It was a little bit over a year ago when I started planning a trip to Chile. Chile had been on my bucket list for a long time. My bucket list is short, only about a half a dozen places. I’m not greedy with my travel wishes. ;-)
In the early stages of planning I knew Patagonia was going to be part of the trip, but I didn’t know which area of Patagonia. That unknown place revealed itself in a picture on the Internet. Torres Del Paine was instantly intriguing… With fabulous rock formations, glaciers, lakes, and unbelievable vistas.
As the planning started in earnest, it surprised me how little aggregate information was available about the park. This is a very popular destination that people come from all ends of the world to see. The geographical formations and abrupt mountain peaks in the area are only duplicated at a handful of spots on the entire planet. But still, information was very limited in the main published guide books. Specific guidebooks to Patagonia weren’t much better. And not many of the books reviewed the countless options that you have within the park as far as seeing portions or all of it during your visit.
Over time, I found a few blogs that were more helpful than anything that I had read in any guidebook. I really appreciated the information and the detail that went into some of the blogs that I read. So that’s why I’m doing this… a blog of my own. I don’t write journals or blogs about trips very often. It’s time-consuming and I have other things to do to be quite honest. But, if somebody is going to trek to el fin del mundo (the end of the world), I’m going to help them out because I now know what it’s like to go there without all the answers. That being said this is not a complete guide of any sort. It is a simple reference to help plan and execute a trip. Or one that will help you decide whether you even want to go such vast distances to see this place. Is it worth it? Can you handle it? What does it cost? How long will it take? These are all questions that I hope to answer in this blog.
So, TDP lies in the middle of the Patagonia region of southern Chile. There are parks to the north in Chile and to the south in Argentina that one could coordinate on one long trip itinerary in the region. You could view penguins to the south of your gateway city of Punta Arenas, go to Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina, visit Mount Fitz Roy to the north… The possibilities are limitless. If you are going to TDP, the first question you might have is how long does a visit take. I would say a bare minimum visit is three days. You can see some pretty spectacular scenery in a compressed amount of time. But because of the transportation complexities of buses and catamarans and the shear remoteness of the park to any kind of population center, three days is the bare minimum.
The second question you might have is can I handle a visit. Well, there are no possibilities to see anything at TDP that you can’t see elsewhere in the world unless you are able get on the trail and hike for a pretty good amount of time. A bare minimum hike time on any given day to get glacier or mountain views is over three hours each way. If you can’t hike 10 miles with a daypack you should not go. So, this is not a park for somebody who has disabilities or is out of shape. This is a park that really caters to fit outdoors people.
Along the same line you may wonder about the real X factor of any outdoors trip. Weather. I can’t overstate this enough. Patagonian weather is the most schizophrenic and dramatic and punishing weather on the planet. All year round. Every season. Anything can happen on any day and does! You will have rain and sleet and snow and dust storms and clouds and sun that will burn you twice as fast is any sun you have ever been exposed to before. If all of those things aren’t enough, the winds are present every single day and are brutal in their intensity, variation, and persistence. I’m talking winds of well over 50 miles an hour almost every day in places throughout the park. If you have to hike 12 km into a headwind, The 3 1/2 our guidance for that hike they usually would give you can turn into five hours in a hurry. All I can say is just get ready for wind like you have never experienced it before in your life.
The next question you might have is how do I get there. Well, you can drive. It will take several days to get there from Santiago. Many hours to get there from Puerto Montt. And it’s about five hours using a car or two different bus rides from Punta Arenas. And you probably need to know ahead of time that it’s virtually impossible to catch the bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales in time to get a bus to the park. That is why most people stay in Puerto Natales and go into the park the following day at 7:30 AM on buses. I believe there is a bus into the East side Welcome Center/Torres area directly from the airport in Punta Arenas as well. That is an attractive option.
Now that you’re in the park the question is what do I do? This is where I got so stumped as I was researching my trip. So you have the famous O circuit, Which is sometimes called the Q circuit. Then there’s the famous W circuit, which you can do from east to west or west to east. Other options that I couldn’t really find written about anywhere are what I would call "I" circuits, which are basically the east side of the W or west side of the W only. And then there are what I would call U circuits, which are the east 2/3 of the W or west 2/3 of the W circuit.
The O/Q circuit can only be done counterclockwise, as the northern part of the circuit is a one way trail, going east to west only. There are three possible starting points. Refugio Grey and Grande, both accessed by catamaran. And the Welcome Center/Torres, accessed by bus.
