Trekking Torres del Paine – Patagonia, Chile

Trekking Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile, is, by all means, an incomparable experience. Do you take the challenge to walk through one of the wildest places on the planet? Torres del Paine is made up of a small group of iceberg-strewn, azure and jade lakes. Besides, there are white rivers with astonishing waterfalls and the largest glaciers outside Antarctica. But above all, the red granite peaks that pierce the sky are the highlights of this National Park.

Things to do

Once inside the park, you have to make a choice. Two different hiking routes cover different areas of Torres del Paine National Park. Now, I will briefly explain the highlights of each route, so you can decide which one you want to do.

The W Trek

This is the most popular route since it’s shorter and easier. It can take you from 3 to 5 days to walk its 80 km (50 miles). On this route, you get to see three of the most famous sites of Torres del Paine.

The Grey Glacier

First, meet the Grey Glacier, a retreating glacier located in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Being almost 6 km wide and over 30 meters high, it can be seen for various viewpoints. Watching the huge pieces of ice floating on the waters of Lake Grey will leave you speechless.

The Frances Valley

Once you reach the Frances Valley, it doesn’t matter where you look, mountains will surround you. After around 2 hours of trekking into the valley, you start to hear the roar of avalanches. Then, the Glaciar Frances comes into view, with ice calving from it. If the weather in on your side, you will be able to reach the end of the valley. Here, you ger breathtaking views of Cerro Cota and Cerro Catedral, both being over 2000 meters high.

The O Trek

This trek covers the same route as the W trek. However, the O trek circles around the Cordillera del Paine, ending at the same point it starts. This makes the route around 110km long (68 miles), taking from 6 to 9 days to complete. But this backside is much less visited, so you will enjoy a peaceful track and have all the wonders of nature to yourself. This route is definitely not for everyone, as it’s more difficult and longer.

Paso John Gardner

Above all, the experience no one can forget once they take the O trek is crossing Paso John Gardner. This is truly a challenge for many people since the weather can be a bit harsh and the winds are strong. Besides, sometimes visibility is so low, that the Paso John Gardner can be closed off. The O trek is perfect for those who seek a different adventure and solitude.

How to get there

This incredible reserve is close to the small town of Puerto Natales, located some kilometers away from the southern part of Puerto Montt. You can get to Natales either by bus or ferry. From here, you will have to take a four-hour bus drive along dirt roads to reach the Park’s entrance.