Price: It really depends on the particular refugio you would like to stay in. Again, it also depends on the season and the location. You can see the updated rates here. As you will be in Torres del Paine for some days and you probably want to eat something more than just chocolate bars, you should think about it and plan for it in advance!
Are you going to cook your own food or will you use the full board option provided by the refugio? Cooking the food yourself requires, of course, some preparation and most importantly, carrying everything in your backpack.
But hey, it is much cheaper! PRO TIP: A friend of mine hung her food in order to keep it away from mice and other rodents, but it was taken by a condor! I am saying this over and over again because, believe me, the weight of your backpack will become super important after you walk with it for a few hours. Backpacking in Torres del Paine is no easy game!
There were many people camping who came to the restaurant in the evening just to enjoy a nice warm dinner. The dinner consists of 4 courses — a salad appetizer , a soup, a main course meat or a vegetarian option and a dessert with tea. Wine is not included, but you can get it for quite an affordable price if you wish. I remember both breakfasts and dinners being heavy meaning a lot of food!
Lunch will be given to you in a lunch box. There is a vegetarian option as well. What about drinking water? Luckily, you are in a national park and the streams of water coming directly from the glacier are cleaner than any bottled water. If you take the water directly from the river, there is a high possibility of other people or horses stepping in it.
Just refill your bottles up the stream and you will be safe. Some cabanas another name for a refugio sometimes add chlorine in the water, so try not to drink it!
Just ask the people at the canteen to refill your bottle. Oh, let me answer this question for you this time, can I? You should leave your main luggage in Puerto Natales. They have special storage for this and your bags will be safe there for the entire duration of your hike.
I used a lock just in case, but everything was fine. A suggested packing list is below. NOTE: As I mentioned earlier, the weather in Patagonia can be quite unpredictable, so make sure to pack both cold and hot weather clothes! As I always say: layering is your best friend! There is also the possibility of hiring a porter, but if you ask me, that is not the point of being out in nature.
Just bring the most important stuff with you and enjoy the park without any high-tech devices or dozens of dresses to wear in the evening. Here is everything you wanted to know about the national park. I have updated the posts from the questions you asked in the comments. That is where I recommend you stay and have a rest for a day or 2 before the hike. Getting to Torres del Paine is so easy, as there are plenty of buses from Puerto Natales to different entrances of the park that depart every day in the morning.
You can buy your ticket from your hotel or just buy it from the bus terminal, whichever option works better for you. NOTE: Make sure to keep your ticket as you will need it for the return ride. You can check the updated entrance fee here. No, I would say it is relatively easy. There are no hills, just a bit of climbing and not even every day. However, if you are not in very good shape or the weather is windy, it can be quite challenging, but still doable for all ages and all levels.
Occasionally, you will have to go up some steep steel ladders, climb across suspension bridges and go along deep mountain valleys. It is not easy, especially if you have heavy backpacks, but Torres del Paine has some of the most spectacular routes on the planet and it is so worth it! You will also meet many amazing like-minded people along the way! Here is the Torres del Paine W trek distance and time estimate.
It is pretty accurate — my total time was a bit faster maybe, but that is because I did not have a heavy backpack. Many people wonder if you can do the trek by yourself or if it is mandatory to go with a tour. As usual, pick up your badge of courage and get on with it. Independent travel is absolutely possible, moreover, it even prevails in Torres del Paine! Solo hiking in Torres del Paine is very popular and is definitely allowed.
Local guides say that the Torres del Paine treks are so easy and obvious that if you manage to get lost, they will put you on a wall of shame and make you famous! Visiting Torres del Paine is definitely an unforgettable experience and the incredible natural beauty of the national park left many people speechless!
This is a place where the color of the crystal-clear sky is just indescribable, its nature is unique and you will have plenty of wildlife to discover around you. If you want to see them at sunrise, you should stay at Campamento Torres make sure to book in advance , as this is the closest place to get to the Torres.
You will still have to do a hike of about 1. I saw the torres during daylight, but it was stunning nevertheless! Climbing up there and hearing thunderstorms from time to time that are actually ice falls is an unforgettable experience! French Valley in Torres del Paine offers so many photo opportunities! Yes, even if we already spoke about this a bit, there are too many variables in this equation.
