an amateur hiker's guide to Patagonia
- Courtney Wisniewski
- 2 days ago
- 15 min read
specifically the W Trek in Torres Del Paine
Funny enough, I originally made this account thinking that one day I would be a travel blogger. I’ve always enjoyed using my passions, writing and photography, paired with my inspiration to learn about cultures, to portray the places I’ve visited. I stopped traveling for a while and this account became more of a Carrie Bradshaw style dating column. (This is a formal apology to all my relatives who are subscribed). However, after my latest trip, I struggled to find adequate information on my route and figured I could help out the next handful of people doing the same route as me.
I recently backpacked through Patagonia and here is everything you need to know, or rather, everything I wish I knew. Finding out information for this trip was nearly impossible. There was one blog we used for the majority of our inspiration but it was out of date. The official websites are impossible to navigate and significant information is left out.
Lo and behold, here is my guide to Patagonia, specifically the W Trek in Torres Del Paine and Fitz Roy in El Chalten (which will be covered in the next blog). Good thing I keep a detailed daily journal…
W TREK: TORRES DEL PAINE
Useful Links:
I started this trip in Buenos Aires, where I’ve been located for the past month. From Buenos Aires I flew to El Calafate. If you are traveling alone, I suggest you book a shuttle service 24 hours in advance. A taxi from the airport is 36,000 pesos (about $25 USD) or you can use Ves Patagonia to book a shared shuttle for 12,000 pesos (about $12 USD). After killing some time in the outdated city center of El Calafate (I suggest grabbing a beer at Patagonia Cervezeria), I hopped on a bus to Puerto Natales, Chile. You can book this on an app called Bus Bud, when you get to the station you’ll have to pay a 2,000 peso tax so make sure you have cash. Make sure to always have cash on you!
I decided to practice the art of being bored and spent the 6 hour bus ride to Puerto Natales staring out the window. I noticed lots of animals; wild horses running in packs, strange emu-like birds, newly born baby sheep frolicking, and unfortunately lots of guanacos lodged in the barbed wire fences lining the highway. The terrain changed several times during the drive. We followed a bright blue lake lined by snowcapped mountains for several miles before it began to snow. As a Southern California girl, the snow scares me. We stopped at the customs and border protection where a cute yellow lab sniffed our bags in the snow. They took my lentils.
We arrived at the station in Chile by nightfall and it was still snowing. We couldn’t be bothered to walk in the snow, so we ordered an uber to our hostel for a steep price of $2 USD. However, Puerto Natales is small enough you can walk anywhere in under 15 minutes.
We stayed at Lili Patagonicos which was the perfect, most accommodating hostel. The beds were insanely comfortable and the showers ran unbelievably hot. They had an amazing free breakfast in the morning with homemade waffles!
We spent the next day renting all the gear we needed for the W Trek. Unfortunately I did not bring anything with me because I had not planned on doing this trek until after I arrived in Buenos Aires. Thus, we had to rent backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, and trekking poles. It was suggested we buy crampons, I had to google what crampons were. We also needed to meal prep for the week.
We rented our gear from Day Zero, which we highly recommend getting everything you need from here. Peter from Day Zero was incredibly kind and has cute dogs that you must pay the pet-tax to. They have immaculate gear, from the easy-up, light tent to nice sleeping mats. Peter also gave us the best tip that definitely saved our entire trip: bring a Nalgene.
Why a Nalgene you may ask? Well in case you didn’t know, Argentines and Chileans alike are obsessed with mate. Mate requires a regular flow of hot water, which means that each campsite on the W Trek has free boiling hot water. However, if you fill a Nalgene with boiling water and put it in your sleeping bag, you stay warm all night.
Next, we went to the grocery store. We kept it simple and meal prepped oats with chia seeds for breakfast, lentils and quinoa with chicken stock for dinner, and protein bars and miscellaneous snacks for lunch on the trails.
The next morning we took the 7 AM bus from Puerto Natales to Torres Del Paine which is about 2 hours long. The bus drops you off at the National Park entrance and then a smaller bus takes you inside the park. This internal bus is 4,000 CLP and you have to pay in cash so make sure to exchange cash in town. However, if you end up not finding CLP they will work with USD or card it’s just much more difficult.
Of course my day pack, carrying all my snacks, broke while waiting in line for this bus, off to a great start.
There are two different companies that own the rights to the campsites within the park, Vertice and Las Torres. You can book all your campsites through Torres Hike. Unfortunately, the campsites are expensive and all free sites have been shut down. Capitalism has found its way to National Parks.
