5 days · Base Torres · French Valley · Grey Glacier
Guided W Trek Highlights
From US$2,500 per person
Trip at a glance
- Duration 5 days · 3 hiking daysArrival and departure days in Puerto Natales
- Difficulty Moderate to challengingUp to 22 km / 13.7 mi and 700 m / 2,300 ft of climb in a day
- Accommodation Hotel + equipped camp2 hotel nights, 2 camp nights in Río Serrano
- Trip style Guided, from one base campThree day hikes with a daypack; one certified bilingual guide per six guests
Inside the experience
Our travelers, on these trails.
Trip overview
The Guided W Trek Highlights is a five-day guided trip in Torres del Paine National Park, Chilean Patagonia, that reaches the three icons of the W Trek on three day hikes from one base camp.
Base Torres, the French Valley and Grey Glacier, each on its own day hike, without walking the full W from camp to camp.
You sleep two nights in Puerto Natales and two at an equipped camp in Río Serrano, carry only a daypack and hike with a certified bilingual local guide, one for every six guests. We arrange the camp, the catamaran crossings, the boat to Grey Glacier, the park entrance and every transfer: you show up and walk.
Is this trip right for you?
One bar per day: hours on the trail, the climb, and where you sleep.
- 55 km · 34 miin three hiking days
- 1,500 m · 4,900 ftof ascent in total
- 2 nightsin a tent, 2 in a hotel
- Day 1: Puerto Natales, Arrive, night in a hotelDay 1
- Day 2: Base Torres, 8 h, about 700 m (2,300 ft) of ascent, night in a tentDay 2
- Day 3: French Valley, 8 h, about 400 m (1,300 ft) of ascent, night in a tentDay 3
- Day 4: Grey Glacier, 4–5 h, about 400 m (1,300 ft) of ascent, night in a hotelDay 4
- Day 5: Airport or bus, DepartDay 5
Hours on the trail and elevation gain are estimates and may vary.
Three days on the trail from one base camp, with only a daypack and a certified bilingual guide for every six guests. Check the distance, estimated hiking time and elevation gain for each day above: only you know how that effort will feel.
Want the full W, walked in order and sleeping inside the park? The Guided W Trek does it in seven days.
The Highlights, day by day
The trip begins and ends in Puerto Natales, with two hotel nights and two nights at an equipped camp in Río Serrano. Choose a day to see its route, distance, hiking time, meals and where you sleep.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · Terrain from open elevation data
What’s included
For US$2,500 per person, everything on the trail is arranged before you arrive. What’s not included is listed separately.
Accommodation
- 2 hotel nights in Puerto Natales, with breakfast
- 2 nights at an equipped camp in Río Serrano
- Pre-set tent, sleeping bag, liner and sleeping mat
Transport and logistics
- Airport or bus terminal transfers in Puerto Natales, both ways
- Transfers to and from Torres del Paine
- Torres del Paine National Park entrance fee
- Lake Pehoé catamaran crossings
- Boat to Grey Glacier across Grey Lake (Grey III)
Guiding, meals and field support
- Pre-trek briefing with a local specialist
- All meals on the trail, as listed day by day
- Certified bilingual local guides, with one guide for every six guests
- Trekking poles
- Local support before and during your trip
Not included
- International and domestic flights
- Bus tickets between Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales (we check that your flight and bus times match)
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
What travelers say
Traveler reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and WeTravel
The trip was amazing. Special thanks to Natalia, Magda, and Felipe for making this trip so memorable. The trek was very challenging but their positivity, energy, and encouragement helped us throughout the journey.
Natty is a fabulous, talented, funny, energetic and very knowledgeable guide. She explained everything in detail, what to expect, level of effort, etc. and took us to the most beautiful places on the planet.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we get by email, answered before you ask.
How do I get from Punta Arenas airport to Puerto Natales?
By bus, in about two and a half hours. Several companies run the route through the day, and the timetable changes with the season, so we check the current departures against your flight before you book, in both directions. Bus tickets are not included in the program. The bus is the only road link south, and getting to Patagonia covers everything that comes before it.
Can I join as a solo traveler?
Yes. Solo travelers join a small group of up to twelve, with one certified bilingual local guide for every six guests, and local support before and during the trip.
When is the best time to do the W Trek?
The trekking season in Torres del Paine runs from October to April. December to February bring the longest days and the busiest camps; October, November, March and April are quieter, with colder nights, and April adds the autumn colors of the lenga forest. The Patagonian wind can blow in any month, so there is no wrong choice inside the season, only the month that fits your dates. We run the Guided W Trek Highlights across the whole season. Some months suit these five days better than others, and our month-by-month guide explains why.
What should I pack?
Waterproof hiking boots, thermal and insulating layers, a waterproof jacket and pants, gloves, sun protection, a daypack, a reusable water bottle and any personal medication. A detailed packing list is sent before departure. Five days out is long enough to regret the wrong jacket. Our Torres del Paine packing list has the detail.