Patagonia has a mythical look to it. Endless grassy plains between turquoise rivers, snowy peaks, ancient glaciers, and a never-ending wind. Torres Del Paine in Chile is the perfect example of Patagonia, known for its tall granite pillars. The hiking route around the national park is often called the best long distance trek in the world, and after hiking it I can see why.
The W-Trek exploded in popularity over the last decade because of social media. Most people bus to the park, ferry across the lake, and spend 3-4 days hiking the front side of the range in a ‘W’ shape. The O-Trek instead completes a full loop, adding quieter valleys, forests, glaciers and the John Gardner Pass. It always appealed to me more.
I was six months into my travels through Central America & South America at the time. I had climbed Aconcagua two weeks earlier and was just about recovered. I had been reunited with my tent and was excited for some time alone in the wilderness, and at my own pace. Patagonia was perfect as it feels truly remote. Weather systems roll in from Antarctica, trails disappear into huge valleys, and the mountains still feel wild. My experience of the O-Trek was truly unforgettable.
Preparation & Planning
Booking the O-Trek is far more awkward than it should be. The campsites are split between two companies; Vertice manage the quieter back side of the trail, while Las Torres manage the busier W-Trek side. Vertice was straightforward and reasonably priced ($15), while Las Torres felt chaotic and expensive ($75+). There were a few free campsites too that were run by CONAF, but these were closed recently and have wardens to make sure people don’t use them anymore.
Like most people, I had to shape my itinerary around what bookings remained. Everything on the W-Trek was sold out six months before, but luckily I got one cancellation (Cuernos) and booked my other nights on the back side (Dickson, Perros & Paine Grande). My plan was five days of hiking; three for the quieter back side of the loop, and two for the W-Trek, costing $120 total. I booked my park permit online for $45 too.
The system feels broken. Bookings are held by tour companies and resellers who push people towards overpriced glamping setups. I met hikers paying thousands for this trip, and people who were forced to book some nights in pre-pitched tents ($250+), only to arrive and find the campsite is actually empty. As you’d guess, there are no refunds.
At the other extreme, I met people who setup at campsites without bookings and never paid. You’d need one fake booking to show at the ranger station between Séron & Dickson, but after that there’s barely any signal and nobody checks. Some people show up to each campsites reception and pay there, making the whole booking system feel redundant. I was glad to have everything sorted beforehand, but one or two missing bookings shouldn’t be a deal breaker for anyone.
Below is the route with the W-Trek in Green and O-Trek in purple. Campsites are shown in blue for the cheaper Vertice ones, green for the Las Torres ones, and Orange for the closed CONAF ones. I booked Dickson, Los Perros, Paine Grande & Los Cuernos.
Arrival in Puerto Natales
I flew from Mendoza to Puerto Montt, then took a bus to Puerto Natales. I stayed in Last Hope Hostel where every conversation revolves around weather forecasts and campsite bookings, though almost no one was doing the full O-Trek. The town is full of hikers and outdoor gear shops so I felt right at home. The wind brought a chill that had me wearing all my layers, but the port looked really pretty.
In town, I finalised my food which was mainly porridge, cous-cous, noodles, wraps, salami and every kind of biscuit. I was cold soaking my meals (thank you Aisling for the peanut butter jar), but there was usually hot water at each campsite anyway. I booked a return bus ticket to the national park for $24, and had one of the best meals of my life at El Brisket. After a few chats in what turned out to be a lovely hostel, I got an early night.
Day 1
Las Torres to Dickson
Distance: 32.4km | Ascent: 800m
I met Thomas from Paris on my 7:00am bus, and we hiked together for most of the day. We had clear skies and perfect views of the towers above. The first section was fast and mostly flat. We stopped for lunch at Serón before continuing into stronger winds. One part called Windy Pass was genuinely tough to walk through, here I pushed on a bit faster.
Later I caught up with Flora from the UK who had hiked the towers yesterday in perfect conditions, then camped in Séron. I prayed they’d be as clear for me next week. The scenery became greener, opening out to huge rivers and snow capped peaks. I reached Dickson after 6hrs and got a great camp spot by the river (which would be unreal to packraft).
