of the east side of the park. The prices aren’t cheap, but I think it’s definitely worth it. While Fantastico Sur is the only game in town in terms of booking lodging at either the campsites or the refugios, you still have quite a few options. Also, the website can be a bit of a pain, and I also encountered some language barriers to getting my questions answered by their representatives (they were very nice, though).
9. How challenging is the trek?
If you’re in good shape, it’s pretty easy. If you’re not in the best of shape, it will be more challenging, but still doable. Your feet will probably have the toughest go of things, because there are many sections of uneven rocks, and these can beat you up pretty bad after 8 hours of hiking on them. The hike up and back through Valle del Frances is the longest day (day 3 of the typical east to west hike), and it’s a fairly steady grade uphill, with a few steep uphill and downhill climbs. The first day up to the Torres del Paine is the steepest hike, and also includes the rather perilous Paso del Vientos (Pass of the Winds) where you have to hike around a windy cliff. (Scary)
10. What else is around so I can maximize my travel time on the edge of the world?
I previously mentioned El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier, and there are other Patagonian treks near enough in Argentina that you can string together. Also, if you go at the right time of year you can visit Magellanic penguin colonies at Isla Magdalena or Seno Otway. And if you’re really serious about seeing Patagonia, you could travel further south to Tierra del Fuego, or even to Antarctica–if you can afford it!
Want help planning your trip to Torres del Paine? Check out this more recent post: Tips for Travel to Torres del Paine National Park
Bookmarked this. I’ll get there. Extremely helpful. Thanks.
Thanks, Kate! It’s a beautiful place, let us know if you need any advice!
How fast does the wind blow?
No idea what the speed is and I guess it would depend on the time of year. We were there in January–at one very steep and narrow pass, I felt unstable on my feet and kneeled down for minute to let it pass. That only happened once.
Gusts, in the summer, can be up to 100 mph. What I thought was really cool, is that you can experience all four seasons in a single day. For example, it can be snowing up at high elevations and, due to the wind, the snow can be blown down to almost sea level where the temperature could be in the 70s F (20s C). Snowing when it’s 70 degrees is not something you experience everyday!
Hi Cassie and Kevin,
I am nervous about the Paso del Vientos. How scary is scary? When you say windy cliff, does it seem like someone could trip and fall down the mountain or worse, be blown off the mountain?
Thanks.
Hi Katy, I was pretty scared on this segment! It is narrow but if you step carefully you’ll be fine. It’s also short, only a few meter stretch where it is windier than normal. Thousands of hikers do the trek every year and there’s no warning given about this stretch of trail over others. This windy pass is no reason not to visit the park or even to not hike this trail to Mirador Las Torres, which is one of them ost stunning vista in the park and one of the most beautiful places in the world! So please don’t let it scare you away from this trail, you’ll be fine!
When are you going? Let me know if you have any questions — we found it challenging to get information about TDP and book our trek so I’m happy to help out or share more of our photos if there is anything else you’re wondering about.
Hi,
Just wondering whether it is necessary to book camp sites in advance? If so which ones do you recommend?
Many thanks,
Mike
Since I didn’t camp, I’m probably not the best person to ask, but my guess is that you’ll want to be pre-booked during the high season for sure. Some campsites also close later in the season, so check the schedules. As for recommendations, maybe the one campsite I would say makes a real difference would be the one at the base of the towers on the hike up to Mirador Las Torres. It’s the only realistic way to see the Towers at sunrise, where they can glow a magical pink hue in the early light.
Great info in this post. I’ve had this trip on my bucket list for a very long time. Some day soon I hope to get here.
Thanks, Leigh! We really did find it challenging to find practical information about TDP (strange, because it’s a popular destination!) But let us know if you have any questions when you are planning your trip, and we’ll try to help you out!
