W Trek in 3 Days

Welcome W Trek in 3 Days

We know that a 3-day mountain route needs a good planning, that's why a briefing (explanation of the tour) is done in person or online. 

In addition, a few days before your arrival in Puerto Natales you will receive an email with instructions to pick up your welcome kit (which includes tickets, map, metal bottle...) and solve any last minute doubts you may have.

Access to Torres del Paine National Park

The first day of the 3-day W Torres del Paine trek starts early. You will have to go to the bus station in Puerto Natales, where you will take the bus to the park departing at 07:00 in the morning. 

The bus will take you to the Laguna Amarga welcome center. There you will register as a visitor and enter the park.

Torres del Paine Base Trekking

Once inside the park, you will take a minibus to the Welcome Center, and from there you will start the Base Torres del Paine trekking.

The route of the first day will be the iconic ascent to the Base Torres viewpoint. 13.67 mi (22 km) of the route is divided into 3 parts: initial slope, descent, and final ascent. 

The trail will start flat for 1.24 mi (2 km). You will cross the Ascencio Valley until you reach the first steep stretch. This will be followed by a 1.86 mi (3 km) of trail until you reach the Paso de los Vientos.

Lenga Forest - La Morrena - Base Torres Viewpoint

You will continue along a flat stretch of 2.48 mi (4 km.) that passes through the area of the Chileno Sector. You will enter an entirely different ecosystem when the trail crosses a lenga forest and ends at the beginning of the third section. We recommend you stop here and refill your water before facing the final stretch.

For almost 1.25 mi (2 km) you will find your own path between big rocks. The slope is hard but the reward is even better: you will reach the viewpoint Base Torres del Paine.

Torres del Paine Base Viewpoint

From this viewpoint you can enjoy views of the famous granite towers that give the national park its name and the Torres del Paine Lake.

Central Sector

After the break, you will start your way back along the same trail, until you reach the Central Sector, where you will have to check in at the reception of the refuge and you will be assigned your time for dinner and breakfast the next day. Afterward, you will have free time to rest, shower, have a drink at the bar, and have dinner.

Breakfast Central Sector

If you are staying in CAMPING or REFUGIO, you will have breakfast at Refugio Central at the time assigned at check-in (between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM). At the end, you will pick up your lunch box.

After breakfast, you will start the second day's trek, one of the least demanding of the 3-day W circuit.

Lake Nordenskjöld

After breakfast, the second day of the express version of the Torres del Paine W trek begins. This will be the least demanding day. You will encounter very little elevation gain and the trail is in very good condition. You will walk along the Nordenskjöld Lake, cross a small river, and walk some stretches along the beaches that form next to the lake.

Almirante Nieto Mountain - Cuernos del Paine

During most of the day the background scenery will be Cerro Almirante Nieto and the Cuernos del Paine.

Francés Sector in Torres del Paine

When you arrive at the Francés Sector of Torres del Paine National Park, you will find yourself in one of the most welcoming refuges of the W route through Chilean Patagonia.

The third and last day of the W Trek in 3 Days you will have to choose between one of the two treks proposed below. Being a reduced version of the W route, it is not possible to reach both viewpoints due to lack of time.

Leaving from the Francés Sector, OPTION 1 will be the French Valley Trek to the British Viewpoint. From here, you will start your way down to Paine Grande, where you will take the catamaran that will take you to Pudeto.

With OPTION 2, you will leave the Francés Sector, and passing through Paine Grande, you will reach the first viewpoint of the Grey Glacier. Then you will return to Paine Grande to take the catamaran.

⭐ If you want to do both treks and reach both viewpoints it is necessary to take a longer tour. Here you can see all the available options.

Italian Camp → British Lookout

After breakfast, the day begins with a gentle hike from the Francés Sector to the Italian Camp. From the Francés Sector, you will take a 0.87 mi (1.4 km.) trail that will take you to the intersection where the trail splits, one trail ascends to the French and British viewpoint and the other continues to Paine Grande. 

You will take the ascent to the viewpoints, and walk 0.62 mi (1 km.) to the "Campamento Italiano". This camp is for the exclusive use of CONAF park rangers and offers a "nursery" service, where many travelers leave their large backpacks so as not to carry them during the hike up to the viewpoints. 

From there, the hike to the French lookout begins, a 1.55 mi (2.5 km) walk with 984 ft (300 m) of elevation gain.

Torres del Paine British Lookout

When you reach the French viewpoint, you can continue to the British viewpoint. The route is 1.86 mi (3 km) long with 920 (280 m) of elevation gain. When you reach the viewpoint, you will find a rocky area where you can climb to take the best picture of the British viewpoint and enjoy the best views.

Skottsberg Lake

To finish the route of the fourth day of the circuit, you will return by the same path and pick up the backpack from the "nursery". Afterwards, you will continue walking the remaining 9 km to the Paine Grande refuge with a slight negative slope that your legs will appreciate. You will cross a sector that suffered a fire a few years ago where the tree trunks create a somewhat gloomy landscape.

Paine Grande Refuge

You will skirt part of the lake until you finally reach the Paine Grande Sector.

Paine Grande 🚢 Pudeto 🚌 Puerto Natales

Once in Paine Grande you will have to go to the pier to take the catamaran that will take you to Pudeto (the catamaran ticket is included in the tour price). In Pudeto, you will board the bus that will take you back to Puerto Natales, where you will arrive at 21:30.

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It is important that you calculate your walking time well and that you arrive at the pier at least 20 minutes before the departure of the catamaran. The exact departure time will be confirmed at the briefing.

Francés Sector → Paine Grande Sector

After breakfast in the dining room of the Refugio Francés and picking up your lunch box, you will start the route along the Skottsberg Lake until you reach the Paine Grande Sector.

This first stretch will be calmer, as you will hardly find any slope. Upon arrival at the Paine Grande Refuge, the real challenge will begin: climbing up to the first Grey Glacier viewpoint.

1st Grey Viewpoint

You will skirt around Cerro Paine Grande, enjoying the spectacular hanging glaciers. You will walk among Nirres, Coigües and Notros. When you leave the grove, you will reach the end of your path: the first viewpoint over Grey Lake. From here you will be able to admire the magnitude of this glacier and see its ice floes floating on Lake Grey.

Take advantage of this idyllic location to enjoy your lunch box, and after the break, you will start your way back to Paine Grande.

Paine Grande 🚢 Pudeto 🚌 Puerto Natales

Once in Paine Grande, you will have to go to the pier to take the catamaran that will take you to Pudeto (the catamaran ticket is included in the tour price). In Pudeto, you will board the bus that will take you back to Puerto Natales, where you will arrive at 21:30.

🚨

It is important that you calculate your walking time well and that you arrive at the pier at least 20 minutes before the departure of the catamaran.