The W has many options. I would advise forgetting any free camping at Italiano… I heard it takes months to get bookings that are years away in time. For my money and time, here is what I would suggest. Start with the Hotel Lago Grey catamaran to Refugio Grey. So you are actually beginning your trip on the west side of the W at the very top point. Then you would hike a little bit north, out and back about 4.5 miles, to get a really good view of the glacier just beyond the second hanging bridge. And you would end your day at Grey or proceed on down to Grande. You can also take the Pudeto to Grande catamaran and hike to Grey and back on day one, or just stay up at Grey for the night. So many options. Just look and mileages and times closely and match to your level of fitness and mobility. By the way, I do not advise camping at Grande as the spaces that are sheltered from the extreme wind down there are very limited. Tents were having their poles snapped regularly while we were there and it was a long night sleeping in a tent that was literally blown to pancake flatness down upon you throughout the night! Instead, I recommend staying in the Refugio there. Day two would be a big day as you will need to go from grande to Italiano, and north up the Valle Frances and back, and finally further east to Frances or Cuernos (about 25km). Frances actually looked beautiful and wooded down near the river. Cuernos is also beautiful, but very windy at times. Day 3 would be a long and relatively easy trick to Chileno. And day 4 would be up to the Torres viewpoint and back down to the welcome center to exit the park or stay at the Torres Refugio. The reverse of all of this can also be done. The crazy thing to keep in mind is that mechanical issues or extreme weather can render the catamaran voyage legs closed on certain days. It’s just part The TDP experience. Whatever punches are thrown at you you just have to roll with them and figure out something.
For those that only have three days you could do a western or eastern U circuit. On the west side you can start at Grey from the catamaran and go south to Grande on day one. Then on day two you can go over to Italiano up the valley, returning to grande. Then you would depart on day three on the catamaran from Grande.
To do the eastern side you would need four days and would start at the welcome center/Torres and go all the way up to the towers if the weather is good and then back down to Chileno. On day two you could go over to Cuernos or Frances. And then on day three you can go up the valley and back to Cuernos. On day 4 you can hike to Torres and exit at the welcome center.
Finally, for those with only a couple days you can just do the eastern or western legs of the W, which I will call the “I” options. The eastern I would be all about glaciers and lakes. Just take the catamaran to Grande on day one and hike to Grey. And return to Grande and exit via the catamaran on day two. For the western side you would start at the Welcome center/Torres and hike to the towers and back down to Chileno. If the weather is bad you can leave early to the towers in the morning of day two (about 5km round trip). So you get two chances to see the towers. Then you can go back down to the welcome center on day two to exit.
As far as the gateway city of Puerto Natales goes, there are countless hostels to stay at. They range from Spartan to luxurious. And they are priced accordingly. You can get by with less than $15 a night or spend more than $200 a night. It’s up to you. Many include a decent breakfast.
If you are booking camping through the exclusive park operators of Vertice or Fantastico, then be prepared for slow response and lots of emails that are unanswered. Booking through the websites are virtually impossible… one tip is to try to use the pay in Chilean Pesos option and let Chrome translate the page… the pay in US dollars option never works. They don’t make a lot of money off of campers, so they really don’t care about you. If you’re booking rooms in the Refugio, then you should get a pretty good response.
As far as transportation goes you should buy your tickets from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales in advance. For bus tickets from Puerto to the park, most hostels will sell them. Or you can buy them at the bus station when you come in from Punta Arenas. Pudeto catamaran tickets are bought as you board. I am not sure about the Lago Grey catamaran. Many shuttles within the park are paid for as your board. You pay your park entry fee at a bus stop inside the park. At that stop you will watch a short orientation video that basically tells you the facts of visiting TDP. The first fact is that you can’t use camp stoves or start fires anywhere in the park except in designated indoor locations. The second fact is that you are completely on your own. If you are injured, sick, or lost, you’ll have to find your own way out of the park. So keep this in mind as well as you plan your trip. There are no rescue teams for exfiltration with military helicopters that are going to come and rescue you if you sprain your ankle or get a bad cold.
Keep in mind you will not be allowed in the park if you do not have reservations. Don’t show up in Puerto during high season thinking that you’re going to find reservations. It just will not happen that way. TDP is a destination to be planned well in advance or not to be trifled with at all. The cusp seasons are more flexible, but becoming less so as the popularity of the park increases. I do not know what the current options are for day hikers. There has to be some provision for those wanting the hike and leave the same day. I’d inquire with CONAF or one of the hostels in Puerto Natales.
There are probably many people that would have questions about what they should pack for a camping and trekking trip in TDP. Well, here is a short list of what you will need. It is very easy to overpack for a trip like this. If you can’t keep your pack wait to about 25 pounds not including food, you are packing too much.
