Torres del Paine · Summer
W Express Guided
Torres del Paine in 4 Days · Fully Guided
At a glance
The W Trek in 4 guided days: Base Torres, Mirador Británico, Paine Grande and Grey Glacier by boat, with longer days and every night booked.
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Distance
- about 70 km (43 mi)
- Difficulty
- Intermediate–Advanced
- Group
- 1–12
- Season
- Summer (October–April)
- Direction
- East to west
- Start
- Your hotel in Puerto Natales (private airport transfer from PUQ or PNT arranged at booking)
- End
- Puerto Natales
- Accommodation
- Refugios and campsites in the park (3 nights)
- Guiding
- Guided
Overview
W Express Guided fits the W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park into 4 days instead of 5. You walk east to west with a Vertic guide: Base Torres on the first day, Lago Nordenskjöld and the Cuernos sector on the second, Valle Francés up to Mirador Británico and on to Lago Pehoé on the third, and a final morning hike to Lago Grey before a boat navigation to Grey Glacier and the drive back to Puerto Natales.
To save a day, the long days are longer. Day 1 is the Base Torres hike, about 22 km with roughly 1,400 m of elevation gain. Day 3 alone is about 24 km (14.8 mi), taking in Mirador Británico rather than leaving it as an option. Day 4 adds the walk to Grey and the boat before the transfer out. In exchange you see the same main viewpoints as the 5-day W with one fewer night in the park.
We book three nights in advance at Refugio & Camping Central, Cuernos and Paine Grande. Your guide, a pre-trek video call, meals during activities, park entrance fees, the Grey Glacier navigation, private airport transfers and private transfers to and from the park are included, and porters can be added on request. The trip is rated intermediate to advanced and suits hikers in good physical condition for long days, in groups or private parties of 1 to 12 guests, from October to April.
Highlights
- Base Torres on day 1: the Ascencio valley, Refugio Chileno and the moraine to the lake under the towers
- The Cuernos del Paine above Lago Nordenskjöld
- Mirador Británico at the head of Valle Francés, built into the day rather than optional
- Grey Glacier: on foot to Lago Grey, then by catamaran to the ice
- Fully guided, with private transfers included
Is this trip for you?
- Level
- Intermediate–Advanced
- Group
- 1–12
Hikers in good physical condition who are short on time and happy to trade a slower pace for a full W in 4 days. Expect two days of 22–24 km. If you'd rather spread the same route over 5 days, choose W Trek Guided.
Itinerary
- Day 1Pickup and the Base Torres hike22 km / 14 mi
- Day 2Central to Cuernos12 km / 7 mi
- Day 3Cuernos to Paine Grande via Mirador Británico24 km / 15 mi
- Day 4Hike to Grey, glacier navigation and return to Puerto Natales12 km / 7 mi
Day 1
Pickup and the Base Torres hike
Early pickup at your hotel in Puerto Natales and a private drive through the Laguna Amarga entrance to the Las Torres sector. With your guide you climb the Ascencio valley, cross Paso de los Vientos to Refugio Chileno and follow lenga forest to the foot of the moraine, then climb its rocky slope for about 45 minutes to the lake at the base of the towers. Back down the same trail to the valley floor. About 22 km (14 mi) and roughly 1,400 m of gain, usually 8–10 hours. You sleep at Refugio & Camping Central, the Las Torres base with dorms, a campsite, hot showers, a restaurant and a small shop.Overnight · Refugio & Camping Central · Meals · Meals during activities
Day 2
Central to Cuernos
Day 3
Cuernos to Paine Grande via Mirador Británico
Day 4
Hike to Grey, glacier navigation and return to Puerto Natales
Where you'll stay
- Night 1Refugio & Camping CentralRefugio · Camping
- Night 2Refugio & Camping CuernosRefugio · Camping · Cabins
- Night 3Refugio & Camping Paine GrandeRefugio · Camping
Each night is booked in advance by us. Depending on availability, you sleep in a shared dorm at the refugio or in a tent at the campsite. On camping nights your tent, sleeping bag and mat are included.
Dates
Private departures on request, summer (October–April).
Included and not included
Included
- Camping/refugio accommodation
- Tent, sleeping bag and mat on camping nights
- Meals during activities
- Private airport transfers
- Private transfers to and from the national park
- National park entrance fees
- Porters (add-on, on request)
- Pre-trek video call with your guide, and a gear check at pickup
- Grey Glacier navigation
- Guide
Not included
- Gratuities
- Flights
- Travel insurance
Good to know
- The Express runs east to west. It drops the separate Grey night of the 5-day W: you hike to Grey and take the boat on the same final day.
