Backpacking in Torres del Paine - a 2024 guide
Backpacking in Torres del Paine, one of the most famous national parks in Patagonia is an incredible experience. The park offers breathtaking scenery and amazing hiking trails. Thousands of people come here for backpacking every year, as a result, it gets quite crowded during the season. The park has good infrastructure; well-marked trails, designated campsites, picnic areas, restaurants, shops, hotels, rangers' posts, etc. Torres del Paine is a not-to-miss place in South America.
You can come to the park as a day visitor and do one of the day hikes in Torres del Paine or spend more time and complete one of the multi-day backpacking routes: the W trek or the O circuit. In this post, you can find the necessary information to prepare for backpacking in Torres del Paine.
If you like the outdoors and wilderness you might enjoy trekking in El Chalten, Argentina. There are several day hikes and long-distance treks that offer fantastic scenery.
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Torres del Paine National Park
- The National Park was established in 1959.
- It is located in Southern Patagonia, Chile.
- The total area of the park - 181 400 ha.
- It got its name after three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range that look like towers (Torres in Spanish means “towers”).
- About 300 000 people visit Torres del Paine every year, 60% of them are foreigners.
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What is Torres del Paine famous for?
Torres del Paine National Park is famous for its dramatic Patagonian landscape, bizarre rock formations, massive glaciers, and numerous turquoise lakes. The most famous attractions in the park are the granite peaks of Torres del Paine and Cuernos del Paine, Grey Glacier, Pehoe Lake, and Nordenskjold Lake. The park is one of the highlights of the region and is worth including in your Patagonia itinerary.
To make your navigation on our site easier and quicker we have crated a Patagonia resource page where you can find all our posts dedicated to the region
What does Torres del Paine mean in English?
The name Torres del Paine has a mixed origin. The first part of it "Torres" is from Spanish and means "towers", and the second part of it is from one of the Indigenous languages and means "blue". Together it means "blue towers". The name refers to the three outstanding granite peaks (grey/bluish colors) of the Paine mountain range shaped like three towers.
Visiting Torres del Paine in the 2024/25 hiking season
Visitors have to book their entrance tickets online at least 24 hours before.
The entrance fee varies depending on the number of days you spend in the park. The entrance fee for up to 3 days in the park is CLP 31 200/US$33 per person; the entrance fee for more than 3 days is CLP 44 500/US$47 pp.
You can print your tickets or show them on the screen of your mobile device at one of the park entrances.
The entrance to the park is open every day from 7 am to 7 pm.
If you're doing one of the long-distance treks book the campsites along the route in advance and have booking confirmations with you.
The O Circuit in the 2024/25 hiking season is open from the 1st of November.
The W trek is open from the 1st of October.
Bring your passport and migration card (issued upon arrival) with you to the park. All bookings are made on your passport details. To keep your documents and phone dry on the trek use a waterproof pouch.
There is limited cell phone reception in the park.
Hikers must stay on the marked trails.
Camping is only allowed at designated campsites, wild camping is strictly prohibited.
No open fires are allowed inside the park.
Using a camping stove is allowed only at designated areas at the campsites. In the 2024/25 season due to the high risk of forest fires, it's allowed to use camping stoves at the Chileno and Central campsites only in the special areas indoors.
Water in Torres del Paine is potable, using purification systems e.g. LifeStraw is optional.
No waste or rubbish can be left in the park (private campsites have rubbish bins).
You can find detailed information on transportation in the park in our post on how to get to Torres del Paine.
Distances between the campsites in Torres del Paine
| Trails (stretches) | Distances | Required times |
| Paine Grande - Campsite Italiano | 7.5km/4.6mi | 2h30min |
| Campsite Italiano - Mirador Britanico | 5.5km/3.3mi | 3h |
| Campsite Italiano - Campsite Frances | 2km/1.2mi | 30min |
| Campsite Italiano - Los Cuernos | 5km/3mi | 2h30min |
| Los Cuernos - Hotel Las Torres | 11.6km/7.2mi | 4h30min |
| Hotel Las Torres - Refugio Chileno | 5km/3mi | 2h |
| Refugio Chileno - Mirador Las Torres | 4.5km/2.7mi | 2h30min |
| Hotel Las Torres - Campsite Seron | 13km/8mi | 4h |
| Campsite Seron - Campsite Dickson | 18km/11mi | 6h |
| Campsite Dickson - Campsite Perros | 12km/7.4mi | 4h30min |
| Campsite Perros - Refugio Grey | 15km/9.3mi | 7h |
| Refugio Grey - Paine Grande | 11km/6.8mi | 3h30min |
Backpacking routes in Torres del Paine
The park is massive some parts are accessible only on foot or by boat, and some can be reached by car. There are many day hikes and two multi-day backpacking routes in Torres del Paine. All trails are well-marked and easy to follow. The routes start at different places inside the park before getting there choose which one you want to walk.
