catamaran hielos patagonicos lago pehoe

• Septiembre 2024
• Octubre - Noviembre 2024
• Dic 2024 / Ene - Feb 2025
• Abril 2025 -
• Dic 2024 /Ene - Feb 2025-
• Marzo - 2025
• Abril - 2025
• Charter de Carga
• Charter Turístico
• Políticas y condiciones

CATAMARAN LAGO PEHOE

Inicio los senderos O y W en el Parque Nacional Torres del Paine.

• PAINE GRANDE - PUDETO
• prueba conaf
• PUDETO - PAINE GRANDE

Catamaran Lago Pehoe

Pudeto, Parque Nacional Torres del Paine

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• Hielos Patagónicos

www.hielospatagonicos.com

[email protected]

+56-61-2411133 (Puerto Natales)

HIELOS PATAGÓNICOS

Catamarán Hielos Patagónicos, la embarcación realiza una travesía por el Lago Pehoé con una duración de 30 minutos aproximadamente entre el sector de Pudeto y Sector de Pehoé, donde se puede inicia la caminata hacia el Glaciar Grey o al Valle del Francés. Cuenta con tres frecuencias regulares diarias ida y regreso.

Contamos con cafetería donde ofrecemos diversas opciones: box lunch, menús diarios y sándwiches con pan casero, variados tipos de café ,infusiones, bebidas, platos vegetarianos y para celiacos, todo esto acompañado de servicio Wi Fi.

Por ultimo en nuestra mini tienda tenemos a la venta diversos productos tales como galletas, chocolates, golosinas, frutas, pan hecho en el día, stand con libros y postales de la región.

• Sobre Nosotros
• Hotel Las Torres Patagonia
• Hotel del Paine
• río serrano hotel + spa
• Hotel Tierra Patagonia
• Patagonia Camp
• Explora Torres del Paine
• Awasi Patagonia – Relais & Chateaux
• Ecocamp Patagonia
• Hotel Lago Grey
• The Singular Patagonia
• Fantástico Sur
• Vertice Patagonia
• Big Foot Patagonia
• Estadísticas
• Bolsa de Trabajo

• T’s & C’s
• TESTIMONIALS

Torres del Paine Catamaran

Ferry between pudeto and paine grande, all people hiking the torres del paine w trek will, at some stage, likely need to take the catamaran that connects paine grande to pudeto and vice-versa. here, we will inform you about the service, costs and departure times, torres del paine catamaran ferry, where does the catamaran operate from.

The Torres del Paine catamaran ferry service operates between the Pudeto Jetty, which is more or less in the heart of the Park, beside Pehoe Lake; and Refugio Paine Grande. However, this is NOT the catamaran that operates to see Glacier Grey – so do not be confused by this. THAT catamaran departs from Hotel Grey, way over in the western arm of the Park.

This Torres del Paine catamaran ferry service is used by people who wish to get to, or come back from, the French Valley; and those who may be coming from or going to Refugio Grey.

It is NOT POSSIBLE to make reservations. Passengers must turn up, line up and wait to board.

Ask Us to Arrange Your W Trek Here:

[email protected], antarctica with the w trek, or any torres del paine itinerary, special torres del paine with antarctica combo.

If you wish to combine a W Trek itinerary with an Antarctic expedition, Experience Chile will offer you an attractive discount (maybe like a half price W Trek), or other free services, on top of any other combo offer already on the table. Therefore, ASK US FIRST if you intend to do Antarctica AND Torres del Paine!

Send Your Enquiry to here: [email protected]

Internal link center, book a w trek all-inclusive with us, and receive extra free services, w trek catamaran, length of the crossing.

From departing one end to arriving at the other side, crossing Pehoe Lake, the journey takes 25 minutes. From those waiting at the Pudeto end, there is a small cafeteria where you can buy hot drinks and snacks, as well as some public WC’s.

