Torres del Paine W Trek Tour (Patagonia)

Torres del Paine W Trek Briefing

A 5-day trek will require a lot of good planning but don’t stress, we’ve got you covered! Via an online brief, we’ll give you all the important information before you set out on your adventure. The brief includes access tickets, a packing list, and detailed information about your itinerary.

Also, we are always available to answer any questions or concerns you might have 😉

Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park

The classic 5-day Torres del Paine W Trek starts after lunch. You’ll need to be at Puerto Natales bus station, where you will take a bus to the park departing at 2:15 pm. Make sure to get there 15 minutes before departure.

The bus will take you to the park access point, Laguna Amarga, where park rangers will register you as a visitor.

Central or Chileno Sector

Once inside the park, you’ll be taken to the Welcome Center via transfer. After picking up a welcome kit, you’ll start the first hike to a sector. Depending on your reservation, you'll either hike to the Central Sector (no more than 10 minutes) or the Chileno Sector (4 miles or 6 km to the campsite).

Upon arriving at your sector, you will complete check-in, when a dinner and breakfast schedule will be assigned to you.

Afterward, you’ll have free time until dinner. Some travelers take a stroll around the area, while others have a drink at the bar’s terrace and enjoy the scenery. 

💬 Breakfast and dinner are always served in the dining room of the "refugio", even if you’ll be staying at the campsite.

Breakfast at "Refugio"

Day one starts with breakfast at your assigned time between 7:30 am and 8:30 am (given to you during check-in). After breakfast, pick up your lunch box before heading out to start the day’s hike. Today you’ll be coming back to this sector so you’ll only have to carry a daypack. Luggage will remain at your accommodations.

💬 The lunch box includes specific food to fuel you up for the day’s physical activity: nuts, cereal bars, fruit, a sandwich, and some sweets.

Trekking to Base Torres lookout

Today's route is the climb to the iconic Base Torres Viewpoint. The total route covers 13.7 miles (22 km) and consists of three parts: initial slope, descent into the Chileno Sector, and the final ascent. 

The hike starts out flat for about 1.2 miles (2 km) and crosses the Ascencio River Valley. Next, the steady ascent begins as you climb for about 1.8 miles (3 km) of trail until reaching the Paso de Los Vientos. The stunning views will be well worth the effort. 

Lenga Forest - La Morrena - Base Torres Lookout Point

Continue along the trail for a 2.5 mile (4 km) flat stretch that passes through the Chileno Sector. Suddenly you'll find yourself entering a completely different ecosystem: the Lenga Forest.

The third portion of today's hike is the most challenging due to a number of large boulders, a steep slope, and no marked path (this part is called the moraine). You’ll get through it! Finally, after 1.5 miles (2.5 km) you’ll reach the Base Torres del Paine Lookout. Enjoy!

💬 Many travelers staying at Central Sector stop at Chileno Sector on their way up and down the path to refill their water bottles, have a drink, and rest for a while. Of course, if you’re already staying in the Chileno Sector your route will be shorter today.

Views of Torres del Paine

Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy the view. Breathe in the fresh air and take in the landscape featuring the granite towers that lend the national park its name. 

Central Sector

Once you’re ready, start your way back along the same trail, until reaching your accommodations. After arriving, use your free time to rest, have a drink at the bar, or chat with other travelers. Before you know it, dinner is served and day two comes to a close. 

💙 Howlanders Tip

For a better hiking experience, we recommend starting the route early in the morning to avoid the large groups arriving from Puerto Natales to do this hike in a full-day tour.

Lake Nordenskjöld

Today is the day! Without a doubt, Day 3 is the best day of the Paine W Trek. You’ll have ample time to enjoy the scenery without rushing (you’ll walk between 4.5 to 6.5 hours depending on your accommodations). Take it easy and enjoy the views.

After breakfast, your third day of the Torres del Paine W Trek begins. This is the least demanding portion of the trek due to very little elevation gain and the trail is in very good condition, making it easy to follow. You will circle Lake Nordenskjöld and hike on a trail through the forest that crosses over small rivers. Eventually, you’ll walk along the beaches of the lake as well. While on the trail you’ll see Almirante Nieto Mountain and Cuernos del Paine from a distance. This is truly Patagonia in all its splendor!

