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Patagonia Torres Del Paine National: The W Circuit

Patagonia Torres del Paine National: The W Circuit

Location: Home » Patagonia » Patagonia Torres del Paine National: The W Circuit
  • Duration: 7 days.
  • Difficulty: Participants must be in good shape
  • Space Available / Trip: 6 people
  • Departures: October to April (AET1)
  • Expedition Cost: US $4,800 per person
  • Other Costs: Hotel single supplement: US $500, Private Porter: $450 / person, Deposit Cost: US $900
  • Payment Balance Due: 180 days prior departure

With awe-inspiring scenery including stunning views of the dramatic Cordillera del Paine, magnificent glaciers, dense Magellanic forest teeming with bird and animal life, and rainbow-coloured lakes scattered with floating icebergs, this outstanding tour takes you to the highlights of the Torres del Paine National Park, one of the wildest places on the planet. Starting out from the edge of the Grey Glacier, you’ll walk along the shore of Lake Grey up the beautiful Frances Valley. Bordering Lake Nordenskjöld towards the north, you’ll then ascend the Ascencio River Valley, arriving on the dramatic final day of the trek to the base of the three Torres that gave this extraordinary Park its name. On the second day of our trip, there is time for an optional trekking and climbing session on the Southern Ice Cap, one of the world’s biggest glaciers.

Route Itinerary

Day 1 Punta Arenas – Puerto Natales. An AE Expedition Guide will meet you at the airport in Punta Arenas, the largest, most southern city in the world, located on the famous Strait of Magellan. You’ll be transferred to Puerto Natales, a centre for Patagonian tourism located on the eastern shore of the Seno Ultima Esperanza, a three-hour drive across the pampa. We’ll settle into the Indigo Hotel, have a rest, and then meet to overview the trip program. Dinner and overnight at our Hotel.

Transfer distance 152 miles – 246 km / Transfer time 3 hours / Hotel

Day 2 Puerto Natales – Hostería Lago Grey – Camp Grey. Transfer by van to Torres del Paine National Park. This 2.5-hour journey through ranching country includes a quick stop in Cerro Castillo, a hamlet east of the Park that is built on a former ‘estancia’, or ranch, which was the principal site of wool and meat exportation to Europe from Chile during the 1960s. We arrive to Hosteria Lago Grey, situated on the southern border of beautiful Lake Grey, where we’ll board a boat to take us across the lake. On our two-hour trip to the Grey camp, we’ll enjoy splendid views of the impressive Grey Glacier. In the afternoon we’ll take a short hike up to two different viewpoints to have a closer look at the glacier and see the Southern Ice Cap.

Transfer distance 85,5 miles – 138 km / Transfer Time 2 ½ hours / Navigation time 3 hours / Trekking distance 1,5 miles – 3 km / Trekking time 2 hours / Refugio Grey.

Day 3 Camp Grey – Camp Pehoe. In the morning, before setting out for Pehoe camp, we have the option to do an easy short trek on the Grey Glacier**—an extraordinary experience! In the afternoon we’ll reach Camp Pehoe following an undemanding three to four-hour hike, with splendid views over Lake Grey and its Glacier.

Trekking distance 6 ¼ miles – 10 km / Trekking time 4 hours / Refugio Paine Grande

Day 4 Camp Pehoe – French Valley – Camp Los Cuernos. This morning we’ll hike up the French Valley, the most beautiful valley in the park and one of the most unique in the world, surrounded as it is by hanging glaciers and an amphitheater of granite walls and spires. We’ll continue our trek to the extraordinary turquoise-coloured Lake Nordenskjold and stop to rest at the delightful Los Cuernos Refuge for dinner. Overnight at Camp Los Cuernos.

Trekking distance 15.8 miles – 26 km / Trekking time 9 hours / Refugio Los Cuernos

Day 5 Camp Los Cuernos – Camp El Chileno. This morning we’ll trek along Lake Nordenskjold, passing below the hanging glaciers on Mount Admiral Nieto. We’ll walk up the lovely Ascencio Valley to the rustic El Chileno Refuge.

Trekking distance 8 ¾ miles – 16 km / Trekking time – 5 hours / Tent

Day 6 Camp El Chileno – Hostería Las Torres – Puerto Natales. This is our last morning on the circuit. We’ll hike up to the base of the three spectacular granite Torres or Towers that are the centerpiece of the Park. These are Torre D`Agostini (2,850m), also known as Torre Sur, Torre Central (2,800m), and Torre Norte (2,600m), also called Torre Monzino. On our way down to the Hosteria Las Torres, we’ll make a stop at El Chileno Refuge to have lunch, rest, and enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Ascensio valley. From Hosteria Las Torres our private transport will take us back to the incredible Singular hotel at Puerto Boris outside Puerto Natales. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Trekking distance 7.3 miles – 12 km / Trekking time 6 hours / Transfer distance 85,5 miles – 138 km / Transfer time 2 ½ hours. Hotel Singular

Day 7 Puerto Natales – Punta Arenas. You’ll be transferred to the Punta Arenas airport to catch your flight. And the Torres del Paine National Park Highlights—The W Circuit comes to an end!

Transfer distance 152 miles – 246 km / Transfer time 3 hours.