There are two routes on the W Trek, East to West or West to East. I strongly recommend East to West. If you start at Glacier Grey each day will become more difficult and I think it’ll be harder to enjoy Base Torres on your last day. However, if you start in the East, you complete Base Torres first when you’re healthiest and each day gets easier from there. (easy is subjective).
Again all of this is in my very unprofessional, amateur back-packer opinion (and crowd sourcing other hikers).
If you are going East to West, I suggest you stay at Central your first night. We originally tried to get a campsite at Chileno but they were fully booked. However, after completing the hike we realized that Central is the move anyways.
One last thing, the weather in Patagonia is severely unpredictable. Make sure you are prepared for snow in all forms, insanely strong winds, and of course, the unknown.
Okay enough about buses and booking, let’s start the trek!
Day 1 on the W Trek: 13.10 M / 21.08 Km
After taking the bus from Puerto Natales to Laguna Amarga (Torres Del Paine) and then the second bus into the park, we were left at the Welcome Center. From the Welcome Center, it is a short and flat 10 minute walk to the Central Campsite. On this short walk it started to snow, making us nervous that the view of the towers would be obstructed. However, by the time we checked in and stored our bags, the snow stopped and the sun came out.
In fact, the sun proceeded to stay out for our entire 5 day trek. This kind of weather is unprecedented in Torres Del Paine—a park known for random blizzards and winds that knock over cars.
At Central, they allow you to leave your bags inside so you can start your hike immediately. This is why we recommend camping at Central your first night, so you can start the hike as light as possible. The first couple of kilometers are a breeze but then you start going up a rocky stream. There’s a pretty steady incline until the half way point, the Chileno campsite. The trail levels out for another kilometer or so and then is directly uphill until you reach Base Torres. This is probably the toughest part of the entire trek—scaling the large rocks feels endless.
We eventually made it to Base Torres—it almost comes out of nowhere even though you’re anticipating it with each step. Base Torres is truly incredible, especially if the weather is good. In our case, all the clouds from their microclimate burned off by mid day, we shed all our extra layers, and enjoyed our snacks in the sun, staring at the beautiful lake lined by the Towers. The water is crystal clear, adding to the incredibly serene setting.
Note that the park closes at 3:00 PM so make sure to get there with enough time to enjoy the view you just worked your ass off for.
The way down is hard on the knees, I suggest having hiking poles. If you’re making good time you can stop and have a beer at Chileno before descending back to Central. The hike back to Central felt never ending, like every corner we turned just opened up to another mile.
Of course, on day one, my lace snapped leaving me unable to properly tighten my shoes. Damn you Salomon.
We made it back to camp before sunset, set up our red tent and made our first meal of the trip. Central also let us charge our phones inside the reception (where the boiling water is). I was happy about this—solely so I could keep my Strava running. Also to our surprise, not only is there hot water for cooking but there are 24/7 hot showers—and I mean boiling hot, be careful.
Day one totaled a little over 21 kilometers or around 13 miles with a 3,668 ft elevation gain—here’s the Strava for proof:
Aside from the amazing, serene view at Base Torres, the sun set behind the mountains on our descent, leaving a perfect cut in the sky. We fell asleep before the sun fully set.
Day 2 on The W Trek: 10.14 M / 16.32 Km
We woke up to our tent covered with a blanket of ice, the birds were chirping, and there was a very fluffy bunny right outside our tent. The morning was quiet and magical with the sun glistening on the ice.
We ate our oats, made coffee, and packed up camp. The first few kilometers were flat and vast. We saw a pack of wild horses running in the distance. Although we had our entire packs today, we were hopeful for an easy stroll along the lake. We were wrong.
For me, day 2 was the hardest day, it made me question if I could finish this trek or if I would have to turn back. I thought about turning around and just quitting countless times. The majority of the hike there was a view of a beautifully colored turquoise blue lake but it is not a flat hike. The entire 10 miles is up and back down and up again. We kept hoping it would level out but it kept increasing in intensity. Ironically the elevation gain was only about 1,880 feet but the constant ascent and descent was brutal.
At one point we reached a campsite called Cuerno but it was vacant, not really sure what all that was about but from there we started to descend…again. We went all the way down to the water this time. It was so beautiful, we had to stop and sit on the lake front, have a snack, and skip some rocks. I joked we should just camp here for the night. Alas the next two kilometers were directly uphill and even more brutal than the last ascent.
Once we finally reached Frances, the second campsite, we were just hollow shells with backpacks. To make matters worse, the entire campsite is built into the mountain. As if you didn’t do enough hiking for the day, the kitchen, bathrooms, and campsites are all spread out with varying elevations. It’s honestly evil.
