Perhaps it could be called “Torres del Paine in the arse”. 🙂 Long before arriving to Puerto Natales – a little town, from where people start their trips into Torres Del Paine National Park – we heard stories about how problematic it could be to get into the park. And they were justified – from November 2016 it is compulsory to have reservations for park accommodation (either campsite or refugio). There are three different websites or three offices in Puerto Natales to book spots in the park, because the places are managed by three different companies (Conaf, Vertice and Fantastico Sur). When we came to Puerto Natales in mid-January almost everything was booked out until the end of March.
The Conaf campgrounds are free, usually without services, you cannot rent equipment there, drinking water is taken from the river, only dry toilet, and you can only wash in a stream or a river. Vertice and Fantastico Sur provide services, you can rent a tent there which will already be built for you, with matress and sleeping bag, food is already in the price or can be bought… everything for very “friendly” prices. You don’t really need equipment to trek in Torres Del Paine.
The reservation system is very poor for a park as famous and turistic as Torres. Also when you cancel reservations by Fantastico Sur or Vertice less then 30 days before the booked date you will get no refund, so most would just let it be.
On 15th of January we arrived to Puerto Natales and the next day we went to Conaf (free campground, hopelessly booked out). Then we went to Fantastico Sur, where we bought one all-inclusive night in El Chileno campground (after a quarell) for whopping 138 GBP for both of us – the only free space was 4 days after our arrival in Puerto Natales. Then we managed to book two nights in refugio Paine Grande from Vertice for 35 000 CLP/person (rougly 45 GBP) and a plan for a running W trek was born.
1st day, Puerto Natales -> El Chileno (Fantastico Sur) -> Torres lookout: 5,5 kms with backpacks, 8 kms light
In a throng of buses we arrived to Laguna Amarga in Torres N.P. (on 19th January), the main entrance to the park. There we queued for tickets (21 000 CLP/person) and for a short film advising us on all that is forbidden in the park (no lighting up matches 🙂 – a while ago a Czech person was involved in burning up a big part of the park). Another minibus took us for 3000 CLP/person to Refugio las Torres Norte.
There a ranger guy came up and asked for reservations, though he did not want to see them. We climbed to Refugio El Chileno on a busy busy trail – it is the only trail available in one day without a reservation.
In El Chileno all-inclusive campground we nailed our tent to a wooden platform on the slope and then continued light to Torres lookout (the most famous spot in the park). It is nice, though smaller than expected. There was a fox, which was running in among tourists, who failed to notice her. They were too busy observing the Torres. 🙂
Three course meal in all-inclusive campground for 138 GBP per person was rather poor. First course was a bit of salad with a tiny round bread. Second course Casuela de Vacuno – a basic Chilean soup and there was not a lot of it. The desert? Motte con huesillo – a horrible drink, which is normally sold on streets for 500 pesos, here being advertised as “traditional Chilean desert”!
2nd day, El Chileno -> Campo Italiano -> Refugio Paine Grande (Vertice): 27 kms with backpacks/ 9 hours walking
We had a long day of walking ahead. It took us 9 hours to walk those 27 kms with backpacks. After the breakfast we were given a packed lunch and set off. The weather was nice and on the left hand side we could see the lakes in different shades of blue and green.
In Paine Grande we had a dorm with three bunk beds, but a lot of space. There is no kitchen in the refugio, but you can cook in a little house outside in the campground or buy a dinner. After the El Chileno dinner the previous night we did not even consider it. 🙂
3rd day, Refugio Paine Grande -> Británico lookout (Vallé Francés) -> and back: 28,4 kms light, 9 hours walking
This time without backpacks we went back 7,5 kms to Campo Italiano. From there the trail up to Británico lookout in Vallé Francés starts. We were promised to see avalanches falling on the sides of valley – some snow fell, but nothing bombastic… Británico lookout is nice even though it was windy and crowded.
We went back the same way, having the pleasure to walk the Campo Italiano – Paine Grande part for the third time. 🙂 When we came back we found out that our stuff was cleared from the room – we booked each night separately. Even though I told them we have two nights, they mixed it up. But as an apology they gave us a voucher for 4 drinks, so we weren’t angry. As you would expect the drinks are very pricey there!
4th day, Refugio Paine Grande -> Glaciar Grey -> and back -> traversing Lago Pehoé, walk to Camping Pehoé: 24 kms light, last 6 kms from ferry to camping Pehoé with backpacks
We run to the glacier Gray without backpacks again. Originally we planned to reach only the Grey lookout, but in the end we carried on all the way to the glacier Grey. Then we hurried back to Paine Grande to catch the last ferry over Lago Pehoé. Thus we finished the W trek with a little extra walking.
When we returned to Paine Grande we had to wait few hours for the ferry – they were repairing the ship and then testing it.
After the expensive 30 minutes crossing (18 000 CLP/person) we walked further 6 kms to Camping Pehoé, we were unable to hitch anybody. This campsite is finally worth the money – 10 000 CLP/person, but you get a wooden roof surrounded by calafate bushes, table, fireplace and nice toilets with warm showers. And the views of the Paine mountains over the lake are probably the best in whole Torres N.P.!
5th day, around Lago Pehoé, mirador Los Condores:
Since we liked the campground and we had walked more than 100 kms before we decided to have a lazy day and booked another night. Of course the same morning a massive group, perhaps 40 people, came to the shelter next to us. If we did not tell them to stay away from our space, they would probably build a tent even under our roof!
For entertainment there was a pichu (something like armadillo), which had a hole under our table and went to check us out.
We spent the afternoon eating calafate on Los Condores viewpoint. There is a great view of the lake and Los Cuernos there. Also every few minutes a condor flies over.
In the evening we walked to Hosteria Pehoé for a beer. Somehow the beer was joined by two coctails (they accept credit cards) and the way back was jolly!
5th day, return to Puerto Natales:
At slow pace we packed our stuff and lied down on the shore of lake in the campground. The bus goes at 1pm. Viktor finally had time to practise on his harmonica. From Puerto Natales we left straight to Punťa Arenas.
Conslusion
The views in Torres del Paine are amazing, but mainly those over Lago Pehoé on the rising mountain ridge of Los Cuernos. Those are in fact out of the world famous “W” trek. The trek itself (according to Viktor) is not worth the money and problems with reservations. On the other hand due to reservations it is not as crowded as it would have been….
