The W is the most popular multi-day trek in South America and the hardest to organise. The walking is moderate; the logistics are not, because three different organisations control the beds along the route and they open bookings at different times.
The route in brief
The W covers roughly 80km over four to five days, tracing a rough W shape between three valleys: the Grey glacier arm, the French valley in the middle, and the Torres base at the eastern end.
Daily distances, walking west to east:
- Paine Grande to Grey and back, or on to Grey refugio — 11–22km
- Paine Grande to Francés / Cuernos via the French valley — 18–25km
- Cuernos to Chileno — 15km
- Chileno to the Torres base and out to Laguna Amarga — 14km with 600m of climb
Which direction
West to east ends with the Torres, which is the most famous view and a good climax. It also means catching the catamaran at the start, when you are fresh.
East to west puts the hardest climb on day one and the Grey glacier at the end. It also lets you attempt the Torres at sunrise from Chileno on the first morning, which many people prefer.
Neither is wrong. West to east is more common, which means more company on the trail at the same times.
Refugio or tent
Refugios provide a bunk in a shared dormitory, hot meals and a drying room. Full board is expensive but removes food weight entirely and, in a wet week, is worth every peso.
Campsites are cheaper and some rent pre-pitched tents with mats, which is the middle option most people end up choosing. Wild camping is prohibited throughout the park; fires are banned outright following two catastrophic visitor-caused wildfires.
The wind
This is what people underestimate. Sustained 60–80 km/h with gusts above 100 km/h is normal in December and January. Practical consequences:
- Trekking poles become a stability aid, not a luxury
- A hood that seals matters more than an extra insulation layer
- Lake crossings can be cancelled at short notice
- Pack covers get torn off; use a liner inside the pack as well
Gear that earns its place
- Waterproof shell jacket and trousers, taped seams
- Broken-in boots with ankle support
- Two pairs of merino socks, worn alternately
- Sun protection — the ozone layer is genuinely thinner here
- 2L water capacity; the streams in the park are drinkable in most sections
- A power bank; there is limited charging in refugios and none in camps
Getting there
Fly to Punta Arenas, bus three hours to Puerto Natales, spend a night, attend the park briefing, hire anything you are missing, buy food, and take the early bus to the park. Coming from Argentina, El Calafate to Puerto Natales takes five to six hours including the border.
On the fourth morning we walked up to the base of the towers in the dark, arrived in cloud, and sat there for forty minutes in silence while nothing happened. Then the cloud lifted for about ninety seconds. That was the trip.
For the region overall, see the Patagonia destination guide; for the Argentine side, El Chaltén's day hikes.