Trekking

What to Pack for the W Trek and O Circuit in Torres del Paine

Updated September 2026 · 5 min read

What you need to carry depends on how your trek is booked. A traveler carrying camping equipment and food needs a very different backpack from someone whose accommodation, meals and sleeping gear are already arranged.

This guide explains what belongs in your backpack, what may already be included in your program, and what changes between the W Trek and the more remote O Circuit.

For either circuit, bring a waterproof jacket and pants, warm layers, broken-in hiking footwear, trekking socks, gloves, a warm hat, sun protection, a headlamp, a reusable water bottle, personal medication and a comfortable backpack.

Do not assume that tents, sleeping bags, meals or camping equipment are included. Check the Included section of your specific program before packing.

Everything else on this list is detail. This is the part that decides how the day goes.

• Base layer

  Next to the skin. Merino wool or synthetic, never cotton: it moves sweat away and dries while you keep walking.

• Mid layer

  Fleece or a light synthetic pullover. This is the layer you add and remove most often during the day.

• Insulated jacket

  Down or synthetic, for the stops, the camp and the early starts. How warm it needs to be depends on your season and on how cold you run.

• Waterproof shell

  Jacket with a hood, and waterproof pants. Not water resistant: waterproof. This is the layer that decides whether a windy afternoon is uncomfortable or a problem.

This is the pack you walk with, whatever your program includes.

• Backpack that fits you, with the hip belt actually carrying the weight
• Backpack liner or dry bags: rain finds its way in
• Reusable water bottle or hydration reservoir
• Waterproof jacket and waterproof pants, within reach and not at the bottom
• Warm layer for the stops
• Headlamp with spare batteries
• Sun protection: sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm with sun protection
• Personal prescription medication
• Snacks for the walking hours
• Phone and power bank

• Waterproof jacket with hood
• Waterproof pants
• Warm insulated jacket
• Base layers, merino wool or synthetic, never cotton
• Fleece or mid layer
• Hiking pants
• Warm hat
• Gloves
• Buff or neck warmer
• Trekking socks, plus spares
• Something dry to change into at camp

• Hiking boots or trail shoes, broken in before you travel
• Camp shoes or light shoes for the evening
• Gaiters, useful on wet or snowy sections

• Small first aid kit
• Blister care, and know how to use it before you need it
• Basic toiletries in small sizes
• Earplugs, for shared accommodation
• Small dry bags or zip bags for organization
• Travel documents and insurance details

The middle column is the one to check on your own program page. It is where most packing mistakes come from.

Pack yourself	Confirm in your program	Usually leave in Puerto Natales
Waterproof layers	Sleeping bag	Large suitcase
Warm layers	Tent or prepared campsite	Unnecessary duplicate clothing
Hiking footwear	Meals and trail food	Heavy cotton clothing
Personal medication	Trekking poles	Formal clothing
Headlamp	Transfers and catamaran	Full-size toiletries
Sun protection	Park entrance	Valuables not needed on the trail

Your booking confirmation and the Included section of your program always take priority over a general packing list.

The trail portion is commonly completed over four or five hiking days. Some programs are longer because they include accommodation in Puerto Natales before or after the trek.

With fewer consecutive days on the trail, you will usually need fewer personal supplies. The essential clothing system remains the same: waterproof protection, warm layers and footwear suitable for uneven terrain.

The O Circuit includes more consecutive hiking days and travels through the more remote northern side of the Paine Massif.

You may need additional personal supplies, medication, batteries and changes of socks, but carrying more clothing is not always the answer. Choose layers that can be reused and dry reasonably quickly. Your required camping and sleeping equipment depends on what your program includes.

Compare the Guided W Trek, Self-Guided W Trek and the Guided and Self-Guided O Circuit to see which accommodation, meals, camping equipment and logistics are included.

If you are still deciding how to sleep, read camping vs refugios. If you are weighing a guide, read guided vs self-guided. And if you are travelling outside the main season, read Torres del Paine in winter.