Extended"W" Trek
Torres del Paine National Park
Extended"W" Trek Overview
Length: 6 days
Difficulty: Medium/ Hard
Activity: Hiking
Hiking Group size: max 6 people
Are you looking for some more adventure and discover some of the hidden corners of the National Park Torres Del Paine. This is the perfect trek for you. Not only will you be adventuring through the magnificent W trek and see some of the most spectacular highlights of this National park. You will also enter one of the forgotten valleys within the ¨W¨ trek called the Bader Valley. A valley which you can only enter with a certified guide due to the change you get to get very close to the granite walls themselves. On top of this will you be passing by one of the most important scientific and paleontological sites in the region before entering the park and you will be taking the Navigation ¨Grey III¨ which will bring you very close to the three walls of Glacier Grey.
Route Map
2023-2024 Prices
Extended 6 day W program - USD$ 2200 pp
All standard tours are all tent-camping and are 'real' backpacking trips - you set up & breakdown your own tent and you hit the trail the old fashioned way. This is not a 'soft' trekking tour - we have rationed food, fuel and supplies. Meals are prepared at camp and on the trail. We do not use freeze dried foods, we have real meals. Your pack weight will be your own pack +4 kilos of food and 3 kilos of camping gear. The programs are suitable for beginner trekkers and are very safe, but physical fitness is key to enjoying these incredible treks. A 2 pp tent and sleeping pad is provided.
Single Tent Supplement - USD$ 100 per person
If you would like your own tent, instead of sharing, there is a single tent supplement. This also means you will be carrying your tent, instead of splitting that weight with a tent-partner. If you are placed in a one-person tent by your guide no extra cost will be added.
Porter Services - USD$ 180 per day
Porters can be hired to support you on our guided programs. Porters can carry up to 15 kilos of your pack weight. This is a great way to reduce your pack weight and trek with ease. The porters are a real part of our team and help out with setting up the tent. For the light trekking upgrade this is recommended to be shared by two persons.
Light trekking upgrade - USD$ 400 + price pp
Walk with just your camping gear and feel the real backpacking experience setting up and breaking down camp while eating luxurious meals within the Refugio. This option includes the tent and sleeping pad.
Ultra-light trekking upgrade – USD$ 750 + price pp
With this upgrade you hike with just a small day backpack carrying your personal things. The fully equipped tent will be set up when arriving at camp and all meals are provided in and by the Refugio. This upgrade includes all camping gear (tent, sleeping bag and mattress) rented at the camping site.
Complete Refugio Upgrade - USD$ 1000 + price pp
Would you rather stay inside of a Refugio and sleep in a bed. The mountain huts offer dorm rooms with 2 to 4 bunk beds. Together with Breakfast and Dinners being served inside of the Refugio and an organized lunchbox. Have the outdoor experience in a more comfortable way. This option includes two nights in a fully equipped tent at Camping Seron and Camping Los Perros.
Season 2023/24
Departure dates on request
What's Included:
Experienced/ certified mountain guide.
All transportation
All meals during the trek.
Entrance and camping fees
Camping/ cooking equipment: 4 Season tent, sleeping pad, stove, cooking utilities
Navigation Grey III
***Your trip does not include:
Personal Equipment and trekking gear ( clothing, backpack, sleeping bag )
Mountain equipment ( trekking poles )
Alcoholic beverages
Lodging in town (before and after the trek)
Travel insurance
Personal first aid
Tips
W Trail
Start
End
Key
Day 1- Grey III Navigation
Night 1- Grey Campsite
Night 2 - Paine Grande Campsite
Night 3 - Francés Campsite
Night 4 - Cuernos Campsite
Night 5 - Chileno Campsite
Detailed Itinerary
Day 0: Meeting day
Briefing with the guide in Puerto Natales at - 6pm.
Gear check and itinerary review.
Day 1: Puerto Natales - Campsite Grey.
