Luxury Camp W Trek

Day 1: The Patagonic Adventure Starts 

The trip begins with you being picked up from your hotel in Punta Arenas or Punta Arenas airport in the morning and driven to your accommodation. Alternatively, you can start your trip in Calafate.

En route you make a couple of stops: first in Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of "Seno de Ultima Esperanza", where you can enjoy a hearty local lunch, and second at Cueva de Milodon, a massive prehistoric cave where the remains of a giant ground sloth were discovered in the 1890's. The journey is scenic and highly atmospheric, featuring many wild birds and wonderful Patagonian landscapes.

The day ends with your arrival and overnight stay at your geodesic dome camp, nestled in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park and with a prime view of the majestic Torres. Sunset is usually around 11pm during the summer months, meaning that there will still be enough daylight for you to admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked mountain horizon once you arrive.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Comfy dome camp

Day 2: Warming up in Los Cuernos

The first day of the official hike will see you set out through the sinuous Cuernos Trail which leads to the beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. During this warm-up trek, you will have the opportunity to admire the park's exquisite flora and fauna, as you enjoy the magnificent views of the park's central lakes and the Paine's Horns - majestic black horn-like peaks of slate atop grey granite which crown the centre of the Massif.

The trek ends at Refugio Los Cuernos, a small and cosy mountain refuge located by the shores of Lake Nordenskjold. Alternatively, you can choose to end at Domo el Frances, which is located between Cuernos and Italiano camping sites and enjoys an amazing view of Nordenskjold Lake. The evening is set aside for relaxing over dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Refugio Los Cuernos or Domo El Frances (depending on availability)

Day 3: Step into the Paine Massif's Heart: Valle Frances

After breakfast at Refugio Los Cuernos, you will begin the challenging trek to Valle Frances (French Valley), along a steep trail that leads to the very heart of the Paine Massif. How far you go depends on your group's trekking rhythm. A swifter walk will lead you to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south-east face of the Massif, where you will be treated to fantastic views of the valley.

You will then continue to ascend towards the upper section of the valley where you will be able to marvel at the extensive mass of the valley's geological formations: Hoja (Blade), Mascara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburon (Shark's Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza (Fortress).

After your upward trek, you will pause for a picnic and relax a while. This day's trek will end as you descend through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest which will take you to Refugio Paine Grande.

N.B. An optional trek to Mirador Britanico is also available.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Refugio Paine Grande

Day 4: Glacier Grey

Today you'll hike from Paine Grande Refugio along the shores of Lake Pehoe to the northern side of the glacially beautiful Lake Grey. You'll feast on a picnic lunch before boarding the boat that sails right to the huge, crystalline facade of Glacier Grey, where you will have plenty of time to marvel at the calving glacier. Then, from the southern end of Glacier Grey, you will transfer to your geodesic dome camp.

Due to the temperamental weather of the region, boat trips across the lake may occasionally be cancelled if the required minimum of 15 passengers is not reached. If either is the case, you will trek up to the sightseeing point and profit from wonderful, panoramic views of the Glacier instead. Savouring the astonishing sights, you will return on foot to Paine Grande and take a catamaran to Pudeto's dock, where you will be picked up and driven to your camp.

*Optional Activity: Kayaking around Glacier Grey: This excursion starts at 13:00 and lasts 2,5 hours where you will discover the amazing glacier and kayak around huge floating icebergs, towards the east side of the glacier to get closer to the giant ice wall (Min. age: 15 ; Max age: 65) (Note: Kayaking option is only available until March 19th).

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Comfy dome camp

Day 5: The Great Challenge: Mighty Torres del Paine

The goal of your fifth day of the 7-day trek will be to complete the most famous trekking trail in Torres del Paine National Park! You will walk from the campsite towards Hosteria Las Torres before ascending to Ascencio Valley on the Tower's eastern face. Mountain ridges, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley.

Your big challenge comes in the form of the steep moraine, a huge mass of boulders which will lead you to that iconic base-view of the towers - three gigantic granite monoliths which are the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice.

After a tough uphill climb, the towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically before you, with the glacial lake visible below. Is there any better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view and our picnic, you'll backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to your camp for a well-deserved dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Comfy dome camp

Day 6: Relaxed walk in the Eastern Lakes

The sixth day will consist of a less strenuous trail in order to counter the exhausting efforts of the previous day. After breakfast, you will take a leisurely car journey towards Laguna Azul, passing Canadon Macho, home to many wild guanacos and nandues, en route. You will pause occasionally to admire the views of the Patagonian steppe and the towers from a different perspective.

At Laguna Azul, you will hike to the lookout point where you will be treated to a gorgeous view of both the lagoon and granite towers. After lunch, you will drive to the northern shore of Sarmiento Lake where the Fauna Trail begins. As you hike northbound, you will spot an impressive range of Patagonian fauna on the vast plains, including guanacos, ostrich-like nandus and maybe the occasional puma print!

You will pass the charming Goic lagoon and after approximately 5km of relaxed walking, we will reach the Laguna Amarga ranger station where we will be picked up and driven back to your camp to celebrate over our farewell dinner.

*Please note that if there are more than 6 travellers in the group there's an option to split into two groups, with one group (or the whole group if everybody's in the mood!) cycling to Laguna Azul!

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Comfy dome camp

Day 7: Adios Torres del Paine!

You will board an early morning vehicle, sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride back to Punta Arenas in time to catch the evening flight to Santiago. Or, alternatively, you board an early morning vehicle to the border to continue our journey to El Calafate.