See a different side of the iconic W Trek in Torres del Paine as few have ever seen or experienced it before. Trek into the heart of a Patagonian winter wonderland on this ultimate 6-day experience that takes you to the park’s iconic highlights such as the base of the Towers, French Valley and Grey Glacier. It’s a snowy trip (the use of crampons is highly recommend in some areas) made for true adventurers and those ready to explore Patagonia in a wild and rustic way!
Departures available every Thursday from May to August.
In the morning, you will be picked-up from the Punta Arenas Airport and head towards your hotel in Puerto Natales, a lively town on the shores of Last Hope Sound (Ultima Esperanza). Here you'll have some time to relax, have lunch or dinner with your guide and get ready for the adventure to come!.
Overnight at Hotel Big Sur.
The adventure starts with a long day of hiking! After a refreshing night sleep, we’ll get in the van for a 2 hour ride and head to the trailhead of the Tower Base hike.
We’ll head up through the Ascencio Valley, located on the Towers' eastern face. Mountain ridges, nothofagus forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley. Our big challenge comes in the form of a steep moraine, a huge mass of boulders which will lead us to that iconic base-view of the Towers - three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice. After a tough uphill climb, the Towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically before us with the glacial lake visible below. Is there any better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view and our picnic, we backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley to finally head towards Grey Hotel to have dinner and spend the night.
Hiking Distance: 22 km./14 mi.
Hiking Time: 9 hrs.
Max. Altitude: 914 m./3000 ft.
Elevation gain: 1148 m. / 3766 ft.
Overnight at Hotel Lago Grey, Standard Room.
Today we will take the 9 AM navigation into Grey Lake, before reaching the face of the glacier, we will be dropped off at Refugio Grey, from where we will hike toward a lookout to take in the views of the immense Grey Glacier and then we’ll walk along the shores of Grey Lake to the northern side of Lake Pehoe. The day's trek will end with a soft climb through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest to Paine Grande´s Campsite.
Hiking Distance: 11 km./7 mi.
Hiking Time: 4 hrs.
Max. Altitude: 244 m./800 ft.
Elevation gain: 271 m. / 889 ft.
*During winter, the boat trip to Glacier Grey may be canceled due to weather conditions or low occupation of the navigation, if this is the case, we will hike the Las Carretas Trail (17Km. / 10.5 Mi.).
Overnight at Refugio Paine Grande (Shared dormitories).
After breakfast at Refugio Paine Grande, we will begin the challenging trek into the French Valley along a steep trail that leads to the very heart of the Paine Massif. How far we'll go depends on our trekking rhythm. A swifter walk will lead us to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south-east face of the Massif where we will be treated to fantastic views of the valley. We continue to ascend the upper section of the valley where we will be able to marvel at the extensive mass of the valley's geological formations. After our upward trek, we will pause for a picnic and relax for a while. This day's trek will end as we descend through the same trail back to Refugio Paine Grande.
Hiking Distance: 20 Km. / 12.4 Mi. (If you are hiking until Mirador Británico, that's an additional 4 Km. / 2.4 Mi.).
Hiking Time: 10 hrs.
Max. Altitude: 686 m./2250 ft.
Elevation gain: 820 m. / 2690 ft.
Overnight at Refugio Paine Grande (Shared dormitories).
We will start walking from Refugio Paine Grande into the Las Carretas Trail, which is located close to the facilities of this Refugio, in direction to the south and into the Serrano Sector. We will leave the horns behind to make our return to the Serrano area. Once we reach the Serrano area, our transport will be waiting for us to take us to Puerto Natales.
Total hiking distance: 17 Km. / 10.5 Mi.
Hiking Time: 7 hrs.
Max. Altitude: 94 m./308 ft.
Elevation gain: 59 m. / 194 ft.
Overnight at Hotel Big Sur.
Today it is time to board the transfer back to the Puerto Natales Airport and take the flight to Santiago, in time to head back home or your next winter destination.
Please have in mind that there are flights departing from Puerto Natales but with fewer frequency than Punta Arenas (SKY Airlines has flights departing from PNT/Puerto Natales to Santiago each Tuesday during winter season).
If you need to arrange transportation to Punta Arenas, please ask for advice to your Travel Experience Designer.
Located in Puerto Natales, Hotel Big Sur has concierge services, non-smoking rooms, a terrace, free WiFi throughout the property and a bar. This 3-star hotel offers room service and a 24-hour front desk. At the hotel rooms include a private bathroom and bed linen. Guests at Hotel Big Sur can enjoy an American breakfast.
Located in Torres del Paine, Hotel Lago Grey offers free WiFi access. Rooms here are all fitted with heating, private bathroom and satellite television. At Hotel Lago Grey guests will find an ample complimentary buffet breakfast. There is an on-site restaurant and a bar.
Located on the shores of Pehoé Lake, with beautiful views of the Paine Horns and the Paine Grande Hill. It is the starting point of the route to the French Valley and the path to the Grey Glacier.
Accommodation in Paine Grande will be in bunk beds and mixed shared rooms, including a mattress cover, pillow, sheets and comforter.
Important notes:
This trip starts at Punta Arenas Airport and ends at Puerto Natales (airports or hotels).
* Please make sure your flight to Punta Arenas arrives prior to mid-day on Day 1.
Important Note: This trip departs ONLY on Thursdays due to operational considerations regarding the navigations inside the Park.
Fixed Departures are available on Thursdays from May to August, subject to availability of the accommodations involved on the program.
>> Do you want a private departure for this trip? We can do it, just send us an email.
This hike is the alternative for when either the Grey Navigation or the Pehoé Navigation are cancelled, allowing you to reach the next destination in the Park to continue the W Trek itinerary.
Departing from Grey:
Once we are all set, the excursion begins with a short drive from Grey Lake to the Serrano entrance point of the park, allowing some time to enjoy the beautiful winter views. Once we arrive at the Serrano entrance point, we’ll set off on a 7 hour (17 Km. / 10.5 Mi.) hike into the Park with the Paine Horns on the horizon until we reach our destination for the night, the Refugio Paine Grande which lies on the shores of Lake Pehoe at the base of the mighty Paine Massif.
Departing from Paine Grande:
We will start walking from Refugio Paine Grande into the Las Carretas Trail, which is located close to the facilities of this Refugio, in direction to the south and into the Serrano Sector. We will leave the horns behind to make our return to the Serrano area. Once we reach the Serrano area, our transport will be waiting for us to take us to Puerto Natales.
Total hiking distance: 17 Km. / 10.5 Mi.
In Torres del Paine and throughout Patagonia, transport is in minivans that normally seat up to 8 & 14 people.
The Patagonian Andes is very exposed to winds that circle the Antarctic landmass. In addition, the strong marine influence and the effect of the Southern Patagonia Icefield make the weather hard to predict.
Winter’s temperature range is between -2ºC/28ºF and 6ºC/43ºF. June, July, and August are the wettest months in Torres del Paine and sub-zero temperatures are common. Nevertheless, the winds are relatively mild in winter.
Essential equipment includes:
Please Note: This list is just to give you an idea of what you will need. We will send you a more detailed list prior to the departure date of the program.
The weather in Patagonia can be difficult to plan around at times. We reserve the right to change the order of the days in any itinerary as well as modify, change, or eliminate parts of the itinerary at the discretion of the trip guide based upon operational considerations.
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Updated October 4th, 2022
Dear Traveler,
We are very happy to announce that there are currently no travel restrictions in Chile.
Together with the above mentioned, it is mandatory to comply with the following requirements:
In case you have any questions, we will be happy to help you!
Best,
The Team at Cascada Expediciones & EcoCamp Patagonia