At the Refugio Paine Grande end, there is the restaurant in the refugio that serves snacks and drinks and, of course, public rest rooms are there too.

W Trek Reservations Here:

Information on Payment and Departure Times

It should be noted that payment for the Torres del Paine catamaran ferry service is required on board, in cash in local Chilean pesos, but during high season they often accept other HARD currencies, for example USD and the Euro. However, if ExperienceChile.Org is handling your travel itinerary WE CAN arrange tickets in advance – but these will not guarantee you space on a specific departure, you will STILL NEED to show up early and wait in line.

Departure Time Schedule is Further Below

Scheduling of the Torres del Paine catamaran ferry service is set at specific times, however, as this is a monopoly service, the owners can, at will, change the frequency of these departures to suit the economic reality associated with income derived from each sailing. In other words, if it looks to them like there will not be much demand in a particular day, they may well cancel a sailing.

Naturally, this does not help when it comes to planning travel itineraries, but it can happen, although not often.

Climate and Weather

Another influence on departure times is the state of the weather. If there is considerable wind the service can be suspended.

Reservations Here for the W Trek in Torres del Paine:

Ticket prices season 2024 - 2025, ferry service between pudeto and paine grande, ticket prices 2024-25, (subject to change without prior notice).

One way is approx USD45  per person One backpack is included, but USD10 per extra backpack up to 50Kg)

Tickets are included with an all-inclusive W Trek Itinerary Booked with Experience Chile.

• Camping y Domos

Lago Pehoé y actividades

La Cordillera Paine

Es un conjunto impresionante de montañas gobernadas por empinadas torres de granito y por los fotogénicos Cuernos y el imponente Paine Grande. El macizo montañoso está coronado de glaciares y rodeado de lagos con colores de aguamarina, esmeralda, turquesa, zafiro y lapislázuli. Un microclima sustenta una rica flora y mucha fauna silvestre que retoza libremente en torno a lagunas y entre hermosos bosques de árboles barbudos.

El Lago Pehoé

El Lago Pehoé está ubicado en el corazón del Parque Nacional Torres del Paine, creado en 1959 y declarado Reserva de la Biósfera por la Unesco en 1978. Se ubica en la provincia de Ultima Esperanza, a 145 km al norte de la ciudad de Puerto Natales, en la Patagonia. Hay muchas actividades para realizar y la mayoría muy cerca de aquí. A solo unos metros del Camping Pehoé encontrará el sendero que conduce al mirador del Cóndor (45 min.) desde donde podrá disfrutar de una grandiosa vista panorámica de todo el cordón montañoso en derredor.

A unos kilómetros (2 horas a pie) se encuentra Pudeto desde donde se aprecia el hermoso Salto Grande y, desde donde el Catamarán Hielos Patagónicos cruza diariamente el Lago Pehoé (30 min.) para llegar a Paine Grande, parte de la famosa excursión W (4 a 5 días) o para dirigirse hacia el sector del Glaciar Grey (2 días).

Si continuamos más allá de Pudeto llegamos a la Zona de Laguna Amarga (1h15 en vehículo), comienzo del famoso circuito grande del Paine (7 a 10 días), la W (4 a 5 días) y de la imperdible caminata a la base de las Torres (6 a 7 horas).

Otros atractivos: Las Cornizas (mini trekking de 50 min.), Salto Chico (caminata de 1 hora), Cascada Paine (1 hora o 10 min. en vehículo), Laguna Azul (1h30 en vehículo), Sede Administrativa Lago Toro (20 min. en vehículo), Sector Serrano (40 min en vehículo), Lago Grey (1h20 en vehículo).

Para mas información, puedes descargar acá el mapa del parque Torres del Paine.

Tours y excursiones.

Contamos con toda la información necesaria en cuanto a alternativas dentro del parque, realizamos los contactos con las diferentes empresas proveedoras de servicios, como cabalgatas, bajadas por el rio Serrano, kayaking, caminatas en hielo, tranfers y más.