I journaled for a while, and tried removing a splinter I got while walking, but to no avail. People arrived all day, usually with massive backpacks. That evening Thomas, Flora & I ate together, along with a few others we met at camp. For sunset we walked down to a beach, ate extra snacks from the campsites shop, and played card games until late. This is one of the best campsites I’ve seen anywhere in the world. It’s beautiful.
Day 2
Dickson to Los Perros
Distance: 14km | Ascent: 540m
Today was nice and short. I hiked with Flora through a narrow valley with forest trails above a roaring river. Wooden bridges crossed rapids and waterfalls, as the scenery became wilder. Eventually we reached a lake so windy we could barely stand, and soon after saw Los Perros campsite.
Los Perros is tucked away in a sheltered forest. People were nervous about tomorrow, speculating on snow and wind. Rangers warned everyone that they must leave before 7:00am or they wouldn’t have time to cross John Gardner Pass. People make this sound terrifying, which gives the camp a strange atmosphere. Everyone prepared like a major expedition was ahead, discussing ever earlier start times.
I hadn’t wanted to stay here because it made for such a short day, but I didn’t have a choice. After 7:00am they block the trail as they insist it takes atleast 8hrs to get to the next campsite (Grey). I had dinner with Thomas and Flora, saying goodbye for now as they were staying in Grey next but I was pushing on. I spent the evening watching movies while the wind shook the trees outside.
Day 3
Los Perros to Paine Grande
Distance: 27.7km | Ascent: 1,250m
Headtorches flickered past my tent as early as 4:00am. By 6:30am campsite staff were shaking tents and telling hikers to leave immediately. I left just before 7:00am, hiking fast as I’d planned a big day.
By 7:45am I’d somehow overtaken the furthest hiker who was a nice Canadian man that also seemed confused by the panic. The climb was beautiful. Windy and icy, but very manageable. I stood on top of John Gardner Pass at 8:15am, and the view on the other side of Grey Glacier was unbelievable. I passed our ranger station checkpoint at 9:00am, where we’d been told to turn around if we hadn’t reached it by 2:00pm.
The descent was steep and slippy to be fair, but I loved having it all to myself. Eventually it levelled out beside the glacier and you had views of the massive icebergs that floated in the lake below. I had been to Perito Moreno before which is probably the most famous glacier in the world, but this seemed equally impressive. You could feel a chill coming from it.
The trail continued towards a series of long suspension bridges that swayed in the wind. Below were bright blue rivers that descended to the lake full of icebergs. At one bridge I met Guillermo who I’d cycled Bolivia’s Death Road with months ago. What a small world. He was doing a day hike backwards from Grey campsite, making him the first person I’d seen in hours.
I reached Grey at 10:00am, dried my tent in the sun, had lunch beside all the people waking up and having breakfast, then continued onwards. The glacier views kept getting better while waterfalls and rainbows filled the opposite cliffs. I hiked most of this with Faith & Tylar, after stopping to ask him about his Durston Kakwa backpack.
Paine Grande campsite is huge, with a ferry port, bar and restaurant. I struggled to setup my tent in the wind, but did find a good spot. That evening I had pizza and beers with Faith, Tylar & Sonna, who had also summited Aconcagua just days after me. Strong winds were forecast again for tomorrow so I planned another early start.
Day 4
Paine Grande to Los Cuernos
Distance: 26.5km | Ascent: 1,020m
The rain stopped before dawn and I left camp quickly. An hour later I reached Italiano campsite where everyone leaves their backpacks before hiking the out and back up to Británico. I drank loads of water and continued up. The valley is spectacular with huge rocky slides, hanging glaciers and steep cliffs. The final climb was a bit of a slog but the views were worth it.
Wind intensified near the top so I trail ran the descent. Back at Italiano I discovered why the trail had felt so quiet all morning; rangers had closed the route at 8:00am due to wind and more than a hundred hikers were waiting below hoping it might reopen. I was glad I’d chosen to get up early.