| Day hikes (more than 15 routes) | W trek | O circuit |
| Distances between 5-20 km/3-12 mi | distance - 100 km/62 mi days required - 3-4 | distance - 134 km/83 mi days required - 7-8 |
- Day hikes - there are many day-hiking trails in Torres del Paine. From short and easy 5 km routes to challenging 20 km trails. You can do several day hikes and stay in the park for a couple of days or do two or three short hikes in one day.
- W-trek - a 100-kilometer backpacking trail. You need 4 to 5 days to complete it. The route takes hikers to the main highlights of the park.
- O-circuit - a 134-kilometer loop around the park. You need 7-8 days to complete the trail. The circuit covers off-the-beaten-path areas of Torres del Paine as well as its famous landmarks. The O trek is open only during the summer season from 1st November to April.
If you'd like to visit the park and see the highlights but don't have enough time for hiking you can visit Torres del Paine with a day tour from Puerto Natales.
Which route to choose?
It depends on how much time you have. You can choose a multi-day trek or a day hike.
Day hikes
Short backpacking routes in Torres del Paine are some of the best day hikes in Patagonia. They vary from short and easy child-friendly routes to challenging trails. The scenery throughout the park is spectacular whichever route you choose you won't be disappointed.
Advantages
- You can walk with a day pack, no need to carry a heavy backpack.
- You can stay indoors if you don't like camping.
- You can decide when and where to hike according to the weather conditions.
- You can spend more time trying to get a perfect photo shot or footage.
Disadvantages
- It’s more expensive if you decide to stay indoors and eat at restaurants. You still can camp and prepare your meals
- It takes away a big adventurous part of backpacking.
- You won’t be able to see some off-the-beaten-path parts of Torres del Paine.
W-trek
Advantages
- It’s a good compromise between a day hike and a week-long circuit. This route takes 3-4 days to complete.
- The trail goes through the developed part of the park with hotels, restaurants, etc.
- You still have to carry food and gear but only for 3-4 days.
- If you don’t mind paying more you can even stay in hotels and eat in restaurants.
- W-trek can be done as a 5-day fully guided tour from Puerto Natales.
Disadvantages
- This part of the park is very busy and gets quite crowded in the peak season.
- There are no free campsites on this route only private campsites and refugios (hotels).
O-circuit
The O Circuit is one of our favorite long-distance treks in Patagonia. If you enjoy hiking and wilderness I'd recommend completing this route.
Advantages
- You get to see a large part of Torres del Paine.
- You get a chance to skip crowds; some parts of the trek are quite remote and not accessible for day visitors.
- It’s a true backpacking adventure.
Disadvantages
- You have to carry a heavy backpack with gear, food, and clothes for 7-8 days.
- You'll have to camp at least half of the time, there are no refugios and hotels in the northern part of the park.
- If you’re unlucky with the weather it’ll be a very long walk in the pouring rain and strong wind.
Torres del Paine map
Torres del Paine map PDF
Where to stay in Torres del Paine?
If you're planning to do day hikes in the park the best option is to stay inside the park or in one of the nearby places, it'll save you a lot of time compared to staying in Puerto Natales and spending 4-to 5 hours every day driving to and back.
Hotels and refugios
Accommodation inside Torres del Paine
All the hotels inside the park are luxurious; rooms with nice views, private bathrooms, heating, TV, towels, comfortable beds, and breakfast. Some have the option of a full board with 3 meals included.
- Middle price | Goiien House |
- Luxury | Hotel Lago Grey | Hotel Las Torres Patagonia | Explora Patagonia - All Inclusive |
Staying in refugios is a bit cheaper but if you choose full-board it works out almost as expensive as staying at one of the hotels but with less comfort.
- Refugios Torre, Chileno, and Los Cuernos can be booked through Las Torres.
- Refugios Paine Grande, Grey, and Dickson can be booked through Vertice Patagonia.
Places to stay outside the park
Some places are located just outside Torres del Paine which makes it easy to access different hiking trails in the park. Park entrance ticket is valid for several days you can stay outside the park and enter Torres del Paine again without paying the fee.
| Konkashken Lodge | Hotel Estancia El Ovejero Patagónico | Río Serrano Hotel + Spa |
Camping
Inside the park, there are 9 campsites. The campsites are run by two private companies: Vertice Patagonia and Las Torres.