Hi! I am a chilean currently working in Puerto Natales, came across this and actually thought that if anyone needs more specific info about PTDP I wouldn’t mind helping out. It is true that information about the park and sorroundings is very vague (I am chilean, and felt exactly the same about this) and english is not always well spoken by tour company employees here. Like I said, I’ve been working here for a few months, and have learned a whole deal about some of the best tips to visit the park (as I also visited when I arrived, but still have the W trek to do)…well hope I can help out! Best of luck everyone!
Hi Charlotte, this is fantastic! Thank you so much for offering to help! I’ll pass your contact information on to anyone who has any questions about the park, the tours, or Puerto Natales. I hope you get a chance to get out there and do the W soon! It’s a beautiful trek!
We’ve just completed the trek so I thought I’d post some comments that may help others, given this post helped us out!
– Whilst this trek is out in the Wilderness do not expect to be on your own, you will pass people in other directions or be passed by people every 10 minutes and much less at times. If you get going before 0800 things are a little quieter.
-We did the trek from east to west I initially wanted to do it from W to E but the connections with the Glacier grey “ferry” would have added another day. I really wouldn’t stress about which way to go we got lucky and the weather was good the day we saw the towers but then it crapped out for the next four days- even the most accurate grib weather files were pretty innacurate about this part of the world so go which ever way suites your schedule its all about luck.
– The wind can be really brutal get a good pair of wrap around sunglasses that closely hug your face, use straps to hold them on, the winds were so bad that my wifes sunnies got blown off her face whilst she was was wearing them
– the trek is possible to do in 3 nights and 4 days as we did it you will be doing around 20kms per day there is a bit of bactracking involved as it is not a circuit.
– As at 20/11/2013 Campamemento Italiano IS open and i don’t see any reason it would close, just a note Camp Britanico has no composting toilets for those of you who care, there is probably not a real lot of reason to stay at Britanico though.
– credit cards are becoming more widely accepted, Las Torres, Cuernos, Paine Grande and Grey all had facilities, I never used them though and would still recommend bringing enough cash. US dollars are widely accepted.
– It is possible to camp but have all of your meals at the refugios, if you are going to do this I would still recommend bringing some dense protein bars, jerky, nuts and the like that you can eat if you say want to camp at italiano where there are no services. We also wanted to get going earlier than breakfast started on most of the days which is generally 0700 or 0730.
-My partner is vegetarian and we did not need to prebook meals as has been recommended on numerous sites.
– Walking poles – everybody says that you really need them so we hired them and I actually never used them and we had over 100kph winds so I dont think they are really essential they spent the whole time strapped to the side of my pack. When the winds really picked up the poles were flying around strapped to peoples wrists ready to take an eye out.
– Pack covers are great but more importantly get a pack liner as well, because regardless of any pack cover when it rains horizontally (which no pack cover known to man will keep out) which it did for most of our trek then your stuff will still be dry.
– There is a ferry from Refugio Grey back to Hotel grey I would recommend booking it if you know the day you are going to finish at Refugio Grey (if you are going east to west), we were told we didn’t need to book it and were very lucky to get on it is expensive at 90USD each you get spectacular views of glacier grey though.
– just a note with the ferry you will need to organise a separate transfer from hotel grey to Administration to catch the 1800 bus back to Puerto Natales, we were told that there was a minibus that was constantly ferrying people back and forth, we could never find it so went to Hotel Grey and paid about 50 usd for them to drive us to administration, or alternatively I think buses Fernandez MAY go directly from Hotel Grey to Puerto Natales.
-Im sure most reading this would be fairly seasoned trekkers/hikers/outdoorsy type people. We saw many people on this trek that were woefully un prepared a couple of general points. The weather in Patagonia can be brutally extreme, Ensure you have
– quality hard shell jackets and rain pants
– do not hike in cotton outer clothing especially jeans ( i cant believe the amount of people that were wearing jeans when it was bucketing down and really windy they were absolutely freezing when they go to the refugios)
– protect and double protect your clothes and sleeping bags in your packs
– ensure your tent can handle the brutal winds and driving rain, bring extra cord ( we brought about 12 metres of 6mm cord) and pegs to reinforce your pitching.
