5 Day Backpacking Adventure Along the Patagonia W-Trek
Duration
4-5 Days
Location
Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
Difficulty
Moderate to Difficult
Cost
~$1000pp ($500-$2000)
Best Time to Visit
☀️ Summer Season (December to February): The best time to hike the W-Trek is during the summer season (remember this is the Southern Hemisphere), which offers the best weather, longer daylight hours (17-18 hrs), but stronger winds. You can expect temperatures between 40-60°F (6-20°C) with cool nights and mild days. However, since it's peak season, accommodations fill up fast, so plan to book in June/July for the upcoming season when booking opens.
🌦️ Shoulder season (November or March): If you prefer lower prices and fewer crowds on the trails coming from day-trip tours, opt for these months. Weather can be a little unpredictable with a chance for rain and snow at higher altitudes. You can expect accommodations to book out during these months (so remember to book as early as possible).
🌼 In November, experience a boom in wildlife and wildflowers as spring transitions to summer, with 16 hours of daylight and less wind compared to summer months.
🍁 In March, fall foliage creeps in painting the landscape in vibrant colors of red, orange, and gold with. Expect 12-13 hours of daylight.
Booking Sites
⛺️ Where to book accommodations: Book through Torres Hike for a seamless, all-in-one experience booking all refugios along your route (expect a service charge).
🚌 How to get to/from Torres del Paine: Book coach buses through BusSur for transport to/from TdP and to/from Punta Arenas.
⛴️ Where to book tickets for the catamaran: Pre-book ferry tickets across Lago Pehoé via Catamaran Pehoé to avoid delays. You can purchase in-person, but this is subject to availability.
🎟️ Remember a ticket for park entry is required: Pre-purchase your $45pp permit online via the CONAF website.
If Patagonia has been calling your name, the W-Trek in Torres del Paine (TdP) is one of the best ways to experience its breathtaking landscapes. This five-day trek takes you through valleys carved by glaciers, past turquoise lakes, and to the famous Mirador Base Torres. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or someone looking for an epic adventure, this guide will help you plan your self-guided trek from east to west, with all the details you need to make it a success.
Choosing Your Adventure
O-Trek or W-Trek?
When planning your TdP adventure, one of the first decisions is whether to take on the full O-Trek (80 mile/130 km) or stick to the more moderate W-Trek (50 mile/80 km). These trails are named after their route map — the O-trek makes a complete circle, you will enter/exit TdP through the same park entry point, and the W-trek follows the bottom half of the O-trek, covering the highlights in a more manageable 3- to 5-day timeframe. If you have limited time, the W-Trek is your best bet, while the O-Trek (6-9 days) offers a more immersive backcountry experience.
Which Direction? East to West vs. West to East
A common debate is whether to hike west to east or east to west. Many people believe hiking west to east allows the wind to be at your back, but in reality, the wind affects mostly north-south valleys. We chose east to west for a grand finale at Lake Pehoé, where the catamaran ride offered stunning farewell views of the peaks we had just conquered. Alternatively, hiking west to east means finishing at the Mirador Base Towers, the iconic lake at the foot of the granite spires.
Self-Guided vs. Group Tour
We highly recommend going self-guided for this trek. While group tours (12-20 people) offer guidance and camaraderie, they often have a slow pace, stopping frequently for photo ops and bathroom breaks. Doing it on your own allows you to set your own pace and soak in the beauty of the park without constraints. There are clear trail markers and plenty of fellow trekkers to point you in the right direction, no previous navigating and backpacking experience required.
Booking Your Trek
Planning ahead is crucial. TdP’s peak season is November to March, and reservations sell out quickly. Book your spots by June or July to secure your preferred accommodations. It is required that you have accommodations pre-booked as refugios and campsites are fully booked out and camping along the trail is forbidden. You’ll need to make reservations with two different operators:
Las Torres manages the eastern refugios of TdP.
Vertice covers the western refugios of TdP.
Our recommendation: Book with Torres Hike, a platform aggregator and partner, that streamlines the booking process for accommodations and food, though it charges a small service fee.
Accommodation Options (pricing subject to change):
Basic Camping: $45pp (must bring your own camping gear)
Premium Camping: $140pp (raised platform, tent, sleeping bag, pillow, and sleeping pad provided)
Mountain Hostel (Refugio): $200pp (bunk bed in shared room)
We chose premium camping when possible. We arrived with our tent already set up each day on raised platforms (about 5 feet off the ground) and storage netting, giving us our own space to air-dry our gear and provided decent comfort without carrying extra weight.
Each refugio has different accommodation options. Refugio Frances only has camping options (basic or premium) and no hostel, while Refugio Cuerno offers an additional mountain cabin option for a luxury glamping-ish experience.
All refugios have shared bathrooms regardless of dorm, cabin, or camping so be prepared.
Packing Essentials
✔ Clothing:
Waterproof jacket & pants
Fleece or insulated jacket (Patagonia microdini 1/2 zip)
Quick-dry hiking clothes
1 base long-sleeve
2 t-shirts
1 pair of leggings or hiking pants
1 pair of lounge pants (you spend a lot of time at camp/refugios)
2 pairs of moisture wicking hiking socks (Darn Tough)
Gloves, hat, and beanie
Buff/gaiter (Buff)
To protect your neck from sunburn and for extra cover when it's windy.
