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 the iconic granite towers of Torres del Paine rising above turquoise lakes. Something about its untamed beauty and remote wilderness kept calling to me. So, when I finally decided to take the leap, I knew I wanted to do it right.

Patagonia is a vast region at the southern tip of South America, shared by both Chile and Argentina. There are so 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 jaw-dropping scenery, 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. However, 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. 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.

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 quickly became overwhelming.

After some research, we decided to enlist the help of Swoop Patagonia, a company specializing in Patagonia travel. Their glowing reviews and user-friendly website convinced us they were the right 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 that seemed otherworldly. It felt like we were landing on another planet.

Since we had an early start the next morning, we stayed one night in Puerto Natales. From there, Swoop had arranged for us to take a bus 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 have to worry about finding other storage.

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 I’ve ever seen, 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 with you. There are these places called refugios along the route where you can sleep, shower, and eat. Our package included a bed each night and all three meals, which was awesome. The food was surprisingly good, too, considering we were in the middle of nowhere.

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 quite the 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, which is why I was especially glad for those refugios. It’s still best to get in some hiking practice and build up your cardio before embarking on this one.

My group hiked the W without a guide, and it 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. We actually met some cool people along the way and ended up hiking with them for a couple of days.

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.

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 terrible difficult, I’d still consider this a moderately difficult hike.

We went in the summer, which is between December and March in Chile, and this was good because even then, it was still quite cold. One thing I wasn't quite prepared for was the wind. Patagonia is notoriously windy, and there were times when it felt like I was going to get blown right off the trail. But honestly, it was all part of the adventure. And the views made all the effort worth it. Standing there, looking out at those incredible landscapes, was truly awe-inspiring.