The W Trek in Torres Del Paine
The W Trek is Torres del Paine most famous hiking route, which can be walked in a variety of ways, from a multi-day trek to a series of day hikes.
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Reasons to go to Torres del Paine
- Lace up your walking boots to hike to the mile-high granite Towers, Torres del Paine’s iconic centrepiece
- Follow the famous multi-day W Trek or O Circuit hiking routes or get remote on some challenging off the beaten track hikes
- Take a series of day hikes to spectacular viewpoints, from the classic sights to well-hidden vistas
- Gaze in awe at the sublime Paine Massif, then explore more widely by horseback, kayak or mountain bike – or go fly-fishing in its shadow
- Get close to epic glaciers by boat, paddling or even ice hiking with crampons
- Gaze at the stars from a hot tub in some of Patagonia's most luxurious lodges or relax with eco-friendly glamping
Sunrise over the Cuernos
Hiking group on the W Trek
Hiking to Cerro Paine
Puma in Torres del Paine
Glacier Grey in Torres del Paine
Guanacos in Torres del Paine
Camping on the Paine O Circuit
Kayak briefing on Lago Grey
Riding to Serrano Glacier
Biking trails in the shadows of the Towers
Domes at EcoCamp
Hiking to Grey Glacier on the O Circuit
Luxury spa at Tierra Patagonia
What to see and do in Torres del Paine
World-class multi-day treks
Torres del Paine is home to two famous multi-day hikes: the W Trek and the O Circuit (also known as the Full Circuit).
The W Trek follows three valleys to take in the park’s most iconic sights – the Towers, the Cuernos and Glacier Grey – over four to five days. The tougher O Circuit extends this by venturing further north for amazing views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, taking seven to nine days. Hikers stay in refugios (mountain huts with shared dorms) or campsites along the way. Both routes are extremely popular and should be booked as far in advance as possible.
Other routes offer more secluded trekking experiences off the beaten track path: Torres del Paine's great size means there is plenty of extraordinary scenery to be explored
Hiking to the base of the Towers
Spectacular day hikes
Torres del Paine is an excellent day hiking destination, where even the classic sights of the W Trek can be seen on a series of day hikes.
Experiencing the park this way allows you to have your pick of accommodation (be it hotel, luxury lodge or glamping site) and set out each day to a trailhead for a hike near or far and then return to eat and sleep comfortably at the end of the day.
Day hiking offers the ultimate flexible Torres del Paine experience – choosing your hiking route the day before with your guide, or mixing it up with another adventure excursion in the park.
Day hiking in the Pingo Valley
Swoop says
Hiking the O Circuit, I saw an immense iceberg calve from the face of Glacier Grey. It was every shade of blue imaginable – and one of the most beautiful moments I've experienced out on the trail.
Minerva Ortiz Patagonia Customer Experience Co-ordinator
More hiking options in Torres del Paine
The O Circuit Trek
The O Circuit is a great trek for experienced hikers, spending over a week to explore both Torres del Paine’s most popular sights and its quieter trails.
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Day hikes in Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine offers world class day hikes, offering you the chance to spend your days exploring the trails while sleeping in comfortable accommodation at night.
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Off the beaten track in Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine's offers great scope for hiking off the beaten track, with quiet trails through little visited valleys, pristine forests and dramatic mountain vistas.
Discover MoreAdventure activities
While Torres del Paine’s hiking trails are natural headline-grabbers, the national park can also be brilliantly explored in a whole variety of other ways.
The park is vast, with many areas simply best experienced on horseback, by kayak or mountain bike. With forests, desert, pampa and glaciers waiting to be discovered, get away from the crowds on the main trails and you'll experience a completely different side to this stunning wilderness landscape.
Activities can easily be added to the end of a multi-day hike, or as part of a dedicated multi-sport trip that gives you a taste of the best of Torres del Paine in a single package.
Kayaking on the Grey River
Wildlife watching
Torres del Paine is one of the best places in the world to see pumas in their natural habitat. Dedicated puma tracking tours offer the chance to see them in the company of expert guides, observing them safely without negatively impacting their behaviour.
Their numbers are greatest in the quieter eastern areas of the park, away from the main hiking trails. Puma tracking is available all year round in Torres del Paine.
Alongside pumas, look out for guanacos, the wild llamas that are their main prey, which are widely encountered across the park. Condors soar on the thermals above the mountains, while the forests are home to the shy huemul deer, Chile's national animal.
Puma tracking in Torres del Paine
Exploring beyond Torres del Paine
As if the national park wasn’t enough, Torres del Paine is a perfectly-placed springboard for exploring the rest of the region, from its gateway cities of Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas.
