The W-Trek in Torres del Paine national park is one of the world’s most iconic adventures. Few places on earth can compare with the rugged beauty of Patagonia, and we couldn’t be more excited to be offering an adventure in Torres del Paine.
The elevation on this trek is not extreme, but the weather can be. This region has no dry season and it is famous for high winds. However, those willing to brave the elements, will encounter one of the planet’s truly unique landscapes.
Dates: March 13-21, 2027
This adventure begins and ends in Punta Arenas, Argentina (airport code PUQ). Team members will need to plan their flights to arrive in Punta Arenas on March 14th (departing the States on March 13th) and to depart on the evening of March 20th (arriving back in the States on March 21). Some team members may choose to stay additional days in Punta Arenas for sight seeing. We are happy to help you arrange your travel plans.
Cost: $3,150 per person
- A non-refundable $787.50 (25%) deposit is required at the time of registration to secure your spot on the team. Please read our Trip Cancellation and Refund policy before registering for your adventure.
- $1,575 (50%)is due before October 1st, 2026.
- $2,362.50 (75%)is due before December 1st, 2026.
- $3,150 (100%)is due before February 1st, 2027.
What is included:
- 3 nights Airbnb accommodation in Puerto Natales and 3 nights in premium tents during the trek
- All dinner meals while in Chile including restaurant quality meals during our 3 nights on trail. Team members are responsible for their own breakfasts and lunches. Food & beverages are available for purchase throughout the trek, however, some of our team members will prefer to prepare breakfasts and lunches before we begin trekking and carry them along the trail.
- Round trip bus fare from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales
- Round trip bus fare from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park
- Catamaran ticket from Paine Grande to Pudeto
What is NOT included:
- Team members are responsible for their own trekking gear (backpack, clothes, hiking shoes/boots, trekking poles, head lamp, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc.) We will provide an extensive and detailed packing/gear list for all of our participants.
- Team members are responsible for their own breakfasts, lunches, & snacks during the trek.
Trek Difficulty: Moderately Difficult to Difficult
The difficulty of this trek is largely dependent upon the notoriously unpredictable Patagonia weather. If we get great weather, this is a very manageable trekking itinerary. If we get rougher weather, it could become very challenging.
This trek is very unique in that we have portions where we will be carrying full packs and other portions where we will only be carrying a day pack. This will be explained in detail in the itinerary section.
As with all of our adventures, we recommend team members devote themselves to a season of training before attempting this trek. The more cardio fitness you can obtain before your adventure, the more you will enjoy the experience.
Itinerary:
Day 0 (Mar 13)
Depart the States.
Day 1 (Mar 14)
Team members will arrive in Punta Arenas, Argentina. Depending upon what time you arrive, you will either stay in a hotel in Punta Arenas or take the 3 hour bus ride to Puerto Natales to our Airbnb. When you arrive in Puerto Natales, you will walk to our team Airbnb. Puerto Natales is a very small place. Expect around a 10 minute walk.
Day 2 (Mar 15)
Team members that overnight in Punta Arenas will take the morning bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales. This is built in buffer day. We will take care of last minute preparations for the hike and enjoy a relaxing day in Puerto Natales.
Day 3 (Mar 16)
We will get up early and board a bus to Torres del Paine National Park. The ride is a little over 2 hours. After we get to the park, we will take a catamaran across Pehoe Lake to Paine Grande camp. We will take some time at Paine Grande for lunch before beginning our 6.5 mile hike to Frances camp where we will spend our first two nights of the trek.
We have the option of adding on a section of hiking from Paine Grande towards Grey Glacier before making the trip to Frances camp. This will add an additional 6-8 miles of hiking on this day. We would do it with only our day packs, but it will make the day significantly more difficult. We do not have to decide about this add-on until we arrive in Paine Grande and see how everyone feels.
*A quick note about the camp/tents. We will be staying in premium elevated tents throughout our stay in the national park. They are very spacious and comfortable. You will only need a sleeping bag and pillow. Everything else is provided. At each campsite, there is a restaurant that serves food and even cocktails. It is very comfortable by camping standards. There are also hot showers available each night.
Day 4 (Mar 17)
We will get up early and make our way to the French Valley where our goal is to ascend to Mirador Britanico. We will be staying this night in the same tents as the previous night, so we will be doing this day’s trek with only our day packs. The towers viewpoint gets all of the hype, but many people feel that the French Valley is actually the highlight of their Patagonia trek. The round trip from Frances to Britanico is approximately 10 miles and there are a few pretty challenging sections, especially near the mirador.
Day 5 (Mar 18)
We will pack our kits and hit the trail around 9:30AM and begin our journey to Central camp. The total mileage is around 10, but there is significantly less elevation gain on this day than on the previous one. Still, it will be a challenging day since we will be hiking with full packs. The trek to Central should take around 5 hours and we will enjoy a pretty relaxing afternoon and evening in camp.
Day 6 (Mar 19)
We will be up and on the trail by 3:15AM to make the lengthy climb up to the famous towers viewpoint for sunrise. We will be utilizing only our daypacks for this portion of the trek. We will leave a majority of our gear in our tents, since we will be staying in the same location on this night. The first half of the climb towards the towers is long and steep, especially in the dark. Sometime around 5:00AM we will make it to Chileno camp where we will take a few minutes of break, refill our waters, and begin the remaining journey up to the viewpoint. The last section of this trek is very steep challenging climbing, but the sunrise view is unmatched. After enjoying the sunrise, we will retrace our journey back down to Central Camp. When all is said and done, we will have hiked nearly 14 miles with more than 4,000ft of vertical gain. It will be a very challenging day, but the views are simply incredible. After we arrive back in Central Camp, we will catch a bus back to Puerto Natales where we will have a celebratory dinner before beginning our journey home the next day.
Day 7 (Mar 20)
We will travel by bus back to Punta Arenas to catch our international flights.
Day 8 (Mar 21)
Arrive back in the States.