Torres del Paine: What We Loved and What We Wish We’d Known

If you’re reading this, I hope that means you’re considering a trek in Torres del Paine, or maybe you’ve already started planning. This park, in Chile’s Magallanes region of Patagonia, is mindblowingly gorgeous, and accessible to the experienced trekker and first timer alike. That said, there is a lot of coordination required and information can be tough to find.

My husband and I recently spent 3 weeks in Chile celebrating my 40th birthday, and what better way to kick it off than with an 8 day, 85 mile “O Circuit”. We had spent time in southern Chile and Argentina back in 2018 and were yearning to see more of true Patagonia. Back then a ton of our backpacking friends had visited the park and all raved about it (one couple even got engaged on their visit!!). The feedback we got was that we needed do it, and that we needed to do the full “O” trek. So now I want to pass along to you all some of the other advice I wish I’d had access to when planning this trip, especially in the “post-Covid” era. By the way, we didn’t visit Las Torres last time because we opted into Antarctica instead. If you want to read about that amazing trip, see my posts about Antarctica and the way we got a last minute cabin on a Quark Expedition ship.

Travel to Torres Del Paine

Getting to Puerto Natales

Whether you’re traveling from the United States, Europe, Australia, or elsewhere, you’re most likely coming into Chile through Santiago. For those of you lucky enough to already be in South America, there’s a chance you may enter through one of the other international airports or by land. Either way, the advice is the same once you reach Puerto Natales.

Chile is long. Very long. When you arrive in Santiago, it’s tempting to book a flight to Punta Arenas (PUQ), which many people do, but you can also fly directly to Puerto Natales (PNT). There are more of flights available to PUQ and it is the way that most blogs recommend, but check out direct flights first. The problem with flying to Punta Arenas is that you then need to take a 3 hour 15 minute+ bus ride to Puerto Natales before heading into the park. You definitely want to schedule a night in PNT or you’ll end up rushing and exhausted at best, or missing your transfer to the park if anything goes wrong on the bus route. Also, there are other ways to get to Torres del Paine, but going through Puerto Natales, which is about 1 hour 30 minutes from the park is the most common.

Straight Talk. Flights are not as reliable as we all wish, and probably used to consider, them to be. If your trip depends on you being somewhere on a specific day (like you’ve booked specific Refugios and a permit to the park based on your travel days) give yourself a little wiggle room. I’ll give you an example from our travels. We flew Seattle to Dallas to Santiago to Puerto Natales (PNT). We had a choice – a 65 minute layover in Santiago (to get through customs/immigration) or a 24 hour layover. That 24 hours gave us the flexibility that we needed when our flight from Dallas was delayed by about 5 hours and we landed in Santiago way after the flight to PNT had already left. I also had the back up info for flights into Punta Arenas in case ours to Puerto Natales was cancelled at the last minute. A final “Fail Safe” for us was that we planned to arrive in Puerto Natales, spend the night and pick up any last minute supplies (leave our extra stuff at the Hostel), and then catch the 7am bus to the park the following day. If we’d had to delay our flight by a day, we could have gone straight to the bus station, and taken the afternoon bus to the park. I go into this long and mind numbing maze of back-up plans just to tell you that there are so many options available, just don’t panic if something in your travel goes wrong. Look at the other options, and you’ll find a work around, especially if you have a little wiggle room in the schedule.

Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine

There are a number of bus lines that serve the route from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine. Currently, the only company you can book with online is Bus Sur. The only benefit to booking online ahead of time is you know your seat is reserved and can skip the line at the bus station. However, the number of entrants into the park every day is fairly limited by the number or spaces available at the hotels/refugios, so the buses are well equipped to get everyone to the park. There were 5-6 buses that left at the same time as ours at 7am, from several companies, most selling tickets directly at the Rotavario (bus station). You should be able to get on a bus with no problem buying your ticket the day before or even day of.

If you’re hiking the traditional route, starting at Torres Central (by the big Hotel Las Torres) you want to take the bus to LAGUNA AMARGA. This is also where you’ll buy or show your CONAF ticket to enter the park. If you’re doing the “W” and starting at Paine Grande, you’ll want to take the bus to Pudeto – Catamarán Paine Grande (You still go through Laguna Amarga to show your CONAF ticket). From Laguna Amarga, you will get a shuttle that goes the roughly 7km (15 minutes) to the Welcome Center at Torres Central or to the Hotel Las Torres if you’re staying there. It is 3000 CPL, less than $4.00, per person (as of today). This shuttle is not super obvious. When we got there it was a large bus, sometimes its just the mini-vans, but just look for the Las Torres logo. You will find someone at the shuttle who will take your cash and give you a ticket before you get on. Basically, you arrive at Laguna Amarga, buy or show your CONAF ticket, then get your bag and find the shuttle, or walk if you’re ambitious and want to add a few miles to your trek – but seriously, take the shuttle, there’s plenty of walking to be done.

For anyone heading to Paine Grande first, this website has information about the Catamaran service from Hielos Patagónicos.

Planning and Booking Refugios and Your Route in Torres del Paine

The planning and booking of your refugios is definitely the most daunting task when you set out to visit Torres del Paine. There are only so many spots available each day in each one, and they’re run by 2 different companies. There are tons of companies out there that will sell you a group tour or set it up for you, but if you want to manage it on your own, it is entirely possible. In fact, now that I’ve done it and made my mistakes along the way, I’m totally equipped to do it right the next time, which is why I’m writing this for you. If you absolutely want the help, I’ve been told that Torres Hike is a reliable 3rd party resource.

Refugios Run by Las Torres Patagonia – Formerly Fantastico Sur – are Central, Chileno, Serón, Frances, and Cuernos. All of these offer WiFi, but it is about $9 USD for 1 hour and up to $16 for 8 hours, so not cheap. The booking site for Las Torres is not the easiest to navigate and there are a lot of options to consider. If you need to make a change after booking, the best way is with an email, however, I found I got MUCH faster responses when I translated my inquiry into Spanish. Sometimes I got a response within 24 hours, my longest wait required a second message and took about 5 days to get a response. I even had to get a refund after changing a plan, and they processed it just fine, albeit slowly, without any problems.

Refugios run by Vertice are Dickson, Los Perros (camping only) Grey, and Paine Grande. Booking with Vertice is super easy. Because their refugios serve the “O Circuit” or Circuito Macizo Paine (full circuit) they can only be booked in a counter-clockwise direction with the excepting of Grey and Paine Grande. Their booking site is self-explanatory and if you need to make any changes, a quick email to their customer service will get a response within 24 hours with a link to pay if needed.

O Circuit: Torres del Paine

You can start the O Circuit anywhere that you can start the W. Some people will begin at Paine Grande, others at Torres Central. But I need everyone out there trying to figure this out to hear me: There is NO wrong way to do this. Yes, you have to do the O Circuit in the counter-clockwise direction, but other than that, you can start or end wherever works for you. You can spend more than one day in any refugio or skip one if you want extra miles one day. ***Keep in mind, there are time cutoffs for trails, so if you are not an experienced and moderately quick, you probably shouldn’t try to do 2 days in 1***

We actually did Mirador Base Las Torres first, because we were able to reserve a spot at Chileno on Christmas Eve, but not on our last day. We really wanted to be able to do sunrise at the towers, and it was totally worth it! Chileno is one of the most rustic refugios, and generally seems like a better waypoint on a long day hike than an overnights stop, but our dinner was pretty good and the showers were hot, so I can’t complain.

Torres Central Refugio and Campground is either the most useful or the most unnecessary stop, depending on how you use it. You can, pretty easily, arrive from the 7am bus and set out on your first day of trekking without a stay at Central. Many people doing the O Circuit do that, starting out to Serón immediately, and stay at Central on their final night, if at all. We stayed at Central on our second night after going to Base Torres for the sunrise from Chileno. Honestly, we got back down to Central by lunch time and really didn’t need the downtime, but once reservations are made, you have to stick with them.

Serón is the first stop from Torres Central. It is a basic campsite after a really pretty hike through wildflowers and past the first of many glacial lakes. There is only 1 toilet and 1 shower for men & 1 for women, so get in the shower early when you arrive if you don’t want to wait in line.

Dickson is the next stop, and ties with Cuernos as my favorite Refugio. This is the first Vertice owned Refugio and was a super chill vibe. You’ll hike over the Paso del Viento (The Windy Pass) from Serón and find Dickson on the banks of Lago Dickson. We stayed in the bunks, and so few people were booked inside that we got our 4 bed dorm as a private instead of sharing.

After Dickson, you have a day of walking through the forest. One of my favorite things about the O Circuit is that every day felt like a new landscape and climate to be explored! We were a bit uncomfortable with the number of large trees that had been felled by the wind, especially because of significant gusts that kept sweeping through. We were nice and dry, although windblown, until we got to the final .3 miles before Los Perros. That’s when the wind really picked up and the driving rain started. In the last 10 minutes of hiking, I went from dry to soaked through, but didn’t have time to put on my rain pants. That is the reality of Torres del Paine.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT THE O CIRCUIT IS THAT EVERY DAY FELT LIKE A NEW LANDSCAPE AND CLIMATE TO BE EXPLORED!

Los Perros is the most rugged of the campsites, with no hot water, and limited electricity. Be careful here if you’re pitching your own tent. Several of our friends had water seep into their tents where it started to pool low areas. Get some sleep, because the next morning will be early and you’re headed over John Gardner Pass.

The trail from Los Perros to Refugio Grey is truly an epic day. You’ll hike only about 10 miles, but that includes over 1800 feet in elevation gain followed by over 3,500 feet of decent. The good news, is the top of the pass opens up to your first view of Glacier Grey, which is mindblowing. There is a nice spot to stop at the former CONAF campsite El Paso for lunch, and then you just have the 3 suspension bridges to get over before you day and, O Circuit serenity, ends at Refugio Grey.

W Trek: Torres del Paine

It was at this point that we re-joined the W Trek. It’s always an abrupt awakening when you’ve been out hiking in relative seclusion and re-join a major trail. The refugios Grey and Paine Grande are huge, and you’ll see a lot more day hikers who are using those refugios as their basecamp. If you’re doing the O and think you may need a day of rest, I’d recommend Grey. It is where you can set off for kayaking in Lago Grey or Ice Hiking on the glacier. You should book ahead of time with Bigfoot patagonia adventure directly. Many people who do the W Trek also make the day hike from Grey up to the suspension bridges. The 2nd bridge seemed to be the destination of choice, but if you’ve got it in you, it’s only another 45-60 minutes to bridge #3 (shown above) and this one is the most impressive span and gives a great view of the glacier.

Paine Grande is the only refugio actively warning about safety and theft. We didn’t have locks with us, but we did stay in one of the dorm rooms and lockers were available if we’d had them. Just keep an eye on your valuables, like passports, money and electronics – carrying with you if you leave your bag in your room or tent.

The longest day of either W or O Treks is the day from Paine Grande to either Frances or Cuernos, if you are planning to take the out and back trail up to the Mirador Britanico (viewpoint). From Paine to Frances through Britanico is roughly 13 miles and if you stay at Cuernos you’ll add on another 3+ miles. Cuernos is pretty awesome though, and worth the wait.

To hike to Mirador Frances and onward to Britanico, you can leave your big pack at the Italiano site. Italiano used to be a campground, but now is nothing more than a waypoint. They have a large cubby area where people stack up their packs and an empty coffee can to leave a tip. There is nobody manning the station, so bags are left at your own risk, but it should be fine. Just keep your passport and valuables on you and be respectful of other bags when you’re getting yours into or out of the pile.

Is it worth it for the view? ABSOLUTELY. The bulk of the climb is between Italiano and Frances viewpoint, so if you make it that far, you may as well go all the way to Britanico. Or, there is a clearing about 1 miles before Britanico that allows a different view than Frances, but not quite as good as the final destination. The last .3 mile of the hike to Britanico is a bit of a scramble straight up, but otherwise, its a pleasant hike.

Refugio Frances (not to be confused with Mirador Frances) is mostly camping, but they do have a Refugio with bunks. Cuernos is about 3 miles past Frances and sits looking over Lago Nordenskjöld. They have private cabañas, dorms, and camping available. The Refugio vibe is like a mountain ski chalet, and its a great place to relax after the long hike from Paine Grande (or Central if you’re coming the other direction).

After a night in Cuernos, all that is left is to return to Central, with or without a visit to Chileno. Many people book Chileno the night after Cuernos so they can get up early the next morning to view the Towers at sunrise.

If you’re doing the W Trek in the other direction, all of the advice is the same, but your longest day will begin at Cuernos/Frances and finish in Paine Grande.

Real Talk on Buying Food, Renting Equipment or Carrying Your Own

We were in Torres del Paine to celebrate my 40th birthday, so chose to upgrade the experience. We didn’t have to carry tents, bags, or pads because we rented them or stayed in the bunks at each Refugio. We also purchased meals, so the only food we brought along was our snacks.

Renting Equipment/Bunk Pros & Cons

Pro: Your tent is set up for you when you arrive – no fighting with the rain and wind and trying to pick the right spot. You can usually rent a platform, so your tent is slightly elevated. No teardown and you don’t have the added weight to carry. Or, you’re inside and can rent a sleeping bag or get sheets and you’re out of the elements. Con: Cost

NOTE: The Premium Camping experience was just launching when we were there. They are offering tents on telescoping platforms. I’m not sure if these will be any better than camping on the ground, except you’re away from the dirt (going the bathroom seems more difficult). I’d love feedback if anyone gives them a shot!

Cooking or Booking Meals from Refugios Pros & Cons

Cooking Pro: You can eat whenever you want to, and have control over what you’re eating. There is some fun camaraderie in the cooking areas and in Los Perros its the only area you can “hang out” inside.

Cooking Con: You’ll be carrying your cooking equipment and meals with you, or purchasing camp meals to cook at the refugios at elevated prices. Some refugios don’t have good space for cooking and you may be stuck out in the elements.

Booking Meals Pro: Food is sorted for you – just bring snacks or buy them at the refugios.

Booking Meals Con: The meals are mediocre at best and lunches in particular aren’t spectacular. You have to eat at the time you are scheduled and better not be late! You don’t get to pick your seats, so if you want to sit with new friends, make sure you all line up together. Also, all refugios except Los Perros (& maybe Chileno) offer cooked food you can buy al la carte. Burgers, “pizza”, or other hot sandwiches.

Examples: Breakfast at EVERY refugio is scrambled eggs (1-2 eggs/person) toast, cheese, ham, yogurt, milk and cereal/instant oats, tea and instant coffee. Lunch is a sandwich made with the previous night’s dinner protein, mayo, cheese and maybe lettuce. You’ll also get trail mix, a granola bar or protein bar, fruit or dried fruit, and a chocolate. Dinner is some sort of veggie/salad, chicken, beef, or salmon depending on the night and location, and lentils or rice with soup with water and juice. Vegetarian options are available, and I opted for them several times.

Oh, and there is always Beer to buy! (Except Campground Los Perros)

One note on water. There is always water available at the refugios, but they generally pull it directly from the freshwater sources like waterfalls and streams. The water in these streams comes directly from the melted glaciers and there is little opportunity for wildlife to contaminate it. We joined in with the porters and drank directly from streams without sanitizing the water and had no problems. Most people do this, but bring a filter or Steripen if you don’t feel comfortable. The water sure does taste amazing! (although it is high in minerals, so may upset some stomachs).

What to Pack for Torres del Paine

If you aren’t bringing cooking equipment or tent/sleeping gear, you really don’t need that much. Even if you rent everything, these items will be useful:

• A headlamp for nighttime trips to the bathroom and hiking if you’re doing any sunrise hikes.
• A good camping pillow is nice and earplugs and an eye mask help if you want to sleep past sunrise or get to bed early when everyone else is still up rejoicing in the previous day’s adventure.
• Bring blister bandaids. I love the Bandaid brand Hydro Seal waterproof bandages, and we brought them in 3 sizes – and used them. Even a small irritation can turn into a blister after 8 days.
• First Aid: ibuprofen or naproxen will help if you get sore.
• Bring plenty of socks, in case you have bad weather and washing them isn’t a good option (drying is the issue).
• Wool: we live in wool when hiking, from outer layers to t-shirts to socks and undergarments. (my favorite undergarments and outer layers.
• Obviously bring good hiking shoes and make sure to break them in – we saw more than one person with new boot soles that had come loose and were being held on with duct tape.
• Minimal change of clothes: you should get by with 2 outfits for the O Circuit.
• Rain gear including a pack cover, pants and jacket.
• Outerwear: A thin stocking cap, ball cap, gloves and buff are all useful as well as a down jacket and/or fleece. Think layers.
• Hiking poles are going to be incredibly helpful on some of the downhill sections and help when the rain makes rocks slippery.
• Phone and other chargers with Chile adaptor (buy the little ones, not a giant universal adaptor)
• Toiletries (tp is provided in refugios, but no shampoo, lotion, sunscreen, bug lotion, toothpaste, etc)
• Camping towel and shower sandals with straps (double as footwear if you have to ford a stream)
• Finally, something warm and comfy to wear in the evening after you’ve showered.

A Little Inspiration

I’m leaving you with a video below from Kraig Adams, who has made some pretty incredible solo hiking videos. If you’re looking for a preview of the O Circuit, Kraig has you covered. Check it out! Also, check out more of our photos on my post, My Favorite Moments at Torres del Paine’s O Trek (coming soon).