The Torres del Paine W Trek is one of the most famous trekking routes in the world and for good reason. Over four unforgettable days, hikers experience the very best of Patagonia, from the immense Grey Glacier and the dramatic French Valley to the iconic granite towers that have made Torres del Paine National Park a bucket-list destination for adventure travellers.
Unlike the longer O Circuit, the W Trek focuses on the park’s most spectacular highlights while remaining achievable for hikers with limited time. The route combines glacier viewpoints, turquoise lakes, hanging valleys, mountain passes, and world-class scenery into what many consider the ultimate Patagonia trekking experience. I had already completed 4 days trekking the Torres del Paine O Circuit before joining the W Trek.
This guide follows my complete Torres del Paine W Trek itinerary, including daily distances, elevation gain, campsites, hiking times and the standout moments from each stage of the journey. Whether you’re planning your first visit to Patagonia or deciding between the W Trek and O Circuit, this itinerary will show exactly what to expect on one of South America’s most iconic adventures.
Torres Del Paine W Trek: Overview
The Torres del Paine W Trek is one of the most famous multi-day hikes in the world, attracting thousands of trekkers to Patagonia each year. Unlike the longer O Circuit, the W Trek focuses on the park’s most iconic highlights, including Grey Glacier, the French Valley, Mirador Británico and the unforgettable Mirador Base Torres viewpoint. With fewer days required and easier logistics, it has become the most popular way to experience Torres del Paine National Park.
Although this guide focuses on the W Trek itinerary, my route was slightly different. Instead of starting at Paine Grande or Central like most W Trek hikers, I first completed the remote northern section of the Torres del Paine O Circuit, spending four days hiking from Central to Serón, Dickson, Los Perros and Grey. After crossing the spectacular John Gardner Pass and reaching Grey Camp, I effectively joined the W Trek route, following the same trail through Grey Glacier, the French Valley and eventually to Chileno and Central. This allowed me to experience both the solitude of the O Circuit and the famous highlights that make the W Trek so popular.
One advantage of hiking the W Trek independently is that it can be completed in either direction. Most trekkers choose the classic west-to-east route, beginning at Paine Grande and finishing at Mirador Base Torres. The biggest benefit of this approach is that you save arguably the best viewpoint in the park until the final day, creating a memorable finish. Others prefer hiking east-to-west, tackling the Torres viewpoint first before ending beside Grey Glacier and Lake Pehoé. Neither direction is objectively better, but finishing at the towers tends to feel like a more dramatic conclusion to the trek.
For me, the final stage began with a pre-dawn departure from Camping Chileno to reach Mirador Base Torres for sunrise. Hiking in darkness beneath a sky full of stars, I joined dozens of other trekkers making the climb up the final rocky moraine before daylight broke. As the sun rose behind the Paine Massif, the granite towers slowly transformed from grey silhouettes into glowing orange spires reflected in the turquoise glacial lake below. It was one of the most impressive mountain sunrises I’ve ever experienced and the perfect way to finish a week of trekking through Patagonia.
Torres del Paine W Trek
Torres del Paine W Trek Planning
Before diving into the day-by-day itinerary, it’s worth spending some time planning your Torres del Paine W Trek adventure properly. While the W Trek is shorter and more accessible than the O Circuit, it still requires advance campsite reservations, careful packing, and a good understanding of Patagonia’s notoriously unpredictable weather.
Most hikers complete the W Trek in 4–5 days, either travelling west-to-east from Paine Grande or Grey to Central or east-to-west in the opposite direction. The route visits Torres del Paine National Park’s most famous highlights, including Grey Glacier, the French Valley, Mirador Británico, and the iconic Mirador Base Torres viewpoint. Thanks to the well-developed refugio and campsite network, the W Trek can be completed with full camping gear, rented equipment, or even without carrying a tent at all.
One of the biggest challenges is securing accommodation. Campsites and refugios frequently sell out months in advance during the peak trekking season between November and March, making early booking essential. You’ll also need to decide whether to carry your own food, purchase meals at the refugios, or choose a combination of both. While outsourcing meals adds convenience, carrying your own supplies can significantly reduce costs. I used TorresHike to help reserve campistes from both Las Torres and Vertice operators.
