O Circuit (8 days)
Self-guided Trek through the Torres del Paine O Circuit (Paine Circuit). Includes accommodations in camping, and transport from/to Puerto Natales.
There is high demand for this tour and there are limited spots available. Spots for some dates run out months in advance, so we recommend planning your trip as far in advance as possible.
Program based on double occupancy:
- For Chileans and foreign residents in Chile, based on double occupancy: CLP$ 809,000 per person.
- For non-resident international visitors, based on double occupancy: US$ 1,345 per person.
Supplement
- Single: In case that a booking be for one person, three or five people, the full price will include a supplement of CLP$ 72,000/US$ 100.
- Christmas and New Year: In case your booking considers the night of December 24th or 31st in the program, the price per person will include a supplement of CLP$ 23,000/US$ 40.
- You will be able to reschedule without charge or cancel with full refund until 45 days before the beginning of the program. After that period, it will not be possible to make changes nor cancellations.
- There will be no kind of refund due to road closures, natural disasters or any other case of force majeure, produced before or during the program that turn impossible making part of the whole program. In case one or several of these things happen, the local supplier will give a letter to be presented with the travelers' insurance company, so we recommend taking out insurance for this.
- In the event of a COVID-19 OUTBRAKE, which implies the closure of borders; total quarantine; cancellation of land and/or air transfers; or due to contagion by COVID-19 (presenting the proper medical certificate that proves it), the reprogramming of the trip will be accepted until April 2022, outside the cancellation deadlines established in this change and cancellation policy.
- Select the departure date from the calendar.
- Select the number of people.
- Click on "Add to cart".
- Pay the full price of the tour online.
- Transport:
- Round-trip transport by bus from Puerto Natales to the Torres del Paine National Park.
- Connecting bus from Laguna Amarga area and Welcome Center.
- Accommodations in camping, in private double tents (includes site, tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad)*:
- 1st night in camping Serón.
- 2nd night in camping Dickson.
- 3rd night in camping Los Perros.
- 4th night in camping Grey.
- 5th night in camping Paine Grande.
- 6th night in camping Los Cuernos (or camping Francés, depending on availability).
- 7th night in camping Torre Central (or camping El Chileno, depending on availability).
- Meals:
- Breakfast, except the first day (coffee, tea, milk, bread, jam and fruit).
- Box lunch, except the first and last day (cold sandwich, juice, chocolate bar, dried fruits and fruit).
- Dinner, except the last day (menu of the day with first and second course, dessert, and water).
- Entrance fee to the Torres del Paine National Park.
*The order of the accommodations is subject to change, depending on availability.
- Porter.
- Guide.
- Accommodations in Puerto Natales.
- Health insurance.
- Medical care in case of an accident.
- Evacuation assistance because of bad weather or reasons of force majeure.
- Travel insurance that covers accidents and cancellations because of reasons of force majeure.
- Minimum age required of 16 years old to make the activity.
- Not allowed for pregnant women.
- A 40-liter backpack for the entire circuit.
- A 20 to 25-liter backpack for short hikes.
- Waterproof jacket and pants (Gore-Tex or similar).
- Fleece clothing (Polartec or similar).
- Thermal clothing (base layer).
- Short and long-sleeved t-shirts.
- Hiking shoes.
- Plenty of batteries (there are no electrical sockets to charge batteries).
- Earplugs.
- Flip-flops (for showers and resting).
- Flashlight.
- Lock.
- Winter hat and gloves for the cold.
- Cap to protect yourself from the sun.
- Sunscreen.
- Sunglasses.
- Bottle for water.
- Ziploc bags (to stores garbage).
- Trekking poles.
- Travel insurance that covers accidents and cancellations because of reasons of force majeure.
Start: Day 1 at 6:45 am in Puerto Natales Bus Station.
End: Day 8 at 10:00 pm in Puerto Natales Bus Station.
Day 1: Transport to the Torres del Paine National Park – Serón Camping (9 km or 5.5 miles, 4 horas). Like the O Circuit trek with accommodations in refugios, you have to be at the Puerto Natales Bus Station at 7:15 am, to take the bus and leave the city at 7:30 am to the Torres del Paine National Park. You will get to the Laguna Amarga area to buy the entrance ticket, and then boarding the vehicle that will take you to the Welcome Center, from where you will start walking. After seeing the Torres del Paine from the beginning point, if the weather allows it, you will go deep into the Patagonian landscape going up by a slope, the first test of the trek. You will have a view of the surrounding valleys and the Paine Mountain, while you advance already following the Paine River until reaching the Serón camping, where you will be staying the first night.
Day 2: Serón Camping – Dickson Camping (18.5 km or 11.4 miles, 6 hours). After breakfast, you will take the parallel path to the Paine River, to get closer to the Paine mountainside. You will go up by a steep track to the highest part that you will have to traverse during the day, and in which you will have a privileged view of the surrounding mountains, besides the Paine Lake. After that, you will walk by the side of the mountain, following the river. You will have time to stop in the guardería Coirón for lunch and catch your breath, before keep walking by the pampa with views of the granite walls. After that, you will see the Dickson Glacier, image that marks the end of the trek for the day. We will reach the Dickson camping, on the side of the lake with the same name, the source of the Paine River.
Day 3: Dickson Camping – Los Perros Camping (9 km, 4 to 5 hours). You will begin the morning with breakfast, as usual in this activity, to take the route marked by the Los Perros River. You will go a couple of hours through a nothofagus forest to a small bridge to cross the river. Here, you will begin to climb up a moraine until identify the Los Perros Glacier, which is on one side of the lake with the same name. From this place, you just need to walk a couple of more minutes to the camping, where you will have dinner and rest to face the next day challenge.
