Patagonia Torres del Paine
5 Day Short W Trek

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, complete with EcoCamp’s signature blend of adventure and comfort. For a longer journey, check out the 7-day version of the W Trek.

This program includes 1 night of accommodation away from EcoCamp at the mountain refugios along the trail.

Itinerary

EcoCamp Patagonia

Ecocamp Patagonia is located in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile with views of the majestic granite Paine Towers. It was the first geodesic dome hotel in the world, offering an upscale camp at the domes inspired by the region’s ancient nomadic inhabitants. 

EcoCamp Patagonia Suite Dome
(Heating & Private bathroom, 28m²/300ft²)

Suite domes were designed to further our goal of providing comfort in a natural setting with minimal environmental impact, and also maintain the hotel’s familiar and cozy vibe. The domes have comfortable double or twin beds, a wood stove and a private bathroom with a state-of-the-art composting toilet.

EcoCamp Patagonia Suite Dome Loft
(2 floors, Heating & Private bathroom, 37m²/398ft²)

Suite dome lofts are two-storey domes which fit up to four people and have comfortable double or twin beds both up and downstairs. These domes, ideal for families or groups of friends, come with a wood stove, a private terrace and a private bathroom with a state-of-the-art composting toilet.

EcoCamp Patagonia Superior Dome
(Heating & Private bathroom, 23m²/250ft²)

Spacious, comfortable and equipped with private bathrooms, Superior Domes are the optimum choice for trekkers wanting that bit more space and comfort at the end of a long day’s walk. Each Superior Dome has comfortable queen-size or twin beds, a propane heater, skylight windows and a private bathroom with a sophisticated composting toilet.

EcoCamp Patagonia Standard Dome
(Shared bathroom, 10m²/108ft²)

EcoCamp Standard domes were the world's first lodge accommodation in geodesic shape. They are resistant to the strong Patagonian winds, and come equipped with two single beds (doubles on request), cozy fleece blankets and feather quilts. There are windows in the ceiling for stargazing. Standard domes include shared bathrooms which are large, comfortable and gender divided.

Note: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we will not be involved in the Standard Dome sharing option this season. All standard domes will be reserved for individual travelers or travelers from the same reservation group.

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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
• Torres del Paine National Park fee
• 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 day pack)
• Meals: 4 Breakfasts, 5 Lunch/Box Lunches, 4 Dinners

Important Notes:

Either in refugio or refugio's camping area.

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.

Not included

• Flight tickets
• Insurance. (appropriate insurance is mandatory)
• Voluntary tipping to guides and staff
• Cash for buying extra drinks, snacks or souvenirs
• Personal items

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Departures

Regular Departures are available every Sunday from October to April.

Do you want a private departure for this trip? We can do it, please send us your request mentioning that you would like a private departure.

Starting / finishing point

The trip starts on Sunday and finishes on Thursday with pick-ups and drop-offs in Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales or El Calafate. Please visit our Weekly Transfer Board for details of EcoCamp pick up and drop off times from both Chile and Argentina.

Physical demands

This is the right trip for energetic people who like to be active and have a spirit of adventure and a positive attitude. During this trek you will walk a total of 61kms /38mi. On the map, in the itinerary section, click on the walking person icon for daily information.

To enjoy this trek it is essential to be in shape before you arrive. It is not wise to regard this trek as a means of getting into shape or losing excess weight. Start a program of conditioning well before departure. 

Group size guiding staff

• 9 travelers is the most typical group size, plus guiding staff.
• Maximum 12 clients.
• Guide to passenger ratio: 1:6

Children policy

Those aged 13 years or older are welcome and are considered adults.

Children between 10 and 12 might be accepted in this program if their legal guardian sends a formal letter stating that the child is prepared for such an intense trekking trip and authorizes us to hire a private guide in case the child cannot perform well during the trek.

Children under 10 years of age cannot participate in this trip.
This trip doesn’t offer a special discount for children.

Transport

In Torres del Paine and throughout Patagonia, transportation is in minivans that normally seat between 8 to 14 people. Pick up/drop off times shown in the Weekly Transfer Board are approximate and will be confirmed closer to the time by our local operations team. An exclusive toll-free emergency number will be available for anyone needing additional support while they are in Chile.

Weather

The vast unbroken stretch of ocean to the west and south of the South American continent leaves the Patagonian Andes very exposed to winds that circle the Antarctic landmass.Fine weather may deteriorate almost without warning, bringing rain and even snow. Even in summer (December to March), you should come prepared to find strong cold winds (up to 130 km/hr) and rainfall. Summer’s average temperature is 11ºC (52ºF), ranging between 2 to 24ºC (35 to 75ºF).

What you need to bring

Passengers need to be prepared for summer and winter all at once. We recommend the following:

• A day backpack (30 liters - to carry camera, glasses, raincoat, etc)
• Trekking or hiking boots
• Extra shoes for evenings or in case others get wet
• Waterproof jacket
• 2 pairs of woolen socks
• Fleece jacket or sweater
• Shorts or comfortable loose pants
• Sun protection (glasses, hat, lip balm and screen)
• Optional Capilene underwear for the upper and lower body
• Cash for buying extra drinks,snacks or souvenirs in Torres del Paine National Park.

Itinerary modifications

The weather in Patagonia can be difficult to plan around at times. We reserve the right to change the order of the days in any itinerary at the discretion of the trip guide based upon operational considerations. The trip guide can modify, change or eliminate parts of the itinerary based on these considerations.

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