Weather plays just as important a role as logistics. Patagonia is famous for experiencing four seasons in a single day, with sunshine, rain, strong winds, and even snow all possible within a few hours. During my trek, I experienced every weather condition imaginable, often on the same day. Packing appropriate layers, waterproof clothing, and reliable hiking gear can make the difference between an unforgettable adventure and a very uncomfortable one.
For detailed information on campsite bookings, transport, accommodation options, packing lists, budgets, and everything else you’ll need before arriving in Patagonia, be sure to read my complete Torres del Paine O Circuit Guide before setting foot on the trail.
Gear I used on the Torres del Paine W Trek
Need Help Planning the Patagonia W Trek or O Circuit?
This itinerary focuses on the day-by-day experience of hiking the Patagonia O Circuit, but successful planning starts long before you reach the trailhead. Learn how to book campsites, choose refugios, pack for Patagonia’s unpredictable weather, organise transport, and prepare for one of the world’s greatest trekking adventures.
Read the Complete O Circuit Guide
Torres del Paine W Trek Day 5
Grey to Paine Grande
Mirador Grey
I can safely say I slept like a log after the eventful last day of O Circuit trekking over the John Gardner Pass the previous day. A much easier day hiking ahead on paper from Grey to Paine Grande. Whilst some W Trekkers start at Grey, a lot more start at Paine Grande due to the cheaper and quicker catamaran ferry to the start. I fuelled up with a large continental-style breakfast, which was welcomed after under-eating on the hike from Los Perros due to no catering options. That wouldn’t be a problem for the popular and accommodating W Trek campsites.
I packed up camp into my backpack, which had become second nature after 4 days and was feeling lighter by the day. Before heading to Paine Grande, I walked on back towards Mirador Grey to get a clearer view of the vast valley filling Glacier. The views were clearer than the previous day, so it was worth the little detour. I was joined first by Christina and Henry, whom we exchanged Sony and Fujifilm cameras for some good photographs of crashing ice blocks and kayakers far below. When I was leaving, I bumped into Emily and Jamie too, so it was a social excursion, and I would continue to see my new trekking friends throughout the day.
Trek to Paine Grande
As I started the climb out of camp, I noticed there were already more people to share the trail with, which felt bizarre after hours of trekking in solitude on the O Circuit sectors. The oddest experience was people actually hiking in the opposite direction! The path followed under Cordón Olguin and above the Grey Lake below. It was a pleasant start to the day and warmer than other days, with a lovely outcrop where I was caught up with 5 other O Trekkers. We took pictures, chatted and shared snacks, showing that we had all created a mini bond.
The Grey to Paine Grande Sector had more elevation gain than expected, but with glacial views behind and clearer skies above, even more remote untouched Patagonian mountains ahead, there was plenty to observe. As I trekked closer to the officil grey Lookout, the Patagonian winds became remarkably strong. It was so forceful that I was almost pushed off my feet trying to hike straight. We were all battered around and more used to these conditions than several W trekkers starting on their first day of trekking. Eventually the path began to descend, providing much-needed relief from the gusts.
I found a nice branch for a spot of lunch nd was soon joined by Christin and Henry, who offered me delicious hot sauce to improve my lunch sandwich I’d picked up from Grey. The path was fast and easy down towards Paine Grande through trees and rocky terrain before getting to camp in the afternoon. As you hike into camp, to the left is the enormous Paine Grande Hill with the Los Cuernos on the opposite side of French Valley.
Paine Grande
It’s best to arrive at Paine Grande early because it’s one of the largest campsites and accommodations on the Torres del Paine W Trek. I was fortunate enough to have a few short minutes to wait to check in, and this gave me plenty of time to find a sheltered campsite spot. It felt like most of Paine Grande had pre-pitched yellow tents, whereas all the O trekkers found cover near the base of the hill to protect from the wind rushing over the campsite. I enjoyed a hot shower after another day’s trekking before venturing back to the main lodge where there was a cafe/bar, cafeteria, lounge and internet available.