You can do the trek regardless of your experience but get some advice from your outdoorsy mates if you haven’t got a whole lot of time sleeping out under the stars it will be alot more comfortable and enjoyable for you.
Despite the absolutely miserable weather we had it was still a great trek although we really didn’t see any of the above scenery expect for the towers.
Hello
We are going to TDP in January and want to stay one night at Campamento Italiano – which is an unserviced campsite. Does anyone know if we can book it at all or whether we just take our chances, turn up and put up a tent? Also does anyone know if there are any facilities at all there?
This website has been SO useful thanks so much for all the tips!
Alex
Hi Alex,
Thanks for visiting. That campsite is outside of Fantastico Sur’s private land, and is free for those paying park permits. My best guess is that it is a first come first served deal, and January might be pretty crowded, but I think you’ll be just fine. In my experience, everyone is so nice on the trail that I’m sure you’ll be able to find a spot to squeeze in no matter what.
Have an awesome trip!
K
Han-Wei, I just noticed I never replied to this, I’m so sorry about that! This is a fantastic set of tips, thank you so much for sharing them. I’m glad this post is still proving useful to travelers heading to TDP (I’ve seen a marked uptick in traffic to it as peak season approaches.) Thank you so much for adding your useful tips and your recent experience. Thinking about this trip makes me long to go back! Happy New Year to you!
Do you have information on how remote the 10 day trek is, how the weather has been in the past at the very beginning of January, and how much it costs to stay in the refugios? I am also concerned with how difficult the terrain is on the 10 day trek, and how worth it it is to do the 10 day versus the 4 day. Also, are there usually a lot of other hikers doing the circuit at the beginning of January?
Thanks!
Fantastico Sur’s website has all the prices. My sense of the full circuit is that it’s a lot more remote than the W. The biggest issue, just guessing, would be that you have to pack your own supplies for 5 days through the other side. I think the terrain is a lot rougher, too. Like I said in the article, there are things you just don’t have to deal with on the W (like waist-high rivers you might have to cross with your full pack). If you’re really looking to do something hardcore, then the circuit is for you. If you want an easier trek that is still really beautiful, I’d stick with the W. All kinda depends on how much time you have.
Hi Cassie/ Charlotte,
I’m glad I found your blog and thanks for your kind offer to share information about Patagonia. It’s indeed very hard to find the information for trekking there. I will fly from the US and will have limited time to visit TdP in Dec. Perhaps you can help answer the following:
1. We want to visit Mirador Torres and Pehoe Lake / Salto Grande & Paine Head area. Can I do Mirador Torres ( 4hrs from Hostel La Torres one way) on the same day I arrived If I arrive Hotel Las Tores before noon?
2. Is the link below still valid for the bus schedule to Puerto Natales? >> https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Torres_del_Paine_National_Park
If day 2, we want to visit Pehoe Lake/ Salto Grande/ Paine Head and we are based at the Hostel Las Torres, we can catch the bus from Laguna Amarga at 9.45 a.m. and get off at Pudeto at 10.45 a.m, correct? Normally how long will it take to travel in this area? Can I still manage to visit Grey glacier or it will be too tight?
3. According to the bus schedule, I plan to catch the bus at 7 p.m. back to Puerto Natales. on day 2. Do you have any concern?
5. Normally, Refugio has the place to store the belongings that we don’t want to carry during the day hiking?
Thanks very much for your help. Any other suggestion/ comment is welcome.
Anne
Hi there,
We are trying to plan our W hike in Patagonia and are having a hard time finding information (like everyone else!). Would you recommend booking a package through Fantastico Sur or one of the other companies? In addition, do you think it is possible to fly into Ushuaia, bus to Punto Arenas, hike the W and bus back to Ushuaia?
