Torres del Paine · Summer
W Trek Self-Guided
Torres del Paine's Classic W · Self-Guided
At a glance
Hike the W Trek on your own in 5 days: we book every refugio night, park fees, transfers and the Grey Glacier boat. You walk it at your pace.
- Duration
- 5 days / 4 nights
- Distance
- about 68 km (42 mi), plus 4 km (2.4 mi) if you add Mirador Británico on day 3
- Difficulty
- Intermediate–Advanced (independent navigation required)
- 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 (4 nights), booked by us
- Guide
- None
Overview
This is the W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park for hikers who want to walk it without a guide. The route is the same as our guided W: 5 days and about 68 km (42 mi) from east to west, starting with the Base Torres hike, then along Lago Nordenskjöld under the Cuernos del Paine, into Valle Francés, across to Lago Pehoé and on to Lago Grey. On the last morning you board a catamaran to the face of Grey Glacier before your transfer back to Puerto Natales.
The part that is hard to arrange from abroad is done for you. We book all four nights in advance at Refugio & Camping Central, Cuernos, Paine Grande and Grey, and we buy your park entrance, which is sold online only. Meals during activities, the Grey Glacier navigation, private airport transfers and private transfers to and from the park are included. Porters can be added on request. What you do on your own is the walking: reading the trail, setting your pace, checking in at each refugio and getting to the next one in good time.
There is no guide and no pre-trek briefing on this trip, so it is meant for independent hikers who are comfortable navigating by themselves and in good physical condition for intermediate to high-effort days. The first day is the longest climb, about 22 km with roughly 1,400 m of elevation gain to the base of the towers and back. Groups or private parties of 1 to 12 guests can book it from October to April.
Highlights
- Walking the W at your own pace, with every night already booked
- The climb to the lake below the three towers at Base Torres
- Valle Francés, with the option to push on to Mirador Británico
- Icebergs on Lago Grey and the suspension bridges past Refugio Grey
- A catamaran to the face of Grey Glacier on the final morning
Is this trip for you?
- Level
- Intermediate–Advanced (independent navigation required)
- Group
- 1–12
Independent hikers who are comfortable finding their own way on a marked multi-day trail and want to set their own pace and stops. You should be fit for one long climbing day and four more full days with a pack. If you would rather have someone handle route and timing, choose W Trek Guided.
Itinerary
- Day 1Transfer to Las Torres and the Base Torres hike22 km / 14 mi
- Day 2Central to Cuernos12 km / 7 mi
- Day 3Cuernos to Paine Grande via Valle Francés20 km / 12 mi
- Day 4Paine Grande to Grey and the suspension bridges12 km / 7 mi
- Day 5Grey Glacier by boat and back to Puerto Natales2 km / 1 mi
Day 1
Transfer to Las Torres and the Base Torres hike
Your private driver collects you early at your hotel in Puerto Natales and takes you into the park through the Laguna Amarga entrance to the Las Torres sector. From there you hike on your own to Base Torres: up the Ascencio valley, over Paso de los Vientos, past Refugio Chileno, through lenga forest and up the steep moraine to the lake under the towers. Most hikers need 8–10 hours for the round trip of about 22 km (14 mi) and roughly 1,400 m of gain. The park closes the upper trail in the afternoon, so start early. 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 Valle Francés
Day 4
Paine Grande to Grey and the suspension bridges
Day 5
Grey Glacier by boat and back to Puerto Natales
Where you'll stay
- Night 1Refugio & Camping CentralRefugio · Camping
- Night 2Refugio & Camping CuernosRefugio · Camping · Cabins
- Night 3Refugio & Camping Paine GrandeRefugio · Camping
- Night 4Refugio & Camping GreyRefugio · 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)
- Grey Glacier navigation
Not included
- Gratuities
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Guide
Good to know
- Vertic arranges: every night, your park pass, the Grey Glacier boat ticket, meals during activities and all your transfers. You handle: navigation, pacing, and checking in at each refugio.
- No one from Vertic walks with you and there is no pre-trek briefing, so read the route and the park rules before you leave home.
- The park sets daily cutoff times at some checkpoints, including on the Base Torres trail and in Valle Francés. Start early so you never arrive at a checkpoint after it closes.
- Fires are not allowed anywhere in the park, and cooking is only allowed in each site's designated area. Stay on marked trails and pack out everything you bring in.
- Weather changes 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
- Pack
- a 50–65 L backpack with rain cover (unless you add porters)
- 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
- trekking poles, headlamp, reusable water bottle, a map or offline navigation app you know how to use
- Sun
- sunglasses, sunscreen, sun hat
- Documents
- passport, park pass (we send it to you), your booking confirmations, 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 Express Guided
The W in 4 days, fully guided, with longer hiking days.
4 days / 3 nights · Intermediate–Advanced
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
Yes, from October to April this trip is built for exactly that. We book your nights, park pass, transfers and Grey Glacier boat; you walk the route on your own.
Yes. The trip is self-guided and requires independent navigation. The W is a marked trail, but you are responsible for your route, timing and decisions on the day.
About 68 km (42 mi) over 5 days, plus 4 km (2.4 mi) if you add Mirador Británico on day 3. The longest climb is day 1 to Base Torres, about 22 km with roughly 1,400 m of elevation gain.
East to west: Base Torres on day 1, Grey Glacier on day 5. Your nights are booked in that order, so stick to it.
At Refugio & Camping Central, Cuernos, Paine Grande and Grey. Depending on availability you get a shared dorm at the refugio or a tent at the campsite.
No. On camping nights your tent, sleeping bag and mat are included.
No, it's included. Passes are sold online only, not at the gate. We buy it and send it to you; carry it on your phone or printed, with your passport.
Included: camping or refugio accommodation, meals during activities, the Grey Glacier navigation, national park entrance fees, private airport transfers and private transfers to and from the park. Porters are available as an add-on. Not included: a guide, flights, travel insurance and gratuities.
Porters are an add-on on request. Without them you carry your own backpack between refugios; we suggest 50–65 L.
There is no Vertic guide with you, so carry travel insurance that covers trekking in remote terrain. We recommend Global Rescue for evacuation and medical support; it's optional and not part of the trip price.
The self-guided season runs from 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.