It had been 5 days since I had checked in with Roisin and my family, so I paid an extortionate amount for 1 hour of WiFI to send some messages, call Roisin and catch up on sports events. After a lovely catch-up with the outside world, I caught up with Jamie and Emily for a drink at the upstairs bar before they departed for the ferry and I got the buffet-style dinner. What surprised me was the queue out the door for checking into Paine Grande reception. It was a good job that I arrived early to Camp and found a good pitch for my tent away from the wind.
Finally, it was dinner, where I enjoyed a 3-course meal picked up from the cafeteria and was joined by Christina and Henry, who were treating themselves to a restaurant meal instead of stove-cooked. The main was a braised rib with mash, grains and veg, then a sweet pot, soup, toast and eggs – so a nice carb load! Our plan afterwards was to go for an evening walk for better views of Paine Grande Hill and los Cuernos for sunset; however, I had a minor mishap when I lost my source of vision. My prescription glasses had disappeared, which meant looking for the next 30 minutes around a bench where I had briefly taken them off for photographs….
It turns out a gust of wind had slid them off the bench, through a fence into some grass. After the crisis was averted, I continued to enjoy the stunning colours on the looming Torres del Paine mountains before washing them and retreating to bed. I needed my energy for the long day up to Mirador Británico and over to Los Cuernos camp on the 2nd day of the W trek.
Torres del Paine W Trek Day 6
Paine Grande to Central via French Valley
Paine Grande
The normal trekking routine of waking up, packing up my sleeping equipment and tent before a toilet break and breakfast was now second nature on Day 6. After talking to Emily and Jamie, my Canadian friends, they emphasised how Mirador Británico was their favourite over Mirador Base Torres, which made me excited for the day ahead. My only slightly hesiattion was whether to leave my backpack unguarded at Italiano and head off for several hours or do the heavy lifting. After a very filling and healthy breakfast of toast, cereal, yoghurt, juice, tea, scrambled eggs, brownie and fruit to fuel my mega hike ahead.
I managed to escape from Paine Grande before the masses arrived and started out at a fast pace towards Mirador Lago Skottsberg. There were some steep hills to climb before seeing the viewpoint of the lake below Los Cuernos, but it was a much cloudier and cooler day. The trail skirted the lake, leaving views of Paine Grande camp behind and working its way towards the bridge crossing.
Mirador Frances
This W Trek sector was fairly quiet from Paine Grande; however, as I reached the Italiano hut, there were many more hikers coming from Frances and Los Cuernos camps. Whilst leaving my backpack there along with toehrs would have made for a much faster climb up French Valley, I enjoyed the challenge of carrying my backpack along the whole O Circuit (apart from a zipline). So with my decision made, I started up the steep scree climb and through the trees towards the first point of interest at Mirador Frances.
I was moving fast and overtaking people despite carrying a 15kg Osprey backpack. I realised just how fit I was after 6 days of remote and challenging trekking on the O Circuit. The Mirador Frances lookout shows a vast wall of rock and ice with a glacier hanging down from Paine Grande Hill. It was a nice break point where I took photographs whilst it was quiet. A lot of people turned back there and didn’t continue up to Mirador Británico. The tops of the peaks in the French Valley were covered in cloud, so I was unsure about how clear the top viewpoint would be.
Mirador Británico
The trail started to climb through the forest and across many rocky boulder fields. I trekked on in hope of the clouds breaking and a magical view unveiling itself, but the hope was fading as I climbed. There were good views of the mountains either side of the valley. I even bumped into the nice American couple (Jean and Robert) I’d met at Dickson and hiked over John Gardner Pass with. There was a very steep, dusty and root-covered path up to the top viewpoint where I hoisted myself up and enjoyed my lunch.
So it turns out Mirador Británico wouldn’t be the epic panorama I’d wished for and was treated with a snow shower instead. The layers were added on as I ate my sandwich, trail mix lunch box picked up from Paine Grande. Christina and Henry reached the lookout as I was about to leave, so I stayed so we could exchange photographing duties. I stayed up there for an hour in cold temperatures, low visibility as the light snow fell upon me. On a good day, the viewpoint of Mirador Británico is beautiful and a quieter spot than Mirador Base Torres. It did feel like I wasn’t having much luck after John Gardner Pass and now Británico.
