Patagonia: The W Trek, An Epic Hike Through Torres del Paine
This 54-mile, 5-day trek is considered one of the most scenic hikes in the world, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Patagonia has always been on my travel list—ever since I saw a photo of those granite towers of Torres del Paine rising above turquoise lake.
Patagonia is a vast region at the southern tip of South America, shared by both Chile and Argentina. There are many ways to experience this rugged and breathtaking part of the world, but for my trip, I focused on Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Known for its incredible landscape and trails, Torres del Paine offers two distinct treks: the longer O Trek, which takes 7-10 days to complete and circles the park, and the shorter W Trek, which highlights the park’s most iconic sights in just five days.
For this trip, it’s important to plan well ahead—permits, refugios, and transportation often book up months in advance, especially during peak trekking season from October to April.
One of the great things about these treks is the refugios (mountain lodges) scattered along the route. These refugios must be booked in advance, as they provide beds, meals, and even packed lunches for hikers. Each night, you stay at a different refugio, making it easy and accessible even for those new to multi-day treks.
We chose the W Trek because it’s known as an ideal introduction to the park and takes less time than the O Trek (5 days instead of 8 ). This gave us a chance to experience Torres del Paine’s highlights, like the famous granite towers, Grey Glacier, and the French Valley, without committing to a longer hike for our first visit.
While I usually enjoy planning trips myself, managing this one felt like an entirely different beast. Between flights, shuttles, permits, accommodations, and other logistics, it’s a lot to coordinate.
After some research, we decided to enlist the help of Swoop Patagonia, a company specializing in Patagonia travel. Their great reviews and clear website made us feel comfortable with the choice. Swoop took care of everything once we arrived in Patagonia—permits, refugio bookings, and transportation—making the trip much easier to manage and letting us focus on enjoying the adventure.
Getting There and Getting Started
Our journey began with a flight to Santiago, Chile, followed by a roughly 3-hour flight south to Puerto Natales, the gateway to Torres del Paine. The views from the plane were absolutely breathtaking—snow-capped mountains, sprawling glaciers, and turquoise lakes. It almost felt like another planet.
Since we had an early start the next morning, we stayed one night in Puerto Natales. From Puerto Natales we had an early bus ride to the park entrance, where we geared up for the first day of our five-day hike.
Leading up to the trek, we had to carefully plan what to pack since we’d be carrying everything on our backs for the duration of the hike. Fortunately, the hotel in Puerto Natales was happy to hold our extra luggage while we were in the park, so we didn’t worry about finding storage.
What to Expect on Each Day
The W Trek is 54 miles. While that may seem daunting, it’s broken up into manageable distances for each day.
Duration: 5 days - This felt like the perfect amount of time to really soak in the experience.
Difficulty: Moderate - There are some challenging climbs, but overall, it's doable for anyone with a decent level of fitness.
Terrain: Mostly flat with some challenging ascents - The variety of terrain kept things interesting.
Weather: Unpredictable, be prepared for all types of conditions - We experienced everything from sunshine to rain to wind, sometimes all in the same day! It's definitely important to be prepared.
The W Trek Experience
The W Trek gets its name from its shape, which looks like a "W" on the map. The trek winds through some of the most breathtaking scenery I've ever seen like the iconic Torres del Paine, massive glaciers, the bluest lakes, and lush forests.
One of the things I loved about the W Trek was that you don't have to carry all your gear and food. There are these places called refugios along the route where you can sleep, shower, and eat. Our package included a bed each night and three meals. There are also camp sites, if you prefer, where you can rent just the spot or the tent as well. Just be sure to still book this ahead of time.
Hiking the W
The W Trek is considered a moderate trek, and I'd say that's pretty accurate. A lot of the terrain is relatively flat, and the trails are well-maintained, but don't get me wrong, 54 miles is still a distance to hike. There were definitely some challenging sections, especially the climbs up to the viewpoints. My legs were feeling it by the end of each day - so I’d recommend a bit of hiking practice to build up your cardio and wear in your shoes before this trip.