Backpack
Sleeping bag
Insulated sleeping pad
2-3 hiking outfits (bottoms, tops, undies, socks)
Basic toiletries
Pack towel
Light
Camera
Spare batteries or chargers
Water bottle
Snacks
Hat or buffs
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Gloves
Waterproof stuff sacks
Garbage bags
Rain pants
Rain jacket
Camp clothes and sandals
Tent
Ground cloth
Paracord
Earplugs
Pillow
Trekking poles
Don’t bother bringing a water filter because the water coming off the mountains and glaciers is pristine. Also don’t bother bringing a rain cover for your pack. The wind is just going to rip it off your pack and blow it away, or make it act like a parachute and slow you down. Instead, line your pack with a heavy duty garbage bag. Then put all of your clothing in waterproof stuff sacks that are readily available at camping supply stores. Put your sleeping system in a smaller garbage bag or find a waterproof stuff sack that it will fit in. If you do this your backpack will remain accessible, and all of your items will be dry. Also, do not skimp on trekking poles. You may think you’re tough and that you don’t need them. But you’ve never hiked in winds like this before. They will help keep you stable in the wind. They will also help you in the many stream crossings that you will face.
Some helpful blog and resource links:
http://www.adventurealan.com/torres-del-paine-w-trek-itinerary-for-3-4-days/
https://www.back-packer.org/trekking-guide-how-to-hike-the-w-in-torres-del-paine-patagonia/
http://www.travelgenome.com/journal/2015/8/6/torres-del-paine-national-park-the-definitive-guide
http://cariedaway.blogspot.com/2013/12/planning-your-trip-to-torres-del-paine.html?m=1
https://wikitravel.org/en/Puerto_Natales
https://www.verticepatagonia.com/en
http://www.fantasticosur.com/
http://www.conaf.cl/parques/parque-nacional-torres-del-paine/
Approximate Costs in 2017/18
Bus from PUQ to Puerto Natales ~$25US
PNat Hostels ~$15 and up, includes breakfast, bedding and a towel
Bus from PNat to TDP ~$20USD
Park entry ~$40USD
Catamaran Pudeto to Grande ~$30USD
Park Shuttle from Torres to Welcome Center ~$5USD
Camping space ~$20USD
Refugio room (shared) ~$80USD
Full board (dinner, breakfast, to-go lunch) ~$45USD
Beers ~$6USD
Wine (bottle) ~$25+USD
In the early stages of planning I knew Patagonia was going to be part of the trip, but I didn’t know which area of Patagonia. That unknown place revealed itself in a picture on the Internet. Torres Del Paine was instantly intriguing… With fabulous rock formations, glaciers, lakes, and unbelievable vistas.
As the planning started in earnest, it surprised me how little aggregate information was available about the park. This is a very popular destination that people come from all ends of the world to see. The geographical formations and abrupt mountain peaks in the area are only duplicated at a handful of spots on the entire planet. But still, information was very limited in the main published guide books. Specific guidebooks to Patagonia weren’t much better. And not many of the books reviewed the countless options that you have within the park as far as seeing portions or all of it during your visit.
Over time, I found a few blogs that were more helpful than anything that I had read in any guidebook. I really appreciated the information and the detail that went into some of the blogs that I read. So that’s why I’m doing this… a blog of my own. I don’t write journals or blogs about trips very often. It’s time-consuming and I have other things to do to be quite honest. But, if somebody is going to trek to el fin del mundo (the end of the world), I’m going to help them out because I now know what it’s like to go there without all the answers. That being said this is not a complete guide of any sort. It is a simple reference to help plan and execute a trip. Or one that will help you decide whether you even want to go such vast distances to see this place. Is it worth it? Can you handle it? What does it cost? How long will it take? These are all questions that I hope to answer in this blog.
So, TDP lies in the middle of the Patagonia region of southern Chile. There are parks to the north in Chile and to the south in Argentina that one could coordinate on one long trip itinerary in the region. You could view penguins to the south of your gateway city of Punta Arenas, go to Tierra Del Fuego in Argentina, visit Mount Fitz Roy to the north… The possibilities are limitless. If you are going to TDP, the first question you might have is how long does a visit take. I would say a bare minimum visit is three days. You can see some pretty spectacular scenery in a compressed amount of time. But because of the transportation complexities of buses and catamarans and the shear remoteness of the park to any kind of population center, three days is the bare minimum.
The second question you might have is can I handle a visit. Well, there are no possibilities to see anything at TDP that you can’t see elsewhere in the world unless you are able get on the trail and hike for a pretty good amount of time. A bare minimum hike time on any given day to get glacier or mountain views is over three hours each way. If you can’t hike 10 miles with a daypack you should not go. So, this is not a park for somebody who has disabilities or is out of shape. This is a park that really caters to fit outdoors people.
