51° 04' 20.5" S 73° 05' 40.4" W

Route Type: Point-to-Point

Distance: 38 miles

Trailhead: Paine Grande Campground, Torres del Paine NP

Permits Required: Yes

Recommended Duration: 4 days/3 nights

Post-Hike Beer: Cerveza Austral Calafate

The Hike:

The ‘W’ Trek in Torres del Paine National Park is a 38 mile point-to-point hike beginning from the Paine Grande Campground in Torres del Paine National Park and ending at the Hotel las Torres near the park entrance.

Logistics:

The ‘W’ Trek is strictly on a reservation based system to limit the number of hikers at each campground and minimize the impact on the region. This is an extremely popular hike and reservations fill up quickly, especially during peak summer season (December-February). Reservations for campgrounds are handled by 2 different organizations: Vertice Patagonia and Fantastico Sur. The first campsite (Paine Grande) is administered by Vertice Patagonia while the second and third campsites (Los Cuernos, El Chileno) are administered by Fantasico Sur. All three campsites cost $9.00/night for single occupancy or $16.00/night for double occupancy.

Day 1 (7.2 miles)

Begin day 1 of your TdP adventure with an early bus ride departing from the Puerto Natales bus depot to the park entrance at Laguna Amarga. Upon arriving at the Laguna Amarga entrance, you will pay the entrance fee ($21,000 CLP/ $25.00 USD cash only, Chilean Pesos) and receive a map of the park. Re-board your bus and then continue on to the stop at the Pudeto Catamaran (Your bus driver may stop at the Mirador del Nordenskold viewpoint for one of the most iconic views of the park). Board the catamaran and pay the fee to cross Lago Pehoe on your way to the Paine Grande Campground. The upper deck of the catamaran gives great views of the surrounding area as you cross the aqua-blue waters of the glacier fed Lago Pehoe.

Once you arrive at Paine Grande join the queue to check in for your reservation (make sure to have a paper copy, your passport, and Chilean entrance ticket). Quickly stake claim to your camp area (the closer to the base of the mountain the better, blocks wind) and then depart towards Glacier Grey. Continue on for as long as your like (at least make it to the Mirador Grey viewpoint, 7.2 miles RT) and then return to camp, keeping in mind that tomorrow will be your longest hiking day. Head to the bar area and snag a seat close to the window and enjoy a beer or two in a respite from the elements. There is an enclosed cooking area near the campground.

Day 2 (14.3 miles)

Wake up early to see the sun reflecting off of snow capped peaks and tear down camp to get an early start on your days hike. Head from Paine Grande to Italiano campground (4.5 mi) where you can take a quick break for lunch and leave your main pack at the guard station (Cover with rain cover in the event of sudden storm while you are gone). From the Italiano guard station, head up the French valley for incredible views across Lago Nordenskold and then continue up to Mirador Brittanico to get up close to the peaks (6.7 mi RT). Gather your pack back at the guard station and head on to Los Cuernos (3.1 mi) where you will check in and set up camp on raised platforms for the night. There is an enclosed cooking area near the campground.

Day 3 (13 miles)

The start time for day 3 is dependent upon your plan for visiting the namesake Torres del Paine. For this itinerary it is recommended to get an early start and make the journey from Los Cuernos to El Chileno (7.6 mi) , set up camp and then continue on to the Torres del Paine (5.4 mi RT). Keep in mind that the estimated times on the above map are VERY slow if you are reasonably fit. In the above map, the estimated time from Los Cuernos to the Torres del Paine viewpoint and back to El Chileno is 11.5 hours for ~13 miles (just over 1 mph). This section can be completed much faster, especially taking into consideration that the entire RT hike from El Chileno to the Torres del Paine viewpoint (5.4 mi RT) will be done without your main pack. A popular alternative is to wake up before sunrise on Day 4 and make the trip in the dark to the viewpoint in order to catch the sunrise reflecting off the peaks. Keep in mind that this section of the hike is fairly treacherous, particularly in the early season when snow is still present, and requires a headlamp. It is recommended to complete the trip to the Torres in the afternoon on Day 3 as it is likely that most of the day hikers have already descended and the late afternoon light can easily rival the sunrise.

Day 4 (3.5 miles)

After the long day and afternoon journey up to the Torres you can sleep in and take your time and head on to the Hotel Los Torres (2.75 miles). With the bus not departing until the afternoon for the trip back to Puerto Natales, take some time to check out the gift shop inside the Hotel Los Torres and grab a good, albeit fairly pricey, lunch from the restaurant or bar inside the hotel. After several days of trail food, a non-dehydrated meal is a fitting reward. From Hotel Los Torres you will eventually need to make your way to the Torres del Paine Welcome Center (0.75 miles) where you will need to wait for a shuttle bus to take you back to Laguna Amarga ($3,000 CLP/ $4.00 USD). It is possible to walk from the welcome center back to Laguna Amarga, however the scenery is not the best and for only ~$4.00 USD it is definitely not worth it to try and pinch pennies here. Once back at Laguna Amarga simply wait for your bus back to Puerto Natales (mine was already waiting there even though I arrived 30+ minutes before the scheduled departure).