From Puerto Natales, you can get close to the dramatic glaciers of the Southern Chilean Fjords, while Punta Arenas offers the chance to go penguin or whale watching, or take an adventure cruise around Tierra del Fuego to Cape Horn. You can also fly direct to Navarino Island for the brilliantly remote Dientes de Navarino trek.
Torres del Paine also sits close to the Argentinian border, and it's an easy step from here to the equally spectacular Los Glaciares National Park, which offers more excellent hiking and the Perito Moreno Glacier, just a days' travel away.
Adventure cruising in Tierra del Fuego
Swoop says
If you want something more off-the-beaten-track, explore the hidden valleys of Bader, Silencio and Pingo, or the bizarre rock formations of Baguales. The area's outlying estancias where you can ride with gauchos, and the wilds of the neighbouring Bernado O'Higgins National Park, come highly recommended.
What our customers think of Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine National Park trips scored 4.4/5 from 2626 reviews
The best way I've found to describe the vistas, were that they almost looked fake, the colors, the light, the snow, the clear blue water; it was all just stunning.
Travelled: July 2017
Philip - Virginia, US
Highlights were glacier hike, French valley and Torres. Scenery exceeded expectations, even after all of the photos we looked at. The hike was challenging, fun and invigorating.
Travelled: December 2016
Nicole - Massachusetts
Review:
Where to stay in Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine offers every variety of accommodation, from campsites to luxury lodges.
Trekkers on multi-day hikes tend to stay in the refugios or campsites that are strung out along the route of the W Trek and O Circuit.
Quality 3-4 star hotels are dotted around the park and at Serrano village close to the park entrance.
For more style, try eco-friendly glamping or some of the region’s best luxury lodges. Alternatively, get truly remote on an estancia (ranch) for a taste of traditional Patagonian culture.
Luxury yurt in Torres del Paine
Swoop says
My lodge blended so seamlessly into its environment that is was genuinely hard to see it from a distance! The landscape was everything – it's hard to imagine somewhere with better views to enjoy a pisco sour after a day of exploring around the Paine Massif.
Chloe Harrison Patagonia Sales Specialist
Torres del Paine accommodation options
Luxury hotels & lodges in Torres del Paine
For those seeking to explore Torres del Paine in true style, luxury hotels and lodges offer a taste of refinement in the wilderness.
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Hotels in Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine National Park has a wide selection of hotels, dotted in and around the park and varying in size, standard, location and budget.
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Refugios in Torres del Paine
Refugios are Torres del Paine’s classic hiking hostels, dotted along the route of the W Trek, offering simple communal accommodation and meals.
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Glamping in Torres del Paine
Torres del Paine has a number of fantastic glamping options, allowing you to explore the best of the park while staying in stylishly comfortable yurts or domes.
Discover MoreHow to get to Torres del Paine
Puerto Natales (airport code PNT) is the main gateway for Torres del Paine National Park, for both air and overland travel.
Punta Arenas (PUQ) is 4½ hours by road from the park, but has more flights to Santiago, as well as Puerto Montt (Chilean Lake District), Coyhaique (Aysen) and Puerto Williams (Tierra del Fuego).
There are no direct flights from Argentina, but overland travel is easy from Puerto Natales to El Calafate (Los Glaciares National Park).
Flying over the Paine Massif
When to go to Torres del Paine
Spring Receding snows allow trails to reopen. There are chilling mornings and nights, but relatively few hikers on the trails.
Summer Peak season, with long days and typically fine (and windy) weather. Advance accommodation booking is essential.
Autumn Glorious Fall colours, clearer skies and fewer visitors, make this a great season, but there's often a chance of snow.
Winter Most hotels and trails are shut, but the W Trek remains open with hikers enjoying winter activities in a near empty park.
Autumn sunrise over the Towers
Explore more of Patagonia
Los Glaciares National Park
Los Glaciares is Argentina’s greatest national park. It’s home to Perito Moreno glacier and the Fitz Roy Massif, offering visitors explore epic ice and world-class hiking.
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Aysen
Remote, beautiful and with one of the most famous road-trip roads in the world, Aysen is a destination for those seeking the very best of Patagonia without the crowds.
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Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is Patagonia’s southermost outpost – a place of epic mountain hikes, thick forests, remote glaciers, and seeing penguin colonies as condors wheel high above.
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Chilean Lake District
The Chilean Lake District is packed with glacial lakes, snow-capped volcanoes, islands rich in history and folklore, national parks and adventure sports activities.
Discover MoreSwoop. Your adventure story.
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