All campsites have similar facilities. In the peak season, they get very busy. To use any of the facilities e.g. shower or toilet you have to wait. Campsites in Torres del Paine can be booked online. For multi-day backpacking routes, you have to book campsites on the route for every night. Without a confirmed booking you won't be allowed to hike.
| Las Torres | Vertice Patagonia |
| Central | Grey |
| Cuernos | Paine Grande |
| Francés | Dickson |
| Serón | Los Perros |
| Chileno |
Vertice Patagonia
The Vertice Patagonia campsites have good facilities and are a lot cheaper than the ones that belong to Las Torres Patagonia. The price for camping with your gear is CLP 8500/US$11 per person (Dickson, Los Perros, Grey) and CLP 9500/US$13 (Paine Grande).
Las Torres Patagonia
The campsites run by this company are more expensive than the Vertice Patagonia ones. The price of camping with your gear is US$80 for a pitch (double occupancy); and US$65 for a pitch (single occupancy).
Campsites outside the park
Campsite Pehoe is a good stop for visitors with vehicles planning to do day hikes in Torres del Paine. The campsite is located at Pehoe Lake.
For more information on camping in the park read our detailed post on the campsites in Torres del Paine. The information in the post is updated for the 2024/25 hiking season.
If you have time you can combine hiking in Torres del Paine with a trip to Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate, Argentina.
The cost of backpacking in Torres del Paine
Transport - bus Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine - CLP 14 000/US$15, one way. Bus Hotel Las Torres - Laguna Amarga (the O circuit, W trek, and some day hikes) - US$6, one way. Catamaran Pudeto - Paine Grande (W trek, day hikes) - CLP 26 000/US$30 one way.
Entrance fee. If you're going to stay in Torres del Paine for 3 days or less; adults - CLP 31 200/US$33 pp., children (13-17 yo) - CLP 16 000/US$17, children under 12 - free. If you spend more than 3 days in the park; adults - CLP 44 500/US$47 pp., children (12-17 yo) - CLP 44 500/US$47, children under 12 yo - free.
Accommodation - hotels between US$130 and US$350 for a double room, depending on the location and facilities. Hostels - between US$40 and US$80 per bed. Private campsites are between US$11 and US$40. Currently. There are no free campsites in Torres del Paine.
Food - cooking your food will cost you from US$10 per person per day. Full-board at the campsites is between CLP 88 000/US$95 (Vertice Patagonia) and US$110 (Las Torres Patagonia) per person per day. It's possible to buy separate meals and snacks at campsites.
Gear rental (optional). You can rent camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, cooking stove, etc.). If you rent in Puerto Natales it'll cost you around US$40-50 per day, depending on what you rent. It's possible to rent camping gear at the campsites but it's more expensive: between US$44 and US$55 per day for a 2-man tent; between US$28 and US$35 per day for a sleeping bag, and US$12 per day for a camping mat. An advantage of renting camping gear at campsites is that you don't have to carry it with you every day.
Tours in Torres del Paine (optional) - a return boat trip to Grey Glacier - US$115 pp.; hike on Grey Glacier - US$154 pp.; kayaking to Grey Glacier - US$100 pp.
Tour operators charge for a day tour from Puerto Natales US$60 per person, for a 5-day W-trek - US$900 (including transport, accommodation, food, gear, and park entrance fee), for an 11-day O-circuit - US$2500 (including transport, accommodation, food, gear, park entrance fee).
If you're visiting other places in Patagonia check our post on the travel cost in the region.
Hiking with a tour vs independently
Hiking independently
Pros
- It’s much cheaper, especially for longer treks.
- It’s more adventurous.
- You’re more flexible.
Cons
- You carry a heavy backpack with gear and food for the whole trek.
- You pitch and break down a tent, make food, pack, etc. Unless you rent camping gear at campsites or stay in cabins or hostels.
Guided tour
Pros
- The preparation stage is easy; no need to book campsites, find buses, rent gear, or pack - all you have to do is find a good company and pay.
- The trekking part is easier as well; no carrying a heavy backpack, pitching a tent, cooking, packing, etc. You walk with a day pack and your guides do the rest.
- Usually, it’s more fun to join a group if you travel alone.
Cons
- It’s more expensive.
- All the trails in the park are well-marked and easy to follow, you don’t need a guide to show you the way or to find the campsites.