✔ Gear:
Backpack (40-50L) (Deuter 45L+10L W Pack)
Light daypack (Waterproof 20L daypack) to carry for 3 of the 4 days
2L water bladder (Camelbak)
Hiking poles (Black Diamond)
Waterproof/Goretex hiking boots or trailrunners (Nike Pegasus W / Salomon Sense Ride M)
Shower/camp shoes (Teva Tirras W/ Teva Hurricane M)
5L dry bag (keep electronics dry)
Tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad (if basic camping)
✔ Food & Cooking:
Snacks (protein bars, trail mix, jerky)
Camping meals (Pack-it Gourmet, Mountain House, etc.) (if no meal plan)
Jetboil or small stove (buy fuel in Puerto Natales) (if camp cooking)
✔ Miscellaneous:
Headlamp (Black Diamond)
Sunscreen (Biore UV sunscreen) & sunglasses
Shampoo/conditioner bar (Ethique travel bars)
Leak-proof soap bar pouch (Matador)
Planning & Preparation
Food Options: Buy, Pack, or Cook?
Food is another area where you can tailor your experience:
Full-Board Meals at Refugios
Pre-purchased when booking accommodations (~$150 for 3 meals per day). Convenient but pricey.
Freeze-Dried Camping Meals
Bring freeze-dried meals from home. We used Pack-it Gourmet and cannot recommend their meals enough—some folks who purchased the full-board saw our food and mentioned it looked/smelled tastier than their provided meal! Our favorites were the Texas State Fair Chili, Curry Mango Chicken Salad (only requires cold water to “cook” making it perfect for lunch), and Strawberry Cheesecake (yes, we treated ourselves to dessert every day!).
Cooking with a Jetboil/Camp Stove
This is a great option for those who want to cook on the trail. Bring your own camp stove and buy gas canisters in Puerto Natales before heading to the park. Each refugio has picnic benches so you can cook/eat outside.
To supplement your meals, you can purchase food à la carte at each refugios. Every refugio has a different mini-mart with snacks, drinks, and some basic meal options. The best stop for fresh food was Paine Grande, which serves incredible fresh-made pizzas.
Every refugio has alcoholic (beer and wine) and non-alcoholic drink options for purchase so there is no need to bring your own. At all of the Las Torres refugios, you should receive a welcome drink voucher for a nice draft beer or cold soda.
Water on the Trail
One of the best parts of trekking in TdP is that you don't need to carry large amounts of water. Fresh, clean drinking water is available from bathroom taps at each refugio and from streams along the trail. If filling from a stream, ensure the water is flowing and sourced upstream.
Itinerary (East-to-West W-Trek)
Day 1: Enter Park & Hike to Mirador Base Torres
Distance: 8 hours round trip, 19 km | Difficulty: Challenging
Logistics: Take the 7 AM bus from Puerto Natales to TdP Entrance. Drop off your heavy pack at Refugio Central and head out with your daypack (out-and-back hike from Refugio Central).
Highlights: This steep hike leads to the Mirador Base Torres, the iconic blue lagoon at the foot of the famous towers.
Stay: Refugio Central
Day 2: Hike to Domo Frances
Distance: 6-7 hours, 17 km | Difficulty: Moderate
Logistics: Take everything with you. Full day trekking with your heavy pack.
Highlights: This section takes you through rolling hills with views of Lago Nordenskjöld.
Stay: Domo Frances (no refugio dorms available here, but these had the nicest bathrooms out of all of the refugios!)
Day 3: French Valley & Hike to Paine Grande
Distance: 5-6 hours, 14.5 km | Difficulty: Moderate
Logistics: Drop your heavy pack at Refugio Italiano and take your daypack to hike into the French Valley (out-and-back hike through Refugio Italiano).
Highlights Mirador Británico and Mirador del Frances offer incredible 360-degree mountain views. You will hear loud thunder cracks during your hike, and be able to see cascading avalanches coming off the glaciers in the valley—really an incredible experience!
Stay: Refugio Paine Grande
Day 4: Lake Grey & Glacier Kayaking
Distance: 8-9 hours, 22 km | Difficulty: Hardest Day
Logistics: Take only your daypack to Glacier Grey as you'll return to Paine Grande (out-and-back hike).
Highlights: Hike to Lake Grey for glacier views. Opt for the extra 0.5 km hike to the Grey Viewpoint, it offers up close views of Glacier Grey and is well worth the extra 30 min!
If you are staying at Lake Grey, consider the 5 hour ice hike on Glacier Grey via Bigfoot Patagonia.
If you are hiking in/out of Grey, consider the 2.5-hour kayak tour with Bigfoot Patagonia.
Stay: Refugio Paine Grande (though we wished we had stayed at Refugio Grey to avoid backtracking and so we could have done the ice hike!)
Note: You could opt to skip the extra night stay in Paine Grande and take an evening catamaran out of the park.
Day 5: Catamaran Ride & Exit
Details: Take the catamaran across Lake Pehoé and catch your Bus Sur ride out of the park. Look out for herds of guanaco along the way!
Final Thoughts
As we reflect on our W-Trek adventure, we're filled with a sense of accomplishment and awe at the raw beauty of Patagonia. There's a reason why the W-Trek is frequently mentioned as one of the bucket-list hikes in the world, offering a perfect balance of challenge and reward. This adventure taught us the value of pushing our limits and the importance of connecting with nature in its purest form. Whether you're an experienced hiker or a novice adventurer, the W-Trek offers a transformative experience that will stay with you long after you've left the stunning landscapes of Torres del Paine.