We ran into some friends from our hostel so we sat and had a beer with them. We were told that food and beer was severely marked up at the campsites, it definitely is but it’s not unbearable. A beer was about 8,000 CLP, as a Los Angelino myself, I’ll take an $8 beer after an evil day of hiking. Maybe it was the difficult day, or maybe it really was the local draft beer, but damn that was one of the best beers I’ve ever had.
There were no available campsites at Frances so we had to reserve a pre-made campsite for the night. These are incredibly nice but super expensive so make sure to book your trip in advance (we booked maybe a week in advance). The showers at Frances are amazing—I don’t know who designed these bathrooms but they need a raise. The staff here are also so friendly. The server working behind the bar let me sample all the draft beers before I decided on one.
Although this day was evil to me, the view of reflecting hills and mountains on the glacier lake was stunning. I think these hills created a new meaning for “rolling hills.”
Day 3 on the W Trek: 13.44 M / 21.63 Km
My bowels decided to move at 6:00 AM, so I got to see the sunrise on the mini-hike to the bathroom. Of course I ran into every single friend we’ve made in Chile while trying not to shit myself (TMI).
We heard that the hike from Frances to Grande was supposed to be easy, however I was skeptical because yesterday was unbelievably difficult. Frances to Italiano was only about 15 minutes of downhill hiking. Italiano is one of the free campsites that was closed; however, you can leave your packs there to go on the big hike of the day: Mirador Britanico.
From Italiano to the first viewpoint, Valle Frances, it is a steady incline up big rocks. It’s not much of a trail so bring your hiking poles. Luckily you get to do it without all the extra weight.
We have mixed reviews on what to do next…
Some people said Valle Frances is all you need to see while others suggest going all the way to Mirador Britanico. The hike to Valle Frances is difficult but upon arrival there is a stunning 360 view. Find a spot to sit and wait for the mountain to speak. Every so often you’ll hear a sharp, piercing crack as ice breaks off and disappears down the slope. The noise is simultaneously stunning and scary.
If you’re feeling up for it, the hike to the next view point is another hour and a half. The majority of the trail is flat and honestly pretty easy. You will hike through a beautiful valley with bright green windswept trees and you’ll cross plenty of river beds. The last 15 minutes however, is directly up. You have to scale big rocks, you’ll need both your hands and legs for this. The view once you’ve reached the top is definitely amazing, it’s a 360 lookout of all the mountains—you will be sitting directly in the center of it.
Personally, I think if you’re already at the first viewpoint you might as well go to the second. However, if you don’t have the time you’re really not missing out on that much. Do as you please.
The hike back is downhill for the majority of the way and you’ll forget how much elevation you gained on the way up. By now your feet will be in so much pain. Good luck.
We picked up our bags from Italiano, used the abandoned bathrooms, and started our trek to the next campsite: Paine Grande. Day 3 is a long day—the trek to Paine Grande feels like an eternity. It is not difficult, in fact it’s relatively flat, it’s just long and pretty underwhelming. To be fair, underwhelming is relative, subjective maybe… the landscape is incredibly stunning but compared to the other days, it is nothing you won’t have seen by this point.
We finally arrived to Paine Grande, which is owned by Vertice and not as nice as the first two campsites. Regardless, it is a lake front property that is still much nicer than we were expecting. They have a buffet for the people who aren’t actually trekking… it is approximately $50 per person. We do not recommend. We do however recommend making friends with someone staying inside the building… they can sneak you food from the buffet.
This is another point where we lacked information that would’ve helped us:
We booked our third night at Paine Grande and night 4 at Refugio Grey. However, our ferry was out of the Paine Grande port on the 5th day. Apparently there are two ferries, one out of Paine Grande which is $30 and around 30 minutes. The other is a 3 hour excursion through Lago Grey, you get a complimentary drink and it’s around $100.
We met someone on the hike to Britanico who told us it was wise to change our campsite for the fourth night from Grey to a second night at Grande. That way we wouldn’t have to carry our bags all the way to Refugio Grey and back the following day. Reception made the change for a $2 difference. However, if you want to stay at Refugio Grey, and your ferry is out of Grande, you can store your extra items at Grande for $4.
After dinner and a warm shower, the sun set behind the mountains, next to the lake, in a stunning manner. I have no problem falling asleep after long days like these.
Day 4 on the W Trek: 15.27 M / 24.57 Km
Instead of packing up camp and heading to Refugio Grey for the night, we got to leave our tent set up and all our belongings inside of it. This was a power move, especially for the last day. We were so tired, in so much pain, and had one too many blisters. Vivian and I questioned if we should even go. Thus, going to Glacier Grey with just a day pack was a game changer.
