W TREK 3 Valleys / Base, French & Grey - 4 Nights / 5 Days
- Duration
- 4 Nights / 5 Days
- Total Hike Distance
- 72.1km / 45.1mi (with Grey)
- Style
- Self Guided
- From
- USD 1,640 PP
From USD 1,640 Per Person
All Inclusive
Introduction
The Full W Trek encompasses three, different valleys. Running east to west, these are: The Ascensio Valley, the end of which is the TORRES BASE; the FRENCH VALLEY (in the middle of the trail), and on the western arm, the GREY LAKE and GLACIER GREY.
This itinerary will allow you to do a full day hike to each of the three, iconic valleys, but with an extra night that will allow you to arrive to Torres del Paine in the afternoon and avoid the usual early start from Natales. It will also enable you a better opportunity to avoid the early morning rush up to the Torres Base by being in the park the previous night.
Accommodation is in Torres del Paine in either a refugio or equipped, serviced camping.
Torres Base, French Valley & Grey Glacier Valley
- Total hike time from the Welcome Centre to the Torres Base and back is: 21.8 km / 13.6 mi – 9 hrs hiking.
- Total hike time from the Welcome Centre to Frances is: 16.6 km / 10 mi – 6 hrs hiking.
- Total hike time if to the French Valley Viewpoint and out is: 7.4 km / 4.6 mi – 4 hrs 30 mins hiking.
- Total hike time if to the French Valley Camp Britanico and out is: 13.8 km / 8.6 mi – 6 hrs 30 mins hiking.
- Frances to Paine Grande: 8.9 km / 5.5 mi – 3 hrs 30 min hiking.
- Optional Paine Grande to Grey is 4 hrs.
Your Day-By-Day Itinerary
Depart from Puerto Natales on the regular bus at 14:00hrs. Arrive to Laguna Amarga in Torres del Paine and board the shuttle to the Welcome Centre.
NIGHT: Check-in to your accommodation at Central. Dinner and night here. Note the option to be at Premium Camping Chileno instead - please ask Experience Chile.
After breakfast you will be handed a box lunch. If you are staying at Central, the hike will be flat until Hotel Las Torres. Just past the hotel the trail will begin a meandering ascent to the entrance to the Ascensio Valley. At times, at this point the winds can be very fierce. However, once past this corner, you will enter the valley and it is more or less downhill to Chileno. From Chileno the trail will corss the Ascensio river, and enter a forest. Where there are openings behind the trees the view is of hanging glaciers and dramatic mountain peaks. Once through the woods you will be met by a mass of millenial glacial morain covering the montain from left to right at a relativey steep angle. The trail will not go over this scree, but rather it will bend left and go up hill, beside the morain. Considering that there is glacier morain here, the path will, at times, be narrow, meandering around the larger boulders and over the smaller ones as well as passing trees that are growing up from cracks in rocks. This, 1hr duration of hiking is considered the most difficult part of the W. However, at the top the sky fills the area ahead and then, all of a sudden, the view is of the three, giant, vertical, towering needles called the Towers of Torres del Paine, at the foot of which is a lagoon. If you get to here you have made it!
NIGHT: Return to your accommodation at Central. Night and dinner here.
After breakfast you will be handed a box lunch. The hike to Frances will pass by Lake Nordenskjold offering great views of the undulating landscape on your left.
NIGHT: Dinner and night at Frances (but this may be changed to Cuernos depending on availability).
After breakfast you will be handed a box lunch. Your hike today will take you to the French Valley entrance, which is beside the camp spot called Camp Italiano and a CONAF ranger hut. From the entrance to the French Valley it is a steady incline up to the French Valley viewpoint, which is usually a 2.5hrs hike. Many people get to here and call it a day and then head back. However, if you continue you will get the a place called Camp Britanico, which is the end of the path, and from here return back. This hike will bring you into the heart of the Torres del Paine W Trek and at the base of a valley surrounded by hanging glaciers and dramatic mountain walls. Once you have done your French Valley incursion, when you get back to the entrance, which is now your exit, you will turn right and continue to Paine Grande. The hike to Paine Grande is relatively straight forward and will take about 4hrs from the exit of the French Valley.
Total hike time if to the French Valley Viewpoint and out is: 13.1km / 8mi – 5hrs hiking.
Total hike time if to the French Valley Camp Britanico and out is: 19.5km / 12mi – 6hrs hiking.
NIGHT: Paine Grande. Dinner and night here.
After breakfast, you will be handed a box lunch and then you can decide what you want to do. Your options are:
Summary:
Total hike time from the Welcome Centre to the Torres Base and back is: 21.8km / 13.6 mi – 9hrs hiking.
Total hike time from the Welcome Centre to Frances is: 16.6km / 10mi – 6hrs hiking.
Total hike time if to the French Valley Viewpoint and out is: 7.4km / 4.6mi – 4hrs 30mins hiking.
Total hike time if to the French Valley Camp Britanico and out is: 13.8km / 8.6mi – 6hrs 30mins hiking.
Frances to Paine Grande: 8.9km / 5.5mi – 3hrs 30min hiking.
Optional Paine Grande to Grey is 4hrs.
NIGHT: Puerto Natales (Ask Experience Chile to arrange this, and your pre hike Natales accommodation, cost as per your budget)