Backpacking with your gear vs renting
Having your camping gear will save you money. Let's compare prices of camping gear on Amazon.com and renting camping gear in Puerto Natales and at the paid campsites in Torres del Paine. If Torres del Paine is the only place you're going to hike renting camping gear is the easiest option. If you're planning to do more hikes it's worth bringing your gear.
The easiest for multi-day hikes in Tores del Paine is to rent camping gear at every campsite you stay. In this case, you don't have to carry heavy gear but it'll work out a lot more expensive than renting it in Puerto Natales.
As for small items like a camping stove, pots, hiking poles, etc. if you don't bring them with you it's better to buy them in Puerto Natales. Renting small items for 5-7 days will cost you as much as buying them. After the hike, you can sell that stuff for less to other hikers.
| Item name | Buying on Amazon* | Renting in Puerto Natales, per day** | Renting in Torres del Paine (paid campsites), per day*** |
| 2-men tent | from US$80 | US$12 | US$44/US$55 |
| Down sleeping bag | from US$100 | US$8 | US$28/US$35 |
| Inflatable sleeping pad | from US$30 | US$5 | US$12 |
| Camping stove | from US$13 | US$6 | - |
| Cooking set | from US$18 | US$5 | - |
| Hiking poles | from US$20 | US$6 | - |
| Down jacket | from US$50 | US$7 | - |
| Waterproof jacket | from US$30 | US$7 | - |
- *Prices are for Amazon US.
- **Rental prices at Rental Natales and Erratic Rock in Puerto Natales
- ***Gear rental prices at Vertice Patagonia/Las Torres campsites.
What are the best months for backpacking?
The answer to the question When is the best time to visit Torres del Paine? depends on many factors. Patagonia has four well-defined seasons; Spring from September to November; Summer - from December to February; Fall from March to May; winter from June to August. Summer and the beginning of fall is the best time for hiking in Patagonia. Temperature; December, January, and February are the warmest months when even night temperatures are quite comfortable. April and November - are shoulder seasons; warmish days and not cold nights.
In this part of Patagonia wind is the main problem. It gets very windy which makes pitching a tent or cooking on a camping stove complicated. The beginning of the summer November - January are the windiest months in Torres del Paine. February is the most comfortable month with less wind and warm temperatures. April to September is the least windy period but it's too cold for hiking, plus long treks are closed for the off-season.
As you can see chances of rain are pretty even throughout the year, summer and fall months get quite a lot of rain, February again is the best month for hiking in Torres with the least rainfall. In winter the chances of rain are quite small though it can snow.
Day duration in summer in Patagonia is quite long, up to 18 hours of daylight! You have long hiking days even if you start later you'll have enough time to complete a stretch with the sun still high up. November - February it gets dark around 11 pm, and the sun rises between 4 am and 5 am. In winter daylight hours are half as long as in summer.
From all the above you can conclude that February is the best month for trekking in Patagonia and for traveling the Carretera Austral. It's warm, with little wind and rain, and long days but it's the busiest month for the park with the most visitors coming here. If you want to skip summer crowds you might consider visiting lesser-known parts of Patagonia e.g. Pumalin Park or Cerro Castillo National Park.
November, December, and March might be a better option if you want to skip the crowds, plus all hiking trails are already or still open, but these months get quite a bit more rain and are windier. We hiked in March and were lucky with the weather, out of 7 days in the park we had only 1 rainy day and it wasn't pouring rain, and the wind didn't bother us too much.
What animals can you see backpacking in the park?
In the high season, your chances of seeing wild animals backpacking in Torres del Paine are quite small. Especially in the southern part of the park (W-trek, day hikes) - the busiest area. You still can be lucky. We saw most animals on the O-circuit, in more remote parts of the reserve. You'll most likely see guanacos (similar to llamas) and condors.
If you’re very lucky you can see a puma. Our friends saw one near the Serron campsite one morning. Grey and red fox - you have good chances of spotting them on the longer routes. Huemul - local deer, we saw a couple of them but from far away. Guanaco - a bigger and wilder version of a llama. You can see some other animals in Torres del Paine such as the Patagonian skunk, dwarf armadillo, rabbits, condors, etc.
Places to stay in Puerto Natales
If you're planning to do one of the multi-day backpacking routes in Torres del Paine then staying in Puerto Natales is the best option. There are many places for different budgets from campsites and backpackers to fancy guesthouses and hotels. Puerto Natales is a town where you can find all you need to prepare for hiking; ATMs, shops, gear rental places, etc.