Slightly deflated, I put on my heavier-feeling backpack and descended back down the valley past Mirador Frances all the way back to Italiano hut. After hiking all the way up French Valley and back down, I was almost on 20km steps and 1000m climbing, with another 5km to go to Los Cuernos. It was turning into a long day hiking carrying all my equipment. I passed by Frances Camp, which is closer than Los Cuernos but would have meant a longer Day 7 to Chileno and the Base Torres. Finally, the path dropped along the Nordernskjöld Lake for an hour of shoreline hiking. It was a nice change to be alongside flat beaches as I reached Los Cuernos fairly exhausted.
Los Cuernos
I checked into the campsite, and my tired brain made a bad decision which would ruin my night’s sleep. When asked, I chose the scenic campsite and learnt a lesson for life… always pick shelter and cover over views. I set up my campsite on the hill, which was very exposed, but I could see the lake, Los Cuernos and Paine Grande mountains. I went for a hot shower to soothe the body after a long day hiking and then enjoyed the best dinner of all the campsite services provided. The dinner had great presentation for the soup, fancy chicken and rice, then a delcious pear dessert.
I chatted to a few other W trekkers, but it was a lonelier dinner without the camaraderie of the O trekkers. When washing my teeth, I met a British lad, Anthony and an experienced Patagonian guide who advised us to leave early to aim to get to Mirador Base Torres for early afternoon for the clearest conditions. I retreated to my campsite up the hill with several other trekkers still setting up their own tents whilst the pre-pitched tents were down in the protected trees.
My first disaster was that my 3L hydration bladder had leaked, which ruined my book but luckily not my journal. It was an annoyance, but nothing was damaged just some wet clothes…. The bigger disaster came whilst I was asleep. I woke at 2am to ferocious winds battering my tent and threatening to collapse and break my Big Agnes Copper Spur tent. The poles were folding inwards and bending; the noise sounded like a jet engine on the fabric. I obviously couldn’t sleep and went outside to try to re-pitch on the wooden platform with more rocks and guylines.
After 20 minutes, the over 80mph winds kept crashing into the hill, so with no chance of sleep I decided to pack up my tent and backpack and hope to find an empty platform lower down under tree cover. The stars were in the thousands, yet I couldn’t enjoy the star gazing for the pressing need to pack up and then re-pitch my tent as I fortunately found an empty wooden pad. I spotted several other tents being packed up, so I rushed to claim a spot and eventually got settled to capture some more sleep safe from the famously strong Patagonian winds.
Torres del Paine Day 7
Central to Mirador Las Torres & Return
Los Cuernos
After the eventfula nd disrputed night sleep, I woke up in my tent on a different wooden platform than initially expected. As per normal, I washed, packed and got my bag ready for another day of trekking before heading for breakfast. As with all campsites on the Torres del Paine W trek, you never know which direction people are hiking out of camp to. Breakfast was served on the wooden benches where I had juice, tea, granola, yoghurt and bread before collecting my lunch box for the day. The food at Los Cuernos was exceptional, so I had high hopes for lunch.
I started trekking at 7:30 where the weather looked like a vast improvement on Day 6. There was a steady rise from camp to follow the high path above Nordernskjöld Lake. The views behind Paine Grande, the turquoise colours, and the foehn winds whipping across the water were stunning. It was a picture postcard of Patagonia. And in Torres del Paine National Park, the W Trek and O Circuit follow below the iconic Los Cuernos “The Bullhorns” above. The better viewpoint is from the other side of the lake; however, this isn’t on this remarkable trekking route.
Chileno
This is a long sector from Los Cuernos campground over to where the day hiking path from Central to the Base Torres joins. After the pretty views, the path diverts inwards and undulates below the majestic mountain peaks above. It does get slightly marshy and wet in places, which contrasts with the hot sun and little shade. The path splits, and it’s best to take the left northern pass to keep elevation and pace yourself as you begin to head into the Chileno valley.
After 4 days of hiking the remote and peaceful backcountry on the O Circuit sectors, then 3 days joining the W Trek, I still wasn’t prepared for how many day hikers there were. Many people join guided day tours from Puerto Natales then hike from Las Torres hotel/central up to the lookout and back, which meant patience was needed on my part. I had been trekking a week through rugged and varied terrain, and all weather, with some disappointments, so I was looking forward to finally seeing the crowning jewel of Torres del Paine.