Day 4: Los Perros Camping – John Garner Pass – Grey Camping (22 km or 13.6 miles, 10 to 12 hours). We recommend beginning the trek of the day between 6:30 am and 7:00 am, so you will have to get up very early for having breakfast and begin the adventure. This morning will be necessary the headlamp, because the walking will begin before the sunrise. You will go up by a steep track in the middle of the forest and, while you go forward, you will see the first lights over the park. You will continue the way to the John Garner Pass, the highest point of the trek, at 1,200 meters (3,937 ft.) of altitude that will test your strength and that you must make very carefully. Once in the pass, you will have the first view of the Grey Glacier and the beginning of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, one of the most amazing images of the Torres del Paine National Park that you will be able to take advantage of before beginning to descend through another forest. You will have to pass by the guardería El Paso, where you can have lunch, and then continue to the hanging bridges in the way boarding the Grey Glacier. You can take pictures and visit some privileged points to see the lake and the glacier, before reaching the Grey camping, where you will have dinner and rest.
*Depending on the weather conditions, the CONAF park ranger might forbid the climb of the John Garner Pass and you would have to go back to the Los Perros camping.
Day 5: Grey Camping – Paine Grande Camping (11 km or 6.8 miles, 4 hours). This day, much more relaxed than the day before, you will be able to get up later, because the trek to the next camping is much less demanding. You will walk by one side of the Grey Lake, path which will show you the last images of the glacier and icebergs, passing by the Los Patos Lagoon, before entering a small valley from where it is possible to see the Pehoé Lake. You will arrive at the Paine Grande camping, from where you will have a great view of the Paine Grande Mountain and the Los Cuernos del Paine.
Day 6: Paine Grande Camping – French Valley – Los Cuernos Camping (22 km or 13.6 miles, 8 to 10 hours). The general recommendation is to start early, because we are talking about a long walking distance. You will pass by one side of the Skottsberg Lake, continuing the track to the Italiano Camping, getaway to the Francés Valley. You will enter a Patagonian forest, to go to the Francés lookout, that gives a view of the different mountains around the valley, besides the Francés Glacier. If you have time and energy, you can continue towards the Británico lookout, point from where you will have another perspective inside the Torres del Paine National Park itself. You will go back by the same track to the Italiano camping, from where you have to go to the Los Cuernos or Francés camping, depending on availability.
Day 7: Los Cuernos Camping – Torre Central Camping (11 km or 6.8 miles, 5 to 6 hours). After breakfast, you will begin the trek of the day boarding the Nordenskjöld Lake, identifying different vegetable and animal species, besides beginning to see the Almirante Nieto Mountain, and maybe identify its glacier. The destination will be the El Chileno camping, place in which you will have dinner and rest to face the last trekking day.
Day 8: Torre Central Camping – Las Torres Base – Puerto Natales (20 km or 12.4 miles, 9 to 10 hours). During the last day of activity is considered the trek towards the Base of the Torres del Paine, the most famous place inside the park. To reach this place, you will have to get up very early to go to an old bridge that crosses the Ascencio River, passing by the El Chileno camping and enter to a typical Patagonian forest. You will get to the moraine, which you will have to climb for about 45 minutes to arrive to the Base of the Torres del Paine lookout, grand finale for all the effort to complete the Paine Circuit. There, you can take pictures, enjoy your box lunch and rest a moment, before beginning the return by the same track that you made. You will arrive at the Welcome Center, same place from where you begin the trek, to board the connecting transport and then the bus that will take you to Puerto Natales.
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What is the difference between a program with accommodation in refugios and a program with accommodation in camping?
In a progam with accommodation in refugios you will sleep in a shared room (bunks) with shared bathroom (hot shower), while in a program with accommodation in camping you will sleep in a private double tent (includes sleeping bag and sleeping pad), with shared bathroom (hot shower). It is important to note that, for this second form of accommodation, the tent will be set up in every one of the accommodation places, in other words, you will not need to transport, set up nor dismantle the tent.
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What is the difference between a guided program and a self-guided program?
With a guided program you will be making the circuit in the company of a professional guide, who will give you support to achieve a good physical performance during the trek, and will give you information about the different places that you will visit along the circuit. On the other hand, with a self-guided program you will be doing the trek alone and in a independent way, walking by the tracks of the park. This second form is possible because all the tracks of the park are properly marked, and because before beginning the program, you will have a briefing of it and you will receive a map with all the details.
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It is necessary to bring water to make the circuit?
No, it is not necessary to bring water from Puerto Natales, because there are available sources along the way, whether it be in the refugios and camping, or natural water sources during the trek.
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Is there WiFi and sockets in the refugios?
Yes. The WiFi service in the refugios is not included in the program's price, but you can pay for it directly in every refugio. Depending on the speed and time, its price goes from US$ 4 per 30 minutes. On the other hand, the sockets to charge electronic devices are available in the common areas of the refugios. Because the number of sockets is limited, our recommendation is to bring charged power banks as well.
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Can I leave part of my luggage in Puerto Natales while I make the circuit?
Yes. You can leave all the luggage that you will not be using to make the circuit in the left-luggage service in the Puerto Natales Bus Station. This service costs CLP$ 2,000 per bag, per day.
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Which are the transport options to get to Puerto Natales from Punta Arenas and El Calafate?
The companies Bus-Sur, Buses Pacheco, and Buses Fernández offer the transport service by regular bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales, while the companies Bus-Sur, Turismo Zaahj, and Cootra make the transport service by regular bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales. To check the prices, availability, and frequency of these services you have to check the information published in the websites of the informed companies.
More doubts? Send us your questions at reservas@denomades.com and we are going to solve them as soon as possible.