- Budget | Hostel 53 Sur | Xalpen B&B |
- Middle price | Hostal Treehouse Patagonia | Wild Hostel |
- Luxury | Toore Patagonia | Weskar Lodge |
Books and guidebooks for Torres del Paine
In the last few years, rules in Torres del Paine have changed quite a lot make sure to buy an updated guidebook.
If you prefer reading e-books, join Amazon Kindle Unlimited to get access to thousands of e-books and audiobooks. You can use it on any device (phone or tablet) not only a Kindle all you have to do is to install a free app.
- Lonely Planet Chile & Easter Island (Travel Guide). Kindle and paperback.
- PATAGONIA, Tierra del Fuego: Smart Travel Guide for Nature Lovers, Hikers, Trekkers, Photographers by Oleg Senkov, 2019. Paperback, Kindle
- Patagonia on a budget by Matthew Morgante. How to travel Patagonia on US$30 a day, Kindle.
- Walking Patagonia by Caspian Ray. It's more of a fiction story rather than a hiking guide. Kindle & paperback
- To Shake the Sleeping Self: A Journey from Oregon to Patagonia, and a Quest for a Life with No Regret by Jedidiah Jenkins. Paperback, Kindle & Audiobook.
Questions or Comments?
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The pretty half of Stingy Nomads, responsible for all our land adventures (hiking, climbing, walking the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves walking since she was a child, she prefers to walk 1000 km with a backpack rather than to do a 10 000 km road trip (actually any road trip). Alya is a big fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Every time we go away she desperately misses our dog Chile.
Hello!
Awesome post as always! Me and my girlfriend followed your advices for Fisherman's Trail and did it over 2 years.
Now we're planing to walk the O circuit. But we're unsure what flightpath we're taking and how to get to the park. We're travelling from Sweden. How did you guys travel to get there? Did you fly to Santiago de Chile and then bus or domestic flights?
Thank you so much for your inspiration!
Best regards,
Oscar
Hello Oscar. Thank you for the comment. We have a detailed post on how to get to Torres del Paine. There you can find different options of getting to the park from Chile and Argentina including flights https://stingynomads.com/how-to-get-to-torres-del-paine/.
Good luck
This is extremely helpful! If we arrive into Puerto Natales (airport) at 9AM, do you think we would have time to also do day 1 of the W Circuit the same day, in order to complete the hike in 4 days? Secondly, we'd like to add a day on the Argentina side, and have been looking at combining the W trek in Torres del Paine with trekking in El Chalten and doing a day hike (such as Laguna de Los Tres). Do you believe this would be possible to do? Logistically, where would we camp in order to get from the W Circuit to El Chalten?
Hello Joy. Thank you for the comment. If you arrive at 9 am you'll miss two morning buses from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine. The next bus leaves at 12pm. It arrives in Torres del Paine at 2 (Laguna Amarga entrance). From there you take another bus to Hotel Las Torres (Campamento Central). If you want to start walking on the same day I would suggest starting the W route from Hotel Las Torres (Campamento Central) towards Paine Grande. Otherwise, you won't be able to start the W trek on the same day because there will be no ferries available to get from Pudeto to Paine Grande at that time of the day.
I'm not sure it's worth going to El Chalten from Torres del Paine only for one day. It's 420 km away. It'll take you a day to get there. In order to get from the W trek to El Chalten you have to get back to Puerto Natales first. There are no direct buses from Puerto Natales to El Chalten. First, you go from Puerto Natales to El Calafate then from El Calafate to El Chalten.
Cheers
Thank you for the many useful information in this post!
I do have a question. Is it possible to trek from Estancia Nibepo Aike in Argentina to Dickson glacier, then on to Refugio Dickson in Torres del Paine, Refugio Grey and Paine Grande? This would involve crossing the border near Dickson glacier. May we get an exit stamp in the passport from Argentinian immigration at El Calafate international airport? A map shows there is an Avanzado de Carabineros near Dickson glacier on the Chilean side - can they give an entry stamp in the passport for Chile? This would be an epic trek if it was logistically possible.
Hello Nimrod. I don't think your plan is possible. At least I don't know about entering Torres del Paine from Dickson Glacier. Hiking in Torres del Paine is very regulated. You can follow only officially-approved routes. In the northern part of Torres del Paine, the O circuit is the only route you can follow. You can't enter Torres del Paine at Dickson Glacier you can do it only through one of the entrances in the southern part of the park. Even if there is a border control post at Dickson Glacier it doesn't mean tourists can cross the border there. I'm sorry to disappoint you but I think if you want to do a trek in Torres del Paine it's better to stick to the official routes.