As I turned to join the crowds, the strong winds at Windy Gap grew in strength and gave us a friendly gust to keep us sharp. I descended quickly, overtaking many day hikers who looked shocked to see me with my 50L backpack, overtaking them. It didn’t take long to get to Chileno camp, where I had a chat with the staff before continuing on my way towards the Mirador Base Torres. Many day hikers were stopped at Chileno, so I spent no unnecessary time there and hit the trail again before some large groups departed.
Mirador Base Torres
The first few kilometres are through normal hiking forest trails, crossing streams and slowly climbing after the bridge. It saps the energy early on, but thankfully there was shade from the baking sun. I didn’t see any trekking mates so got my head down whilst carrying my backpack still. I didn’t fancy leaving my backpack at Chileno after carrying it all this way, including Mirador Britanico. There were plenty of groups that I eased past and set a solid pace after over 1500m climbing. I passed the ranger Station where the real work started.
There was 1km with several hundred metres to climb to reach the precious viewpoint of the famous Torres del Paine towers. I was tiring fast as I hadn’t eaten lunch, so I was pushing on with all my fitness and strength. The trails were busy on the steep scrambling, but despite my heavy load, I made good progress and finally arrived at my bucket list viewpoint. And was it worth the wait? Well, see for yourself…
The deeper blue skies, the turquoise colours, the sheer almost orange 3 granite towers. It was picture perfect and made up for any disappointment from Mirador Británico. I took the view in for literally hours! First I took many photographs on my Fujifilm X-T30 and phone before having lunch at one of my favourite spots. It was busy at the top with a collection of day hikers and trekkers all enjoying the stunning Mirador Base Torres. It was so special that I saw 3 proposals!! The sun was out, and I had no rush to get back to camp; therefore took time to sketch in my journal and take it all in.
I noticed a familiar couple arrive at the Mirador Base Torres in time before the clouds rolled in. Christina and Henry had completed the O Circuit, and we enjoyed the epic viewpoint together as a mini celebration. Then shortly afterwards, Anthony (British lad) and his girlfriend Lois arrived as well, so we chatted away and took pictures. It was really nice to spend this special place with fellow trekkers and people who could relate to the trekking experience.
After 3 hours, I hiked back down to Chileno and finally checked in. For once, I wouldn’t be pitching my own tent as all tents are pre-pitched at Chileno due to the risk of forest fires and to protect nature. A very nice perk was a complimentary free drink voucher upon arrival too! Other perks were some WiFi, which they generously allowed me to use to rebook the time of my coach from Central to Puerto Natales the next day. After I had a warm shower in the main hut block, which after 22km and 1800m of ascent was needed, I relaxed in the hut alongside various O Circuit and W trek explorers all sharing stories and experiences.
I chose to have dinner around 6pm to give enough time to wind down before attempting a sunrise hike back up to Mirador Base Torres the next morning. For my free drink, I chose a Calafate beer, which tasted refreshing, and I joined Jean and Robert along with another London couple at the dinner table for another great meal. Las Torres campsites certainly had better food than Vertice in my opinion. It was an enjoyable night of laughter, drinks and games before I retreated to my comfortable and sturdy tent where I packed my collapsible backpack for the next morning.
Torres del Paine Day 8
Sunrise at Mirador Las Torres & Exit from Torres del Paine
The final day of the Patagonia O Circuit began with a pre-dawn climb from Chileno to Mirador Las Torres to watch sunrise illuminate the famous granite towers. After returning to camp for breakfast and packing up our gear, the trek concluded with a short hike back to Central where an unforgettable week in Torres del Paine came to an end.
Stage 1: Sunrise Hike to Mirador Las Torres
Stage 2: Chileno to Central
Mirador Base Torres Sunrise Hike
The simple rule about whether to do the morning hike is: can you see stars when you wake up around 4am? I was in luck that it was a clear night, so promising to see the sunlight hit the Base Torres. It is a 4km hike and 650m climb back up to the viewpoint, which was much easier without my trekking backpack on. I joined Kyle and Brooklyn (another American couple I’d met along the O Circuit) for the hike for safety in numbers as we hiked in headlamp light up the dark trail. The path was harder in darkness and on less sleep, but the motivation to see the sunrise was powerful.