The final price of your adventure depends on what level of comfort you prefer, your budget and the season when you are going as well. These are the fixed prices that you will have to pay for the Torres del Paine W trek:. And yes, you read it correctly — even staying in a hostel in Torres del Paine can be quite pricey. The hostels are owned by private companies and it is hard for them to transfer all the goods there, which is why the price you pay for a hostel here can equal the price for a good hotel somewhere in Europe.
I personally combined the medium and expensive options — I stayed in cabanas for 3 nights and 1 night in a camp, renting a tent from them. There are no shops or ATMs in the park, but there is a supermarket in Puerto Natales where you can buy food before your trip. Of course, you can also buy food at the refugios in Torres del Paine. The idea was to find all the info in one place — which trek to take, how much exactly it is going to cost you, how long it will take, what to take with you and many other little things that I noted down while doing the trail myself.
Even if it is not as cheap as the tour of the Salt Flats in Bolivia , for example, you will experience a totally different beauty and I recommend doing it! While touring Torres del Paine, I met a talented photographer named Pehuen Grotti, who generously allowed me to use his fantastic pictures on my blog. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook for more! Disclaimer: I was invited to Fantastico Sur as a guest, however, all opinions are, as always, my own. Have you already done the trek?
Are you thinking about it? Share your thoughts in the comments! Yulia MissTourist. Yulia is originally Russian but truly is a world citizen in the heart. She was traveling around the world for over 4 years now. Her blog MissTourist. Disclaimer : Please note that some of the links on this page might be affiliate links, which means that at absolutely no extra cost for you we will earn a small commission for a sale generated through the website.
We only recommend the things we actually use ourselves and never accept useless sponsored crap. Thank you so much for supporting this project! I am looking to go in mid-September, but the limited information I have been able to find seems to suggest solo travellers must have a guide — or go in a group.
Thank you! Hi Robert! In any case, I would call and ask the part or one of the refugios, they will be able to give you more hands-on info! Hello — lots of fantastic information — thank you. We were thinking of staying outside the park in a cabin, driving into the park, finishing the hike and go back to the cabin at night, The cabin is approx. This way, we can also cook for ourselves as we have dietary restrictions and are vegetarians.
Is this a good option. Secondly, we want to do the W hike as three different day trips — one day to see the Torres, the other day to do the glacier and hike. We are not sure how to do the middle section of the W hike yet — do you have any recommendations? Doing day trips from outside of the park would definitely be possible for the beginning and the end points of the park, but I am not sure if you could reach the middle without staying there or taking a helicopter or a boat?
I did all the 5 days so it would be hard for me to say, try asking them directly through the official website. HI Thanks for all the great info! So please just confirm a couple things. I would need to bring in gas to the Refuge Grey and Grande Paine if I wanted to cook my own breakfast and dinner correct?
This is different for me as the shelters in New Zealand did have gas stoves to use for the hikers. Can USD be used to buy food for snacks and wine at night?
Thank you in advance. Yes you should bring you gas oven with you. This is so helpful! Do you know what the cancellation policy is for the campsites and refugios? Some friends and I are thinking about doing this hike, but if the weather looks totally atrocious the entire time we were thinking about changing our plans last minute.
Groups: 10 or more people, 61 days before check-in. For Vertice Patagonia, their Terms and Conditions that you will find after you fill in the details for your reservation state that you can cancel it with 31 days in advance.
Hello, Are there any restrictions in number of nights to stay in the same Refugio? I booked 3 consecutive nights one by one, in different times in the same place. Hi Yulia, Fantastic comprehensive info about TdP distilled in an easy-to-use format!
We plan to spend about days in TdP post-Antarctica cruise in Jan The W trek seems the logical choice. Thanks a lot for your excellent helpful guide! Hello, Thank you for this post! I understand that reservation camping or refugio accommodations is mandatory. How far in advance is it possible to book reservations? It is very possible that the reservations are not open yet. I read that they usually open up in May for November-March season. If you want to be extra sure about the situation, you can e-mail the different camping companies or just write them a message on their Facebook pages.
So from So from what I understand I have to order a ticket for the same route I want for example w and then book the camps? If not, try on different dates. Do you know if you can just access boiled water in the camps? I just want a cup of tea without carrying a stove etc! Thanks Zoe. Maybe someone else here can confirm for Zoe?
