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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

Over the last couple years I had the opportunity to lead many individual and groups to Aconcagua, Patagonia, central Cordillera and Lake District of Chile. I could not have provided the exceptional service my clients have grown accustom to without the help of KL Adventure & Aconcagua Express. Joaquin Oyarzun and his team were perfectly dedicated to the comfort, safety and enjoyment of my clients. It is this type of dedication to service that I search out when I lead trips. It is what guarantees a successful trip. Nature will deliver what it will. Outstanding infrastructure provides the comforts and support that keeps clients coming back.

Jean Pavillard
UIAGM / IFMGA Internationally Certified Mountain Guide World Wide Adventures
Switzerland

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

Overall I was very happy with the trip. Logistics of the trip were well organized; the pre-trip info, the food at base camp, the hotels, transports and equipment provided by KL / Aconcagua Express Expeditions were good.
Our guides, Kristina and Nenu, were excellent. Very friendly, knowledgeable, and capable. I had every confidence in them.

Brett Mc Fadyen
Australia

Hallo Joaquin
Ich möchte mich auf diesem Weg für Dein perfektes Service bei unserer Aconcagua Expedition bedanken. Es war von Anfang an eine Freude mit Dir zusammen zu arbeiten. Die Transfers, sowie die Reservierung und Bezahlung der Permits haben wunderbar geklappt, auch die Hotels waren einfach klasse.

Es gilt besonders hervor zu heben die Flexibilität von Aconcagua Express bei Terminänderungen und die Freundlichkeit der Mitarbeiter. Ich werde Dich und Deine Firma auf alle Fälle bei den Alpinschulen in Österreich, Italien und Deutschland weiterempfehlen.

Christine und Werner
Austria

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

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

Tatiana and Billi were great guides on the Aconcagua expedition. I’d be happy to climb another mountain with them again!! Our food was better than that from other groups going up the mountain, and it was nice to have hot thermoses brought to our tent in mornings (other groups noticed this, and the fact that they had to go get their own water, among other things less positive than that of our group). I always felt safe, that Tatiana & Billi knew what they were doing on the mountain, and that they had enough energy to handle whatever could come our way. On summit day, Billi brought a guy down to Camp 3 from 1/3 (or more) of the way up, then she ascended and caught up to us, in order to summit from Camp 3 in only 5 ½ hours! A real rock star. Then, when I was really burnt out almost all the way back to camp (with heavier snow coming down and covering the trail), Billi helped me back to Camp3… a real help when it was needed, and on the part of the trail where accidents are most prone to happen (way down from summit day). This was really appreciated. Our staff helped create a real team atmosphere, and our group was the “cool table” at the lower camps, and out dining tent was the social center of activity with several groups joining us for cards, games, etc after dinner. Our pace up the mountain was the right speed, not to fast and not too slow, enabling 5 of 6 of our group to get to the summit, and the remaining 1 doing his personal best on summit day! One guy from another group was “turned around” partway up on summit day; he later felt that he could have made it to the top with a slightly slower group pace. I’ve seen this before on other mountains. Our pace was just right! We were properly aware of the mountain challenges before the expedition, and the challenge met my personal expectations. I came off the mountain without any physical aches and pains, feeling good about the expedition and ready for more mountains in the future! Perhaps Elbrus and Denali, the 2nd with some technical training and practice. I have NO COMPLAINTS about this expedition! I believe our guides, our food were better than that of other groups, that our group gear was appropriate, and that we were properly instructed on how to prepare for the mountain and which gear to bring! I enjoyed the company of the clients as well, and that of the other teams headed up the mountain with us. This was a great expedition, and I’m lucky to have made some new friends on the mountain.

I’d recommend KL Adventure for anyone wanting to climb Aconcagua, in particular Tatiana as lead guide. Likewise I’d climb a mountain (Nepal?) with Billi and recommend her guiding services as well. Best Wishes, Mark.

Mark
USA

I would firstly like to thank you all for putting together such a great expedition. I would like to make particularly comment on the efforts of our guide Cristina who did such a great job.
The cooks at both base camps also deserve mention, as the food they prepared was fantastic. Having said that the cooked meals provided at altitude were perfect for the conditions. The hotel at Penitentes was also a little run down, but again there did not seem to be many other options.
This criticisms do not even rate as concerns. The service provided by your company was fantastic and I would not hesitate to recommend it to others.

Stephen Hynd
Australia

Volevo ringraziarti di tutto per quello che hai fatto tu e i tuoi collabori durante la nostra permanenza in Argentina. Hai dei collaboratori molto bravi anche a Plaza Argentina siamo stati trattati benissimo specialmente da Carolina che con la sua bravura e disponibilità ci ha coccolati per tutta la nostra permanenza. Io penso che, non so ancora quando, ma ritorneremo in Argentina e stai sicuro che torneremo ancora con i servizi dell’Aconcagua Express. Ciao saluta e ringrazia tutti i tuoi collaboratori, un saluto particolare a Carolina.

Renzo Dalla Bona Italian Team
Italy

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

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