Thanks in advance for your time!
Leia
Hi Leia,
To quickly answer your first question, definitely book through Fantastico Sur. They own the land and the refugios, hotels, etc. It’s a weird idea for there to be private land in a National Park, but there it is. When you’re hiking the trail, you’ll see the signs marking the land boundaries. I’d recommend the refugios for you rather than camping. Also, make sure your gear is up to snuff. Read Han-Wei’s comments above about that part.
As for the idea of a bus from Ushuaia and back, I think it’s a bad idea. It looks like 12 hours each way, and that’s just too much time. Instead, after you’re done with TDP, I’d choose either of these two options: El Calafate / Perito Moreno in Argentina (more trekking and mountain vistas), or north by boat in Chile perhaps to Chiloe Island and Isla Magdalena (penguin colony).
Good luck with your trip!
Thanks for the info particularly the packing list. I am going in a week or so and doing the circuit. I am on an organised trip but my luggage allowance is only 6kg so that will be a challenge. One question, did you get snow on the trek and what do you think about taking gaiters? thanks
Hi Annie, glad this info could help you. My guess is that a lot of snow is unlikely since it doesn’t actually get that cold. Wind and rain are far more likely, practically guaranteed if you’re out there for 9 days. As for gaiters, it’s one of those things that *maybe* you might use, but I certainly didn’t need them on the W. If you’re looking for things on your list to cut, that’d be a prime target for me. You can rent a lot of different gear in Puerto Natales, so if weight is your primary concern (as opposed to money), that might be a good option for you.
Kevin, thanks for your reply re the gaiters. One more question, after reading Han-Wei’s comments above about his wife’s sunglasses being blown away, how does one prevent this? Ski goggles perhaps!
I’ve used something like this before: http://amzn.to/1fj0E1K
But you can make your own with string or shoelaces in a pinch. Or just tuck them into your hat. 🙂
What a great blog! I am planning to go on an organized trek of the Circuit, and while I know the weather in TDP is variable, do you know (or can recommend websites) that can help one plan when to visit? Is there much of a difference between trekking in January v. February v. first half of March? Also, are there certain travel insurance companies trekkers use in this area to help with the cost of transport from TDP to a medical facility? (Hopefully not needed, but…).
-Al
The weather is so unpredictable that I honestly couldn’t say if you’re better off in any of the months you mention. We went in late March and had fantastic weather, while a guy we met went in January and spent 4 days walking against 50+ mph winds. I think you just have to go and hope for the best while preparing for the worst. To save weight, you won’t need any super cold weather gear, because it doesn’t really get all that cold (not really below freezing in the summer). But layers and rain proof gear are a good idea. Also, don’t wear cotton.
As for travel insurance, I really have no idea. The place is so remote that I’m guessing any insurance situation will require you to pay for the service and get reimbursed later. It isn’t as if they will be sending agents to the site. My advice? Be careful. Also, I walked only the W, so I imagine the Circuit is even more remote and less traveled, so bringing some kind of emergency supplies and spreading the weight across the group probably makes sense. I am, by no means, an expert on that part, though. From what I hear, the Circuit is a different ballgame, so don’t read these W tips and think you’ll be prepared for the Circuit.
Hi Cassie and Kevin: I’m planning for visiting Torres del Paine Park. I hesitate if I should take the trek up to Torres del Paine base because of my age. I noticed a picture in section 9 of your blog “How challenging is the trek”. Is this the steep climbing part of the trek ? If it is, how much time is spent on this climbing part? I learned that people may take a horse ride
to cover the part in Valle Ascencio, until reaching the steep climbing part. is that true? I need your advise to make my decision. Thanks! David Rong
Hi David,
As for the challenge of the hike, I guess the safest thing would be to consult your doctor if you are worried about any particular condition, but I would also say that in terms of difficulty, the climbs aren’t too bad. There are switchbacks, and of course you can always take them at your own pace. There are long days of hiking, but if you’re in decent physical condition, you should be ok. We encountered travelers into their 60’s and possibly beyond along our way. I honestly don’t know about options on horseback, but it wouldn’t surprise me, since we did see horses in the valley near Hotel Las Torres.