Caminata en Hielo Glaciar Serrano

Para tomar la opción de caminata en hielo en el glaciar Serrano, se debe llegar hasta el pueblo del Serrano (40 min desde el Camping en auto) en donde se toma el bote zodiac que baja por el rio serrano hasta el monte Balmaceda (2 horas de navegación) donde empieza la caminata en hielo de ese sector; previo ingreso al Parque Nacional Bernardo O’Higgins y una caminata de 20 minutos por un mágico sendero entre lengas y coigües.

Las cabalgatas se realizan todas en el sector de Rio Serrano y existen opciones de 2, 3, 4 y 5 horas de excursión dependiendo de la experiencia del jinete. En las cabalgatas se pueden recorrer sectores como el Rio Nutria, la Laguna Jote, El Salto, el Mirador Monte Donoso, el Lago Toro y el Lago Brush entre otros.

Everything You Need to Know for Hiking the W Trek in Torres Del Paine National Park

• Last Updated March 17, 2024
• Chile , South-America

Rising almost 2000m from the Patagonian steppe, the jagged granite spires of Torres Del Paine dominate this region of Chile and make for one of the most jaw-dropping sights in South America. This Unesco Biosphere reserve is one of the finest national parks in the world, covering 181,000 hectares of turquoise lagoons, glacier-fed waterfalls and verdant forest.

However, It’s Torres Del Paines rocky peaks that draw most visitors to the park. The three sheer peaks of Los Torres and the unmistakable outline of Los Cuernos are almost a pilgrimage site for hikers from around the world who flock here to walk the famous ‘W’.

Getting to Torres Del Paine from Puerto Natales

During the high season from October to April, 5 different bus companies provide daily trips from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine, stopping first at Laguna Amargh (2hr journey) where you will have to hop of the bus to pay your park entry fee (CH$25,000 for foreigners or CH$35,000 if staying for more than 3 days as of Jan 1 2020; note that this can also be paid at the bus station in Puerto Natales), then onwards to Pudeto (3hrs) where you will leave the bus if you are catching the catamaran to Paine Grande, before finally reaching the administration building (4hrs 15).

Return tickets between the park and Puerto Natales cost CH$15,000. During the high season between September and April, the buses leave Puerto Natales at 7am, 7.30am and 2.30pm, getting to Laguna Amarga at 9am, 9:30am. and 4.45pm respectively and Pudeto at 10:00am, 10.30am and 5.30pm. For the return leg of the journey, buses pick up from Pudeto at 1pm, 1.30pm and 7pm and from Laguna Amarga at 2pm, 2.30pm, 7.45pm each day.

Check Bus prices and availability to Torres Del Paine

It is worth noting that between the park’s busiest months, Bus Sur also run a 6.40am service that reaches Pudeto at 8.45am, in time for the first catamaran of the day.

What is the W Trek?

Although there are myriad hiking routes in Torres Del Paine National Park, the most famous and most popular is the W, a 4 to 5-day hike that takes in the park’s most spectacular sights: from the iconic spires of Mirador Las Torres and the enormous Grey Glacier to the steep trail along Valle Francis and the contorted, multicoloured horns of Los Cuernos. It runs up three valleys, creating the W shape that gives it its name. In each of those valleys lies one of the iconic sights of the park  

With a route of 80km (50 miles) the W is moderately difficult, mostly on gentle terrain but with the occasional climb up to 800m. With that in mind, you don’t necessarily have to be an experienced hiker, but it helps to be reasonably fit, especially as you will be hiking with a backpack, sometimes for up to 8 hours in a day.   

When is the Best Time to Hike the W?

Accommodation on the w trek.

You have two options of where to stay while hiking the W: In a refugio or on a campsite. Deciding which is best for you is generally a toss-up between ease and cost. While refugios offer an extra level of comfort, they can be much more expensive than camping.