My group hiked the W without a guide, which was totally doable. The trails are clearly marked, and there are maps available. Plus, there are always other hikers around, so you never feel truly alone.
Here’s the breakdown for each day if you start from the east.
Day 1: Trek to Las Torres (the Towers), stay in Refugio Central.
Distance: 13 miles with a significant elevation change up to the tower
Time: 8-10 hours
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Day 2: Trek to Los Cuernos (the horns), stay in Refugio Los Cuernos.
Distance: 7 miles, mostly flat
Time: 6 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Day 3: Trek to the French Valley, Refugio Paine Grande.
Distance: 12 miles with elevation changes
Time: 8-10 hours
Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Day 4: Trek to Glacier Gray, Refugio Grey. 8-15 miles, depending on how you choose to go, medium 6-10 hours
Distance: 8-15 miles (depending on how you choose to go)
Time: 6-10 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Day 5: Optional ice hike, kayak, hike, or grey boat trip, return to Puerto Natales. 0-6 miles, easy/medium
Distance: 0-6 miles
Time: 0-7 hours
Difficulty: Easy to Medium
Including arriving into the park and departure, you should plan to spend at least five days on the hike. There are also itineraries for more casual seven-day hikes, if that is more your speed. While it’s not terribly difficult, I’d still consider this a moderate hike for the sheer duration.
We went in the summer, which is between December and March in Chile. Even then it was still quite cold at times. So the trick is to pack layers because the weather can change on a dime, and that’s all part of the adventure.
5-Day W-Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Trek to Las Torres Lookout
Travel: Take a 7 am bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park, passing pampas, estancias, and wildlife.Trek: Start at Torres Central, leaving your backpack behind. Ascend through the Ascencio Valley’s beech forests and moraine to reach the iconic Las Torres viewpoint (900m). Enjoy the views, lunch, and return.Hike: 8–10 hrs, 22km, medium/demanding.Meals: Box lunch, dinner.Stay: Camping or room at Refugio Torres Central.
Day 2: Hike to Los Cuernos
Route: After breakfast, hike past Inge Lagoon, crossing the Bader River with turquoise lake views. Arrive at Refugio Los Cuernos or Domos Frances.
Hike: 5–6 hrs, 12km, low/medium difficulty.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Stay: Camping or room at Refugio Los Cuernos.
Day 3: Trek to the French Valley
Trek: Hike to the French Valley via the French River and ascend to the Plateau viewpoint for panoramic glacier and peak views. Descend to Refugio Paine Grande along forested paths by Lake Pehoé.
Hike: 9–10 hrs, 18km, medium/demanding.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Stay: Camping or room at Refugio Paine Grande.
Day 4: Trek to Glacier Grey
Route: Ascend to Laguna Los Patos with Ice Field views. Continue to Glacier Grey’s lookout for lunch. Optional extended trek to Los Guardas or a kayak excursion among floating icebergs (pre-booking required).
Hike: 4–5 hrs, 12km, medium difficulty.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner.
Stay: Camping or room at Refugio Grey.
Day 5: Optional Glacier Activities and Return to Puerto Natales
Options: Ice hike, kayak, or trek to the hanging bridges for views of Glacier Grey (pre-booking required).
Return: Hike back to Refugio Paine Grande to catch the 5 pm catamaran across Lake Pehoé, followed by a bus to Puerto Natales (~10 pm arrival). Alternatively, take the Grey III catamaran for a closer glacier view and a private transfer to Puerto Natales (extra cost, pre-booking required).
Hike: 4–5 hrs, 12km, medium difficulty.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch.
General Tips
Break in your hiking boots: Seriously, this is crucial. You don't want to be dealing with blisters on a multi-day trek.
Pack for all types of weather: Patagonia's weather can change in an instant, so be prepared for anything.
Pack layers: The temperature can fluctuate throughout the day, so layers are key.
Bring waterproof gear: Rain is common, so a good rain jacket and pants are essential.