- Accommodation: At the Refugio will be provided either in dormitories or in the refuge’s camping area consisting of a comfortable tent, including mat, sleeping bag, and a polar fleece liner; our team will set up and dismantle all this. The campsite provides satisfactory bathroom facilities. Meals will be served inside the refuges.
- Starting / Finishing Points: the trip starts on Sunday and finishes on Thursday with pickups and drops offs in Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales or El Calafate.
- Group Size & Guiding Staff: 9 travelers are the most typical group size, plus guiding staff. Maximum 12 clients. Guide to passenger ratio: 1:6
- Physical Demands: This program has been designed for adventurers, energetic people and lovers of sport in remote places, as it requires good physical fitness and the ability to adapt to unstable weather conditions, typically rainy and cold or temperate.
Summary
- Famous W trek in Torres del Paine National Park.
- Unique Fauna and Flora.
- Trek to the Valle Frances and Tower Base.
- Sailing to the Glacier Grey.
- Stay at the Ecocamp Patagonia Hotel.
Day 1: The Patagonian Adventure Start.
Day 2: The Paine Massif´s Heart: Valle Frances.
Day 3: Sailing to the Grey Glacier.
Day 4: Trekking to the Tower Base.
Day 5: Last Day – Punta Arenas Airport.
Overview
Watch as Torres del Paine puts its best foot forward on this unforgettable five-day voyage.
Be amazed by the skyrocketing mountains, deep blue glaciers, and hauntingly beautiful forests of Torres del Paine National Park on this shorter version of the world-renowned W Trek, all completed with EcoCamp unique blend of adventure and comfort.
Itinerary Details
DAY 1:
THE PATAGONIAN ADVENTURE START
The trip begins with you being picked up from your hotel in Punta Arenas or Punta Arenas airport in the morning and driven to EcoCamp Patagonia, located in the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. Alternatively, you can start your trip in Calafate.
On route we make a couple of stops – First in Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of “Seno de Ultima Esperanza”, where we enjoy a hearty local lunch, and second at Cueva de Milodon, a massive prehistoric cave where the remains of a giant ground sloth were discovered in the 1890’s. The journey is scenic and highly atmospheric, featuring many wild birds and wonderful Patagonian landscapes.
The day ends with our arrival and overnight stay at EcoCamp Patagonia, with a prime view of the majestic Torres. Sunset is usually around 11 pm during the summer months, meaning that there will still be enough daylight for you to admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked mountain horizon once you arrive.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
Overnight: EcoCamp Hotel.
Hotel
Ecocamp Hotel
DAY 2:
THE PAINE MASSIF’S HEART: VALLE FRANCES
After breakfast we drive toward Pudeto dock where we board the catamaran to Pehoe, from here we will begin the challenging trek to Valle Frances (French Valley), along with a steep trail that leads to the very heart of the Paine Massif. How far in we go depends on our group’s trekking rhythm. A swifter walk will lead us to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south-east face of the Massif, where we will be treated to fantastic views of the valley. We continue to ascend towards the upper section of the valley where we will be able to marvel at the extensive mass of the valley’s geological formations.
After our upward trek, we will pause for a picnic and relax a while. This day’s trek will end as we descend through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest which will take us to Refugio Paine Grande, located on the peaceful shores of Lake Pehoe.
*Accommodation: Refugio Paine Grande
*An optional trek to Mirador Británico is also available.
*N.B.The excursion to French Valley varies throughout the season depending on the catamaran connecting Pudeto and Refugio Pehoe: From October 1st to November 15th and from March 16th through April the navigation operates only once a day, therefore the hike will be limited and only reach Italian campsite. (From November 16th to March 15th the excursion operates on a regular basis).
Meals:Breakfast, Box Lunch and Dinner.
Overnight: EcoCamp Hotel.
DAY 3:
SAILING TO THE GREY GLACIER
This day will see us hike from Paine Grande Refugio along the shores of Lake Pehoe to the northern side of the glacially beautiful Lake Grey. We will feast on a picnic lunch before boarding the boat that sails right to the huge, crystalline facade of Glacier Grey, where we will have plenty of time to marvel at the calving glacier. From the southern end of Glacier Grey, we will transfer to EcoCamp. Be aware that boat trips can be canceled if the required minimum of 10 passengers is not reached. If either is the case, we will trek up to the sightseeing point and profit from wonderful, panoramic views of the Glacier instead. Then we will return on foot to Paine Grande and take a catamaran to Pudeto’s dock, where we will be picked up and driven to EcoCamp.
Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch and Dinner.
Overnight: EcoCamp Hotel.