A refugio is basically rustic hostel-meets-hotel and they are dotted around all the major stopping points on the trek. They’re open year-round and have dorm-style rooms, shared bathroom facilities with hot showers and a basic, on-site restaurant/canteen and bar. The rooms are generally warm and clean with comfortable beds and the refugios themselves often have open and sociable communal areas where you can relax in front of a roaring fire after a hard day of hiking.

There is also the added bonus of not having to haul camping equipment, bedding (although I recommend bringing your own sleeping bag to avoid the extra rental cost at the refugios), and food with you throughout your trek. All refugios provide meals on a full-board (breakfast, dinner, & a packed lunch), half-board (breakfast and dinner) or meal-by-meal basis. The food is expensive, even by Patagonian standards, so there is the option of using the refugios kitchen to cook your own food if you wish.

Most refugios also have campsites with separate facilities if you would prefer to camp out of the main building.

If you prefer a wilder experience in which you get to sleep under the stars and stare at the park’s incredible views through your doorway, you can camp at certain points along the W Trek’s trail. At refugio campsites you have the option of sleeping in pre-erected tents, meaning you don’t need to carry your own equipment. Sleeping mats and warm sleeping bags are available to rent (although I would recommend bringing your own as they don’t add much extra weight) to keep you cosy. As these campsites are often on the grounds of nearby refugios, you have access to toilets, warm showers, and the communal spaces of the refugios where you can enjoy a hot meal or cook your own dinner.

There is also a free campsite at Italiano, run by the National Park authority (CONAF). You will need to bring your own tent and facilities are a little basic, but they do have on-site toilets, running water and a cooking shelter. Note: You still have to book this free campsite in advance.

BOOKING YOUR ACCOMODATION

With Torres Del Paine being one of Chile’s most popular attractions and the W-trek being the most desirable hiking routes on the South American continent, it’s safe to say that booking your accommodation in advance – even up to 2 months in advance during the high season – is essential. All refugios and campsites can be booked online but to complicate matters slightly, there are 3 different companies that you will potentially have to use, depending which camping spots you choose: CONAF, Vertice Patagonia, and Fantastico Sur.

To check which campsites you will need to book, check out my hiking itinerary lower down this page.

Fantastic Sur  run Chileno, Frances, Los Cuernos and Las Torres and their  booking site can be found here . The booking system is fairly simple. You just select your dates and then choose whether you would like to camp or stay in a dorm room using the drop-down boxes. After this, you can add additional extras such as sleeping bags and mats, full-board, half-board, or sperate meals. If you have any issues with the booking, you can email them at [email protected] or drop into their office in Puerto Natales.

Vertice Patagonia  run both Paine Grande and Grey. Their  booking site can be found here . The process for booking with Vertice is slightly different from the one for booking with Fantastico Sur. First, you will need to select the number of people, set your nationality to ‘another’ if you are not Chilean, and the currency to US dollars. On the next page, you will select the W-trek option and then on the following page, you can choose which accommodation you would like to book. If you follow my itinerary below, you will need to select the Grey and Paine Grande option, however, there are multiple combinations as well as the ability to book each one separately. If you have any issues, you can contact them at [email protected] .

The only free campsite on the trek route is Italiano, managed and maintained by the National Park authority (CONAF). Although the site is free, you still need to make a booking in advance via the  CONAF booking site . Make sure to print out your reservation and bring it with you.

What Equipment do you need?

If you plan on spending as little money as possible when hiking the W, you will need to bring plenty of camping equipment to avoid having to rent it at the refugio campsites. However, if you choose to stay in the dorm rooms or pre-erected tents, you will obviously avoid having to bring your own tent. I still recommend carrying a sleeping mat and sleeping bag as otherwise, you will have to pay to rent these each night despite forking out for a pre-erected camping spot.

Please remember that whatever you pack you will have to carry with you on your back for up to 7 hours a day so try to pack as lightly as possible.

