W Trek

The best known walk in Chilean Patagonia, tracing a W across the south face of the Paine massif in Torres del Paine National Park. Three arms run up into the mountains from a spine along the lakes: to the granite towers the park is named for, into the Valle del Francés, and out to the Grey glacier. Most people walk it in four or five days between refugios. [Route details] Start: Hotel Las Torres · End: Paine Grande (catamaran to Pudeto) 72.1 km including the three arms, walked out and back 39 m to 870 m at the Mirador Base Torres [Round the W] - Refugio Chileno 4.4 km, Campamento Torres 7.4 km — the towers arm - Refugio Los Cuernos 25.3 km - Campamento Italiano 30.0 km — the Valle del Francés arm - Paine Grande 49.1 km - Refugio Grey 59.4 km — the glacier arm, then back to Paine Grande [Good to know] - Refugio and campsite bookings are required and open months ahead; the park limits numbers. - The southern half of this route is shared with the O circuit, published separately. - Elevation is sampled from a terrain model, not recorded on the ground.