I left the others behind as I was faster on the steep gradients and didn’t want to risk missing any great photographs or moments. It turns out that I had plenty of time to wait at Mirador Base Torres along with around 20 other people waiting patiently. Brooklyn and Kyle were smart to bring camping chairs for comfort, and at 06:20, the first light hit the 3 towers and produced a lovely golden hue. We all enjoyed the sunrise over the lake and mountains before having an O Circuit trekkers group pic with various friends I’d made along the journey. It was a lovely moment on our 8th day of trekking in Torres del Paine.
Chileno
I almost ran down the mountain as I didn’t want to miss breakfast at Chileno or the bus to catch at 11am. It was much easier with a lighgtweigth set-up and a had a late breakfast with Anthony and Lois at Chileno before packing up my tent and backpack. It was time for the final sector of hiking from Chileno to Central, which was a descent and only 6km.
The path back down was easy and less windy than the previous day, with no day hikers starting up yet. There were a few trekkers who had stayed at Las Torres or the Central campsite and started early to hike all the way up to Mirador Base Torres. I was flying down the mountain as my backpack was so light compared to Day 1, after leaving before 9am then arrived by 10am. Before I knew it, I was passing over bridges and on flat ground near the luxury Las Torres Hotel and very close to the end of the O Circuit and W trek.
Central
The end of the trail was a gravel track leading up to the Welcome Centre at Central, where I officially completed the Torres del Paine W Trek and O Circuit. I actually met Henry and Christina inside the cafe section where we compared notes and sunrise images before we all boarded the shuttle back to Amarga. After a short wait, we boarded the Bus-Sur coach back to Puerto Natales, leaving the beautiful and enchanting Torres del Paine National Park.
The journey back to Puerto Natales took a few hours, and I slept during most of the journey after stopping for the first time in 8 days. Eventually, the bus pulled into the bus terminal, and I disembarked, said my farewells to Christina and Henry before walking down to Yagan House Hostel. It felt odd to be back in civilisation after 8 days trekking through remote and backcountry trails in Patagonia.
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Torres del Paine W Trek Map
Torres del Paine W Trek Summary
The Torres del Paine W Trek perfectly showcases why Patagonia is considered one of the world’s greatest trekking destinations. In just four days, you’ll experience towering granite peaks, enormous glaciers, emerald lakes, roaring rivers and some of the most spectacular mountain scenery found anywhere on the planet.
While challenging in places, the route remains accessible to most reasonably fit hikers and offers excellent infrastructure through its network of campsites and refugios. Whether you’re standing beneath the ice walls of Grey Glacier, gazing across the French Valley from Mirador Británico, or watching sunrise illuminate the Torres del Paine towers, every day delivers a memorable experience.
If you’re looking for the ultimate introduction to Patagonia trekking, it’s hard to imagine a better adventure than the Torres del Paine W Trek. What’s your favourite trek you’ve done?
Torres del Paine W Trek FAQs
How long does the Torres del Paine W Trek take?
Most hikers complete the Torres del Paine W Trek in 4–5 days. A 4-day itinerary allows you to experience the route’s major highlights while maintaining a challenging but achievable pace.
Is the W Trek harder than the O Circuit?
No. The W Trek is shorter and less demanding than the O Circuit. It avoids the remote northern section of the park and the challenging crossing of John Gardner Pass.
What are the highlights of the W Trek?
The most famous highlights include:
Grey Glacier
French Valley
Mirador Británico
Lake Pehoé
Mirador Las Torres
The Torres del Paine granite towers
Can beginners hike the W Trek?
Yes. Many hikers complete the W Trek as their first multi-day backpacking adventure. A reasonable level of fitness is recommended, but the well-marked trails and campground infrastructure make the route accessible to most hikers.
When is the best time to hike the Torres del Paine W Trek?
The main trekking season runs from November to March, when temperatures are milder and all campsites, refugios and park services are fully operational.
Do you need to book campsites on the W Trek?
Yes. Campsites and refugios often sell out months in advance during peak season. It’s highly recommended to secure reservations as early as possible. I would recommend using TorresHike to book all the campsites in one system.