But no matter what, I would say that you shouldn’t let anything prevent you from going to TDP, because it’s too beautiful to miss. Even if you don’t do the steeper climbs, there is still much to see.
Good luck!
Hi Cassie and Kevin: Thank you so much for your reply and encouragement. Your blog is very interesting and informative. I’d like to have an idea how steep is the final steel climb path. In section 9 of your blog “How challenging is the trek”. I noticed a picture showing a slope covered by big and small rocks, and there were people climbing on that slope. I wonder if this is the steep climbing towards the TDP base? I also learned to climb this part takes around 1 hour. If this is true, I think I can do it.
Thanks!
Yeah, that’s right. It takes about 3 hours of very gentle climb to get to the base of the towers, and then an hour, tops, for the last part. I think you can do it, too! Have a great trip!
hi i was wondering if anyone has done the w circuit in the july period
i am doing it for the purpose of photography
Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for reading! In researching your answer, I found this post about hiking the W in winter. Apparently, the wind dies down as the temperature drops. There are not really too many facilities, so you’d be sort of on your own, and the article also mentions that you need mountaineering equipment to do the full circuit (where you would see zero people over 10 days). Hiking with a full pack the whole way makes it a lot more challenging. It would be pretty hard core, but it looks like it’s been done before. You’d definitely get some nice shots, though. If you do the trip, please post a link to your pics back here. I looked up some of your surfing shots and they are solid!
Hi,
I will travel alone to Patagonia, and I would like to go to TDP. Can I do the W trek alone or maybe follow or join to others groups or travelers during the trek?
Regards
A lot of people travel alone to TDP. There will be enough people on the trail that even if you get hurt when you are hiking alone, someone would be by to help you shortly, so that isn’t a concern. And you’ll have enough opportunities to make friends around the world that finding a hiking partner or three shouldn’t be much of a problem, either! Have a great trip!
Hello,
What is the best way to do the W trek, east to west or west to east ? What direction do you recommend me?
Regards
East to west is the most common direction and the one I would recommend since it’s easier to plan. But with a little planning, you can do west to east as well. In the end, you’ll be seeing the same scenery either way.
Hi Carol, we did the trek from East to West which I’ve read is the most common direction. I liked that it got one of the most challenging portions of the hike (up to the Towers) out of the way at the beginning. Best of luck and have fun!
Do I need to book ahead of time to do this trek, or can I just show up at the starting trailhead and do it? is there a limit to how many trekkers can start the trail? also do i need to book the refugio’s ahead of time or show up also?
i’m going to south america for 5 months going down south: starting off in ecuadaor, peru, bolivia, making my way south down chile and back up to argentina and ending it off in iguazu falls. i’m already in the process of booking my 4 day inca trail hike. but i’m not sure if i have to book the w-trail ahead of time since it seems like its a world famous trek and like i said if there’s a limit to the number of people that can do it? thanks
Hi Ian, that sounds like an awesome trip. For the W specifically, I’d definitely recommend booking in advance if you’re going during the December to early March high season. After mid-March, the refugios start closing for the winter, too. Between about April and November, the refugios are closed and camping is the only option. If there’s a limit to the number of people allowed on the trail, I can’t find it. I don’t think that will be a problem for you, though if you go in the high season and you’re camping, there are limited spots at some sites.
Hi there – Can you advise what to do with/where to leave my regular backpack while I take a smaller one on the W Trek? I’m going to S America for 3 weeks and can’t carry all the stuff with me in the Paine. Thanks!
