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Trek Magallanes — Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

The W Trek, Torres del Paine

Four days tracing a giant 'W' through Patagonia's most famous park — the granite towers at dawn, the hanging glaciers of the French Valley, and the blue wall of Grey Glacier.

The W Trek, Torres del Paine
Photo: Karen Chan 16 · CC BY 2.0
Duration
4 days
Distance
75 km
Ascent
2500 m
Difficulty
Hard
Best season
Patagonian summer, roughly November–March (long days, but book refuges months ahead)

The W Trek is the classic introduction to Torres del Paine, threading the three great valleys of the Cordillera del Paine in the shape of a letter W. In four demanding but non-technical days it links the park’s three signature sights: the sheer granite Towers that give the park its name, the amphitheatre of the French Valley, and the icefield-fed Grey Glacier.

This itinerary runs east to west, saving the great glacier for last, though many walk it the other way.

Getting there. Fly or bus to Puerto Natales, the gateway town, then take the park bus (about 2 hours) to the Laguna Amarga entrance. A short shuttle and, later, catamarans across Lago Pehoé link the sectors.

Permits & beds. Park entry must be booked online in advance, and every night you must have a reserved bed or campsite at a refuge run by the two concessionaires. In summer these sell out months ahead — arrange the whole chain of nights before you fly.

Good to know:

Tips & Insights for this route Planning this route? Read our practical tips before you go — 6 tips. Read the tips
Day 1

Base of the Towers

Refugio Central (Las Torres sector) → Refugio Central 20 km 900 m
Navigate this day

From the eastern sector, climb the Ascencio valley to the glacial tarn beneath the Torres del Paine themselves, then return the same way to camp.

Segments

  1. Up the Ascencio valley 6 km 450 m Map

    Refugio Central → Refugio Chileno

    Windy ridge and river valley

    Climb the exposed 'Windy Pass' above the Ascencio river, then contour into the sheltered valley to Refugio Chileno. About 2.5 hours.

  2. The final boulder field to the Mirador 4 km 450 m Map

    Refugio Chileno → Mirador Las Torres (~900 m)

    Forest then steep moraine boulders

    Walk up through southern beech forest, then scramble the last steep hour over a chaos of moraine boulders to the tarn beneath the three towers — the iconic view of the park. About 2 hours up.

Day 2

Along Lago Nordenskjöld

Refugio Central → Refugio Francés 17 km 400 m
Navigate this day

Leave the Towers behind and follow the north shore of Lago Nordenskjöld westward beneath the horned peaks of the Cuernos del Paine to the Francés sector.

Segments

  1. Shoreline to Los Cuernos 11 km 250 m Map

    Refugio Central → Refugio Los Cuernos

    Rolling lakeshore trail

    An undulating path along the turquoise Lago Nordenskjöld, often into fierce wind, with the sheer Cuernos rising directly overhead. About 4 hours.

  2. On to the French sector 6 km 150 m Map

    Refugio Los Cuernos → Refugio Francés

    Rocky lakeside path

    Continue west along the shore to the Francés sector at the mouth of the French Valley, the base for the next day's climb. About 2 hours.

Day 3

The French Valley

Refugio Francés → Refugio Paine Grande 20 km 700 m
Navigate this day

Climb into the heart of the massif to the French Valley lookouts, watching avalanches peel off the Paine Grande glacier, then descend and cross to Refugio Paine Grande.

Segments

  1. Into the Valle Francés 9 km 600 m Map

    Refugio Francés → Mirador Francés / Británico

    Steep forest and moraine

    Climb the valley past the Mirador Francés, where hanging glaciers calve off the flank of Cerro Paine Grande, up to the higher Británico lookout ringed by granite walls. Then return to Italiano. About 5 hours round trip.

  2. West to Lago Pehoé 8 km 100 m Map

    Italiano → Refugio Paine Grande

    Open grassland and low ridges

    Descend from the valley mouth and cross open, wind-blasted country to the large refuge at Paine Grande on the shore of Lago Pehoé. About 2.5 hours.

Day 4

Grey Glacier

Refugio Paine Grande → Refugio Paine Grande 18 km 500 m
Navigate this day

Follow the western arm north to stand above the icebergs and blue seracs of Grey Glacier, the trek’s grand finale, then return to Paine Grande for the boat out.

Segments

  1. Up to the glacier viewpoints 11 km 400 m Map

    Refugio Paine Grande → Refugio Grey / Grey Glacier lookouts

    Ridges above the lake, some ladders

    Climb over a series of ridges above Lago Grey, past viewpoints crowded with stranded icebergs, to look out over the immense wall of Grey Glacier flowing off the Southern Patagonian Icefield. About 3.5 hours.

  2. Return to the catamaran 7 km 100 m Map

    Grey Glacier lookouts → Refugio Paine Grande

    Ridge trail

    Retrace the ridge trail back to Paine Grande to catch the catamaran across Lago Pehoé and the bus out of the park. About 3 hours.

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