W Circuit with optional in Grey Glacier (5 days)
Self-guided trek through the W Circuit, leaving the park by catamaran thorugh Pehoé Lake. Refugios and transport included. Departures every day of the week.
This is a high demand program and its spaces are limited, having dates in which we are running out of spaces with months in advance. Our recommendation is to plan your trip in advance as early as possible.
Prices
- Season 2024-2025:
- Program for residents in Chile: CLP$ 689.000 per person.
- Program for non-residents in Chile: USD$ 1.149 per person.
How to book
- 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.
Included
- Transport:
- Round-trip transport by bus from Puerto Natales to the Torres del Paine National Park.
- Catamaran from the Pehoé Area to Pudeto.
- Accommodation in refugio or dome, in shared rooms with bunks:
- 1st night in refugio Central (sleeping bag included).
- 2nd night in refugio Cuernos or refugio Francés (sleeping bag included).
- 3rd night in refugio Paine Grande (sheets and cover included).
- 4th night in refugio Grey (sheets and cover included).
- Hot showers.
*The refugios confirmed for every night of your program will depend on the availability they have during the date of your trip. Because of this and/or the catamaran availability, the program could be confirmed with an inverted itinerary (1st night in Grey, 2nd night in Paine Grande, 3rd night in Cuernos and 4th night in Central.)
Not included
- Guide.
- Meals (optional).
- Connection transport between Laguna Amarga and Las Torres Area (CLP$ 4.000 per person for residents in Chile and US$ 6 per person for non-residents in Chile*).
- Entrance fee to the Torres del Paine National Park (CLP$ 13.000 for residents in Chile and CLP$ 44.500 for non-residents in Chile*).
- 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.
*Prices subject to change without notice.
Optional services
- Grey Glacier Hike (available until march 31st):
- Season 2024-2025: CLP$ 190.000 per person.
- Grey Glacier Kayak (available until march 31st):
- Season 2024-2025: CLP$ 140.000 per person.
- Full board meals (breakfast, box-lunch and dinner, starting with the dinner of the first dat and ending with the box-lunch of the last day):
- Season 2024-2025:
- Residents in Chile:
- Normal: CLP$ 289.000 per person.
- Christmas and New Year: CLP$ 314.000 per person.
- Non-residents in Chile:
- Normal: USD$ 480 per person.
- Christmas and New Year: USD$ 520 per person.
*Full board: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, starting with dinner the first day and ending with lunch the last day. Lunch is always packed to go, while breakfast and dinner can be packed or served, which will depend only on the availability of meals in every accommodation (you cannot choose).
What to bring
- A 40-liter backpack to bring all the things you will use during the circuit .
- A 25-liter backpack for full day treks to the Base of Torres del Paine and French Valley (you can leave your big backpack in Central and Italiano camps, and then pick it up on the way back).
- Waterproof jacket and pants (Gore-Tex or similar).
- Polar warm clothes (Polartec or similar).
- Thermal clothing (first layer).
- Short and long sleeved T-shirts.
- Trekking shoes.
- Enough batteries (electrical energy is produced in a sustainable way, so not always there are sockets to charge batteries).
- Earplugs.
- Flip-flops (for showers and rest).
- Towel.
- Flashlight.
- Lock.
- Winter hat and gloves for cold temperatures.
- Cap to protect yourself from the sun.
- Sunscreen.
- Sunglasses.
- Ziploc bags or similar (to store the garbage).
- Trek poles.
- Travel insurance that covers accidents and cancellations because of reasons of force majeure.
Restrictions
- Minimum age required of 14 years old to make the activity.
- Not allowed for pregnant women.
Itinerary
*The following itinerary is only referential for new bookings and not necessarily matches with your confirmed program. If you have doubts about your confirmed program, contact us at reservas@denomades.com.
Start: Day 1 at 7:00 am in Puerto Natales Bus Station.
End: Day 5 at 9:30 pm in Puerto Natales Bus Station.
Day 1: Departure from Puerto Natales and Base of Torres del Paine Hike (22 km, 13.7 miles, 8 to 9 hours).
The program starts in the Puerto Natales Bus Station to take the bus to the Portería Laguna Amarga, where you will enter the Torres del Paine National Park. After that, you will be able to take another ground transport to the Welcome Center, where you will have to register. After leaving your things in Refugio Central, you will start walking up for 4 hours, crossing the Ascencio Valley and the Paso de los Vientos until reaching one of the most known places inside the national park: Base of Torres Lookout Point. After visiting the lookout point, you will go back by the same track to spend the night in Refugio Central.
Day 2: Cuernos Trek (11 km, 6.8 miles, 4 to 5 hours).
The hike continues from Refugio Central going around the Paine Massif, going through the base of the Cerro Almirante Nieto. During this way you will see the local flora, the Nordenskjöld lake and the hanging glaciers. After 4 or 5 hours walking, you will reach your next destination, the Cuernos del Paine, where you will be able to take some pictures, if the weather is good enough. When night falls, you will sleep in Refugio Cuernos.
Day 3: Francés Valley Hike (25 km, 15.5 miles, 10 to 12 hours).