Hi Janice,
Thanks for reading! We stayed in a B&B / hostel type place in Puerto Natales the night before and after, and they let us store all our non-essentials there while we did the W. It was a piece of cake! Have a great time!
Hi,
Thanks for posting about your TDP experience. We are looking into it for December 2014. We are not campers and while we like adventure and things off the beaten track I don’t think the refugios are for us either. The “moderate” priced hotels in TDP get mixed reviews and while the high end hotel sounds great it’s too pricey. I found Estancia Cerro Guido which is 40 minutes outside TDP. If we aren’t staying in TDP, can we still do the main three treks (Base of the Towers, Valle del Frances and Grey Trail/Glacier) as day trips?
Hi Diane, thanks for reading. I think to answer your question, it’s really hard to appreciate how remote TDP is without seeing for yourself. It’s way too far to do day trips from Puerto Natales, and I admit I don’t know much about options like you mention that are closer. To answer your question about day trips, I think the Glacier and the Towers are probably doable, but Valle del Frances is not. If you look at the shape of the W on a map, you’ll see that Valle is the middle prong, and it’s accessible only by hiking in several hours from either other side. Then, the hike itself is pretty lengthy. On the plus side, the Refugio closest to VdF has private cabins with hot tub access. We found that to be pretty awesome, and you absolutely cannot beat the setting. So a possible option would be to do hotel stays coupled with a hike to the Towers, a cabin at Regufio Los Cuernos, and then possibly some kind of hotel stay after your glacier day hike. I can’t promise that itinerary is possible, but I can say that you don’t want to miss any part of the W. Each hike feels more amazing than the last. (The same cannot be said for your feet after each day though.)
Thanks Kevin for the additional information. We’ll check out Regufio Los Cuernos.
Hi Cassie and Kevin:
Hope you’re doing well!! Thanks for investing time in this and also reply to all the posts. Is it possible for you to share the contact of Charlotte Bailey? I would like to get more info from her since she is a local.
Thanks again.
Harvey (Toronto, Canada)
Hi Harvey, Charlotte actually wrote a guest post with some more tips that I’m planning to share later this week! I’ll send you the link when I do. In the meantime, if you have some specific questions, you can send them to me and I will forward them on to her –> http://everintransit.com/contact/
Hi Harvey, here is the blog post that Charlotte wrote: http://everintransit.com/tips-for-torres-del-paine-national-park/
Let me know if you have any other questions you want me to pass on to her!
Hi everyone! Charlotte Bailey Catalan (from Chile, who commented above) shared some more tips in this new post: “Tips for Travel to Torres del Paine National Park” http://everintransit.com/tips-for-torres-del-paine-national-park/
Thanks so much for this post – we are looking at hiking in the Park and there is a total lack of information. We are looking at going in December (over xmas) but I think we waited too long to make reservations, so we may have to wait another year
Thanks, Mike! I would be a little surprised if everything were already booked at TDP, but it’s true that might be one of the busiest times. You could check with the people at Fantastico Sur to find out.
Mike–Kevin forgot to mention that we did another post a few weeks ago sharing more TDP tips from a local: http://everintransit.com/tips-for-torres-del-paine-national-park/. You might find that one helpful, too! Best of luck, and safe travels!
Great page. I found it really helpful. Do you know how to get permits for Valley of Silence and Bader Valley? I read that a special permit is required.
And is it possible to go from Camp Chileno to Bader Valley To Camp Cuernos in one day? or is that to hard. I am not a hardcore trekker 🙂
Would you recommend walking north of Camp Grey along Glacier Grey (and then returning to Camp Grey for the night).
Should one book the boat across Lake Pehoe in advance, or can you just show up?
