Torres del Paine

W-Trail

National Park Torres del Paine certainly does not need any more advertising. Its bizarre Cuernos (horned peaks) with their two-tone rock and the steep granite needles of the Torres (towers) have practically become the symbol of the country. Every year thousands of hikers enjoy the spectacular landscape and the abundant wildlife at the southern tip of the continent. Trekkers who prefer solitude and the silence of nature should look for less traveled trails or consider coming during low season.

Chile rarely offers the possibility of trekking from shelter to shelter, which is why we describe here the tour in the southern part of the National Park known as “W-trail” . During high season, it is a good idea to book lodge nights in advance. The starting point is the Torres shelter at the Laguna Amarga park entrance (between the Lago Sarmiento and Laguna Azul entrances) , which can be reached easily from Puerto Natales.

Day 1
Mirador and the Torres (7-8 h, 950 m/3117 ft. )

All the trails in the park are very well marked and it is almost impossible to get lost with a trekking map of the park. From the Torres shelter the path leads past the hotel to a bridge. Cross the bridge and turn right at the next turn-off. The trail now goes steeply uphill. After about 1.5 hours we reach the Chileno shelter at approximately 520 m/1700 ft.

Instead of crossing the bridge to the Chileno shelter, turn left following the small path along the brook. After slightly more than one hour you should arrive at the turn-off to the Mirador (look-out point). The trail continues through rough boulders up to the viewpoint at the Laguna where you should  arrive in about another hour. The view of the Torres must be one of the most beautiful views in the country. If you take the short descent to the edge of the Laguna, you will be able to take some amazing pictures. Even though it does not look like it, the highest peak is the south tower on the left.

Go back along the same trail. On the way, you might want to stop at the Chileno shelter for some hot chocolate.

Day 2
Cuernos shelter (5 h, 420 m/1380 ft. , 460 m/1510 ft. )

This is a relatively short trail that zigzags slightly uphill and downhill with some steep ascents. Condors can be observed frequently on this trail. The Cuernos shelter is somewhat smaller than the Torres shelter.

Day 3
Pehoe shelter (7-8 h, 670 m/2200 ft. , 723 m/2370 ft. )

We arrive at Campo Italiano after 2:15 hours on the trail. This is where we leave the backpacks and start climbing along the marked trail up to the look-out point. Be careful - after rain the rocks are very slippery. On the way we can hear the ice break off the French Glacier, further up we can even watch it.

Back at Campo Italiano we take a little break and then carry on to the Pehoe shelter.

Day 4
Grey shelter (4-5 h, 458 m/1503 ft. , 365 m/1198 ft. )

This trail offers many opportunities for photos. As usual, the path is easy to find. One minute before reaching the Grey shelter, we turn right at the turn-off to get to the look-out point above the glacier. We recommend taking an extra day to explore the glacier from the Grey shelter, by simply taking the trail to the next camp.

Right next to the shelter there is a docking ramp where boats leave for the south side of the lake. From there, you can get a bus back to Puerto Natales.

Maps for this tour