Torres del Paine W Trek West to East Tour

Welcome & Pre-Trek Briefing in Puerto Natales

Hiking the W Trek—especially in its west-to-east (inverted) version—requires good planning. That’s why, the day before your adventure begins, we’ll host an in-person briefing at our Puerto Natales office, where you'll get all the key details for your trek. Prefer to meet online? No problem. Just let us know.

A few days before your arrival, you’ll also receive an email with instructions on how to pick up your welcome kit and address any last-minute questions.

We want you to feel completely ready to take on Torres del Paine.

Access to Torres del Paine National Park

Your adventure kicks off early in the morning. At 07:00, you'll board a bus from Puerto Natales station to Torres del Paine National Park.

After a 3-hour journey, you'll arrive at the Pudeto pier around 10:00. There, you’ll collect your backpack from the bus and check in for the catamaran to Paine Grande. Both the bus and catamaran tickets are included in the tour.

The 30-minute boat ride departs at 10:30 am, reaching Paine Grande Lodge at 11:00 am. From there, you'll be ready to start your unforgettable W trek adventure.

Paine Grande Sector - Grey Lake Viewpoint

The West-to-East adventure officially begins! You'll start by hiking along the base of Paine Grande, admiring its towering hanging glaciers. From the Paine Grande sector, you’ll already be able to appreciate its impressive 9,843-feet (3,000-meter) height.

Your first stop is the Grey Lake viewpoint, where you’ll see icebergs floating on the lake’s surface, having broken off from the majestic Grey Glacier. Take advantage of this more relaxed section to rest and capture some incredible photos.

Grey Sector

Continuing west to east along the W route, you'll reach the Grey Sector, where you'll spend the night with a privileged view of Grey Glacier.

The first day’s trek is challenging but shorter than the days ahead. Expect 4-5 hours of hiking, starting at 11:00 from Paine Grande, so be sure to manage your time wisely.

Grey Glacier: Kayaking or Ice Trekking

The second day of the West to East Tour will be one of the shortest and easiest—a perfect opportunity to make the most of your time at Grey Glacier.

🙋‍♀️ Our recommendation: Spend your morning enjoying spectacular glacier views. You can relax on the terrace of the Grey Lodge, explore the area, or take your adventure to the next level with one of these optional experiences:

• Kayaking on the Grey Glacier (4 hours - Departure 8:00 AM).
• Ice Hike on Grey Glacier (5 hours - Departure 8:30 AM)

These activities are not included in the tour price. If you’d like to add one, select it as an Extra when booking. Please note that both experiences take place at the same time, so it’s not possible to do both in one day.

Paine Grande Trek

Whether you rested or joined an activity at Grey Glacier, it's time to start the second trek of the W Trek West to East: the route from Grey Sector to Paine Grande.

This 6.8 mi (11 km) trail is relatively easy and takes about 4 hours, following the same path as the previous day. You’ll hike along the mountainside, passing through lush forests of Antarctic beeches (ñirre), coigües, and notros—a perfect opportunity to enjoy Patagonia’s unique flora.

Lake Pehoé - Paine Grande Sector

As you descend, you'll leave Grey Lake behind and continue toward the Paine Grande Sector, located in front of the turquoise waters of Pehoé Lake. This is one of the largest sectors in Torres del Paine National Park, featuring a well-equipped lodge and a popular bar, known for its lively atmosphere—a great place to meet fellow hikers and relax after a rewarding day on the trail.

Italian Camp & Mirador Francés

This stage of the West to East tour is divided into three parts. First, you’ll hike 5.6 mi (9 km) on mostly flat terrain from Paine Grande to Campamento Italiano, a CONAF ranger station. Along the way, you’ll reach a fork: one trail continues directly to Francés or Cuernos, while the other leads to Mirador Francés.

Trust us—it’s worth the climb! The panoramic views from the Mirador Francés are among the most spectacular in Torres del Paine.

Drop Your Pack & Hike Light

If you decide to ascend, we recommend taking advantage of the camp’s luggage storage, commonly known as a guardería by some travelers. Here, you can leave your large backpack and carry only the essentials: water, snacks, and a jacket.