We are thinking 5 days 4 nights on the W trek. Am trying to plan an itinerary, it is a lot to consider. But really looking forward to it. Looks stunning 🙂
Hi, thanks for reading! Unfortunately, I can’t be of much help on Valley of Silence and Bader Valley. I would say that if you’re not hardcore, adding extra plans to the W is probably not a good idea. When I was there, I saw three burly dudes absolutely bomb through the W in 3 days, and those guys could have probably done it. Generally, I would say the W itself is so incredibly beautiful that you won’t be too worried about things you missed. And if you’re booking through Fantastico Sur, you’ll get your boat ticket as part of that package. Seems like a lot of people showed up without plans, though, but they might have had tickets to use anytime, I didn’t ask.
Hlelo,
we are currently in northern Patagonia and are planning to do the W at the end of November. We haven’t booked the shelters yet so I hope it’ll be ok. This is the place I found the most practical information on the internet, so I hope you can answer the questions I still have. 🙂
Can all the refugios be booked’ through Fantastico Sur? I think I read that the western ones (Grey and Paine Grande?) are managed by another company.
You haven’t actually described the itinerary, and I found it not easy to figure it out. Could you please confirm that I’m on the right track?
Day 1: Arrival at Laguna Amarga, then Refugio Las Torres. If you arrive by the evening, sleep there, if in the morning, you hike until the base of Las Torres and back to the Refugio Las Torres.
Day 2: From Refugio Las Torres to Refugio Los Cuernos.
Day 3: From Los Cuernos, enter Valley Frances, but not until Britanico (??), and then until the Refugio Paine Grande.
This is where the information seems to lack most, what exactly is the itinerary here, it seems that starting at Los Cuernos, hiking up until Britanico then back through Valley Frances until Paine Grande is not doable in one days, is it?
Day 4: Paine Grande to Refugio Grey (+ there’s a lookout half an hour further north, correct?), then catch the ferry (it’s a ferry right? I read catamaran elsewhere) to Hotel Lago Grey where you take a shuttle to the park administration where you catch the bus back to Puerto Natales.
Day 5 option: instead of taking the ferry in day 4, backtrack to Paine Grande, sleep there. Then on day 5, walk from Paine Grande to Administration.
Am I right? Could enlighten my on Valley Frances?
Also another question, that might sound stupid, but is there a risk to encounter errand dogs? We’re more scared of dogs than pumas or scary wind… plus I’m allergic so if I get bitten things could go pretty wrong. Asking cause there are LOTS of errand dogs everywhere in Chile, don’t know how it is in such a remote place as Torres del Paine though.
Thanks!
Karim
Hi Karim,
Yeah, that’s pretty much it on the itinerary, and the Valle Frances is a one day hike. It’s a long day. You can also book everything you need for the W through Fantastico Sur. Last, no dogs in TDP, so you’re good. I found the dogs around Chile to be nice, though, and not a threat, so I don’t think you need to worry too much. Have a great time!
K
thanks a lot! I just sent an email to Fantastico Sur, Their website isn’t very clear indeed, they offer a W “package” that seems to be twice the price of what you would pay if you booked each refugio individually… something seems funny there 🙂
Any tip for a ho(s)tel in Puerto Natales?
Cheers
Karim
Great, glad to hear that, Karim! We stayed at Hostal Sir Francis Drake when we were in Puerto Natales–comfortable place, good breakfast, and they let us store our bags there when we did the W trek. They were in the process of being sold when we were there so I have no idea how it is now.
Have a great trip!
Glad to have found this site. Very useful info. Thank you.
1. Anybody know if the Mountain House brand of freeze dried food can be bought there? If not, I plan on bringing them with me from California. We love the food of that brand.
2. We have JetBoil stoves. The gas canisters that are sold there – do they work with stoves sold in the USA, such as the JetBoil?
3. Do we need to bring containers to store food in? We backpack a lot in the Californian wilderness, and we always, always have to store food and scented items in bear proof containers, and store them away from the tents/camp.
4. The windy descriptions make me reconsider bringing my REI Dome T3 Plus tent for our 4 or 5 day W-Trek.
Hi ,
Great blog and good information! Still it is so hard to find reliable information so I’d be glad if someone here can help me: We are planning to do the W-trek and already booked our flight to Punta arenas on APRIL 29.