- Park passes are sold online only and every night in the park must be booked in advance. We do both and send you the pass; carry it with your passport.
- Fires are not allowed anywhere in the park; cooking only in designated areas. Stay on marked trails and pack out everything.
- Weather turns fast, with sun, rain and strong gusts on the same day in any month. Pack layers.
- Travel insurance is required and is not included. Hotel nights in Puerto Natales before and after the trek are not part of this trip.
Before you go
Getting there
Fly to Punta Arenas (PUQ), which has flights all year, or to Puerto Natales (PNT), which has seasonal flights from Santiago and Puerto Montt. From Punta Arenas it's about 3 hours by road to Puerto Natales, and the park is 2–4 hours from Puerto Natales depending on the entrance. Your private transfers between the airport, Puerto Natales and the park are included.
- Flights
- PUQ year-round · PNT seasonal
- Punta Arenas → Puerto Natales
- ~3 h by road
- Puerto Natales → park
- 2–4 h
- Park entrances
- Laguna Amarga · Pudeto (catamaran across Lago Pehoé, 30–40 min)
Park pass and bookings
Park passes are sold online only, not at the gate, and every night in the park has to be booked before you arrive. Entrance fees and all your nights are included in this trip and booked by us. We'll send you the pass: carry it on your phone or printed, together with your passport.
Park rules we follow
- Fires are not allowed anywhere in the park. Cooking only in the designated areas of each campsite or refugio.
- Stay on marked trails and pack out everything you bring in (Leave No Trace).
Weather and daylight
Patagonian weather changes fast, and wind is the constant: expect sun, rain and strong gusts on the same day, in any month. Plan layers rather than a single warm jacket.
Hours of daylight · 51° S (Torres del Paine)
What to pack
- Layers
- waterproof jacket and waterproof pants, a warm mid layer (fleece or down), quick-dry base layers, warm hat and gloves
- Feet
- broken-in hiking boots, wool socks, camp shoes
- On the trail
- daypack with rain cover, trekking poles, headlamp, reusable water bottle
- Sun
- sunglasses, sunscreen, sun hat
- Documents
- passport, park pass (we send it to you), travel insurance details
Insurance
Compare with
W Trek Guided
5 days on the classic W, with a guide on the trail.
5 days / 4 nights · Intermediate–Advanced
W Trek Self-Guided
The same 5-day W without a guide; independent navigation required.
5 days / 4 nights · Intermediate–Advanced (independent navigation required)
More in Patagonia: the Patagonia travel guide, with when to go, the places and every trip in the region.
SOURCES · Vertic field notes · torresdelpaine.com · Daylight computed with the NOAA solar equations for 51° S (Torres del Paine), 15th of each month · Park passes and rules: CONAF / pasesparques.cl · Campsites and refugios: the park's concessionaires
Ready to go?
FAQs
It covers the same main sights in 4 days instead of 5, so the days are longer: day 3 alone is about 24 km (14.8 mi), and on day 4 you hike to Grey and take the glacier boat before driving back to Puerto Natales.
Yes, fully guided by a Vertic guide, with a video call before the trek and a gear check at pickup.
It is rated intermediate to advanced. Day 1 to Base Torres is about 22 km with roughly 1,400 m of elevation gain, and day 3 is about 24 km. You need to be in good condition for consecutive long days.
Yes. Day 3 climbs Valle Francés all the way to Mirador Británico before continuing to Paine Grande.
At Refugio & Camping Central, Cuernos and Paine Grande, one night each. Depending on availability, a shared dorm at the refugio or a tent at the campsite.
No. On camping nights your tent, sleeping bag and mat are included.
Yes. On day 4 you board the Grey III catamaran at Refugio Grey, sail toward the glacier face and land at the Hotel Lago Grey pier, where your transfer picks you up.
A guide, meals during activities, camping or refugio accommodation, the Grey Glacier navigation, national park entrance fees, private airport transfers, private transfers to and from the park and a pre-trek video call with a gear check at pickup. Porters are available as an add-on.
Flights, travel insurance and gratuities.
Fly into Punta Arenas (PUQ, year-round) or Puerto Natales (PNT, seasonal). Your private airport transfer is included; Punta Arenas is about 3 hours by road from Puerto Natales.
October to April.
No. Travel insurance is required and is not included. We recommend World Nomads for travel insurance and Global Rescue for evacuation and medical support in remote terrain. Both are optional partners, never part of the trip price.