The W Trek: five days in Torres del Paine
The complete guide to one of the great walks of the world: the route, the refugios, the wind and what to pack.
The W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park is one of the great walks of the world. Over four or five days, it follows a W-shaped route along the southern edge of the Paine massif in Chilean Patagonia, past granite towers, turquoise lakes, hanging glaciers and a huge ice field. It is not a technical walk, but the weather can be brutal, and it takes planning.
This is the full guide I wish I had before I went: the route day by day, where to sleep, what to pack and how to book.
Best time: November–March · Days: 5 · Budget: High · Distance: 80 km · Walking: Moderate to hard