We invite you to join us on this amazing 8 day Hike Torres del Paine tour along our local guides and lodge at our exclusive Riverside Camp.
Check below dates for this fixed departure tour:
– 16/23 MARCH 2024
– 13/20 APRIL 2024
This trip is perfect for friends or family.
Contact us at info@ecotours.cl to check prices and embark on this unique adventure.
OVERVIEW
The W Trek – Torres del Paine’s most famous hike, has made its name for a good reason – it’s unforgettable! Now there is a W Hiking Torres del Paine trip that offers the classic highlights – French Valley, Las Torres, & Grey Glacier – with exclusive nightly accommodations in our Glamping Camp. This W Trek includes the main attractions of Torres del Paine while exploring some of the national park’s unique, lesser-known trails and activities. During this 5-day guided W Trek you’ll hike from an authentic Patagonia estancia where views of the Paine Massif and Andean condors soaring high above accompany you to the Lago Toro Lookout which offers a breathtaking 360° view of the Paine River, Southern Patagonia Icefield, & endless mountain peaks. Trek into the hidden Pingo Valley where the park’s most elusive animal, the huemul, is often sighted and take a boat navigation across Grey Lake up-close to the incredible Grey Glacier. Spend a full-day in search of the pumas of Torres del Paine before visiting the enchanting wetlands of Laguna Azul. Each night you’ll rest and relax in the comfort of a private lotus belle tent along the shores of the Serrano River far away from the crowds and refuges. With spectacular views of the Paine Massif, this ideal camp is just another highlight of this once-in-a-lifetime Hike Torres del Paine W tour.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit an Authentic Patagonia Estancia
- See Los Cuernos & the Paine Massif
- Hike to Lago Toro Lookout with 360° Views of Torres del Paine
- Trek the Immense French Valley
- Explore the Pingo Valley & Navigate up-close to the Grey Glacier
- Enjoy a Full Day of Searching for Pumas
- Visit the Wetlands of Laguna Azul
- Hike to the Base of the Iconic Three Towers
- Escape the Crowds & Travel Along Unseen Landscapes
- Glamp each night in our exclusive Riverside Camp
Day 01 (SAT 13th April 2024)
Santiago (SCL) / Fly to Punta Arenas (PUQ)
Book flight around 09:00 am and arrive around 12:30 hrs. to Punta Arenas. if you need help with flights, just let us know.
You’ll be greeted by our staff and drive 3 hours to Puerto Natales and check in at your Hotel. Then you’ll have free time to enjoy lunch and then have a briefing of your Hiking Torres del Paine tour at 18:00 hrs.
After briefing you can have dinner at late afternoon and go early to bed.
- Overnight: Hotel Vendaval – http://hotelvendaval.com/
- Meals: (B/-/-)
Day 02 (SUN 14th April 2024)
START YOUR TORRES DEL PAINE W TREK CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS + EXCLUSIVE GLAMPING !!
THE GLAMPING CAMP
Far away from the crowded park refuges and campsites, The Glamping Camp is our fully supported base camp located along the quiet shores of the Serrano River in Torres del Paine National Park.
Attractive to fly-fishers, horseback riders, and those seeking to connect with the tranquility of nature. Filled with hiking trails, this area is off the beaten path for those looking to discover new treks and the lesser known. Kayak in the calm waters fed by the Grey River or sail to the Last Hope Sound and Serrano Glacier – this is a privileged area we invite you to discover!
The camp is equipped with 10 all-weather, Double Lotus Belle tents, each situated on a wooden platform to protect against the bracing Patagonian elements. Each Lotus Belle Tent can be transformed into a queen or double twin accommodation. Inside each double Lotus Belle tent you’ll find comfortable double-height mattresses with fresh down covers and crisp linens to make for a camping experience like no other!
For cooler evenings, bed warmers are available by request since tents are not equipped with heaters or electricity. Shared men’s and women’s bathrooms are located throughout the camp just a short walking distance from tents. Each lotus belle tent is also located near a private picnic shelter with electrical outlets available for use.