Francés Sector in Torres del Paine

The Francés and Cuernos Sectors are the most remote regions of the W Trek due to their inaccessibility by boat and bus. For this reason, many travelers never get to see them, however, with the Howlanders tour, this exclusive experience is standard. 

Some travelers prefer to stay in the Francés Sector to hike 3 miles (5 km) less the following day. In contrast, with its great atmosphere and exceptional cuisine, many travelers prefer the Cuernos Sector. 

Francés Lookout

Day 4 presents the most demanding hike to either the French (Francés) or British (Británico) lookouts.

If you spent the night in Cuernos, you’ll have to walk the 2.5 miles to the Francés Sector, ( an easy flat trail). 

From the Francés Sector, it’s about a mile walk to the first intersection on the trail (0.9 miles/1.4 km) The trail splits with one ascending to the French valley, and the other continuing to Paine Grande. 

If you decide to hike along the French Valley, you’ll walk 0.6 miles (1 km) to "Campamento Italiano." Park rangers use this camp (CONAF) as a luggage storage station. You can leave your large packs and take a smaller daypack, to hike lighter. The hike to French Lookout is 1.5 miles (2,5 km) each way, including 985 ft (300 m) of elevation gain. 

💬 The distance and difficulty of today's route can be adapted. You can skip the hike along the Frances Valley and go directly to the Paine Grande Sector. In this case, the route will be 8 miles (13 km) shorter and mostly flat. Another alternative is to hike only to the Francés Lookout.

British Viewpoint

Once you’ve reached the French Viewpoint, you can continue to the British Viewpoint. It’s 1.9 miles (3 km) long with 920 ft (280 m) of elevation gain. When you reach the viewpoint you will find a rocky area that you can climb to enjoy the best views and take remarkable photos from the British Viewpoint. 

Afterward, leave the viewpoint on the same trail, passing by the park rangers' campsite to pick up your large backpack before heading onto the next sector.

Arrival at Paine Grande Sector

The last portion of the route is 5.6 miles (9 km) and features a slight negative slope that your legs might appreciate. Later, you’ll cross an area that suffered a fire a few years ago, the tree trunks here create a somewhat gloomy landscape. 

Finally, welcome to Paine Grande Sector! The largest "refugio" in Torres del Paine, with a unique location smack in front of Lake Pehoé. Admire the landscape featuring the majestic Cerro Paine sitting tranquilly in the distance. 

Cerro Paine Grande

The route on your last day in Torres del Paine features an ascent in the direction of the Grey Glacier. You’ll get to hike with Lake Grey on one side and Cerro Paine Grande on the other. The route length depends on you, the more you hike, the closer to the glacier you get. Many travelers reach the Grey Glacier Viewpoint, some continue further up to the Grey Refugio, and others even reach the first suspension bridge.

💙 Howlanders Tip:

To get closer to Grey Glacier, we recommend leaving your backpack at Paine Grande and hiking with a daypack. It’s important to monitor the time and your walking speed to ensure you don’t miss boarding the catamaran that leaves the park.

Grey Glacier Lookout

The first stop: Grey Lake Viewpoint, located 3.7 miles (6 km) away from Paine Grande. From here, you can see the Grey Glacier and the comparatively tiny icebergs that have fallen from the glacier wall.

Grey Refugio

To get to the Refugio from the viewpoint the hike is almost 7 miles (11 km) making the total length about 14 miles (22.2 km), many travelers end their Paine Grande Circuit here.

First suspension bridge:

Although the experience of crossing this bridge is as good as its views, we only recommend attempting this portion of the hike to the most experienced hikers. In total, its about 16.6 miles (26.8 km). This portion of the hike is possible if: you leave early in the morning, the weather conditions are good, and you calculate your time very well to ensure you can return in time to take the catamaran.

Catamaran on Lake Pehoé

The way back to the Paine Grande Sector is downhill, a very easy hike to close out your trip. It is important to keep an eye on the time on this route because at 6:30 pm you’ll have to take the catamaran back to Pudeto. You’ll sail across Lake Pehoé to Pudeto and after arriving, a bus will take you back to Puerto Natales (you’ll arrive around 9:30 pm). A perfect end to an epic adventure in Chilean Patagonia.