Hotel
Ecocamp Hotel
DAY 4:
TREKKING TO THE TOWER BASE
The goal of the penultimate day of our 5-day trek will be to complete the most famous trekking trail in Torres del Paine National Park! We will walk from EcoCamp towards Hostería Las Torres before ascending to Ascencio Valley on the Tower’s eastern face. Mountain ridges, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley. Our big challenge comes in the form of the steep moraine, a huge mass of boulders which will lead us to that iconic base-view of the Towers – Three gigantic granite monoliths, the remains of a great cirque sheared away by the forces of glacial ice.
After a tough uphill climb, the Towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically before us, with the glacial lake visible below. Is there any better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view and our picnic, we backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to EcoCamp for a well-deserved dinner.
Meals: Breakfast.
Overnight: EcoCamp Hotel.
Hotel
Ecocamp Hotel
DAY 5:
LAST DAY
On your last day, depending on your flight, we will board an early morning vehicle, sit back, relax, and enjoy a scenic ride back to Punta Arenas or Punta Arenas Airport where you will catch your return flight to Santiago or other destination.
Meals: Breakfast and Box Lunch.
End of EcoChile Services.
2020 – 2021 SEASON RATES
Land Portion Pricing: Group of 2 People
Price per person
>> USD 3,540 (High Season)
>> USD 3,530 (Shoulder Season)
* Please note that international and domestic flights are not included in this price.
Included:
- All ground transport as indicated in the itinerary.
- Regular bus tickets Calafate<>Natales if starting/finishing in Calafate.
- One expert English/Spanish speaking trekking guide.
- Cueva del Milodon and Torres del Paine NP fees.
- 3 nights accommodation at EcoCamp (dome of your choice).
- 1 night accommodation at Refugio Paine Grande* (shared basis).
- Boat crossing over Pehoe Lake ** and Grey Lake **.
- Sleeping bag for the mountain hut if needed.
- Luggage transport: while trekking you will carry just your daypack.
Meals
- Day 1: Lunch – Dinner.
- Day 2: Breakfast – Box Lunch – Dinner.
- Day 3: Breakfast – Box Lunch – Dinner.
- Day 4: Breakfast – Box Lunch – Dinner.
- Day 5: Breakfast – Box Lunch.
Not Included:
- Flight tickets.
- Insurance (it is mandatory you purchase appropriate insurance for this trip).
- Voluntary tipping of guides and staff.
- Soft drinks or snacks not served with the meals included at the EcoCamp. Bringing US$ in cash for buying extra drinks/snacks or souvenirs in Torres del Paine NP is recommended.
- Items of a personal nature.
Important:
- During Shoulder and low season (October and April), some excursions are subject to the weather conditions and might be canceled or modified for reasons of security, for example, the Navigation on Grey Lake, the excursion to the French Valley and to the Tower base trek. In any case, we will either modify the original itinerary or offer you a good alternative of excursion within the park.
Why is this trip sustainable?
- The food provided is locally prepared with regional products.
- You will travel plastic-free throughout your trip! We use reusable or glass bottles, as well as recyclable containers.
- Our top recommended hotels include sustainability policies as part of their mission and operations.
- We work in collaboration with local suppliers and communities in each location.
- We keep our tour groups small, both to improve the experience for you and to reduce the impact on the places we visit.
- We respect and value the lifestyles, beliefs, and traditions of the local communities we visit.
Our Health and Safety Promise
As the world continues to adapt to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we understand that travelers, while eager to once again get out and explore the world, also want to be careful and only travel where and when it’s safe to do so. Just as you take your health and safety seriously, as well as the health and safety of the destinations and communities we visit, so do we. That’s why, in compliance with national and international health and safety regulations and recommendations, we’ve optimized our operations and tour itineraries to provide you with the safest itinerary possible.
This tour was specifically designed with social distancing in mind, avoiding overly crowded places without sacrificing the experience of discovering the destination. We only partner with hotels and tour operators that are similarly committed to putting their clients’ health first, frequently using cleaning and sanitizing services, and only offering tours and excursions when it’s fully safe to do so. All this and more are just some of the ways we’re innovating travel itineraries for a healthier, safer future.
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding the health and safety procedures of this and other EcoChile tours, please let us know so we can answer your question or accommodate your request. Your safety is our top priority.
*This listed price is based on two people sharing a double room. The price may vary due to the time of year you travel, the size of your group, accommodation availability and not counting special dates. ** Solo travelers or guests staying in single rooms must quote it separately *** The single supplement is based on Regular tours, availability of which must be confirmed prior to reservation of the trip.
Additional Information: