Patagonia Torres del Paine Circuit Trek

The circuit around the famous Paine Massif is one of the most scenic trekking routes in the world, suitable for seasoned hikers only. You will hike around the back side of the Paine Massif, far from roads and general tourists, cross a challenging pass above the Grey Glacier, and then end by completing the loop along the standard W trek back to your starting point.

Trip Length: 9 Days
Destination: Torres del Paine, Chile
Lodging: Tent camping & luxury tented EcoCamp
Activities: Very challenging trekking

WHY THIS TRIP

The Patagonia Torres del Paine Circuit Trek is one of the world’s iconic treks, and it is the most adventurous and challenging trek in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. This a trek for those who are fit and who want to experience the splendor of the entire Paine Massif, with its granite spires, sinewy glaciers, deciduous forests, waterfalls, and beautiful lakes. Trekking days are long and difficult, but the scenery and experiences make it completely worth the effort for those up for the challenge.

TRIP DESCRIPTION

Most visitors to Torres del Paine spend all of their time on the front side of the park, and those who trek usually do the very popular “W” along southern edge of the massif.

The circuit trek, however, goes completely around the massif, circling counterclockwise from the base of the Towers around to the rarely visited eastern and northern parts of the park before crossing John Gardner pass with its amazing views of the Grey Glacier, dropping down along lago Grey, and then ending with the “W” trek back to the EcoCamp.

Over the course of seven days of trekking on the Torres del Paine Circuit, trekkers will walk 82 miles around the Paine Massif at elevations ranging from 800 to 4,000 feet.

Nights 1, 7, and 8 are spent at the EcoCamp Patagonia in the geodesic dome hotel rooms, either in the Standard Domes, or, with an upgrade, in the Superior Domes. Nights 2-6 are spent in backpacking 2-person tents in park campgrounds that have mountain bathrooms.

Each day trekkers will need to carry their own daypack with water, lunch, camera, extra clothing, and other items needed during the day. Porters will carry the camp gear and extra clothing for each trekker, and the porters will also set up the tents each night.

The trip begins and ends with transfers from Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, or El Calafate.

LOCAL OPERATOR: CASCADA EXPEDICIONES

Since 1991 Cascada Expediciones has been offering eco-friendly opportunities for travelers to let go of normal life and refresh with energizing connections to nature. With a strong focus on providing innovative, high-quality experiences — trips in which each traveler enjoys every moment of a trip — Cascada has refreshed nearly 30,000 people.

Headquartered in Santiago, a trip of a lifetime with Cascada can include activities ranging from trekking, mountaineering, horseback riding, biking, rafting, fly fishing, kayaking, skiing, wildlife safari and photography, multisport itineraries to winery tours. In engaging the outdoors Cascada-style, every traveler is made to feel relaxed and energized by each activity; nourished rather than weary.

More good feeling comes in knowing the money spent on a Cascada trip stays in the Chilean economy. Moreover, the money stays with a company and people who have a deep respect for the environment. The staff and guides live an eco-friendly life, sharing the environmentally sustainable philosophy put into practice over the life of the company.

So firm in its understanding of nature’s importance, Cascada became a carbon neutral company in 2008 and, between June 2009 and 2010, offset more than 183 tons of CO2 emissions. With a goal of becoming entirely CO2-free, Cascada encourages its travelers, suppliers and shareholders to help by standing by its philosophy.

Itinerary

Click the Abbreviated Itinerary to see the Detailed Itinerary

Itinerary


DAY 1 (Wednesday): The Patagonian Adventure Starts

The trip begins with you being picked up from your hotel in Punta Arenas or Punta Arenas airport in the morning and driven to EcoCamp Patagonia, located in the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. Alternatively you can start your trip in Calafate (see Prices and Facts section).

En route you make a couple of stops: First in Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of “Seno de Ultima Esperanza” where you enjoy a hearty local lunch, and second at Cueva de Milodon, a massive prehistoric cave where the remains of a giant ground sloth were discovered in the 1890’s. The whole journey is very scenic, with many wild birds and wonderful landscapes to be seen.

The day ends with your arrival and overnight stay at EcoCamp Patagonia, nestled in the heart of the park with a view of the Torres. During summer the sun sets around 11 p.m., so upon arrival there’s plenty of light to admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked mountain horizon.

(Lunch, Dinner)

Day 2 (Thursday): Camp Torres to Camp Dickson

The day will start at EcoCamp with a long trek heading to Dickson Lake. The trek follows North along the eastern bank of the Rio Paine. You stop at a lookout point with a wonderful panoramic view of Lago Paine below, before descending to lakeside level and continuing west across open grasslands along the Rio Paine to Refugio Dickson.

Your stunning campsite will be in the Dickson Valley surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks and the pretty waters of Lake Dickson. In the distance you enjoy a spectacular view of Dickson Glacier and part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. You spend the night camping here at Dickson Campground with a replenishing dinner and hot showers.

Walking time: 11 hours
Distance: 29 kilometers / 18 miles
Max. Altitude: 300 meters / 984 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3 (Friday): Camp Dickson to Camp Perros

Today you follow a trail which goes alongside Los Perros river, in the wildest and least accessible section of the trek. You pass under the Los Perros Glacier, which falls into a small lake, and cross a virgin beech forest leading the way toward the lovely Laguna Los Perros. At Camping Los Perros, your camp is set up and you are free to enjoy the evening.

Walking time: 5 hours
Distance: 9 kilometers / 5 miles
Max. Altitude: 500 meters / 1,640 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4 (Saturday): Camp Perros to Camp Grey, through John Gardner Pass

Today you reach the highest point of the circuit at 1,300 meters (4,000 feet) with an awe-inspiring view of Grey glacier, an enormous fractured mass of ice dominating the valley. The John Gardner Pass is one of the most famous points of Torres del Paine and a must-do for any serious trekker.

It is a hard but spectacular day. Descending from this highest point, the route continues roughly south along forested slopes with beautiful views of the enormous Grey Glacier (more than 28 kilometers in length). You spend the night camping at Grey Campground on the shores of Lake Grey.

Walking time: 12 hours
Distance: 22 kilometers / 14 miles
Max. Altitude: 1,200 meters / 3,937 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5 (Sunday): Camp Grey to Pehoe Lake

After yesterday’s big effort, you have the first part of the morning free to rest and enjoy Grey Glacier’s surroundings. In the late morning it’s time to continue trekking, along the eastern side of Grey Lake through clearings of Calafate bushes.

The view over the lake, with numerous giant icebergs drifting across the waters, is very impressive at this point. Finally, the track climbs onto flat ridges and passes a small lake before descending through a shallow dry valley to arrive at Lago Pehoe. You spend the night in camp by the turquoise lake Pehoe.

*Optional Kayaking around Glacier Grey: This excursion starts at 9:00 and lasts 2.5 hours where you will discover the amazing glacier and kayak around huge floating icebergs, towards the east side of the glacier to get closer to the giant ice wall. Min. age is 15 years old / Max. age is 65 years old. (Note: Kayaking option is only available until March 19th. This option has an additional cost. Please inquire for rates)

Walking time: 5 hours
Distance: 11 kilometers / 7 miles
Max. Altitude: 400 meters / 1,312 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6 (Monday): Valle Frances

After breakfast, you start the challenging trek to Valle Frances (French Valley), along a steep trail that goes into the very heart of the Paine Massif. How deep you go depends on the group’s rhythm. An active walk leads you to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south east face of the Massif.

From this point there is a truly wonderful view. Then you continue up the trail until reaching the upper section of the valley. The entire group of geological formations of the high valley can be admired here: Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburón (Shark’s Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza (Fortress).

It’s time to have a picnic and recover from the walk. An optional trek to Mirador Britanico is available as well. Finally, you descend through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest until you reach camp Cuernos.

Walking time: 8 hours
Distance: 25 kilometers / 15 miles
Max. Altitude: 686 meters / 2,250 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 7 (Tuesday): Los Cuernos

Once you’re done with breakfast you start the day’s trek heading toward EcoCamp Patagonia through the Cuernos trail located beside the beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. Today is a great opportunity to take in the park’s charming flora and fauna and learn more about the vast variety of species.

As you through the trail you enjoy magnificent views of the park’s central lakes and admire a different view of the Paine’s Horns. En route you’ll of course stop to enjoy a delicious box lunch and rest our legs. The trek ends at EcoCamp/Camping Las Torres. Upon arrival you enjoy a hearty meal and prepare for tomorrow’s big challenge.

Walking time: 7 hours
Distance: 16 kilometers / 10 miles
Max. Altitude: 244 meters / 800 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8 (Wednesday): Base Trek las Torres

Time for a big breakfast and lots of enthusiasm. The goal today is to complete the most famous trekking trail in Torres del Paine National Park! You walk from the camp site toward Hostería Las Torres and join the uphill path to Ascencio Valley on the Tower’s eastern face.

Mountain ridges, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley. Your big challenge comes as you climb the steep moraine, a mass of boulders leading us to a view of the Towers. These three gigantic granite monoliths are the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice.

After an uphill slog, the Towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically, with the glacial lake visible below. Is there any better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view and your picnic, you backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to EcoCamp for a well-deserved dinner.

Walking time: 10 hours
Distance: 21 kilometers / 13 miles
Max. Altitude: 914 meters / 3,000 feet

(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 9 (Thursday): Adios Torres del Paine!

Early morning you board a vehicle, sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride back to Punta Arenas or Calafate in time to catch your flight or enjoy another evening.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

Optional Extension: Additional nights at EcoCamp.


travel logistics

Getting To and From the Trip: 

Starting in Punta Arenas, Chile: If you are staying at hotel in Punta Arenas the night before this trip starts, you will be picked up at your hotel at 10:15am on Day 1. (We can help you arrange a hotel if needed.) If you are arriving by domestic flight into Punta Arenas in the morning, you will be picked up at the airport at 11:30am. If you are arriving by domestic flight in the afternoon, you will be picked up from the airport at 3:30pm.

Starting in Puerto Natales, Chile: If you are staying the night before in a hotel in Puerto Natales, arriving by a domestic flight, or arriving by public bus, you will be picked up at 2:00pm on Day 1.

Starting in El Calafate, Argentina: You will be picked up from your hotel in El Calafate at 7:00am on Day 1 of this trip. Because of the early pick up, you would need to overnight in El Calafate the night before. We can help you arrange all necessary hotels and transportation.

Ending in Punta Arenas, Chile: If you have a departure flight leaving Punta Arenas on Day 9 of this trek, you will be dropped off at the Punta Arenas Airport at 2:00pm. Please make sure your flight departs at 4:00pm or later to give yourself time to check in. If you are staying the night in Punta Arenas, you will be dropped off at your hotel at 2:30pm. We can help you arrange a hotel.

Ending in Puerto Natales, Chile: You will be dropped off at your hotel at 11:00am. We can help you arrange a hotel and day tours.

Ending in El Calafate, Argentina: You will have a shared transfer from Torres del Paine National Park to the Cerro Castillo Chile-Argentina boarding crossing. Here you will board a public bus to El Calafate. Once you arrive at the El Calafate bus station, you will be met by your driver and transferred to your hotel. Ending your trip in El Calafate does not have an additional fee. We can help you arrange a hotel and other services in El Calafate.

Domestic Argentina or Chile Flights & International Flights: We at Detour do not arrange flights, but we can connect you with our travel partner Exito Travel. They specialize in international and domestic flights in Latin America.

Trip Start: This trip can start in Punta Arenas (Chile) at 11:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m., in Puerto Natales (Chile) at 2:00 p.m., or in El Calafate (Argentina) at 7:00 a.m. Depending on your international and domestic flights, you may need to overnight in Santiago, or one of the pick up towns. We can help you arrange hotels and transportation.

Trip End: This trip can end in Punta Arenas (Chile) at 2:30 p.m., in Puerto Natales (Chile) at 11:00 a.m., or in El Calafate (Argentina) at 2:30 p.m. Depending on your departure flights or onward travel plans, you may need to overnight in one of these towns. We can help you arrange hotels and transportation.

Complete Your Trip

Depending on your international and domestic flights, you made need to spend the night in Santiago (Chile), Punta Arenas (Chile), Puerto Natales (Chile), or in El Calafate (Argentina). If this is the case, we can help you arrange hotels, transportation, day tours, and anything else you need to make this trip perfect for you.

Getting all the way down to Patagonia isn’t easy, what else can you do while you’re there? We recommend heading even further south and exploring Tierra del Fuego National Park (located in Argentina), either by hiking, paddling, or by naturalist cruise.

Or we recommend riding with banqueanos (Patagonia cowboys), and learning about Patagonia through their eyes. We have packages for all of these trips, and we can help make your trip exactly the way you want it.

If you want to explore more of Chile, we recommend trekking in the Atacama desert, wine tasting outside of Santiago, exploring the colorful coastal town of Valparaiso, biking and paddling in the Lake District, whitewater rafting, and learning about the ancient culture of Napa Nui (Easter Island).

 

Prices & Dates

2023 PRICES:

Prices are per person, and based on double occupancy

Group Departures:

* Small Group Supplements: If there are just 2 or 3 people signed up for a given departure each traveler pays a supplement; when 4 or more people signed up, no supplement applies. This refers to the total number of people on the group trek, not the number of people you are traveling with.

Optional Upgrades:

  • 3 nights upgrade to EcoCamp Standard Domes
  • 3 nights upgrade to EcoCamp Superior Domes
  • 3 nights upgrade to EcoCamp Suite Domes
  • 3 nights upgrade to mountain refugios

Holiday Surcharge applies

Private Departures: 

Please inquire

 

2024 PRICES:

For pricing, please inquire using the “I am Interested” button above

 

 

 

 

What's Included / Not Included

INCLUDED: 

•   All ground transport as indicated in the itinerary
•   Regular bus tickets Calafate<>Natales if starting/finishing in Calafate
•   8 nights camping, including all equipment EXCEPT mat and sleeping bag
•   Park fees for Cueva del Milodon and Torres del Paine National Park
•   One expert English speaking trekking guide
•   The porter service for this trip
•   All meals except breakfast on the first day and dinner on the last day

View Terms and Conditions:
http://detourdestinations.com/terms-and-conditions/cascada-expediciones

NOT INCLUDED: 

•   Flight tickets
•   Insurance (it is mandatory you purchase appropriate insurance for this trip)
•   Voluntary tipping of guides and staff
•   Optional kayaking around Glacier Grey on Day 5
•   Soft drinks or snacks not served with the meals included at the EcoCamp. Bringing US$ in cash for buying extra drinks/snacks or souvenirs in Torres del Paine NP is suggested
•   Alcoholic beverages
•   Items of personal nature
•   Sleeping bags and pads (available to rent)
•   Services not indicated in the itinerary
•   Upgrades to Standard or Superior Domes at EcoCamp
•   Chile reciprocity fee (if applicable)

Accommodations

Tents & Camping Sites (Nights 1 – 8)
Typical mountain tents are used with enough room for 2 people overnight in comfortable conditions. We provide all the camping gear. But you should bring your own mat and sleeping bag. Our team will set up the tents in the camping site. On nights 1, 7 & 8 at Las Torres you enjoy dinner and breakfast at EcoCamp (600m away from the campsite, a short walk up the hill).

On nights 4, 5, 6 at Grey, Pehoe and Francés, you enjoy dinner and breakfast in the refugios. On nights 2 and 3 there will be a comfortable dining tent for dinners and breakfasts. Additionally, the camping sites along the trek will have mountain bathroom facilities in good condition. On nights 1, 7 & 8 all Circuit hikers are welcome to join evening activities in EcoCamp’s bar and Yoga Dome before returning to their campsite to sleep!

Refugios (Optional Upgrade for 3 nights)
Typical mountain huts, open to the public visiting Torres del Paine. They have rooms for 4-6 people. The beds are single bunks and we will provide you with a sleeping bag and a polar fleece liner (you don’t need to bring a sleeping bag!).

The bathrooms are also shared and they have hot water. The refugios are heated and have a very comfortable dining area where plentiful meals are served. If refugios are unavailable, alternative accommodation will be provided in tents with prior notice.

EcoCamp (Optional Upgrade for Nights 1, 7, & 8)
Located in the heart of Torres del Paine, the EcoCamp consists of tented igloo-type domes built to minimize the environmental impact while providing a comfortable setting and maximum exposure to nature.

There is electricity available for charging just camera batteries (voltage: 220 Volts at 50 Hertz, two round pins plug). Food at the EcoCamp has the same quality as the one you will have on a family dinner at your home, this means it is plenty and delicious!

Standard Dome: The standard domes have twin or double beds, and are pretty small. These domes don’t have any windows, and do not have heaters in the dome. But the common areas in the EcoCamps are beautiful and charming, with huge windows, and they are a great place to relax during your down time. The Standard Dome beds have luxury and cozy blankets, so you’re plenty warm at night. Bathrooms are divided by gender and shared by all guests staying in standard domes. They have showers with hot water.
Superior Dome: The superior domes have private bathrooms, a skylight, and a comfortable queen size bed. They also have an innovative compost device for generated waste and electric stove for heating the interior.
Suite Dome: These are the largest domes at EcoCamp. They have king beds, a private bathroom, a wood-burning stove, and large picture window so you can admire the beautiful views.

Rooming Options

ROOMING OPTIONS: Double, Single, Willing to Share, Single Supplement

 

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