Camping Essentials : Tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, small camping stove and gas canisters, a lightweight set of pans and cutlery, a bowl and a mug.

The weather is incredibly changeable in Patagonia, meaning that you can encounter almost every possible combination of sun, rain and snow that nature can throw at you over the course of just one day. I’m not joking: on one day of my hike, I went from hiking in shorts and a t-shirt in glorious sunshine to having to navigate my way through a blizzard wearing as many layers as possible. Even on a bright clear day, the winds can reach up to 100km/h.

The key to surviving Torres Del Paine’s climate it layering. Try to pack a mix of thin under-layers and warmer, insulated outer layers.

Clothing Essentials : Zip-off convertible hiking trousers x 2, t shirts x 5, warm jumper, fleece jacket, waterproof jacket, hiking socks x 5, underwear x 5, hiking leggings or long johns, gloves, a warm hat, scarf and a lightweight travel towel.

Hiking Essentials : Good quality walking boots, hiking poles, a 50 – 60 litre rucksack for your main gear, a 15 litre daypack, headlamp or torch, and a water bottle.

Additional Items : Sunglasses, suncream, phone, phone charger and universal adapter, padlocks, compact first aid kit, toiletries, and a good camera.

If you are spending an extended length of time travelling around Patagonia or the South American continent, it’s understandable that you may not want to carry a full range of camping equipment with you for your entire trip and will have to get some when you reach Torres Del Paine. If this is the case, you have 3 options: Buy equipment; Rent equipment in Puerto Natales; Or rent equipment at each campsite in the park.

As Puerto Natales is heavily tourist-focused and you should have no problem finding all of the equipment that you need in the myriad hiking and camping shops. However, for high-ticket items such as tents and sleeping bags, you may be better off purchasing them in Punta Arenas (if you have come from southern Patagonia) as the city’s duty-free status reduces the prices significantly.

I chose to rent all of the equipment that I needed from  Erratic Rock  in Puerto Natales. Not only is this a fantastic hostel, but they also host a daily seminar, nicknamed the 3 o’clock talk. You can join their expert guides each day at 3pm for a cup of coffee and seminar that covers everything you need to know about Torres Del Paine. This includes current weather conditions, accommodation, equipment, trail routes and transportation.

Erratic rock don’t allow reservations on gear and so operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, so you may just have to hope that they have everything you need. Their prices are below and listed as Chilean pesos per day.

Sleeping bag – CH$3000; Sleeping mat – CH$1500; Trekking poles x 2 – CH$3500; Waterproof jacket – CH$3000; Backpacks – CH$4000; Down Jackets – CH$2500; Gloves – CH$1500; Headlamp – CH$1500; Cooking kits for 3 people (Stove, bowls, cups, cooking pot, & water bottle) – CH$4000

Food on the Trek

Although a hot meal at the end of a hard day of hiking may sound tempting, food in refugios can be incredibly expensive, even by Patagonian standards. They are generally set menus and can be pre-booked online when booking accommodation. Many of the refugios do have shops where you can buy basic food supplies such as rice, pasta and sauces as well as snacks but the prices of these are also inflated.

I recommend bringing enough food for the entire trek, packing plenty of non-perishable items that are easy to carry and cook such as rice, pasta and cans/jars of sauces. Noodles, powdered soups and pasta pots will go a long way to keep you fed and energised throughout the hike. Cured meats or sausages also make a great addition to liven up the meal slightly.

For breakfast, bring some sachets of quick-cook porridge and instant coffee. You will not need to bring any bottles of water with you as you can re-fill bottles in the park’s rivers and streams or at the refugios.

Note: You are only able to use stoves at certain spots within camp sites. If you think you will need a warm coffee or tea while hiking, boil water in a morning and take an insulated flask with you.

Meal Costs at Refugios and Campsites

What Route Should You Take?