Best Time to Go:

The hiking season for the ‘W’ Trek is from early October through April. The peak season (summer) spans December through February and provides the most docile weather but also the most tourists. It is recommended to go during the shoulder seasons (October/November, March/April) to avoid the crowds.

Good to Know:

Getting There

Due to the remoteness of Torres del Paine National Park, getting there requires a bit of planning to ensure a smooth trip.

From Santiago:

• Flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas

• Bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales with overnight stay in Puerto Natales

• Bus from Puerto Natales to TdP Pudeto Catamaran stop

• Bus from Torres del Paine Welcome Center to Laguna Amarga

• Bus from Laguna Amraga to Puerto Natales with overnight stay in Puerto Natales

• Bus from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas

• Flight from Punta Arenas to Santiago

Water

The water in Torres del Paine is all from snow and glacier melt sources so the water is very clean and pure. It is not necessary to filter your water before consumption (the park map states this as well). Always collect your water from moving streams and away (preferably uphill) from the trails to avoid any possible contamination from people hiking or animals on the trails. There is water available at all the campsites which is safe to drink without filtering as well. With plenty of water sources available you will not need to carry substantial amounts of water with you while hiking, which will save a significant amount of weight in your pack.

Can drink water from sources, no filter required. Water available at all campsites.

Campsites

All of the campsites (Paine Grande, Los Cuernos, El Chileno) have small stores/restaurants where food and drinks can be purchased (for VERY high prices). Paine Grande and Los Cuernos offer small cooking areas for self-supported backpackers where you can use your portable camp stove. El Chileno DOES NOT allow the use of camp stoves, however the restaurant will provide you with hot water for adding to dehydrated backpacking meals.

Supplies in Puerto Natales

There are only a handful places to get supplies in the town of Puerto Natales before your trip in Torres del Paine and the prices will inevitably be slightly overpriced. Before departing from Santiago I visited a grocery store to purchase some non-perishable items and brought them in my checked bag, along with the dehydrated meals I brought from home. With that being said, I did visit the grocery store in Puerto Natales (Store name) to grab a few extra things that I had overlooked in Santiago.

The main item that you will need to get your hands on in Puerto Natales is fuel for your camp stove as you cannot transport these on airplanes. It’s likely that you will not be able to find the same brand that your stove uses but you should be able to find something compatible. When I arrived in Puerto Natales it was a Sunday and it was still very early into the backpacking season, and thus many shops were closed. I was able to locate a small shop that offers guided tours and limited supplies that had a compatible fuel canister for my stove (Jetboil Zip). It was definitely substantially overpriced but that is the nature of buying supplies in such a remote corner of the world.

Hazards

The weather is Torres del Paine is notorious for rapidly changing and extreme gusts of wind. It is essential to be prepared with proper clothing and weather gear. During the shoulder season, temperatures can frequently dip below freezing at night along with the possibility of precipitation (rain, sleet, snow). The following items are essential to ensure a safe trip during the colder shoulder season:

• Water proof boots, pants, rain jacket

• Thermal base layers

• Wind/water proof gloves

• Hat/scarf

• Backpack rain cover/water proofing

• Rain fly for tent

Phone reception/internet

• There is no cell phone reception throughout the entire park. The lodges at Paine Grande and Los Cuernos offer by the hour internet connection for reasonable prices if you need to check in with family.

Cost Breakdown (In order)

• Punta Arenas-Puerto Natales Bus (Bus Sur): $9,000 CLP/ $11.00 USD

• Puerto Natales-Torres del Paine, Pudeto Catamaran stop (Bus Sur): $9,000 CLP/ $11.00 USD

• Torres del Paine Entrance Fee: $21,000 CLP/ $25.00 USD

• Pudeto Catamaran-Paine Grande Campground: $21,000 CLP/ $25.00 USD

• Campground Reservations

  • Paine Grande: $7,500 CLP/ $9.00 USD

  • Los Cuernos: $7,500 CLP/ $9.00 USD

  • El Chileno: $7,500 CLP/ $9.00 USD

• Torres del Paine Welcome Center-Laguna Amarga ($3,000 CLP/ $4.00 USD)

• Torres del Paine-Puerto Natales (Bus Sur): $9,000 CLP/ $11.00 USD

• Puerto Natales-Punta Arenas (Bus Sur): $9,000 CLP/ $11.00 USD