If you want to do a hike and cross from Argentina to Chile or vice versa on foot you can do it from El Chalten to Villa O'Higgins. It's a 2-3 day route with a ferry crossing. There you can get an exit/enter stamp for both countries. You can find more information on this route in this post https://stingynomads.com/villa-ohiggins-el-chalten-how-to-get/
Good luck
Very comprehensive post and nice pictures that bring back memories. We did the O in 2006 - it seems it was a lot more relaxed back then. No reservations for the campsites were needed and you could decide on the spot how far to walk. Chile was one of the best countries we went for hiking.
Hello, Natascha! Thank you for the comment! Nowadays there are too many people who want to hike in Torres I guess they have to regulate it somehow. We loved Chile, spent there 3 months mostly hiking in Patagonia and could go any time back. There are so many amazing hikes there! People in Chile are amazing, we had the best time ever there. We named our dog Chile after the country;)
Cheers!
Hi -- What a great article- Thanks! I'm heading to do the W solo in 3 weeks and have all my reservations. One thing is that fantastico sur said the sunrise hike to the towers wasn't allowed. CONAF now only allows hiking on the trails with sunlight. Do you know if this is enforced? I'm trying to do Frances - Chileno to drop off pack - Towers - back to Chileno on day 3. It's about 11-12 hours of hiking and I was planning to start at 5 am. Thanks!
Hello, Alison! Thank you for the comment! Sorry for the late reply we're currently trekking in Nepal and often don't have wi-fi. I know that the sunrise hike is not allowed now because you have to start at Chileno campsite which is quite far from the Towers (it used to be from Torres campsites which is closed now). We hiked in Torres in March and from what I remember at 5 am it was almost light. I don't remember any checkpoints between Frances and Chileno so I guess if you just pack your stuff and start walking at 5 am there will be nobody to stop you.
Good luck!
@Alison, most of these comments were pre covid. Did you make it? I was wondering the same thing in terms of what time one can start the day hike to Mirador los Torres. I would image the Torres campsite is now open? Terry
Hi Terry. I'm not sure if Alison is going to reply you he is just a reader. The post is updated a week ago according to the information from the official Torres del Paine park website. The Torres campsite (if you mean the free one that used to be the closest to the Mirador Las Torres) is not open and there is no information when and if they're going to open it again. All free campsites in Torres del Paine are closed. Most of them were shut down before Covid. The Chileno paid campsite now is the nearest to the Mirador place where you can stay overnight.
Cheers
Hello!
I am coming to this blog in December 2019! I believe the O & Q treks are open past March 30th and into April for 2020 🙂 ! Thank you for this post - it is super helpful!
Such an awesome and descriptive blog, thank you!
I had a question about my planned itinerary. I am planning to visit and do the w-trek in January but found limited availability for accommodations. I was going to do it in 3 days and 2 nights but wasn't sure about the rules for treking. I was only able to reserve Refugio Paine Grande and Refugio Torre Norte. This leaves my one day as a very long hike:
Day 1: Arrive at the park and ferry to Refugio Paine Grande, hike up Mirador Grey, return to Refugio Paine Grande to sleep.
Day 2: Hike from Refugio Paine Grande over to Italiano, hike up and down Mirador Britanico, then hike over to Refugio Torre Norte to sleep.
Day 3: Hike from Refugio Torre Norte up Mirador Torres, then head down to Hotel Torres to exit and bus back to Puerto Natales.
That second day will be 20-24 miles of hiking in 10-13 hours. I'm a 25 year old athlete, not camping so I will have a light back, so not too worried about the physical demand, but I want to be sure it's allowed before I book my flights.
I saw the rules for mandated route starting times, but can I start that day early and be sure to make it before all the route closing times? I found some websites mention park restrictions on skipping legs of the hike, but I was struggling to find much information, so any help is appreciated.
Thank you!
I have the same question!!
There are mandated route starting times?
I am going to be travelling solo and am thinking I would like to do either the O route or the W route. I have time, and am flexible on my start date, however I would like to do it with a guide, and possibly as part of a group. Are you able to recommend the best english speaking tour groups to sign up with. I would like my accomodation, transport and route sorted for me so I dont have to think about it...
Also, I would like to do the kayaking if at all possible. I have done my research but there are so many tour operators, it is all a bit bamboozling.
Finally, whats the best time of the year to go. I dont mind the cold, but dont want to be freezing my behind off.
Thank you so much!
