7-Day Patagonia: Torres del Paine W Trek with EcoCamp

The trip starts in Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales either at your hotel or at the airport. Drive to the Torres del Paine National Park.

If you start in Punta Arenas, you will stop in Puerto Natales on the shores of Seno Ultima Esperanza - "Last Hope Sound". Here you will enjoy a hearty lunch with delicious local food. It is a 3-hour drive from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales.

This scenic journey ends with our arrival at EcoCamp Patagonia, nestled in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park with a prime view of the majestic Paine Towers. It is a 2-hour drive from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine.

Meals included: Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: EcoCamp

We start our Patagonian adventure with a pleasant walk along the Cuernos Trail which leads to the beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. During this warm-up walk, we will have the opportunity to admire the park's exquisite flora and fauna and take in the views of the horn-like peaks of slate that sit atop the gray granite of the Paine Massif. The trek may end at Camping Los Cuernos, a small and cozy mountain guesthouse located on the shores of Lake Nordenskjold. Or it will end at Camping Frances, located between Cuernos and Italiano camping sites, with an amazing view of Nordenskjold Lake. Overnight depends on availability, and a dorm upgrade may be available.

• Hiking Distance: 12 km/7.5 mi
• Hiking Time: 4-5 hrs
• Max. Altitude: 244 m/800 ft
• Elevation gain: 300 m/1148 ft

*** NOTE: Please bear in mind that today you will have to remove your luggage from your dome as you will be sleeping outside of EcoCamp. It will be stored inside our secure Storage Dome and will be placed inside your Dome on your return.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Refugio Los Cuernos

We begin hiking along a steep trail leading into the heart of the Paine Massif - the French Valley. How far we will go depends on our group's rhythm. A swifter walk will lead us to a hanging bridge, located at the foot of the south-eastern face of the Massif. We will continue to ascend towards the upper section of the valley to marvel at the extensive mass of the geological formations: Hoja (Blade), Mascara (Mask), Espada (Sword), among others. After our upward trek, we will pause for a picnic and relax for a while. The hike will end with a descent through a terrain of mixed grassland and light forest to Camping Paine Grande (dorm upgrade may be available).

Please note: An optional trek to Mirador Britanico is also possible with previous coordination with the guides.

• Hiking Distance: 20 Km/12.4 Mi (If you are hiking to Mirador Británico, additional 4 Km / 2.4 Mi.)
• Hiking Time: 10 hrs
• Max. Altitude: 686 m/2250 ft
• Elevation gain: 820 m/2690 ft

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Budget Accommodations: Refugio Paine Grande

Today we will hike from the Paine Grande Refugio along the shores of Lake Pehoe to the northern side of Lake Grey. We will feast on a picnic lunch before boarding the boat that sails to the crystalline facade of Glacier Grey. From the southern end of the glacier, we will transfer to EcoCamp. Due to the weather of the region, boat trips across the lake may occasionally be canceled or if the required minimum of 15 passengers is not reached. If this is the case, we will trek up to a sightseeing point to enjoy wonderful views of Grey Glacier instead. Afterward, it is time to return on foot to Paine Grande and take a catamaran to the dock, where we will be picked up and driven to EcoCamp.

• Hiking Distance: 11 km/6.8 mi
• Hiking Time: 4 hrs
• Max. Altitude: 244 m/800 ft
• Elevation gain: 271 m/889 ft

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: EcoCamp

Today is the big day, the walk to the base of the Paine Towers. We will hike towards Hosteria Las Torres before ascending to Ascencio Valley on the Tower's eastern face, flanked by mountain ridges, beech forests, and small rivers. Our big challenge is the steep moraine, a huge mass of boulders that lead to the iconic Towers base, the three granite monoliths that are the remains of a great cirque sheared away by glacial ice. After a tough uphill climb, the Towers rise majestically before us with the glacial lake visible below. After enjoying the view, we will use the same trail to return to EcoCamp for a well-deserved dinner.

• Hiking Distance: 22 km/14 mi
• Hiking Time: 9 hrs
• Max. Altitude: 897 m/2942 ft
• Elevation gain: 1023 m/3356 ft

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: EcoCamp

For the last hike, we will take it easy with a scenic drive to Sarmiento Lake's northern shore to start the less demanding Aonikenk Trail. Hiking north, we will encounter diverse Patagonian wildlife and perhaps puma tracks, passing Goic Lagoon to reach Laguna Amarga ranger station after a leisurely 5 km walk. Post-lunch, we head to Laguna Azul, spotting wild guanacos and nandus en route, and savoring various views of the Patagonian steppe and the Towers. At Laguna Azul, a short hike takes us to a lookout for stunning views of the lagoon and granite towers, finishing the day with a drive back to EcoCamp for a celebratory farewell dinner.

• Hiking Distance: 6 km/3.72 mi
• Hiking Time: 3 hrs
• Max. Altitude: 300 m/984 ft
• Elevation gain: 267 m/ 876 ft
  

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: EcoCamp

We board an early morning vehicle, sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride back to Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas on time to catch a flight to Santiago. Alternatively, transportation to El Calafate can also be arranged.

Meals included: Breakfast