Services

Services included

  • Professional Bilingual Trekking Guide.
  • Ratio Guide to Clients: 1-6.
  • All local organization and supervision by AEExpeditions staff.
  • Airport assistance at Punta Arenas.
  • Private transfers during the entire tour including airport pick-up and drop-off.
  • Two nights in a Hotel based on double occupancy with breakfast, in Puerto Natales.
  • Entry fee to Torres del Paine National Park.
  • Camping fees.
  • Full board on the trekking and camping days, box lunch included.
  • Top-level climbing and camping equipment: The North Face, Mountain Hardware and Marmot tents, isolate mattresses, stoves and Gaz.
  • Porters for carrying common equipment (tents only).
  • Radio communications equipment, VHF 2 mt.
  • First aid kit.

Services not included

  • All personal climbing equipment.
  • Porter for personal gear.
  • Any costs involved in an early or late departure.
  • Any drinks (soda, beer, or wine) in the cities and during transfer days.
  • Cancellation, accident, and rescue insurance.
  • Cash for extra expenses.
  • Gratuities.
  • Any other service not mentioned above.

Important

  • All itineraries are subject to change due to changes in the weather, group dynamics, and the guide’s criteria.
  • Any departure can be re-scheduled with a minimum of 6 persons.
  • A service for a Private Porter to be shared between two expedition members (carrying 10kg each) is available upon request at an additional cost.
  • ** Cost for Walking and Climbing on the Southern Ice Cap, US $ 100 per person.
  • AE Expeditions reserves the right to upgrade the tour by using huts instead of camps each night, at NO additional cost.

 

Climber Experiences

Gabriel and Mariana were really fantastic and helpful, especially since I struggled with acclimatization. Suzanne (at base camp) was also really great. When I descended early she looked after me to ensure that all of my logistics for leaving the park were coordinated. The trip was overall well organized, very informative, very realistic expectations and a great experience – unfortunately, my body did not hold up as well as usual, but I do not feel that I (or the company) could have done anything differently to improve my chances. A great climbing team!

Nancy Henning
USA

The memories I have of our trekking on Aconcagua is one of my fondest. It was a most fantastic experience…. one which I will treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you and your team members for making it possible. I very much enjoyed the personal one-on-one relationships we developed with you and your team. Your professionalism and desire to please the customer is very evident and commendable.

Thomas Kremlin
Austria

Lieber Joaquin,
Als erstes möchte ich mich bei Dir für Deine Leistungen bei der Expedition zum Aconcagua bedanken. Bergführer Abi Kirschner hat sich sehr lobend über Deine Arbeit geäußert. Auch Pierre Kintgen war mit Bergführer und KL Adventure sehr, sehr zufrieden. Ich denke, das wird unseren gemeinsamen Produkten sehr gut tun – denn die Teilnehmer tragen Ihre Zufriedenheit weiter und das ist die beste Werbung für uns alle. Ich danke Dir und Deinem Team für die hervorragende Arbeit und Bemühungen! Herzliche Grüße aus München.

Michael Roepke
DAV-Summit Club Manager, Munchen
Germany

Le voyage était parfait, avec l’immense satisfaction d’avoir été en haut de l’aconcagua !
Excellent guides, very professional and very dedicated to the success of the expedition. Very good logistics (transfers, mules); Pre-Read materials (Aconcagua book, map…) were very good; Excellent hotel in Mendoza (Hyatt!)

I would definitely recommend KL Expeditions / Aconcagua Express Expeditions.

Pascal Tiercelin
France

Mecha (Gabriel Rocamora) was a great lead guide, I can’t recommend him highly enough !

Edouard Derom
USA

Lieber Joaquin,
Ich möchte Dir nochmals herzlich danken für Dein großes Engagement, für die perfekte Organisation und all die vielen Kleinigkeiten, die Du für uns so selbstverständlich erledigt oder geregelt hast. Vielen Dank für die ausführliche e-Mail-Kommunikation und Beratung vor unserer Expedition, für Deine engagierten und motivierten Mitarbeiter im Base-Camp, in Mendoza oder wo sie uns auch immer geholfen haben, für die Auswahl von Rob als Guide und für die exzellente kulinarische Verpflegung. Richte bitte besondere Grüsse an Jorgelina und Juan aus, die uns so erstklassig verpflegt haben. In meinem Kopf habe ich unzählige wunderschöne Bilder und Erinnerungen an diese Expedition, die man nicht mit dem Fotoapparat festhalten kann, die mich aber sicher mein Leben lang begleiten werden. Danke!
Herzliche Grüße,

Nicole Benning
Deutschland

Aconcagua Express & KL Adventure was truly a wonderful experience. From the pre- trip client care to the world class guide and staff, fabulous base camp cuisine, traveling safely and ethically, superior route experience and better pricing than most other outfits. Truly a fantastic trip that I have no reservations in recommending to Americans or anyone else interested in a climb.

Eric Hornbeck
USA

Hi Joaquin, I was a member of your January expedition to Aconcagua, I was very impressed with the entire setup and I would like to compliment you on how smoothly the expedition went. I was very impressed with the skills of both Gabriel and Mariana and if it hadn’t been for them and the decisions they made I am quite sure we would not have made the summit.

Peter Dignan
United Kingdom

Hey Joaquin
We have used Aconcagua Express services every year we have guided Aconcagua and we have been 100% satisfied. Aconcagua Express is exceedingly professional, on time, and a good value. We would not choose another service for our expeditions.
Cheers,

Colby Combs Director Alaska Mountaineering School
Alaska

Dear Joaquin,
Thank you for everything and making our trip to Aconcagua 100% successful! The entire team reached the summit via the False Polish route the 12th of February. Your services and staff helped make the expedition a better experience for our team. Carolina and Marcelo were great!

Bill Crouse Lead Guide Adventure Consultants
New Zealand

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