9-Day Torres del Paine Circuit

Day 1: Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park; Las Torres Camp

The trip begins in the morning with you being picked up from either Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales and transferred to your accommodation in Torres del Paine National Park (5hrs). Alternatively, you can start your trip in El Calafate – a transfer from here will incur an extra charge and is subject to availability and should be booked at the time of booking.

If travelling from Punta Arenas, we'll stop en route in Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of Last Hope Sound (Ultima Esperanza), where we'll enjoy a local lunch. This journey is through a very picturesque region – look out for wildlife.

The day ends with your arrival during late afternoon at Las Torres Camp, nestled in the heart of the Torres del Paine National Park and with a prime view of the majestic Torres. This evening you'll meet your guide and a small group of like-minded travel companions as you're briefed on your upcoming adventure together.

Enjoy a sumptuous dinner in the communal dome and admire the sunset across the Patagonian steppe and Torres del Paine massif – usually around 11pm during the summer months.

Meals: Lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Las Torres Camp (Option to upgrade to EcoCamp Patagonia)

Day 2: Trek to the Dickson Valley; Dickson Camp

The day will start at Las Torres Camp as we prepare for our hike to Lake Dickson. The trail will lead us northwards along the western bank of the Río Paine. We'll stop at natural viewpoints for fantastic panoramic views of Torres del Paine, the vast Patagonian steppe to the east and the turquoise Lake Paine. We gently descend and continue west across open grasslands towards Refugio Dickson. Today's hike is the longest of the circuit, but the terrain is gently undulating and will be a great introduction to hiking the circuit.

Our campsite will be in the Dickson Valley, surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks and the crystal-clear waters of Lake Dickson. The Dickson Glacier and parts of the Southern Patagonian Icefield can be seen in the distance. We'll spend the night here at Dickson Camp and you can look forward to a hearty dinner and a hot shower.

Length of hike: 11hrs, 31km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Dickson Camp

Day 3: Trek to Laguna Los Perros; Los Perros Camp

We'll continue along the trail by the Los Perros river into the wildest and most remote terrain on this entire trek. We'll pass under the Los Perros Glacier which merges into a small lake, and then navigate through a virgin beech forest before reaching the picturesque Laguna Los Perros.

Here, we'll finish for the day at Los Perros Camp and enjoy a relaxing evening.

Length of hike: 5hrs, 9km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Los Perros Camp

Day 4: Trek to the John Gardner Pass and Lake Grey; Grey Camp

This day involves a climb to the highest point of the circuit as we reach altitudes of around 1300m (4000ft). From up here we'll be able to soak up an awe-inspiring view of Grey Glacier, an huge mass of fractured ice that towers in the valley.

The John Gardner Pass is one of the most famous sections of Torres del Paine and an essential target for serious hikers. From the pass we'll continue south along forested slopes with stunning views of the enormous Grey Glacier (more than 28km in length) before finishing for the day at Grey Camp, on the shore of Lake Grey.

Length of hike: 12hrs, 22km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Grey Camp

Day 5: Trek to Lake Pehoe; Paine Grande Camp

We'll take some time to relax in the morning and take in Lake Grey's surroundings before starting our trek along the eastern side of Lake Grey through areas of beautiful Calafate bushes. The views of the huge icebergs floating in Lake Grey is an unforgettable memory.

After this point the path levels out and then decends through a shallow dry valley on it's route to the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoe. Here, at Paine Grande Camp, we'll set up camp and hopefully enjoy a wonderful sunset over the French Valley – our destination for tomorrow.

Today there is the option for kayaking around Glacier Grey in the morning: This excursion starts at 9am and lasts 2.5hrs. Initially you'll receive a safety briefing from a specialist guide covering the kayak, paddling, route and conditions. All necessary equipment will be provided - neoprene suit, waterproof jacket, gloves, boots, kayak skirt and life vest. You'll kayak around huge icebergs, towards the east side of the glacier to get closer to the giant ice wall. The minimum age for this excursions is 15 years old and the maximum age is 65 years old. Kayaking is only available from Nov-Mar 19th. Advance booking and payment is required - please see the 'Additional Notes' section below.

Length of hike: 5hrs, 11km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Paine Grande Camp

Day 6: Trek through the French Valley; Francés Camp

After breakfast, we'll will begin the challenging trek to the French Valley (Valle Frances), along a steep trail that leads to the very heart of the Paine Massif. How far we go will de dictated by the pace of the group as a whole, but a faster walk will lead us to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south-east face of the Massif. From here there are fantastic views of the valley.

We'll then continue our ascent to the upper section of the valley where we'll take in the extensive mass of the valley's geological formations: Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburon (Shark's Fin) and the stunning Fortaleza (Fortress).

After all this ascent, we'll stop for a picnic lunch and rest up. Afterwards, it's a descent through undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest to the Francés Camp.

Length of hike: 8hrs, 25km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Francés Camp

Day 7: Trek Los Cuernos trail; Las Torres Camp

Today's trek along Los Cuernos trail will take us along the edge of the beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. This trek is less strenuous, but richer in the diversity of terrain that we will cover. In fact, it's the perfect opportunity to take in the park's huge variety of flora and fauna, and learn some more about the vast variety of species we encounter along the way.

We'll stop for a picnic lunch and relax in the beautiful surroundings before finishing up at Las Torres Camp. Here, we can look forward to a hot meal and prepare for the challenges that tomorrow will bring.

Length of hike: 7hrs, 16km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Las Torres Camp (Option to upgrade to EcoCamp Patagonia)

Day 8: Trek to the Towers; Las Torres Camp

The goal of our eighth day will be to complete the most famous trekking trail in Torres del Paine National Park – the trek to the Towers! We'll walk from Las Torres Camp towards Hosteria Las Torres before climbing to the Ascencio Valley on the eastern face of the Towers. Mountain ridges, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley.

Our main challenge comes in the form of the steep moraine (a huge mass of boulders) which lead us to the base of the Towers – three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice.

After a tough final ascent, the Towers eventually come into full view, soaring majestically before us. Here we'll stop at probably the best lunch spot in the world! After soaking up the view, we'll backtrack along the same trail through the Ascencio Valley and return to Las Torres Camp for a well-deserved dinner.

Length of hike: 9hrs, 22km

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Las Torres Camp (Option to upgrade to EcoCamp Patagonia)

Day 9: Transfer to Punta Arenas

In the early morning you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride back to Punta Arenas to catch the evening flight to Santiago. Alternatively, you can continue your trip to El Calafate – a transfer to here will incur an extra charge.

Meals: Breakfast