Along the same line you may wonder about the real X factor of any outdoors trip. Weather. I can’t overstate this enough. Patagonian weather is the most schizophrenic and dramatic and punishing weather on the planet. All year round. Every season. Anything can happen on any day and does! You will have rain and sleet and snow and dust storms and clouds and sun that will burn you twice as fast is any sun you have ever been exposed to before. If all of those things aren’t enough, the winds are present every single day and are brutal in their intensity, variation, and persistence. I’m talking winds of well over 50 miles an hour almost every day in places throughout the park. If you have to hike 12 km into a headwind, The 3 1/2 our guidance for that hike they usually would give you can turn into five hours in a hurry. All I can say is just get ready for wind like you have never experienced it before in your life.
The next question you might have is how do I get there. Well, you can drive. It will take several days to get there from Santiago. Many hours to get there from Puerto Montt. And it’s about five hours using a car or two different bus rides from Punta Arenas. And you probably need to know ahead of time that it’s virtually impossible to catch the bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales in time to get a bus to the park. That is why most people stay in Puerto Natales and go into the park the following day at 7:30 AM on buses. I believe there is a bus into the East side Welcome Center/Torres area directly from the airport in Punta Arenas as well. That is an attractive option.
Now that you’re in the park the question is what do I do? This is where I got so stumped as I was researching my trip. So you have the famous O circuit, Which is sometimes called the Q circuit. Then there’s the famous W circuit, which you can do from east to west or west to east. Other options that I couldn’t really find written about anywhere are what I would call "I" circuits, which are basically the east side of the W or west side of the W only. And then there are what I would call U circuits, which are the east 2/3 of the W or west 2/3 of the W circuit.
The O/Q circuit can only be done counterclockwise, as the northern part of the circuit is a one way trail, going east to west only. There are three possible starting points. Refugio Grey and Grande, both accessed by catamaran. And the Welcome Center/Torres, accessed by bus.
The W has many options. I would advise forgetting any free camping at Italiano… I heard it takes months to get bookings that are years away in time. For my money and time, here is what I would suggest. Start with the Hotel Lago Grey catamaran to Refugio Grey. So you are actually beginning your trip on the west side of the W at the very top point. Then you would hike a little bit north, out and back about 4.5 miles, to get a really good view of the glacier just beyond the second hanging bridge. And you would end your day at Grey or proceed on down to Grande. You can also take the Pudeto to Grande catamaran and hike to Grey and back on day one, or just stay up at Grey for the night. So many options. Just look and mileages and times closely and match to your level of fitness and mobility. By the way, I do not advise camping at Grande as the spaces that are sheltered from the extreme wind down there are very limited. Tents were having their poles snapped regularly while we were there and it was a long night sleeping in a tent that was literally blown to pancake flatness down upon you throughout the night! Instead, I recommend staying in the Refugio there. Day two would be a big day as you will need to go from grande to Italiano, and north up the Valle Frances and back, and finally further east to Frances or Cuernos (about 25km). Frances actually looked beautiful and wooded down near the river. Cuernos is also beautiful, but very windy at times. Day 3 would be a long and relatively easy trick to Chileno. And day 4 would be up to the Torres viewpoint and back down to the welcome center to exit the park or stay at the Torres Refugio. The reverse of all of this can also be done. The crazy thing to keep in mind is that mechanical issues or extreme weather can render the catamaran voyage legs closed on certain days. It’s just part The TDP experience. Whatever punches are thrown at you you just have to roll with them and figure out something.
For those that only have three days you could do a western or eastern U circuit. On the west side you can start at Grey from the catamaran and go south to Grande on day one. Then on day two you can go over to Italiano up the valley, returning to grande. Then you would depart on day three on the catamaran from Grande.
To do the eastern side you would need four days and would start at the welcome center/Torres and go all the way up to the towers if the weather is good and then back down to Chileno. On day two you could go over to Cuernos or Frances. And then on day three you can go up the valley and back to Cuernos. On day 4 you can hike to Torres and exit at the welcome center.
Finally, for those with only a couple days you can just do the eastern or western legs of the W, which I will call the “I” options. The eastern I would be all about glaciers and lakes. Just take the catamaran to Grande on day one and hike to Grey. And return to Grande and exit via the catamaran on day two. For the western side you would start at the Welcome center/Torres and hike to the towers and back down to Chileno. If the weather is bad you can leave early to the towers in the morning of day two (about 5km round trip). So you get two chances to see the towers. Then you can go back down to the welcome center on day two to exit.