After grabbing my bag I continued onwards. One hour later I reached Francés campsite where most of the group from yesterday would be staying, then continued along the lake towards Cuernos; the only W-Trek booking I’d managed to get. The campsite is on a steep slope with tents pitched on wooden platforms. At check-in they give you a power drill so you can screw clips into the platform to tie down your tent. It’s a funny experience. I spent the evening drying gear, journalling, and chatting to people in the campsites cafe.
Day 5
Los Cuernos to Las Torres
Distance: 12.8km | Ascent: 440m
The wind howled all night. In the morning, reception informed us that both out-and-back hikes were closed, including the towers. I decided to stealth camp near the park entrance and attempt the towers at sunrise the following morning instead. It meant sacrificing my hostel booking and missing my return bus, but I’d deal with that later. You can’t miss this part.
The walk back was beautiful. Suspension bridges, huge rivers, and snowy peaks above the valley. Eventually I reached the day-hiker crowds which felt chaotic compared to the O-Trek, or even the W-Trek. I jogged the final downhill into Las Torres camp, where there were surprisingly few tents for a “sold out” campsite.
I bought more food for my extra day, then found a discreet spot for my tent away from cameras. I hoped nobody would notice, and thankfully no one did. I spent the night eating empanadas and watching movies while rain hit the tent.
Day 6
The Towers
Distance: 21.5km | Ascent: 1,280m
I started at 4:00am under a sky full of stars. I left my gear in the tent, and moved fast on empty trails. It got a little busier after Chileno campsite, which I would have loved a booking for, allowing you to see the towers for both sunset and sunrise. Around 6:00am snow made the route more confusing and there was a sign with a hilarious “no pooing” symbol, then after a final scramble I got to the viewpoint.
It was still dark so I waited by the frozen lake for sunrise. Torres Del Paine absolutely deserves the hype. The towers glow orange while the lake reflects beneath. It was easily the highlight of the whole hike and justified the extra day. After sunrise, I ran down hoping to catch the first bus. Along the way I met Thomas and lots of hikers I knew from the past days.
Roughly 500m from the end, I saw two people taking a photo of a bush and assumed there was a bird inside. It was actually a puma which walked out five meters in front of me. Pumas are the symbol of Torres Del Paine and are incredibly rare to see. Ending the trip with that sighting felt absurdly lucky, though it was pretty scary at the time.
I missed the first bus so with an hour to wait I bought an O-Trek patch (since it had a puma on it) and sewed it onto my jacket, while drying gear in the sun. The return journey became chaotic with every bus full and nobody accepting yesterdays ticket, but eventually I made it back to the comfort of Last Hope Hostel.
Over the next few days almost everyone I’d met on trail gradually returned to town. We reunited for another amazing dinner at El Brisket followed by too many drinks. I had gone out wanting some time to myself in the wild and I did get that, but I was also lucky enough to meet some incredible people who I was very happy to share the experience with.
Afterthoughts
The trail deserves its reputation as the best hike in the world. Every day feels cinematic. Glaciers collapse into lakes, rivers glow turquoise under suspension bridges and the mountains are so striking. The campsites are sociable and have great facilities, which make it more comfortable and accessible, but without detracting from the wild area you’re in.
The only downside is how commercialised the booking system has become. Campsites could fit hundreds more tents, so them “selling out” a year before is ridiculous. Tour companies and resellers are making a killing and Las Torres don’t mind as it leads people to pay a premium for pre-pitched tents, even though they’re usually carrying their own tent aswell. I hate that some people are forced to settle for just the day trip because they can’t get past the booking system.
That said, the hiking is fantastic. The O-Trek makes far more sense to me than the W-Trek. Hiking the full loop feels like a proper journey, and the quieter back side has some of the best scenery. Despite the reputation, the trail is very approachable. The dramatic warnings around John Gardner Pass are only because the route attracts beginners. In good conditions there is nothing technical about it.
On a personal level, I couldn’t be happier with how it all went. I hiked fast to make my bookings work, and had good luck with the weather where it mattered. My body felt great, having thankfully recovered from a scary few weeks of brain fog and dizziness after Aconcagua. It left me excited to continue through Patagonia and I was already looking forward to my next big hike: the Huemul Circuit. Supposedly the most difficult hike in Patagonia!
Thanks for reading,
Brian