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These luggage storage points, or "guarderías", are strategic spots along the route where you can leave your backpack and pick it up on your way back, since you'll return the same way. One example is the guardería at Campamento Italiano.

French Viewpoint & British Viewpoint

If you choose to climb, the second part of the day begins with a trek through the stunning French Valley.

In just 1.6 mi (2.5 km.) and with 984 ft. (300 meters) of elevation gain, you’ll reach the French Viewpoint, where you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Cerro Paine Grande and its hanging glaciers. If you're lucky, you might even hear the thunderous sound of ice breaking off.

Feeling adventurous? Keep going! Another 2.5 miles (4 km) and 919 feet (280 meters) of elevation gain will take you to the British Viewpoint. There, a natural lookout of massive boulders offers one of the most spectacular 360° views in Torres del Paine.

Still not convinced? Just look at the picture—words aren’t necessary.

Return to Frances Sector - Cuernos

After taking in the breathtaking views, you’ll descend back to Italian Camp, where you can pick up your backpack. Many hikers take this opportunity to have lunch if they haven't already at the viewpoints.

From there, you'll continue 1.5 miles (2.5 km) to the Frances Sector, and if your accommodation is in Cuernos, you’ll walk an additional 2.5 miles (4 km) along the shores of Nordenskjöld Lake, passing by its scenic beaches.

Lodging in Frances Sector and Cuernos

These sectors offer smaller, more intimate accommodations, as access is more limited. During high season, if the French Sector is fully booked, you’ll be assigned to Cuernos instead.

French Sector - Cuernos

After an intense day, the fourth day of the west-to-east Torres del Paine tour will be more relaxed. The route is relatively easy, with just a 656-foot (200-meter) elevation gain as you leave or pass through the Cuernos Sector.

The rest of the trail is mostly flat, with a gentle descent towards the Central Sector. Take your time, enjoy the scenery, and soak in the views: on one side, the majestic Cuernos del Paine, and on the other, the serene waters of Lake Nordenskjöld.

Arrival at the Central Sector

As you arrive at the Central Sector, you’ll notice that both the campground and lodge are larger, similar to Paine Grande, as they serve as key gateways to the park.

Here, you can connect with fellow travelers, unwind in the spacious common areas, and enjoy one of the liveliest bars along the west-to-east W Trek. This will be your final night inside Torres del Paine National Park—the perfect opportunity to relax, reflect, and celebrate the adventure with this all-inclusive tour.

Ascencio River Valley - Paso de los Vientos (Pass of the Winds)

This is undoubtedly the most iconic route in Torres del Paine. Since you're following the circuit in reverse, this will be your final stage in the park—saving the best for last!

The trail is divided into three sections:

• First section: A 1.24-mile (2 km) stretch with minimal elevation gain, crossing the Ascencio River Valley.
• Second section: A 1.86-mile (3 km) ascent on an exposed trail, without tree cover, leading to Paso de los Vientos, where you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views.

Lengas Forest - La Morrena

For the next 2.5 miles (4 km), the trail remains practically flat. You’ll pass through the Chileno Sector and enter the Lenga Forest, a serene stretch of the route leading to La Morrena—a rugged landscape filled with massive boulders.

Here begins the final section of your trek: the most demanding and technical part of the day.

Base Torres Viewpoint

The final 1.2 miles (2 km) will be a challenging ascent, navigating between large rock formations on the mountainside. But the effort will be worth it when you arrive at the Base Torres Viewpoint, where a glacial lake reflects the iconic Three Granite Towers that give the park its name.

Take your time to relax, capture stunning photos, enjoy your lunch with an unforgettable view, and, most importantly, soak in the moment!

Return to Central Sector - Puerto Natales

You'll retrace your steps along the same trail that led you to the most iconic views of the park. Upon arriving at your lodging in Central or Chileno Sector, you'll pick up your backpack and continue to the Welcome Center.

From there, a minibus will take you to the park entrance at Portería Laguna Amarga, where you'll board the bus back to Puerto Natales at 8:15 p.m., arriving around 9:30 p.m.

This marks the end of an unforgettable adventure—completing the W Trek, and hiking Torres del Paine from west to east!