Fresh towels and bathrobes are provided to all guests to allow for a more comfortable stay. Guests may still bring a quick drying towel if they wish along with personal hygiene items such as biodegradable soap and shampoo.
Hot water for showering is available from 07:00am until 12:00am and hair dryers are available by request. Electricity is available in the dining lodge and lounge from 07:00am until 10:00pm so guests may charge electronic devices. WIFI is also available for guests and can be accessed from the dining lodge and lounge area.
Simply designed but spacious, each of our 10 exclusive accommodations highlight nomadic architecture with stunning views of the Serrano River or the iconic Paine Massif while encouraging rest, recreation & an intimate connection with nature.
Day 03 (MON 15TH April 2024)
Transfer from Natales – Hike Estancia Lazo to Weber Bridge
– 2 Hour Transfer
– 5 Hour Hike /13 KM / 8 MILES
– Technical difficulty: Moderate
– 30 Minutes Transfer
- Overnight: Glamping Camp, Double Deluxe Tent
- Meals: (B/BL/D)
Our journey begins from Puerto Natales as we travel 2 hours to Estancia Lazo, a 13,000 hectare (32,123 acres) cattle ranch founded over a century ago and still operating today beneath striking views of the Paine Massif on the shores of Laguna Verde. From here we’ll hike into Torres del Paine National Park along a generally flat trail through peaceful stretches of native beech and coihue forests teeming with wildlife. As you walk, watch for condors and caranchos circling the skies; guanacos grazing on the hills; and woodpeckers, owls, and lesser-known species such as the cachaña (Austral parakeet), peeking out from the leafy trees.
We’ll reach Honda Lagoon and continue on to the Toro Lake lookout (559 m /1,834 ft.), where 360 degree views of mountains, rivers, lakes and glaciers await. Take a moment to identify the Grey, Serrano and Paine Rivers, Serrano Valley, Mount Balmaceda and the Geike and Tyndall Glaciers. After our short descent to the Weber Bridge, our private transfer awaits to take us to our campsite located on the shores of the Serrano River where we are greeted with a freshly prepared welcome dinner and stunning views of the Paine Massif.
Day 04 (TUE 16th April 2024)
Round Trip Hike of the Pingo Valley – Glacier Grey Boat Navigation
– 30 Minute Transfer
– 3 Hour Hike / 10 KM / 6,2 MILES
– Technical difficulty: Easy
– 3 Hour Round-Trip Boat Navigation
– 30 Minute Transfer
- Overnight: Glamping Camp, Double Deluxe Tent
- Meals: (B/BL/D)
Following a plentiful and freshly made breakfast, our private transfer takes us along a 30 minutes drive to the trailhead of our day’s trek of the Pingo Valley.
This 3-hour hike in the valley takes us to a breathtaking viewpoint at “Cascada Los Salmones”, a waterfall where salmon are sometimes seen. Be alert as we return – you may see the elusive huemul (Andean deer) hiding nearby! After a picnic lunch on the shores of the Pingo River we’ll make our way through a woodpecker-inhabited beech forest to our boat’s departure point.
The 3 hour- long boat trip takes us around blue-hued icebergs to the immense face of the Grey Glacier, where we’ll stay for a while to admire its textures, lines and colors.
If we’re lucky, we’ll witness a glacial calving, where chunks of ice break off and plummet spectacularly into the freezing waters. On your return journey you’ll see the wind-sculpted “ice mushrooms” atop the massive peaks of Paine Grande.
Later, we’ll drive to the Serrano River area where a gourmet meal and good night’s rest await us at our Glamping camp.
Day 05 (WED 17th April 2024)
Round Trip Hike of the French Valley
– 30 minute Transfer
– 35 minute catamaran each way
– 7-8 hours hiking /17 KM
– Technical difficulty: Moderate
– 30 minute Transfer
- Overnight: Glamping Camp, Double Deluxe Tent
- Meals: (B/BL/D)
After an energy-packed breakfast admiring the sunrise on the Paine Massif from our dining lodge, a private transfer will take us to Lake Pehoe where we will take a short 35 minute catamaran to Refugio Paine Grande. Here we begin our hike to the entrance to the French Valley – a huge glacial moraine where we follow undulating trails over boulders to catch the first sight of incredible hanging glaciers atop the valley.
