Classic Torres Del Paine

Early this afternoon you arrive at the Punta Arenas Presidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport (PUQ). Upon arrival you will be met by our local staff and transferred to Torres del Paine National Park (approximately a 5 hour drive). Along the way we’ll pass lagoons of Chilean Flamingoes, see Rhea and Guanaco running across the plains, and we’ll visit Estancia Cerro Negro, a working sheep ranch where we’ll have lunch and learn about ranching culture in Patagonia. Upon arrival to the park, we’ll check in to the charming Hotel Las Torres where you will have a welcome dinner with your guide and group and relax for the evening. The lodge is situated in the park with wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. (L, D)

After an early breakfast we’ll lace up our boots and hit the trail for a full day hike to the base of Las Torres, the spectacular rock pinnacles crowning the Valley of Silence.  This is the first section of the famous “W” Route, which begins by winding uphill through the beautiful Lenga forests of the Ascencion Valley. A short but steep finish to the hike moves over a giant glacial moraine and brings us to an incredible viewpoint overlooking an unfathomably blue glacial lake and the great granite monoliths beyond. We’ll take time here to immerse ourselves in the power of the landscape, and to contemplate what it must have been like for Sir Chris Bonnington and company to first scale the imposing sheer face of Torre Central in 1963. We’ll then retrace our steps back to Hotel Las Torres where we can clean up and relax for the remainder of the day.  (22km/13.5 miles) (B,L,D)

This morning we’ll pack our packs and continue along the “W”. We’ll hike beneath the glaciated peaks of Mt Almirante Nieto with expansive views over Lago Nordenskjold and the southern reaches of the park. Along the way we’ll keep our eyes out for the massive Andean Condors riding thermal air currents high above us. We’ll arrive mid-afternoon to Refugio Los Cuernos where we’ll check in and relax. Depending on interests of the group, we could explore the area surrounding the refugio together, or perhaps take a swim in the turquoise waters of Nordenskjold. In the evening we can relax on the expansive porch of the refugio enjoying cold beverages, delectable Chilean wines, and of course the mountain scenery. (11km/7 miles) (B,L,D)

We’ll wake early today for what will be a big, and very rewarding, day of hiking. We’ll leave Los Cuernos and continue along the shores of Nordenskjold. By late morning, we’ll arrive at the entrance to the famed Valle Francais. We’ll head uphill from here, to the spectacular vista below the French Glacier, which dominates Cerro Paine Grande. The glacier is typically very active and there is a good chance we will have the opportunity to watch great, thundering blocks of ice calve off and crash down the mountainside, a very safe distance from our trail. We’ll also get our first glimpses of Los Cuernos, the otherworldly “horned” peaks that make up the central part of the Paine Massif. We’ll retrace our steps back down the 1.5km valley, and continue southwest along the “W” past several smaller lakes, not forgetting to look behind us as Los Cuernos come into full view. In the late afternoon we’ll arrive to Refugio Paine Grande where our comfy beds and amenities await. (16km/10 miles) (B,L,D)

After breakfast we’ll hit the trail for the final section of the “W”.  A quick 11km sees us traversing beneath the formidable peaks of Paine Grande, and to the shores of Lago Grey. Often you can view great, house-sized blocks of blue ice, which have calved from the glacier floating around the grey waters of the lake. We’ll have lunch near the charming refugio before boarding a ferry to whisk us back to the front-country. If that wasn’t enough of a highlight itself, along the way we’ll tour the leading edge of Glacier Grey for spectacular up-close views of the ever-shifting blue ice. Grey Glacier is an arm of the expansive Southern Patagonian Ice Field that covers more than 4,500 square miles of Patagonia, and its surrounding jagged granite peaks. After time spent at the glacier, we’ll boat across Lago Grey enjoying pisco sours and magnificent views of the mountains. Upon arrival to the beach, we’ll board our shuttle to the wonderfully scenic Hotel Rio Serrano to enjoy another hearty dinner and restful night.  (11km/7 miles) (B,L,D)

Mapuche Legend says that Los Cuernos are two feuding warriors who were turned to stone by the gods as a grand reminder that Torres del Paine is a sacred place. Indeed it is a powerful place, and this morning we’ll awake to one of the most spectacular sunrise spots in the world, in full view of Los Cuernos and Paine Grande from across the high plains. Reflecting on a week well spent, we’ll finish our matte, pack our bags one last time, and drive back across the Patagonian Steppe to the Punta Arenas Airport where you’ll begin your journey home. Plan on flights no earlier than 1:30pm. (B,L)

**Note that SYMG offers an extension to the Lakes District of Northern Patagonia that pairs with this trip, arriving to Punta Arenas (PUQ) on Day 1. These two itineraries combined let you enjoy everything Patagonia has to offer, including temperate rainforests, Ancient Alerce Groves, and a cultural experience like none other. For more details, see our Hidden Patagonia Trip**