Chilean Patagonia is a bucket list stop for anyone who loves to hike and travel and even better, likes to do those things at the same time. And Torres del Paine National Park, is la crème de la crème, pièce de résistance and icon of Patagonia. For most people, the travel to southern Chile is extensive and thus it makes sense to make the most out of this type of trip, and I am here to help!

It can be overwhelming because there are SO MANY resources on how to visit Torres del Paine National Park, you could spend hours upon hours reading every blog and travel guide on the best, fastest, easiest, way to visit this beautiful area. I am going to do the heavy lifting for you and share (in the briefest way possible) my learnings and recommendations for hiking the W.

Hiking Overview

There are two possible routes to complete the W trek, both with advantages and disadvantages. See the charts below for more details, including: distance and elevation for each hiking section included.

West to east: Build up over the 4-5 days of hiking to reach the famous towers (the ultimate part of the trek!). Five days culminates in a hike watching the sunrise over Las Torres. Depending on how fast you make it down to Hotel Las Torres after your sunrise hike, you may have time for a celebratory drink or two before catching the bus back to Puerto Natales.
East to west: You complete the most difficult part of the hike first and get to see Las Torres during the true middle of the day. Additionally, there may be slightly less traffic going this direction.

Accommodation Options

Refugio Italiano, before ascending to Mirador Británico.

Gear

Bring it all: trek with all your own gear and pay only for the spot to set up your tent. This is the cheapest and most inconvenient option.
Middle of the road: you can pay the refugio to provide you with a tent or sleeping bag or both.
Full Board: stay in the refugio cabins, with the provided linens. This is the highest cost but incredibly convenient and allows light packing.

Food Options

Bring it all part 2: pack in your breakfast, lunches and dinners. All the dehydrated meals, trail mix and protein bars you can dream of. Don’t forget your camp stove.
Middle of the road: let the refugio pack you a lunch! You grab it before you hit the road in the morning and for a cost it is quite extensive. Usually a sandwich, fruit and about 3 other snacks. Vegetarian options are available.
Full board: each refugio will serve breakfast and dinner, additionally you can grab that lunch to go. If you want no hassle this is the option for you. Least cost effective but most convenient.

Bookings

Admission to Torres del Paine National Park

https://www.pasesparques.cl/en

Bus Bookings:

Bus bud: https://www.busbud.com/en
Bus Sur: https://www.recorrido.cl/bus-sur/es
FYI: when you book from Puerto Natales to the end destination (depending on which direction you choose to hike), there will always be a stop at “administracion” aka the park entrance.

Refugio Accommodations and Board:

https://torreshike.com/en

This site is what I recommend for booking camping spots, refugios, breakfast/ dinner or take away lunches. It is the easiest and most concise way to book all of these reservations in one place. They couldn’t make it more simple!

West to East:

Arrival option #1: Grey Glacier Catamaran >>> Refugio Grey

Bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine entrance. Communicate with Hotel Lago Grey (navegacion@lagogrey.com) for a transfer from the park entrance to their hotel where you will take the catamaran.
Book the catamaran cruise with Hotel Lago Grey for a one way journey. The best option is to grab the 3rd navigation, which is quite late in the day. However, this is the only navigation that allows you to stay on the boat AND see Grey Glacier up close and personal prior to disembarking at Refugio Grey. Book here.

Arrival option #2: Bus >>> Paine Grande/Refugio Grey

Bus from Puerto Natales to Pudeto.
Hop on the boat that jumps over a lake to Refugio Paine Grande. You can check the boat schedule and book your tickets in advance here ! This route has you hike from Paine Grande to Refugio Grey where you will stay the night. You will return to Paine Grande the following day and stay the night there on day 2.

Departure:

At the end of the trek take the bus from Central & Norte to Puerto Natales.

East to West:

Arrival: Bus from Puerto Natales to Torres Central & Norte.

Departure:

Take the boat from Paine Grande to Pudeto. Timing is very important on this final day. You will need to hike out to make your timed boat departure to then make your bus departure, so choose carefully.
Hop on the bus from Pudeto to Puerto Natales.

Stream crossing and views leaving Cuernos.

