Advertisement: The "highlights" tour of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, one of the most beautiful parks in the world.
More photographs.
Difficulty: 4 days, 46.5 miles, 9000 feet of elevation. Much of the elevation can be done with a daypack (the "points" of the "W"). There are some stream crossings.
Preparation: Water does not need to be treated. There are huts (refugios) along the route where one can take shelter in, but to stay overnight one needs a reservation which can be hard to get. Hot food can be purchased at the refugios, cash only. There are tent spaces near the refugios. All gear can be rented in town at Puerto Natales. Be advised that the weather is highly variable; it rained every day at some point during my trek, and the wind gusts can be very strong; apparently a few weeks before I went, a bus was blown over by the gusts and one person had to have his arm amputated.
Route: The route is pretty standard, but here's a summary. One generally hikes from east to west. Day 1: take the bus in and hike up to Refugio Chileno with full pack. Drop packs, and climb to Mirador de las Torres. Go back to the refugio for the night. Day 2: Descend with pack and traverse to Refugio Cuernos. Day 3: Cache packs at Campamento Italiano and climb up Valle Francés, take in the view, get pack, and go to Refugio Paine Grande. Day 4: Leave pack, hike to Refugio Grey, then back to camp, take boat back to bus station.
Summary: The sights on this hike were really awe-inspiring. 5/5
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| The towers of Torres del Paine |
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| Traversing gentle slopes with snowy peaks in the distance and a storm brewing |
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| Just one piece of the panoramic view from French Valley |
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| The grand tower behind deep blue waters |
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| Low clouds and a low rainbow over Glacier Grey |
More photographs.
Difficulty: 4 days, 46.5 miles, 9000 feet of elevation. Much of the elevation can be done with a daypack (the "points" of the "W"). There are some stream crossings.
Preparation: Water does not need to be treated. There are huts (refugios) along the route where one can take shelter in, but to stay overnight one needs a reservation which can be hard to get. Hot food can be purchased at the refugios, cash only. There are tent spaces near the refugios. All gear can be rented in town at Puerto Natales. Be advised that the weather is highly variable; it rained every day at some point during my trek, and the wind gusts can be very strong; apparently a few weeks before I went, a bus was blown over by the gusts and one person had to have his arm amputated.
Route: The route is pretty standard, but here's a summary. One generally hikes from east to west. Day 1: take the bus in and hike up to Refugio Chileno with full pack. Drop packs, and climb to Mirador de las Torres. Go back to the refugio for the night. Day 2: Descend with pack and traverse to Refugio Cuernos. Day 3: Cache packs at Campamento Italiano and climb up Valle Francés, take in the view, get pack, and go to Refugio Paine Grande. Day 4: Leave pack, hike to Refugio Grey, then back to camp, take boat back to bus station.
Summary: The sights on this hike were really awe-inspiring. 5/5
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