From this point, we ascend for an hour through a dreamlike Japanese garden landscape before arriving at the French Valley viewpoint (the “Plateau”).
We are rewarded with a heart-stirring bird’s eye view of granite peaks and hanging glaciers. To one side, the French Glacier and Paine Grande (3,050 m / 10,006 ft.); while to the other, La Espada, La Hoja, La Máscara and the main and north “horns” of Los Cuernos arch upwards. In the upper section of the Valley, Cerro Catedral and Cerro Fortaleza loom like turrets above the landscape.
We’ll take our time to enjoy lunch at the viewpoint, surrounded by these imposing peaks and open skies. Our return hike is along the same track back to Refugio Paine Grande & Lake Pehoe where we will take the short catamaran ride back across the lake where our private transfer awaits to take us back to our Glamping Camp.
A deliciously prepared dinner welcomes us at the dining lodge before turning in for the evening in your private double deluxe dome on the shores of the Serrano River.
Day 06 (THU 18th April 2024)
Full Day Puma Tracking & Picnic Lunch at Laguna Azul
– 8-10 Hour Guided Tracking
– 6-8 KM / 5 MILES total hiking
- Overnight: Glamping Camp, Double Deluxe Tent
- Meals: (B/BL/D)
Early in the morning after a hearty breakfast, we head out to meet up with a local puma tracking guide. Our destination today will depend on where the pumas were last spotted, but generally they are found near a nature trail along the border of Lago Sarmiento & Juncos Lagoon.
If we are fortunate enough to spot them, we will take advantage to capture photos – but not for too long! – in order to respect the puma and to not alter too much their daily life and routine. We’ll continue to observe these spectacular felines while hiking in particular sectors of the park, making our way in vehicle to Laguna Azul, taking some pictures along on our way.
Once we arrive to Laguna Azul, we will enjoy this special place walking along the wetlands and beach where we will see a number of different water fowl and bird species who inhabit this area.
We will be treated by exceptional views of the iconic towers in the distant, the changing Patagonia sky and surrounding mountain peaks that make this area picturesque.
After an exceptional picnic lunch and our final photos, we make our way back to the Serrano sector to our camp. Dinner in the dining lodge is served before another night’s rest in our Glamping Camp and be ready for your last day of our Hike Torres del Paine trip.
Day 07 (FRI 19th April 2024)
Transfer to Las Torres – Round Trip Hike to the Base of the Towers Lookout – Puerto Natales
– 2 Hour Transfer
– 8-10 hour hike/ 22 KM /
– Technical difficulty: Difficult
– 2 Hour Transfer
- Overnight: Hotel Vendaval – http://hotelvendaval.com/
- Meals: (B/BL/-)
Today, we begin early with a energy-boosting breakfast to prepare us for our final trek of our Hike Torres del Paine tour – the base of the iconic Towers. Along with our guide, we take a 2 hour transfer to the Las Torres Sector of the park where our trek begins with an ascent, following the Ascencio River into the Ascencio Valley.
After about an hour, we’ll stop to observe how the valley’s beauty unfolds with rich beech forests, glaciers and waterfalls.
Past this lookout point, we continue uphill and through lush beech forests before ascending a gigantic terminal moraine (the ridge formed at a glacier’s end point) where we’ll be rewarded by the arresting sight of the three Towers themselves.
At this lookout point 900 m (2,953 ft.) above sea level, we’ll rest, take photos and have lunch. Our descent is along the same path, taking us back where our private transfer awaits to take us to Puerto Natales.
Lodge at Hotel Vendaval and free dinner to enjoy in town and rave about your days at Torres del Paine National Park.
Day 08 (SAT 20th April 2024)
Transfer from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas airport (PUQ) and fly to Santiago (SCL)
After breakfast you’ll head to Punta Arena airport and take flight back to Santiago.
END OF SERVICES
- Meals: (B/-/-)