The W Trek can be walked in two directions; from east to west, starting at Refugio Las Torres and ending at Refugio Paine Grande; or from west to east, starting with the catamaran ride across lago Pehoe and ending with a spectacular view of the morning light bouncing off the spires of Las Torres at sunrise.

The hike from west to east is the most popular as it offers superior views and ends at the park’s most iconic viewpoint.

ITINERARY OVERVIEW

5 days / 4 night itinerary for the w trek in torres del paine.

Day 1 : Puerto Natales to Grey Day 2 : Grey to Paine Grande Day 3 : Paine Grande to Frances/Los Cuernos Day 4 : Frances to Chileno Day 5 : Chileno, La Torres and back to Puerto Natales

DAY 1 ITINERARY

Puerto natales to grey.

Distance : 11km/6.8 miles Time : 3 – 4 hours

7am : Take the bus from Puerto Natales to Torres Del Paine National Park. You will have to hop off the bus at the park entrance to pay the entry fee (CH$35,000) but try to hop off quickly to get to the front of the queue and pay quicky as you will need to re-board the bus in order to get to the next stop.

10am : You should arrive at Pudeto sometime between 10am and 10.30am giving you enough time to head to the ferry office and buy a ticket for the boat ride over to Paine Grande. The ferry is operated by Hielos Patagonicos and costs CH$18,000 one-way. If you have enough time before departure, you may be able to visit Salto Chico waterfall but if not, the boat ride in itself offers spectacular views of the Cuernos del Paine’s horn-shaped peaks. The usually leaves around 11am but timetables can change depending on the weather conditions.

You should arrive at Paine Grande between 11.30am and 11.40am and from here you will begin your first day of trekking.

If you want to Hike the W in 4 Days / 3 Nights...

It is possible to do the hike in one day less by hiking from Paine Grande up to Glacier Grey and back in one day, but this will mean a long day trekking 22km. You will be able to set up camp in Paine Grande before beginning your hike and just take your daypacks with you – just be sure to take any valuables. Upon reaching the Grey Campsite, you will be continuing along a short trail path to the first rocky outcrop with a spectacular view across Lago Grey to the glacier. This viewpoint is only around 1km from the campsite but as the path between Grey and Paine Grande closes at 4pm (you are not allowed to begin your hike after this time), you won’t really have time to hike further north to any of the other viewpoints.

The entire hike will take around 6 hours and with the time spent admiring the glacier, you will probably arrive back at Paine Grande between 6pm and 7pm, ready for the next day of hiking (day 3 in this itinerary).

From the pier at Paine Grande, the clearly marked path initially leads north through scrubland before meandering into Quebrada de Los Vientos, the windy gorge, after an hour or so (I can confirm that it was very windy when I hiked this path). From here you will catch your first glimpse of Lago Grey with enormous chunks of pale blue ice bobbing in its water with the glacier itself peeking out behind the almost black shape of La Isla Nunatak.

Continuing the walk alongside the lake, you will enter an eerily silent lenga wood. Part of this area was badly damaged by the forest fire that sadly ran rampant through the park on 27th December 2011. The devastating fire only affected 7% (about 40,000 acres) of the park’s area but went on for nine days before it was finally extinguished by the fire brigade. Unfortunately, some of the affected vegetation will take 200 years to reach maturity again, but the charred, contorted remains of the trees do add a haunting, melancholic beauty to the area.

You should arrive at Refugio y Camping Grey around 3 or 4pm, giving you chance to set up your tent before cooking dinner if you have opted to camp, or relax with a well-earned coffee or glass of wine if you have pre-booked a dorm room and dinner. While it is still light, you may want to take the small trail that forks off from the main path and head over to the glacier viewpoint on the shore of Lago Grey (1km walk).

DAY 2 ITINERARY

Grey to paine grande.