Afterward you'll begin the hike back to your lodging in Torres del Paine. You'll then hop on a domestic flight to Santiago. From there you'll meet your connecting flight home.
You don't need two full weeks to experience Chilean Patagonia. In fact, you can enjoy the major highlights in one national park: Torres del Paine. Not only is this one of the most famous trekking destinations in the world, but it's overflowing with snow-capped peaks, thundering waterfalls, and turquoise lakes. This quick six-day itinerary includes the best sites and treks in the park, and you'll kick off the adventure by exploring Chile's capital of Santiago.
Suggested activities include: Hike to the top of Cerro San Cristobal , where you can get your bearings by surveying the area from a high vantage point. Pathways lead 2, feet m up this central hill to a series of lookouts that offer wraparound views of Santiago. If you aren't the hiking type, not to worry: catch a scenic gondola instead. Stroll the cobblestone streets of Barrio Bellavista. On the north side of Santiago, you'll find this trendy enclave, at once fashionable and bohemian.
Stroll past colorful houses adorned with graffiti art and choose between an eclectic array of eateries and bars—great for people watching.
Visit the Plaza de Armas , a stone plaza located in Santiago's historic center dating to Here is my complete guide to Torres del Paine Chile. Most people including myself visit the national park for its one greatest hit — the three granite towers Torres del Paine. The highlight of my two-week trip to Chile was definitely Torres del Paine.
Coming here required some planning and saving , but the trip was worth every bit of money and effort. I hope this guide to Torres del Paine will help you plan your own epic trip there. Covering an area made up of more than square miles 1, square km , Torres del Paine is a massive national park that stretches across the southern part of Chile.
Torres del Paine has become a hugely popular destination and the number of visitors are restricted. That means campsites and lodges get fully booked well in advance. Be sure to plan your trip at least 6 months in advance. You can book day tours, take public buses or rent a car to explore yourself. I will elaborate in details all of the above options. Even in summer, you can get four seasons in a day, with sudden rainstorms and knock-down guests as part of the initiation.
The most popular time to visit Torres del Paine is between November and April , which coincides with spring and summer in the southern hemisphere. Temperatures range from 30s degrees Celsius at night to high 60s degrees Celsius in the day. However, it will get crowded especially on the W Trek. In my opinion, the best time to visit is during the shoulder season from September to November and March to April. Note that the W trek is open year-round, but you need an official guide to hike the trail from May 1 to the start of September.
My original plan was to do the 5-day W trek, but sadly most campsites were fully booked. Make sure you have at least three weeks in Chile if you want to do the W trek and visit other parts of the country. As distances in Chile are long, backpacking Chile takes some time and planning. A flight from Santiago takes around 3. Book well in advance and flights are half the price! Book Your Flight here! Buses leave from both the airport and bus terminal. The journey takes around 3 hours distance is miles or km.
The three companies are:. Timetable: am, pm, pm, pm, pm. Timetable: am, pm. Timetable: am, am, am, am, am, pm, pm, pm, am, am, pm, pm, pm. The Torres del Paine National Park is 70 miles km away from Puerto Natales and you can drive that in around 2 hours.
I recommend booking your car rental online to ensure availability. You can even hire it in Punta Arenas and drive all the way to Torres del Paine. Book Your Car Rental. The buses leave at am from the bus station in Puerto Natales and get to Laguna Amarga where you pay your entrance fee at 9. They pick up from Laguna Amarga at 2. In general, there are three ways that you can explore the Torres del Paine National Park.
There are pros and cons to each way, and all of them require some form of planning. The W trek is considered one of the best treks in the world. The 5-day trek is 80 km 50 miles long and takes you through the stunning mountains, glaciers and ridges.
Here is an excellent guide to doing the W Trek without a tour. The O circuit is a longer version of it, with the addition of the backside of the mountain to make it a km 80miles long loop. Most people do the circuit in 7 nights, 8 days. The two treks are so popular that refugios campsites get booked up a year in advance! Check out this 5-day Guided W Trek.
I am just back from guiding for a few weeks in the backcountry with no email. Starting with the ferry at R. Paine Grande is the most efficent way to do the W. That is, on day 1 it gives you the chance to take a bus from P. Natales, take care of the ferry shuttle, to see Glacier Grey on the first day and still make Italiano or Frances to camp.
