Self-Guided Deluxe W Trek

Day 1: Trek to Las Torres (The Towers) lookout; Hotel Las Torres

You'll be collected from your hotel in Puerto Natales at 7am and driven to Torres del Paine National Park. The route passes grand estancias and flat pampas, where you'll spot Darwin's rheas (ñandus), guanacos, and a variety of bird species.

At Laguna Amarga, the main entrance to the Park, you will collect your park entrance permit (included in your trip), then board a shuttle bound for your Refugio Las Torres. 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 Hotel Las Torres where dinner will be served and you can rest for the evening.

Private transfer: 2hrs 

Length of hike: 8-10hrs, 22km

Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Double room at Hotel Las Torres

Day 2: Trek to Los Cuernos (The Horns) lookout; Refugio Los Cuernos

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before leaving behind the crowds who are entering the park just to see Las Torres. 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 (2750m) 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 – Refugio Los Cuernos.

Here, settle in, enjoy a good meal among fellow travellers, and rest beneath the immense moraine. Enjoy sleeping in the comfortable double cabins which, while rustic, are perfect for a good night's sleep in privacy and with tremendous views, especially at dawn over the plains.

Length of hike: 4-5hrs, 13km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Double cabin at Refugio Los Cuernos

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, take the meandering path that leads you to the French River. On entering the French Valley – a glacial moraine surrounded by peaks and hanging glaciers – we’ll hike over sometimes challenging terrain 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: 8-9hrs, 18km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Private dormitory room at Refugio Paine Grande

Day 4: Trek to Glacier Grey; optional kayaking; Refugio Grey

Start early after breakfast, ascending 200m on the winding trail to Lake Negra. 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 (7.5km trek), 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.

There is a fantastic opportunity to go on a 2.5-hour kayaking excursion on Lake Grey in the afternoon.

Accommodation for the night is at Refugio Grey, on the shore of Lake Grey.

Length of hike: 4hrs, 11km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Private dormitory room at Refugio Grey

Day 5 - Optional ice hike or kayak or trek; Puerto Natales

Enjoy this morning at leisure! Options include a 5hr ice hike on Grey Glacier, a 2.5 hour kayak excursion on Lake Grey or an additional trek (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.

After lunch you'll set off across Lake Grey by boat to reach the enormous facade of Glacier Grey. There'll be time here to observe the beautiful textures, lines and colours of the glacier and you might be lucky to see ice calving. On the return journey you'll sail past blue icebergs and see the wind-sculpted 'ice mushrooms' atop the massive peaks of Paine Grande. Once you leave the boat there will be a 20min walk along Grey Beach to pick up your private transfer to Puerto Natales.

Transfers: 2hrs by boat on Lake Grey, plus 2hrs private bus transfer

Meals: Breakfast and picnic lunch