What is the W Trek? It gets its name simply from the shape of the route you take through Torres Del Paine, the massive park in southern Chile that is also a major highlight of the Patagonian region. If you look up a list of the most epic treks in the world, the W is most likely on that list (or the longer O Trek that connects the two points of the W). Iconic views of the Torres, glaciers, lakes, everything that makes Patagonia the go-to destination for outdoor enthusiasts can be found on the W Trek in Torres Del Paine, Patagonia.

While the W Trek Torres Del Paine continues to grow in popularity, there are restrictions on the number of people allowed in the park at once which helps conservation efforts and makes your experience still feel remote.  These restrictions, in combination with language barriers, time zones, etc, make planning/booking campsites or Refugios for the W Trek a bit more very difficult which is why I’ve outlined a comprehensive guide for planning your own trip.

There may have been some arguments, tears, anxiety, while planning my own trip so hopefully this guide can keep you from some of the struggle!

Planning a trip to Patagonia? Start here. 

What to Consider

Best Time to Do the W Trek Torres Del Paine, Patagonia

Torres Del Paine is not open to hikers without a guide during the winter months of May through September. October through April, however, is fair game for self-guided backpacking in Torres Del Paine. 

October to November is spring time in Patagonia. The park is slowly coming back to life, the weather is getting warmer (40s-50s F), but there are still no mosquitos! This is the best time of year to visit Patagonia, in my opinion.

• Pros: less people, cheaper prices, no bugs
• Cons: even more unpredictable weather 

December to February is summer time in Patagonia. This is high season – prices increase, the weather is warmer (may get to the upper 60’s F) though the region experiences intense wind even more so this time of year. This time of year also sees the most crowds and lodging books up fast (book at least 6 months in advance)!

• Pros: best chances for great weather (exceptional winds though)
• Cons: most expensive time, mosquitos start to come out, peak season (more people)

March to April is fall in Patagonia and similar weather to spring time. This is also a best time of year to do The W Trek.

• Pros: less people, cheaper prices
• Cons: colder weather, still some lingering mosquitoes

We did the W trek in November and experienced every kind of weather – a day full of rain, a day of sunshine and warm temps, a day of intense wind, a day of all the above plus a spurt of snow. You truly must be prepared to experience every season in 1 week no matter what time of year you visit Patagonia.

How crowded is Torres Del Paine?

When we did the W Trek in Torres Del Paine in November, the park was pretty full – most lodging/campsites were booked up each night. We shared scenic points with others and passed fellow trekkers both ways on the trail but it never felt over-crowded. I was surprised by how close the tents were at each site but not much worse than typical campsites anywhere else in the world. This also helps minimize the environmental impact of camping which should be top priority anyway. 

Choosing The Best Route for The W Trek

There are a few options for W Trek routes depending on preferred lodging and distances to cover in a day. To make matters even more complicated, there are 3 different entities that run the different lodging options: Fantastico Sur, Vertice, and CONAF. The map of Torres Del Paine above shows all the available lodging options for the W trek, numbered from east to west. I’ve outlined the options below. 

Following the map above, Campsites vs Refugios vs Eco Domes

1. Grand Torre/Central: Fantastico Sur – a great refuge with large dining hall, game room, plugs for charging electronics, bathrooms and showers for campers. 
   1. Camping
   2. Refugios
   3. Eco-Domes
2. Chileno: Fantastico Sur – much smaller than Central, the bathrooms looked (and smelled) rough, but the dining area was cozy and the area was tucked away into the mountains. Stay at Chileno if you want to do sunrise at Las Torres
   1. Refugio
   2. Camping
3. Los Cuernos: Fantastico Sur – My favorite Refugio even though we didn’t stay there. The dining hall was so warm and large and I could smell pizza when I walked in. The bathrooms seemed decent, the views were pretty nice as well. The cabins looked incredible from far away – I’m sure they’re very rustic but they open up to a beautiful view of the lake.
   1. Refugio 
   2. Cabins
   3. Camping
4. Frances: Fantastico Sur – the tents are tucked under trees on steep slopes up above the dining hall. Having to walk back and forth from the dining hall was distressing for me as I was so tired and achey from the hiking, I wanted a casual walk to get food instead of more muscle burn! But I digress, they had hot showers so was I even really “roughing it”??
   1. Camping
   2. Eco Domes
5. Italiano: CONAF – we spent the least amount of time here, only dropping our packs with the guard while passing through but it looked very bare – no dining hall, only camp spots available and rooouugghh camp bathrooms. No running water if you don’t count the glorious river filled with clean glacier water you can drink from!
   1. Camping
6. Paine Grande: Vertice – very similar to Camp Central, large dining hall and upstairs bar with Pizza! The camping area is pretty cramped. You’re likely to experience the most wind on this night, too, since it’s in a valley. Side note – the sleeping pads they provided were thin, flat mats. I was spoiled by the other campsites that provided thick, cushiony mattress-like pads to sleep on.
   1. Camping
   2. Refugio 
7. Grey: Vertice – we never made it to Grey so no insider scoop.
   1. Camping
   2. Refugio

The Refugios and camping vary from site to site but I was impressed, overall, with how comfortable you could make your W Trek experience even with it being so remote (depending on how much you were willing to spend, too). There was always plenty of food, drinks, and even hot showers in some cases. 

Booking Campsites and Refugios for the W Trek Torres Del Paine

***important note: Torres Del Paine is only growing in popularity. If you want to do the W Trek you should start booking your route first (even before flights) and build your trip around the booked campsites. The more flexible you are, the better options you’ll have. 

Booking W Trek through 3rd Party:

I would recommend using a travel company that coordinates logistics for ease and peace of mind especially if you’re booking late in the game but obviously this adds to the expense. If you choose this route, I’d recommend Flashpacker (which we used and had no issues) or  Venture Patagonia. Preferably Venture Patagonia: they are based in Puerto Natales, work with local staff, and can be of more help if something comes up and plans change last minute (they also do custom Patagonia itineraries based on your interests). 

Self Booking W Trek Lodging

If not booking through a 3rd party, you will need to plan your route and go to the appropriate owner to book your lodging. This will require emailing or using the websites for Fantastico Sur or Vertice which are not for the faint of heart. I started this process and after phone calls, multiple emails, and back and forth opted for the 3rd party. 

We also opted to do the camping option that would have our campsite setup for us and include food; this meant we didn’t need to bring tents, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, or camp food (another lifesaver as we were newbie backpackers).