Glacier Grey was our favorite part of the trip. The out back to P. Natales is a super easy bus ride from the Hotel at the end.
That being said, going the opposite direction is not bad either. I know that I have answered this question a few times in the comments of this post, but can seem to find them easily right now. Initially had issues with Vertices site midweek but reached out, and gave the online form a shot one more time yesterday before trying to book via email, and it worked.
So seems like the big may have been fixed. Thanks for the info Jeannie. Alan, great info, planning final details for Thanksgiving week. Your thought? Hi Nick- Looks like a great trip! I simply do not know how fast you or your party hike, how far you can hike, and how much time you spend stopped vs. I can say that the that hiking times and daily mileages that Alison and I did were fairly aggressive but certainly doable schedule for fit backpackers carrying ultralight packs.
So unless you are seasoned backpackers somewhere between our hiking times and the parks hiking times might be a rough estimate. Wishing you a great trek in the park! Thanks Alan, we been able to reserve via email with Fantastico Sur, so far pretty smooth to reserve camping cuernos and camping chileno with them. Hi, we recently did the W trek at the end of March and this website was really helpful to us planning it, so thanks again!
Day 1: Drove ourselves from Puerto Natales to the 9am Pudeto ferry. Here are my main tips: — The obvious route from Puerto Natales is the turning towards Cueva Milodon. This was closed so the journey took longer than expected — we allowed 3 hours from PN to the 9am ferry at Pudeto and only just made it.
Google suggests it might have just reopened now very recently? Our tent was all pegged down and a gust of wind flipped it right over like a paper plate! The ground was so soft the pegs got ripped right out. The trail is pretty much through woodland all the way and sometimes splits into a few well trodden paths. At about 2. We started going up the valley and it was very sketchy. Nearly got hit by one from people ahead. Add to that crazy gusts of wind which literally knocked me flat a couple of times and it was getting pretty serious.
We mistook those for rubbish the first time. But one turned up at too, bonus! Our trek was part of an amazing roadtrip, basically routes 40 Arg and 7 Chile between Bariloche and Puerto Natales, so feel free to try me if you have questions about places on those routes!
Hi Kat, thanks for all to good info! Always appreciated, as I try and keep the site-up-to-date. And yes,Paine Grande camp is very exposed. And then using lots of them. BTW many tents come with far less than adequate stakes that should be replaced with something more substantial for Patagonia. Oh, and glad you had a good trip. Sounds like you did some solid mileage days and most important, had a lot of fun.
Warmest, -alan. I cannot tell you how helpful this site has been for me. Especially helpful were your descriptors of the little details like hopping back onto the bus after entering the park, where to drop our packs, etc and the different site closures for the season. We camped at Chileno the night before hiking up to the towers Camp Torres was closed, as you mentioned and your time estimates were essential for us to make it up before sunrise.
Thank you! Again, thank you for this post and happy travels! Meredith, my pleasure. And thanks for the kind words. Wishing you a great year of trekking. Hello, Very much appreciate you doing this work and keeping it going. What a gift! I walked the W 11 years ago. We stayed at the Refugios and the Hotel, opting out of camping. I see you tend to camp rather than stay at the Refugios. Do you have any leads on how to reserve said and how you would vary your recommended walk staying in beds rather than camping?
Thank you for your love of the region and sharing your experiences and good thoughts! At this moment I am planning a hike for me and a friend. It would be great if you could help us with the following schedule. On February 25th we arrive in El Calafate and if possible we would like to take a bus on that same day to refugio Torre Norte for and stay there from untill Again we dont know yet of they have any availability.
Do you know where we can book a ticket for this boat? Could you please help me with the following questions: — Is there any other accomodation than the refugios available? And maybe the most important question: we consider ourselfs as quite athletic because of all the sport we do but we are not experienced hikers.
Do you think we manage? Hi Steven and Mark, Glad you found the site helpful. And yes, you should be excited. TdP is a magic place! It has all the info.
I simply do not know how fast you hike, how far you can hike, and how much time you spend stopped vs. I can say that the 3 days that Alison and I did is fairly aggressive but certainly doable schedule for fit backpackers carrying ultralight packs. So unless you are seasoned backpackers 4 days might be a more prudent guess, since you want extra time it might be 5. Finally, note that this is a self-help trip guide, meant to assist people to plan and execute their trips — not not plan it for them.