We had our typical breakfast, and then slowly hiked out to the glacier. This was the most Patagonian day we had—the wind was powerful in the valley and it was cold. You can tell the trees in the valley are experienced in being beat up by the wind. After a long, slow, and painful trek, we made it to the first viewpoint of the glacier. I swear it dropped at least ten degrees here. We couldn’t sit still any longer so after eating some peach rings, we kept going to Refugio Grey. When we finally arrived, we drank a coffee inside the warm cabin. This coffee revived us so well that we were convinced the coffee we were drinking all week was decaf.
Our spirits were incredible after that coffee. So we made a short trot to another viewpoint, which was only 10 minutes from the refugio and a much better view. However, getting from the first viewpoint to the second was the struggle. This part of the trail was a frequent up and down, at one point we hiked through a steady stream of water—one might call this a waterfall. Each time we thought it was the last decline, another incline awaited us.
Although the glacier was beautiful, powerful, and massive, the most impressive part of this day for me was the strange and colorful rock formations. The way that the rocks changed directions being pushed up from the earth’s center is nothing shy of fascinating.
We made a very slow return to our belongings at Paine Grande. Vivian and I moved at a catastrophically slow rate, Anni ran ahead and started making our final dinner. We couldn’t fathom the speed she moved at. My other shoe ripped to match it’s pair.
Once we arrived and stopped the Strava, I felt nothing. Not only did this moment mark the end of the longest day on the trek, it marked the end of the entire trek. Just shy of 52 miles total, 84 kilometers.
We went into the hotel outside of our campsite to celebrate with a glass of wine but I still didn’t feel accomplished, just confused. Throughout the entire trek I kept coming back to one question: What is this all for?
I supposed I am still struggling to answer that question, I’ll let you know once I figure it out.
Day 5 of the W Trek
What was supposed to be an 8 mile day back to Paine Grande was an easy .10 mile walk to the port on lake Pehoe. Since we did over 15 miles yesterday, our fifth day was nothing but a filler day. We convinced the ferry company to let us on at 11 AM instead of our original 5 PM time slot.
The ferry ride on lake Pehoe to Pudeto is stunning. The water changes shades of crystal clear blues and turquoise. Lined by snowcapped mountains that are a reminder of how far we came in 5 days. This boat ride was a relief. an ending. a way out.
They dropped us off at a port to await our bus. We sat on the dock and bummed wifi off the boat. I suppose I forgot to tell my mom I would be off the grid for several days.
We managed to sweet talk our way on to an earlier bus as well. I strongly suggest booking everything in advance because they are not super accommodating—luck was on our side.
We made it back to Puerto Natales early, which was a blessing so we could return all our gear in the light of day—this isn’t too difficult considering in the summer the sun sets around 9 PM.
Not to sound like that bitch, but returning to clean clothes, a hairbrush, and WiFi has never felt better. We had no problem sleeping early and catching the 7 AM bus back to El Calafate.
Here are a few extra notes I jotted down while having wine to celebrate the end of the trek:
BRING CAMP SHOES!
bring more chocolate and candy—you’ll want it I promise
butter and seasoning is worth the extra weight
every campsite has hot water but the power tends to go out frequently — plan accordingly… how? idk.
Central to Frances is the most difficult day in my opinion
the Frances campsite is spread out so plan your trips to the bathroom diligently
Try to get to Paine Grande campsite early to get a better platform, otherwise you have to camp on the cold/wet ground
either hike to Refugio Grey and take the ferry out of Grey OR go to Glacier Grey and back to Grande in one day to avoid doubling back on the trail
go with a group to split the weight! we had three people in one tent
I finished off the journal by writing, “It’s weird that it’s already over—we completed the W Trek. The only thing I have to show for it are blisters on my feet and a bunch of dirty clothes. I guess I’m still not sure what this is all for but I am proud of my body for being able to do things like this.”
I’m reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed right now, if you haven’t heard of it, it’s about a confused 20-something year old who decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. An excerpt that I thought was perfectly relevant goes as follows:
“I realized I was having a strange, abstract, retrospective fun. In moments among my various agonies, I noticed the beauty that surrounded me, the wonder of things both small and large: the color of a desert flower that brushed against me on the trail or the grand sweep of the sky as the sun faded over the mountains. I was in the midst of such a reverie when I skidded on pebbles and fell, landing on the hard trail facedown with a force that took my breath away.”
If you’ve made it this far, and you plan to do the W Trek in Chile, I wish you the best of luck!
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