Are the campsites open (we wouldnt need refugions)? Is it still possible to do the W-trek at this time (april 30 to may 4)?
Thank you
Simon
Off-season, you can definitely do the trek, but there isn’t as much support available, and the refugios will all be closed at that time, so you would want to make sure you had absolutely everything you needed. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful pics from this time of year, so it can be done, you just want to make sure you’re prepared for the elements. I think there are a bunch of self service campsites you’d be able to use, though I don’t know all the details. The detail I’d want to look into is transportation to and from the park during the offseason. I’m not sure if the regular buses run from Puerto Natales at that time of the year. I’m sure there are other options, but as I said, it’s just going be more challenging to arrange it.
Thanks Kevin!!
Yeah, I will try to find out about transportation somehow!
I read somewhere (maybe in the comments here) the catamaran stops running in April…how would that influence doing the w-trek?
It probably means you’d have to hike around the lake to pick up a ride somewhere on the other side. It’d either be where the catamaran would otherwise drop you off, or where you enter the park to start the W trek. But that’s just a guess, I really have no idea. I’m guessing you’ll need to make special arrangements. Maybe you can contact Fantastico Sur and they might be able to point you in the right direction? As I said with them, I found them to be helpful, though there was a bit of a language barrier.
Hi
Always great to read about this amazing part of the world again. Me and my family visited the park back in 2005 in December and hiked the W route. Truly stunning. We were lucky with the weather as well, with the wind and rain only really picking up on our last day of hiking.
To anyone wondering about the difficulty of the route, I was 15 when we hiked, and my brothers 13 and 10. We skipped the last part of the hike up to the glacier, and rather spent more time at the Torres. We camped every night and only ate dinner at the one refugio. While it was not one of the easiest hikes, it was very manageable even with camping gear and food for 5 days.
Great tips, Mercia! And thanks for sharing this travel memory!
I’m confused about one thing. If I want to eat at the refugio I’m staying, must I book the full board option in advance, or is it possible to buy a meal ad hoc?
Hi, I’m not sure about that. Reach out to the refugio management company to ask that. We did the full board option. Best of luck!
Hello! Thanks for such great information here. I’m headed down in early November, and while I wish I had more time, I would like to complete the circuit in 4 days. I’m wondering, if I spend night one in Camping el Chileno, night two in Camping Frances, and night three in Camping Paine Grande, is it reasonable to assume I can be back in civilization via way of the catamaran/bus on the fourth night? Or would it be best for me to either stay the fourth night at Camping Grey?
Thanks,
Jamie
You can definitely make it to the glacier and back on the 4th day if you get a reasonably early start. It’s not that long a hike. When we were there, we saw some guys bomb through the W and do pretty much exactly that. You can leave your bags and hike without them, and you should be able to make it back easily… unless the weather doesn’t cooperate. Always need to factor that in, because anything can happen.
Thanks a lot! Appreciate it. Final question: Can you get away with trail shoes? I’d prefer not to haul my boots down there…
We used trail shoes. Honestly, unpredictable weather is the biggest challenge with the W, not the hike itself. Just make sure you have the gear to stay dry in case the rain comes.
Great information! Is it possible to hike to the towers and other spots without doing the entire W? We’ll be coming from the US where we have limited vacation time, but we’ll still have about 5 nights total in Patagonia. Thanks!
yes, you can take a bus that drops you off at the Hotel Las Torres and do a one day hike. I’d recommend staying 1 night in the park if you decide to do that, though.
Is the hiking surface on W trek mostly rocky? Gravel? Grass?
It varies, mostly a well-packed dirt path, though some of the uphill portions near Mirador Las Torres and Mirador Britanico are quite rocky so you have to scramble over the uneven rocks. Wear good hiking shoes!