During this day, you will have to go over 15.5 miles, so the general recommendations is starting the excursion early. The first two hours are smooth, with views of the Nordenskjöld Lake. The first stop will be in the Italiano Campsite, where you can leave your backpack and continue the route only with the essentials (water, warm clothes and food). From there, you will start going up for 1 hour and half through the Francés River Valley until reaching the Francés Glacier Lookout Point. The rip continues until reaching the Británico Lookout Point, where you will be able to see unique scenarios inside the national park: Paine Grande, Catedral, Aleta de Tiburón and Cuerno Norte. The return is by the same track until Italiano Campsite, and then you will follow the route to Paine Grande for your third night of accommodation in Refugio Paine Grande.
Day 4: Grey Trek + additional activity on the glacier (11 km, 6.8 miles, 4 to 5 hours).
During this day you will be able to visit the Grey Glacier Lookout Points. To reach to the first lookout, you have to walk for 1 and a half hour from Paine Grande, from where you will start to see the final destination. You have to continue walking for almost 2 hours to reach the Refugio Grey, where you can leave your things to keep walking for another 15 minutes until reaching the Main Lookout Point. After this effort, you just have revel with the magnitude of the Grey Glacier, the Cordón Olguín and the small icebergs. After going back to the Refugio Grey, where you will stay the night, you will be able to go to the base to make one of the two optional activities available:
- Grey Glacier Ice Hike: 15-minute navigation by Zodiac to the Nunatak Island, from where starts the 1-hour hike with crampons, piolet, harness and helmet on the Grey Glacier.
- Grey Glacier Kayak: kayak navigation between the small icebergs surrounding the glacier and, if the weather is good enough, close to the Nunatak Island, to have another perspective of the glacier. Wetsuit, jacket and waterproof boots, kayak gloves, kayak skirt, kayak vest and life vest included.
Day 5: Paine Grande Trek and arrival to Puerto Natales (11 km, 6.8 miles, 4 to 5 hours).
In the morning, you will start walking by the same track to the Paine Grande Area, seizing the last views of the Grey Glacier, passing by the Patos Lagoon. While you continue, you will have views of the Pehoé Lake and the Cerro Paine Grande, until reaching the pier where you will have to take the catamaran that crosses the Pehoé Lake to Pudeto. In that last place will be waiting the bus that will take you back to the Puerto Natales Bus Station.
Changes and cancellations policy
- You will be able to reschedule your booking without any cost or cancel it with full refund until 60 days before the starting date of the program, whatever the reason.
- Between 59 and 45 days before the start date of the program, you will not be able to make any changes and, in case of cancellations, you will receive a 50% refund.
- Within the 45 days before the starting date of the program (bookings made less than 45 days in advance included) there will be no refund nor reschedule, whatever the reason.
There are no refunds no reschedule in case any of the following situations may prevent making part or the entire program: adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, fires, flooding, road cuts, accidents, strikes, demonstrations, pandemics, epidemics, flight cancellations, lost luggage, accidents of the passenger inside the park, and personal or health problems of the passenger. For passengers that have travel insurance (suggested), due to the impossibility to make part or the entire program because of the reasons described above and whose insurance policy covers the case at hand, we will provide the required documents to be presented to the insurance company.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I book the program?
This program is high demanded, and its places are limited. That's why our recommendation is booking as far in advance as possible. Availability is subject to changes up-to-the-minute.
How is it possible to make the circuit in a self-guided (without a guide) manner?
This program is self-guided (without a guide), so you will go on your own walking through the tracks of the park. This way is possible due to all tracks in the park are duly marked and that before starting the program we will send you all the details and a map of the circuit.
What is the difference between a program with accommodation in refugios and a program with accommodation in camping?
In a program with accommodations in refugio you will sleep in a shared room (bunkbeds), with shared bathroom (hot shower), while in a program with accommodations in campsite you will sleep in a double private tent (sleeping bag and sleeping pad included) with shared bathroom (hot shower). Notice that for this second mode the tent will be set up in every accommodation place, that is you won't have to carry, set nor disassemble the tent.
What does the full board service include?
Breakfast include coffee, tea, milk, bread, eggs, cheese, ham, jam, juice and fruit. Box lunch usually is a cold sandwich, cereal bar, chocolate bar, dried fruits and fruit. Finally, dinner includes menu of the day, with first course, second course, dessert and water.
Are there vegetarian, vegan or celiac food alternatives?
Yes. All meals can be adapted for vegetarian, vegan or celiac people, considering that all food are prepared in the same kitchen and might be contact with other food. When booking you must specify your food restrictions in the “additional comments” section.
Is there cell phone reception during the circuit?
In much of the circuit, no. Only in some specific spots in the park (usually at the beginning and end of the circuit), it is possible reaching places for having some signal.
Is there internet access in the accommodations?
Yes. In every accommodation there is satellite internet (paid with credit card, from CLP$ 10.000 for 1 hour).
Are there sockets available to charge electronic devices?
Yes. In common areas of the accommodations there are sockets, which work until 00:00 am (time in which power is cut off). Because there are just a few sockets, there's not always availability, so our recommendation is bringing a power bank with you.
Is there drinking water in the accommodations?
Yes. All accommodations have drinking water that comes from the natural springs of the park.
Are there hot showers in the accommodations?
Yes. All accommodations have hot showers.
How's the weather in the area?
During the whole year, even in summer, weather is ever-changing. In a single day you can have sun, clouds, rain and wind. So, our recommendation is be prepared for all kind of weather.
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