Your site is so very helpful and informative; how generous of you to do this for those of us with wander lust unfulfilled! My husband and I are in chile 20 Dec — 20 Jan 18, roughly and are very keen to do the W at the end of our trip ie Jan. Hi Lisa, Apologies for the late reply. I took some time off during Thanksgiving to be with family.
Thanks so much for this, this was extremely clear and helpful. GIven the limited time we will have in that area, we will do exactly that 3 day circuit One question though: In the end you mention there is a park shuttle from Torres to Laguna Amarga.
Or how do you get tickets? Hi Phillip, Apologies for the late reply. Having never taken that bus, I am not familiar with the policies. The bus we took back from Pudeto was a hop on option as long as they had room. So I am guessing that the same would be true shuttle from Torres to Laguna Amarga.
Do you know maybe what time i can eat Breakfast at most od Campsite from Fantastico. Becouse I want start as early as you. I try to do exactly this same but becouse Italiano is full booking I Put instead sector francis and instead of sector Chileno I Put sector central. Did you eat something at refugio during Your way or all Your food have with you. I will do so when I am back with Internet. Best -alan. Where can I leave those heavy one, should I set my tent and Put inside or is special pleace for hikiers.
I have got 6 full day there : in Your opinion I should share those W Trek at 4 and 1 spend in Natales. Are you able to say something about Otway Sound — pinguins in way from Natales to Arenas. Can I do by myself. Adrian, I am just getting ready to board for an International trip.
Leaving packs and the penguins. Apologies for the brief reply. As to the packs, folks just normally leave them around the ranger station at C. Just make sure you get all your high value stuff like, wallet, passport, camera, phone etc.
If acampamento Chileno is fully booked around the dates we could possibly do it, do you believe we have any other option? Or even, is it feasible doing a really tough second day and going away on the second day? HI Joao, this question has been asked a number of times. Alan, thanks for all this info. What was your itinerary for your almost 3 weeks in Chile? Hi Kate. Endless options in Patagonia, Chile and Argentina!
But on this trip we did a night in Santiago. Did the TdP trek. Did penguin watching including the King Penguins in Terra del Fuego. Spent some time in Punta Areas. Then flew to the Atacama desert and did some hiking, birdwatching, and astronomy stuff. And then a few more days in Santiago before flying back. Only a smattering of the options. Thanks for the amazing website. Day 4 — Dawn sighting of the towers, and back to Puerto Natales.
Hi David, that sounds like a lovely trek. That is, assuming that you can comfortably hike those distances each day and enjoy yourself. I would recommend booking early at Chileno! Finally, without knowing you, your hiking capabilities, time spent hiking vs. But, below are some thoughts on how you might get a better handle on this And apologies if you are a kick-ass hiker who can easily handle such mileages :. Do you have any suggestion to make things a little easier days without the free camps since they are already fully booked?
Itinerary is certainly doable for a fit hiker. Frances and both an evening and dawn visit to the Torres. Better for each hiker to make that call on their own. Wishing you a great trek in a beautiful and special place. HI Alan Thanks for a fantastic website. One question: is your 3 day itinerary doable for a good hiker, but with a backpack? Does it leave room to see landscapes?
Or would that be a stretch? Thanks so much. Hi Amelie! But unless you are seasoned backpackers, 4 days might be a more prudent guess. Your site is so so so helpful! Thanks again! Kaela, Apologies for the late reply I have been in guiding the backcountry for the last two weeks. Alison and I did not sleep at Chileno. But I would imagine that a double platform would accommodate 2 2 person backpacking tents. To be sure, I would suggest contacting Fantastico Sur to confirm.
Thanks so much for this site Alan! Thanks for this great post, Alan! Super helpful. Day 2: Hike Spend the night at Italiano. Day 3: Hike If we get there early enough and have the energy, drop our packs and do the 3. Day 4: Get up predawn, check out the Torres at sunrise, and then hike the 3. Arron, that looks like a lovely itinerary. Only thing is to make sure you can get reservations for all your nights.
Italiano in particular books full early. Have a great trek. Well done!
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