Self-guided W Trek (5D/4N)
Trip type
Independent
Trip length
5 Days
From
$1,478
Location
Torres del Paine
Self-guided W Trek (5D/4N) - 5 - $1,478
Trip Summary and Itinerary Map
Day 1: Trek to Las Torres (The Towers) lookout; Refugio Torres Central
Day 2: Trek to Los Cuernos (The Horns); Refugio Los Cuernos
Day 3: Trek to the French Valley; Refugio Paine Grande
Day 4: Trek to Glacier Grey; Refugio Grey
Day 5: Optional ice hike, kayak, hike or boat trip; Puerto Natales
Start from Puerto Natales and end at Puerto Natales
Landmarks visited on Self-guided W Trek (5D/4N)
Operator's Itinerary
Day 1: Trek to Las Torres (The Towers) lookout; Refugio Torres Central
At 6am a private transfer will take you from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park. The route passes grand estancias and flat pampas, where you'll spot ñandus (Patagonian ostrich), guanacos, and a variety of bird species.
After entering the national park at the Laguna Amarga area, you'll reach Torres Central. Here, you’ll leave your backpack and take your packed lunch (provided during your trek briefing in Puerto Natales held the day prior). Now you're ready to begin the W Trek’s first highlight: the trek to the Towers lookout.
An initial ascent follows the Ascencio River into the Ascencio Valley. At a lookout point, about an hour into the trek, pause to take in the beauty of the valley's rich beech forests, glaciers and waterfalls.
After this point the path continues climbing through lush beech forests before ascending a gigantic terminal moraine (the ridge formed at a glacier’s end point). It's here, at an altitude of 900m, where you’ll be rewarded by the stunning sight of Las Torres. Stay a while to soak up the amazing views, take photos and have lunch.
You'll then retrace your steps back to Torres Central where you’ll have dinner and rest for the night.
Private transfer: 2½hrs
Shuttle transfer: 30mins
Length of hike: 8-9hrs, 20km
Eelvation gain: 1,042m
Difficulty: Medium/demanding
Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Camping or room at Refugio Torres Central (meals in the refugio)
Day 2: Hike to Los Cuernos (The Horns); Refugio Los Cuernos
Enjoy breakfast at the refugio and request your packed lunch before setting out for the day.
You'll leave behind the crowds who are entering the park just to see Las Torres and will follow a route via Inge Lagoon – condors and other birds of prey may be circling the skies above you. The well-marked trail climbs 200m from the base of Mt Almirante Nieto (2,750m) and crosses the Bader River with the magnificent turquiose-hued lake a constant to your left until you reach your finishing point and accommodation for the night at Refugio Los Cuernos, or Domos Frances, depending on availability.
Settle in, enjoy a good meal among fellow travellers, and rest beneath the immense moraine.
Length of hike: 3½-4hrs, 13km
Elevation gain: 312m
Difficulty: Low/medium
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Camping or room at Refugio Los Cuernos (meals in the refugio)
Day 3: Trek to the French Valley; Refugio Paine Grande
A challenging trek to the heart of the Paine massif awaits you today. After breakfast, request your packed lunch at the refugio and take the meandering path that leads you to the French River, a 1-2hr hike, depending on whether you stayed at Refugio Los Cuernos or Domos Frances the night before. On entering the French Valley – a glacial moraine surrounded by peaks and hanging glaciers – we’ll scramble over huge boulders and catch our first sight of the hanging glacier atop the valley.
From here you ascend for an hour through a dreamlike Japanese garden landscape before arriving at the French Valley viewpoint (the 'Plateau'). Your reward is a stunning bird’s eye view of granite peaks and hanging glaciers. On one side is the French Glacier and Paine Grande (3050m); while on the other, La Espada, La Hoja, La Máscara and the main and north 'horns' of Los Cuernos arch upwards. In the upper section of the valley, Mt Catedral and Mt Fortaleza loom like turrets above the landscape. You'll have plenty of time to rest and have lunch at the viewpoint, surrounded by these imposing peaks and open skies.
Your descent is via the same path until you reach the valley’s entrance, from where you’ll continue around the south-west side of Torres del Paine’s highest peak, Paine Grande. This final stretch passes through native firebush and evergreen beech forests to Refugio Paine Grande, by the shores of Lake Pehoe. You'll have dinner and rest here for the night.
Length of hike: 9-10hrs, 18.8km
Difficulty: Medium/demanding
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Camping or room at Refugio Paine Grande (meals in the refugio)
Day 4: Trek to Glacier Grey; Refugio Grey
Start early after breakfast, ascending 200m on the winding trail to Laguna Los Patos. It's here where we’ll see sections of the massive Southern Patagonian Ice Field, a geological phenomenon that still guards many unexplored peaks.