As far as the gateway city of Puerto Natales goes, there are countless hostels to stay at. They range from Spartan to luxurious. And they are priced accordingly. You can get by with less than $15 a night or spend more than $200 a night. It’s up to you. Many include a decent breakfast.
If you are booking camping through the exclusive park operators of Vertice or Fantastico, then be prepared for slow response and lots of emails that are unanswered. Booking through the websites are virtually impossible… one tip is to try to use the pay in Chilean Pesos option and let Chrome translate the page… the pay in US dollars option never works. They don’t make a lot of money off of campers, so they really don’t care about you. If you’re booking rooms in the Refugio, then you should get a pretty good response.
As far as transportation goes you should buy your tickets from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales in advance. For bus tickets from Puerto to the park, most hostels will sell them. Or you can buy them at the bus station when you come in from Punta Arenas. Pudeto catamaran tickets are bought as you board. I am not sure about the Lago Grey catamaran. Many shuttles within the park are paid for as your board. You pay your park entry fee at a bus stop inside the park. At that stop you will watch a short orientation video that basically tells you the facts of visiting TDP. The first fact is that you can’t use camp stoves or start fires anywhere in the park except in designated indoor locations. The second fact is that you are completely on your own. If you are injured, sick, or lost, you’ll have to find your own way out of the park. So keep this in mind as well as you plan your trip. There are no rescue teams for exfiltration with military helicopters that are going to come and rescue you if you sprain your ankle or get a bad cold.
Keep in mind you will not be allowed in the park if you do not have reservations. Don’t show up in Puerto during high season thinking that you’re going to find reservations. It just will not happen that way. TDP is a destination to be planned well in advance or not to be trifled with at all. The cusp seasons are more flexible, but becoming less so as the popularity of the park increases. I do not know what the current options are for day hikers. There has to be some provision for those wanting the hike and leave the same day. I’d inquire with CONAF or one of the hostels in Puerto Natales.
There are probably many people that would have questions about what they should pack for a camping and trekking trip in TDP. Well, here is a short list of what you will need. It is very easy to overpack for a trip like this. If you can’t keep your pack wait to about 25 pounds not including food, you are packing too much.
Backpack
Sleeping bag
Insulated sleeping pad
2-3 hiking outfits (bottoms, tops, undies, socks)
Basic toiletries
Pack towel
Light
Camera
Spare batteries or chargers
Water bottle
Snacks
Hat or buffs
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Gloves
Waterproof stuff sacks
Garbage bags
Rain pants
Rain jacket
Camp clothes and sandals
Tent
Ground cloth
Paracord
Earplugs
Pillow
Trekking poles
Don’t bother bringing a water filter because the water coming off the mountains and glaciers is pristine. Also don’t bother bringing a rain cover for your pack. The wind is just going to rip it off your pack and blow it away, or make it act like a parachute and slow you down. Instead, line your pack with a heavy duty garbage bag. Then put all of your clothing in waterproof stuff sacks that are readily available at camping supply stores. Put your sleeping system in a smaller garbage bag or find a waterproof stuff sack that it will fit in. If you do this your backpack will remain accessible, and all of your items will be dry. Also, do not skimp on trekking poles. You may think you’re tough and that you don’t need them. But you’ve never hiked in winds like this before. They will help keep you stable in the wind. They will also help you in the many stream crossings that you will face.
Some helpful blog and resource links:
http://www.adventurealan.com/torres-del-paine-w-trek-itinerary-for-3-4-days/
https://www.back-packer.org/trekking-guide-how-to-hike-the-w-in-torres-del-paine-patagonia/
http://www.travelgenome.com/journal/2015/8/6/torres-del-paine-national-park-the-definitive-guide
http://cariedaway.blogspot.com/2013/12/planning-your-trip-to-torres-del-paine.html?m=1
https://wikitravel.org/en/Puerto_Natales
https://www.verticepatagonia.com/en
http://www.fantasticosur.com/
http://www.conaf.cl/parques/parque-nacional-torres-del-paine/
Approximate Costs in 2017/18
Bus from PUQ to Puerto Natales ~$25US
PNat Hostels ~$15 and up, includes breakfast, bedding and a towel
Bus from PNat to TDP ~$20USD
Park entry ~$40USD
Catamaran Pudeto to Grande ~$30USD
Park Shuttle from Torres to Welcome Center ~$5USD
Camping space ~$20USD
Refugio room (shared) ~$80USD
Full board (dinner, breakfast, to-go lunch) ~$45USD
Beers ~$6USD
Wine (bottle) ~$25+USD