In the morning, your private transportation will take you to the first stop of the day. The spectacular Natural monument Milodon Cave. This location is the site of 3 natural caves where the remains of the very large Patagonian land sloth was found and has now been turned into a very important scientific and paleontological site, with a visitor center. We walk for 45 min through the main cave while the guide explains all the details of the caves and the area. Afterwards we will proceed with our journey to the National Park Torres del Paine and will continue to the catamaran GREY III that will take us for approximately 2 hours over Lago Grey to Campsite Grey. During this catamaran ride we will get the chance to get very close to the three faces of Glacier grey and to see many icebergs that have carved of the glacier wall. We will be dropped of at a beach that is about 10 min away from our campsite.
Day 2: Campsite Grey – Grey Glacier Lookout – Campsite Paine Grande.
On our second day, we start a half-day hike up to a viewpoint high up on the hill. During this hike, we will cross two hanging bridges to get to an encompassing view over Glacier Grey. We will be able to do this section of the hike with a light daypack. Coming back to camp, we will pick up our backpacks and start our hike the 11 km back to Paine Grande, where we will stay for the night. This campground is known for its amazing views and strong gusts of wind that can make camping an altogether more challenging experience.
Day 3: Campsite Paine Grande – Valle Francés – Campsite Francés.
On this day, we make our way to the beautiful Valle del Francés. Starting our walk to Campsite Italiano over rolling hills we will arrive at the ranger station at the foot of the valley. here we drop down our big backpacks and prepare our small daypacks for the hike up into the valley. There are 2 viewpoints to hike to; to get to the first viewpoint called Francés, it will take us 1 hour of hiking up some steep parts of the valley. From this viewpoint, you can enjoy the view of the hanging glacier coming down from the largest mountain in the park, the Paine Grande mountain. From here, it is another hour and a half to get to the second viewpoint, Británico. This next part of the trail is in the forest, very relaxing with boulder fields here and there and an amazing 360° open view around you. After having taken your picture while standing on the rock formation at the end of the valley, we turn around and get back to Campsite Italiano. Here we pick up our backpacks again and finish the day with another half an hour hike to our campground for the night, Francés.
Day 4: Campsite Francés – Bader Valley – Campsite / Refugio Los Cuernos.
From Camping Francés, we only walk for an hour and a half to Refugio Cuernos. Here we drop our unnecessary gear and proceed only with a lightweight backpack. Today we are going to enter the ¨Valle Bader¨. This valley you can only enter with a certified guide due to the difficult trail that gets you very close to the granite walls, formed 12.6 million years ago. This is a day without the crowds and amazing high mountain views. Walking up into the valley, we will get an exceptional view of the southern area of the National park. We walk so far up that you get the feeling as if the mountains are hovering over you. Ending the hike at a small lake where we will have lunch. We will follow the same trail back to campsite Los Cuernos, where we stay overnight.
Day 5: Campsite Los Cuernos – Campsite / Refugio Chileno.
Today will bring us to the ¨Ascencio Valley. We will cross the Patagonian steppe, cover steep inclines and descents with views overlooking Lago Nordenskjold and up against the impressive walls of the Cuernos formation and the Almirante Nieto Mountain. Around every corner, you will find a different perspective of the Patagonian landscape. After a few hours of hiking, we get to the ¨shortcut¨, a trail that will take us up to the Ascencio Valley where we will find Refugio Chileno next to the river, our campsite for the night.
Day 6: Base Torres hike – Puerto Natales.
This is the day we will have an early start to hike up to the 'Torres' and see the famous golden glow while sunrise. From Refugio Chileno we start walking in the dark through the Magellanic forests for an hour until getting to Camp Torres. Here with a bit more day light we will have to start climbing our way up for 45 min to get to the 'Mirador' where we will be able to see the three towers standing in front of the glacial lake. After having enjoyed the spectacle at the towers, we will make our way back down to the base of the Valley, at the Hotel Las Torres. This marks the end of our trekking. Here we take our private transportation to Laguna Amarga, the entrance of the national park, and back to Puerto Natales.