Continuing on to Glacier Grey’s lookout point, you pass forests and rivers, with possible sightings of the spectacled and flightless steamer ducks. Have lunch at the lookout point with the monumental Glacier Grey at your feet. You might catch sight of ice calving from its huge walls into the freezing waters below.
If you'd like to do a longer trek today, you can visit the old 'Los Guardas' campsite which has a fantastic view of Glacier Grey from higher ground.
Accommodation for the night is at Refugio Grey, on the shore of Lake Grey.
Length of hike: 3½-4hrs, 11km
Difficulty: Medium
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Camping or room at Refugio Grey (meals in the refugio)
Day 5: Optional ice hike, kayak, hike or boat trip; Puerto Natales
This morning is yours to enjoy at leisure! Options include a 5-hr ice hike on Grey Glacier, a 2½-hr kayak excursion in front of Glacier Grey or an additional hike (8km, about 3hrs return) to the hanging bridges for a magnificent view of Grey Glacier. Note that independent hikers without guides are only permitted to go to the second hanging bridge. You must book your optional excursion in advance so do get in touch to reserve.
You’ll later hike back along the same path from Refugio Grey to Refugio Paine Grande to catch the last catamaran across Lake Pehoé at 5pm. Please check catamaran and walking times with refugio staff in the morning to ensure you arrive in time.
While walking, take in views of Paine Grande and the granite walls of Cordon Olguín. On the other side of Lake Pehoé, a private transfer will be waiting to drive you to Puerto Natales. Since you will be arriving in town at around 10pm we recommend spending the night there.
Instead of hiking from Refugio Grey to Refugio Paine Grande, there is an option to take a catamaran from Refugio Grey to the southern end of the lake, from where a private transfer will take you to Puerto Natales. You must book this option in advance and it incurs an extra cost.
Length of hike: 3½-4hrs, 11km
Difficulty: Medium
Catamaran: 35min
Private transfer: 2½hrs
Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch
What our customers think of Self-guided W Trek (5D/4N)
Self-guided W Trek (5D/4N) trips scored 4.4/5 from 63 reviews
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Self-Guided W Trek
Prices, Departures and Inclusions
2023/24 season prices, based on two people sharing are.
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Camping - USD $1,478 per person
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Refugios - USD $1,728 per person
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Please contact us to discuss your preferred dates.
Additional Notes
Pre-trip briefing – You'll receive a briefing at our partner's local office in Puerto Natales the day before your trip.
Camping – Camping will be fully supported (including a two-person tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag) and all meals will be included along the way. You'll need to carry your daypack with lunch (provided) and personal items for each night stop.
Refugios – Refugio accommodation is in dormitory rooms. Some refugios provide sleeping bags and pillows and others provide sheets, blankets and pillows.
Luggage storage – You may leave your luggage safely in storage with our local partners in Puerto Natales.
Optional excursions – All of these excursions are subject to availability and
must be booked and paid for in advance as they are not included in the
trip price. Please contact us for more information.
- Pre-trip guided-hike in the National Park. This adds one day to the start of your trip. Enjoy a warm-up trek with an English-speaking guide to learn more about a part of the park not on the W Trek. A packed lunch in included, along with full-board accommodation at Torres Central Refugio or campsite. Refugio - USD $390 per person; Camping - USD $290 per person.
- Boat trip on Glacier Grey on Day 5. Take a catamaran from Refugio Grey to the southern end of the lake from where a private transfer will take you to Puerto Natales. This means you will not hike from Refugio Grey to Refugio Paine Grande, but there is an opportunity to hike to the Ferrier lookout (3hrs, 5.6km, 651m elevation gain) after the boat trip. USD $130 per person.
- Kayak in front of Glacier Grey on Day 4 or 5 - USD $120 per person.
- Ice hike on Glacier Grey on Day 4 or 5 - USD $190 per person.
Single supplement – There is a single supplement of USD $360 for solo travellers.
Includes
- Meals: 4 breakfasts, 5 picnic lunches, 4 dinners
- Accommodation: Four nights supported camping, or in refugios
- Private transfer from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park
- Private transfer from Torres del Paine National Park to Puerto Natales
- Shuttle between Laguna Amarga & Refugio Las Torres
- Entrance fee to Torres del Paine National Park
- Sleeping bag, sleeping liner, mat and pre-pitched tent for camping
- Catamaran ticket to cross Lake Pehoé
Excludes
- Any additional nights
- Meals not indicated in itinerary
- Dinner on Day 5 in Puerto Natales
- Drinks at refugios not included in the menu
- Any of the optional excursions described in the 'Additional Notes' section above
- Guide or porters
- Personal travel insurance
- Personal equipment (see our recommended kit list)
- Gratuities/tips
- International and domestic/in-country flights
- Any visa, passport and vaccination expenses