Hello, Victoria! We didn't use any guide or tour packages for Torres del Paine. In this post https://stingynomads.com/the-w-trekking-torres-del-paine/, we suggest a couple of tours most of them with G-Adventures a big and reliable company I'm sure you can book a tour with them. As for kayaking, it's not a part of the O trek I'm not sure if it can be included in the tour, you can stay an extra day in the park and do kayaking as a separate tour I guess.
Cheers!
Thanks for the great article. You love of travelling is absolutely addictive.
I plan to hike with my wife some of the W circuit in November.
Is it possible to do your own thing, ie staying at CampGrey for 2 nights (do the ice hike and paddling) and then go to CampFrances for the mirror Brittanica before leaving.
This gives us 3 nights in the park and a lot of stuff to do?
Hello, Johan! Thank you for the comment! By "doing your own thing" do you mean exploring the park without a tour? If so yes, you can take a public bus and a ferry to Paine Grande from there walk to Grey campsite but to do ice hike and kayaking you'll have to join a tour, you can't do it on your own. It'll be very difficult/impossible to walk from Grey campsite to Frances and to Mirador Britanico in one day, it takes the whole day (7-8 hours) just to walk from Campamento Frances to Mirador Britanico and back and 5-6hour to walk from Grey to Frances. There is no transport from Frances the next day you'll have to walk back to Paine Grande to catch a ferry. I hope it helps!
Safe travels!
If I am looking to book with a guide for February 2020 is there a rule of thumb of how quickly it books up as the cancelation policieis are onerous. WOuld you say 3 months out? 6 months?
Hello, Jonathan! We haven't done any tour in Torres but I believe booking 3 months beforehand should be enough. February is the busiest months in Torres but I think if you're only one person you might even have a chance to get a spot just a couple of days before if you ask around in Puerto Natales but to make sure I'd suggest booking in advance.
Cheers!
Hello!
Thank you so much for this great article! It is by far the most complete and structured information I could find about Torres del Paine.
I was planning on doing the W-trek with 3 friends(mid 20's, 4 people in total) during the beginning of August(somewhere between 5/8 and 12/8). While searching around to do this trek we have stumbled on alot of contradictory information. We have read on some forums that during this month it is obliged to use a guide if you want to enter the park and that the busses and catamaran do not operate either. Since we do not have too great of a budget, those things are crucial for us whether to go trough with the hike or not. Do you have any information about this, or do you know who we could contact to acquire more information about this?
Any other tips about trekking within August are very welcome aswell!
Thank you in advance!
Hello, Louis! Thank you for the comment! From what I can see on the official site of Torres del Paine National park for most of the stretches on the W trek you need a certified guide to walk in the winter. On the catamaran website is doesn't say that they don't operate in August, it just says they changed the timetable a little bit for the winter. To make sure I'd suggest contacting one of the companies that run the campsites inside the park, Fantastico Sur or Vertice to confirm if they're open in August and if you need a guide to trek the W or not. We haven't been to Patagonia in winter time I guess it'll be quite cold and not many people. Sorry, we can't give you more tips.
Safe travels!
Thank you very much for the information! It indeed seems to be obliged to have a certified guide with you within winter months. Sadly that does not fit into our budget, but luckily there are many other places to hike within Chile! We plan to do the Cerro Castillo hike as an alternative, which seems to be a great experience aswell! Thank you for all the guides you make, they are sublime!
Great post and loads of useful tips there! Thank so much!
My friend and I planning to go mid March and our plan is to do the W-trek! It’s been few weeks now that we are trying to book campsites and everything says it’s full? We have sent emails but we had no reply back
Do you think we can actually book something when we actually arrive there?
Thanks!!!
Hello, Dora! Thank you for the comment! Are yo trying to book paid campsites? It's very strange that they are full as March is the end of the season and there aren't usually that many people. Fantastico Sur has a life chat on their site they usually reply quite quick, you can try to ask there about available campsites for your dates. When we were there it looked like paid campsites always have place for people the main problem was the free campsites. If you're trying to book Italiano the only free CONAF campsite on the W you can try to do it in Puerto Natales at CONAF office, that campsites is very big there might be spots left for March. We walked the O in the beginning of March and booked all our campsites in Puerto Natales just 2 days before the hike but we had several extra day on the O before joining the W route.
Good luck!
Love your article, very useful. I am considering running either the O or Q circuit.
With this in mind I only want to travel light.
Can you recommend any companies that do baggage transfers from campsite to campsite?
Superb article. I am in the midst of the bookings for our trip in march - pretty hard stuff getting this done.