Distance : 19km/11.8 miles Time : 7 hours

Starting your hike at 8am, you will head north from Grey, towards the viewpoints that overlook Glacier Grey. You can leave the majority of your equipment and gear at the campsite or refugio as and just take your daypack and valuables as you will be looping back to Grey again on your way towards Paine Grande.

Walking alongside Lago Grey, you will eventually reach a series of rope bridges suspended over gorges that offer spectacular views of the Glacier and, on a clear day, the entire ice field. The icy ramparts tower as high as 100m in some places and the glacier stretched the entire 6-mile breadth of the lagoon, grey in both name and colour, only brightened by the shimmering turquoise of the glacier and the bobbing icebergs that navigate its waters.

This section of the hike is around 3.5km each way, meaning that you should arrive back at Grey before lunch, just in time to retrace your steps from the previous day and walk the 11km trail back to Paine Grande.

DAY 3 ITINERARY

Paine grande to frances or los cuernos.

Distance : 20.5km/12.7 miles Time : 7.5 hours

Leaving Paine Grande at around 8am, you will begin a 2-hour walk eastbound along the scrubland bordering Lago Pehoe, before catching a glimpse of the blue waters of Lago Skottsberg with the towering 3000m peak of the Paine Grande massif on your left-hand side. After around 2.5 hours and crossing a wobbly bridge, you will reach Italiano, a free campsite where you can leave your bags with the ranger before continuing the hike.

The steep path leading up Valle Frances, the middle section of the W, can either be a breeze of a slog, depending on the weather conditions but the 1-hour section leading to Mirador Frances isn’t too challenging no matter the weather. Here you will find spectacular views of Glacier Frances and Glacier Los Perros and it is the perfect point to stop for a quick lunch beside the turbulent Rio del Frances. On my W-Trek, this is the point I had to stop my journey up Valle Frances: blizzard-like conditions had left me freezing cold and the trail had become dangerous so I had to turn around.

Terrible weather isn’t uncommon in this section of the park, but if you have a clear day, continue onwards through the woods towards Mirador Britanico. It is an additional 3.5km/1.5 hours each way but the lookout is one of the best in Torres del Paine, giving you a close-up view of Los Cuernos. Ensure you have hiking poles as the steep walk down can be a little treacherous.

If you are staying at Campamento Italiano, you can set up for the eveing and relax, otherwise, it is another 30-minute walk along the shore of Lago Nordenskjold to Frances. If you feel like you will have the energy to do it, you can book to stay in Refugio y Camping Los Cuernos, a further 2-hour hike along Lago Nordenskjold. This will make your walk on day 4 significantly shorter and they even have double cabins available if you fancy a quiet night away from a dorm.

DAY 4 ITINERARY

Frances to chileno.

Distance : 17km/10.6 miles Time : 5 hours

If you are staying at Italianos or Frances, you will need to start your penultimate day of hiking at 8am. If you have opted to stay at Los Cuernos, you can treat yourself to a well-deserved lie-in, leaving the refugio at 10am to begin your walk.

The hike begings with a long, meandering walk along the lake through hilly scrubland and across small glacial streams before you turn northwards into Valle y Rio Ascencio for the uphill, 2-hour slog to Chileno. You will have an early start the next morning in order to see the towers of Mirador Las Torres at sunrise, so ensure that you get an early night

DAY 5 ITINERARY

Chileno to las torres & back to puerto natales.

Distance : 13km/8 miles Time : 6 hours

To see the sunrise at the famous Mirador Las Torres, you will have to wake up well before dawn at around 4.30 to begin your walk pre-5am. Just take a small bag of warm clothes and food, as well as a headtorch, for the steep 2-and-a-half-hour ascent to the towers alongside the Rio Ascendio. The final part of the climb is a 1-hour long scramble across boulders and rocks, emerging in front of the magnificent Torres, their peaks reflecting in in the still waters of Laguna Torres. When I visited in March, sunrise was at 7.30am.