Packing List

Similar to all the guides/plans/recommendations on ways to complete the trek, you will also find a million packing lists all over the internet. Here are my straight to the point essentials. Packing is a bit of “choose your own adventure”, just remember everything you bring you have to carry. I have linked the exact things I brought with me! We had wind, rain, freezing temperatures, sun, sunburns (eek!) and everything in between, and my gear was never an issue.

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Clothing

Rain Pants
Rain Coat
Fleece layer
Warmer Coat/Puffer layer (optional). Bonus points if its packable, like this one!
Undergarments (underwear, sports bras etc.)
Pajamas, your choice. I bought Chill Angel ‘s joggers which are temperature balancing pants. Check out their website to see all the amazing work they do for women and those with cancer!
Socks for each day of the trek, including a fresh pair for sleeping. This will total 6 pairs of socks.
Shoes: hiking boots are NOT necessary ! A simple waterproof hiking shoe/trail runner will work perfectly. I LOVED these Hoka’s. I am notorious for foot blisters, and I had absolutely zero problems with these shoes for the entire trek.
Extra shoes: flip flops, sandals, I brought crocs for walking around camp and giving my feet some breathing time out of the hiking shoes.
Tops: such as this Lulu Lemon or a classic Merino Wool. Bring 2-5, with at least one short sleeved and one long sleeved. This depends on how much you want to rewear.
Bottoms: Hiking pants, exercise leggings/tights, or shorts. 2-4. I recommend at least 1 pant and 1 short. This depends on how much you want to rewear. A third bottom would be very nice if one pair of bottoms is wet from hiking the day before.

Accessories

Baseball cap : I recommend a custom one by Magnolia Made to commemorate your trek!
Sunglasses
Beanie
Wallet and cash
Toiletries: your call ! Showers are available at every refugio. So feel free to bring shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bar soap, whatever you’re willing to carry.
Any medicines, glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or personal items.
Electronics and solar charger. I brought: phone, apple watch, headphones and my kindle for evenings.

Gear

Backpacking backpack: find an REI and get fit for a backpack, it’s an invaluable experience. Must have a backpack rain fly, bonus points if the backpack turns into a day pack. I used the Osprey Ariel 55 L size small and it worked well for my petite 5’1 frame!
Quick dry towel
Head Lamp
Water bottle and/or camelbak/hydration bladder
If bringing your own gear/food

Views of Lago Nordenskjold while hiking between Cuernos and Chileno.

Final Hot Tips

Don’t stress! Ultimately, every inch of the W trek is beautiful and you will have a great time regardless of which direction you go or which refugio you stay in.
Time to train: many blogs and advice over the internet says that the W is not very challenging and any mildly athletic person can complete it. As far as backpacking trips over multiple days go, it may be on the “easier side”. But do not underestimate the elevation changes during this trek. See the charts above for a detailed breakdown of elevation gain and loss, and hit the gym before adventuring south.
The Bus: you will buy a timed ticket with a seat number. Leaving Puerto Natales there are no issues with entry, it is an organized and efficient process. Leaving Torres del Paine is a bit trickier. My advice is try to be in the front of the line loading onto the bus, show the driver your ticket and make sure your bag is loaded early. A lot of people are ready to be done with the park and push their way to the front of the line to attempt to join a bus they don’t have a ticket for. It is overwhelming for the driver to be bombarded by so many people, and they are just doing the best they can, be patient yet firm.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVICE (but also, not really): when you arrive in Chile via airplane you will go through customs. They will dispense you a small, seemingly unimportant, white ticket. This is called the PDI. Chile wants you to believe it is a golden ticket, essential to every stop you make while traveling. I threw mine away in Puerto Natales (yikes). Now, nothing untoward happened to me without it. However, I recommend you just hold on to it and produce it when asked, likely at Refugios, if/when entering Argentina, car rental etc. The threat Chile makes is a hefty fine if you aren’t able to produce it while traveling. So to be safe just keep it and stow it with your passport.
Have fun! You absolutely won’t regret the effort taken physically and mentally (ie: making the plan) as you hike through this national park. Feel free to reach out to us on Instagram or via email if you have any questions or need help planning a W Trek adventure !

Conquer the W Trek: A Comprehensive Guide to Patagonia's Iconic Hike