Right now I got Seron through fantastico.
I got bookings at Dickson, los perros and Paine, but vertice site told me that the paypal transaction did not go through (but I received a email from paypal that tells me it did!?). Did not receive any confirmation letters from Vertice.
When I tried to book Paso CONAF (since Grey was full) it as well is full. So maybe we have to walk all the way done to Paine from Los Perros?
Hello, Rafael! Thank you for your comments! Regarding your booking through Vertice we'd recommend to contact them and ask about your booking and payment (if it went through or not). CONAF online booking system doesn't work proper it might show that Paso is full just because it's too early to book or maybe it just doesn't work at all. We did the O in March and got all the campsites booked just a day before we started. We camped mostly at free campsites and only at two paid campsites; Seron and Dickson. CONAF campsites we booked directly at the office in Puerto Natales, paid campsites we didn't book at all just showed up and there always was enough space, in fact they were half empty, March is the end of the season and there are not that many people. The most difficult part was to book free campsite in the southern part (on the W trek) but even there paid campsites always had space.
Good luck with you planning and booking!
Hi Campbell and Alya
Incredibly informative article. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I have a question for you: in the article you talk about the O route closing 31 March in the 2018/2019 season. I am just wondering if you know if that means you must be out of the park by this date? Or does it mean you can't start after this date?
I've struggled to find any accurate information on this.
If you don't happen to know, but you have any park information details, I'd be most appreciative if you could share. Thus far I've been going around in circles a little 🙂
Thanks in advance, Clare
Hello, Clare! Thank you for your comment! We finished the O before the closing time I can't tell you for sure if you have to finish the hike by 31st or not but you can definitely be in the park after that date as the park stays opened all year (the south part of the park). I'd suggest to contact one of the companies that runs campsites on the O circuit; Fantastico Sur (you can leave a message on the site, they reply quick) or Vertice Patagonia they will know when the route closes.
Safe travels!
Hi wanting to do this soon. How do park fees, permits work? Do we do this online or once we get to the park? Any other fees?
Hello! You pay the park fee at the entrance, cash only. If you're planning to camp or stay in hotels inside the park you pay it separate. You have to book campsites or hotels beforehand, online. No other fees. For more details, please, read this post, it has all the information.
Cheers!
Great post! My wife and I did the W circuit in 2010 and had a great time. Such beautiful views and amazing water colors down there. The hike out was brutal but in the end, it was a great trip!
Really interesting article! I will be doing this probably as part of a round the world trip, therefore it will be hard to bring camping gear myself. Would you recommend renting or buying used stuff? I think the tent, sleeping bag and the mattress are the most important ones. Thanks in advance for your response!
Hello, Jonas! Thank you for your comment!
We had our own gear but we know it's possible to rent or to buy camping gear in Puerto Natales just remember everything is quite expensive there. We bought all our stuff in Cusco, Peru it was so much cheaper than in Chile or Argentina. Especially if you want to rent a proper sleeping bag, tent, mat etc. We calculated that to rent these things in Puerto Natales for 7 days would cost us more than we paid for them in Peru. So our advice if you go to Peru or Bolivia first buy camping gear there. Good luck with your round the world trip!
Cheers!
Great post! Thanks for all the detail. We have flights booked to visit Patagonia next month but now freaking out about how expensive it will be. (We're currently in Central America where things are much cheaper.)
What do you think is a realistic daily budget for 2 if we have a tent and and camp wherever possible? Thanks!
Anna
Hello, Anna! Thank you for the comment!
If you have your own gear and don't mind cooking your own food and maybe hitchhiking from time to time Patagonia can be pretty cheap. There are campsites everywhere especially in Chilean Patagonia you pay 7$ average per person. We spent 2 months in Patagonia mostly Chilean and our budget was 25$ for both including everything but we didn't take one bus we hitchhiked and camped all the way. If you prefer buses than you can add 5$/person per day. HItch in Patagonia is great unlike Central America it's very safe you can camp next to the road without being worried about your safety. Our article on Hitchhiking in Patagonia https://stingynomads.com/hitchhiking-carretera-austral/. For more details and prices check our entry South America Travel Budget https://stingynomads.com/south-america-travel-budget/
If you have more questions don't hesitate asking!
Good luck!
Glad to see the wine was also going with! Will definatively need to buy some in Mendoza for the hike
You can buy wine in Puerto Natales for not much more than in Mendoza, wine is probably the only one thing that is not expensive even in Patagonia! But in Mendoza for the same price you can buy a better one.