If you feel up to it, you can hike further north through the aptly named Valle de Silenco (1 hour each way) to the little-visited Mirador Japones, otherwise, the hike back to Chileno to collect your backpacks and equipment is a little easier than the morning’s ascent, taking just 1.5 to 2 hours.

The W Trek ends with the walk back down Valle Ascencio to Hotel Las Torres (2 hours; 5.5km). From here, you can either catch 2pm shuttlebus (CH$5000) to Laguna Armarga in order to board the 2.30pm bus back to Puerto Natales or walk the extra 1.5 hours to Laguna Amarga Ranger Station yourself just make sure you arrive in time to get one of the buses.

Alternatives to Hiking the W

For more experienced hikers, the O-Circuit is a challenging seven to ten-day hike that includes the entirety of the W, with the addition of a trail that leads walkers further north, around the back-side of the Torres. This allows you to catch glimpses of the park’s much-quieter outer reaches as well as have bragging rights over anyone that has hiked the W.

While the circuit starts and ends at Paine Grande, some people decide to stay on the shuttle bus past Lake Pehoe until it reaches the Park Administration building, adding a scenic 5-hour walk onto the circuit, which is called doing a Q.

If a multiday trek isn’t for you, each of the W’s sections can be split into day hikes while staying over night at some of  Torres Del Paine’s luxury lodges  or eco accommodation spots.

Dave McClane

David McClane is a photographer and travel writer based in Leeds, UK. Since first picking up a camera on a yearlong journey through Central and South America in 2014/2015, He has carefully documented his travels through almost 50 countries.

A Guide to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Patagonia Itinerary: 3 Weeks in Argentina and Chile

10 Beautiful Day Hikes in Torres Del Paine National Park

Patagonia Packing List: Hiking the W Trek in Torres Del Paine

2 responses.

Hello David, thanks a lot for posting about your Patagonia W Trek trip. I found it very helpful as my wife and me are preparing to visit the trek in October this year. I have one question on the routing: Is it possible to start the hike at the “left top” of the W near Refugio Grey? On your map it looks like there is a boat trip available to get there. It would enable us to not walk the same way twice between Grey and Paine Grande. Thanks a lot in advance, Best Nils

Hi Nils. I’m glad that you found the post helpful! As far as I am aware, you can only take the boat across to Paine Grande, meaning you will have to hike the section between there and Refugio Grey in both directions (at least this is what I had to do). I think the boat trip shown on the map doesn’t actually stop near Glacier Grey.

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Tag: catamaran

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Lake Pehoé Navigation Schedule 2019-2020 by Hielos Patagónicos Catamarán (PUDETO – LODGE PAINE GRANDE) Updated

• October 10, 2018 December 28, 2019
• Mauricio Escalona
• Destinations , FAQ , Trekking
• catamaran , Lodge Paine Grande , Navigation , Pudeto , schedule , Torres del Paine

LAKE PEHOE NAVIGATION SCHEDULE 2019-2020 BY HIELOS PATAGONICOS CATAMARAN (PUDETO – LODGE PAINE GRANDE) UPDATED

Fees in Chilean Pesos  One Way $18.000 Round Trip $28.000. Only cash accepted. (One backpack is allowed)

Charge per extra backpack:

$12,000 per backpacks over 50 Kg.

$6,000 per backpacks under 50Kg.

More info: www.hielospatagonicos.com 

Phone number: +56 61 241 1133

SCHEDULE 2016-2017 OF LAKE PEHOE NAVIGATION BY HIELOS PATAGONICOS CATAMARAN (PUDETO – LODGE PAINE GRANDE)

• December 15, 2016 March 25, 2019
• catamaran , Lodge Paine Grande , Pehoe , Pudeto , schedule

SCHEDULE 2016-2017 OF LAKE PEHOE NAVIGATION BY HIELOS PATAGONICOS CATAMARAN (PUDETO – LODGE PAINE GRANDE) UPDATED

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