Day 1: The Patagonian Adventure Starts
You will be picked up from the airport or your hotel in Punta Arenas and driven to Torre Central Camp, located in the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park. On the way, we’ll make a couple of stops. First, we’ll stop in Puerto Natales, a small, lively town on the shores of Last Hope Sound (Ultima Esperanza), where we can enjoy a hearty local lunch, before departing for the park.
The day ends with our arrival at Torre Central Camp, nestled in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park and with a prime view of the majestic Torres. Sunset is usually around 11 PM during the summer months, meaning that there will still be enough daylight for you to admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked mountain horizons once you arrive.
Day 2: Camp Torre Central to Camp Dickson
The day will start at Camp Torre Central where you will embark on your hike to Dickson Lake. The trail will lead you northwards along the eastern bank of the Paine River. We will stop at a natural lookout point to take in a stunning panoramic view of Paine Lake before we descend and continue west across open grasslands towards Refugio Dickson. Our campsite will be situated in the Dickson Valley, surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks and the crystalline waters of Lake Dickson. The stunning Dickson Glacier and parts of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field can be spotted in the distance from the campsite, where we will spend the night complete with a nutritious dinner and soothing hot shower.
Day 3: Camp Dickson to Camp Perros
We will continue our trail along the Los Perros River in what will be the wildest and most remote grounds that we will cover on the trek. We will pass under the Los Perros Glacier, where it merges into a small lake, and then cross virgin beech forest before reaching the beautiful Laguna Los Perros. Here, we will set up camp at Camping Los Perros and enjoy the tranquil evening.
Day 4: Camp Perros to Camp Grey through John Gardner Pass
This day marks our ascent to the Circuit’s highest point, the John Gardner pass, a must-do for any serious trekker. From an altitude of around 1300 mts (4000 ft), we will be able to feast our eyes on an awe-inspiring view of the Grey Glacier, an enormous fractured mass of ice which towers over the valley below. The John Gardner pass is one of the most famous sectors of Torres del Paine and a must-do for any serious trekker. We will then continue south along forested slopes with more beautiful views of the Grey Glacier before reachingGrey Campground on the shores of Lake Grey.
Day 5: Camp Grey to Pehoe Lake
During the morning, we will take some time to rest, replenish and revel in the beautiful surroundings of Lake Grey. After this, it is time to make our way along the eastern side of the Lake through clearings of gorgeous Calafate bushes. The view over the lake, with its numerous giant icebergs drifting across the waters, is a true wonder to behold. The trail after this point becomes flatter as we descend through a shallow dry valley towards the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoe, where we will set-up camp and rest for the night.
*Optional Kayaking around Glacier Grey: This excursion starts at 9 AM and lasts 2.5 hours. You will kayak around huge floating icebergs towards the eastern side of the glacier to get closer to the giant ice wall. Min. age is 15 years old / Max. age is 65 years old.
(Note: Kayaking option is only available between November 1st and March 19th)
Day 6: French Valley
After breakfast at Lake Pehoe, we will begin the challenging trek along a steep trail leading to the very heart of the Paine Massif in the French Valley, - How far we go depends on our group's trekking rhythm. A swifter walk will lead us to the hanging bridge over the French River, located at the foot of the south-east face of the Massif, where we will be treated to fantastic views of the valley. We will then continue to ascend towards the upper section of the valley to marvel at the extensive mass of the valley's geological formations: Hoja (Blade), Máscara (Mask), Espada (Sword), Catedral (Cathedral), Aleta de Tiburón (Shark’s Fin) and the magnificent Fortaleza (Fortress). After our upward trek, we will pause for a picnic and relax for a while. The day's trek will end as we descend through an undulating terrain of mixed grassland and light forest to Camp Frances.
Please note: An optional trek to Mirador Britanico is also available.
Day 7: Los Cuernos
Once we have finished breakfast, we will begin the day's trek to Camp Torre Central along the Cuernos trail, which will take us along the beautiful Lake Nordenskjold. Today's walk is less strenuous yet richer in the diversity of terrain that we will cover. It will, therefore, be the perfect opportunity to take in the park’s charming flora and fauna and learn more about the vast variety of species along the way. We will pause throughout the walk-in and eat our box lunch, rest our legs, and admire the stunning surroundings. The trek ends as we arrive at Camp Torre Central where we will enjoy a hearty meal and prepare for tomorrow's big challenge.
Day 8: Trek to the Tower's Base
The goal of our penultimate day of the Paine Circuit is to complete the most famous trekking trail in Torres del Paine National Park! We will walk from the campsite towards Hostería Las Torres before ascending up Ascencio Valley on the Tower's eastern face. Mountain ridges, beech forests and small rivers line the scenic walk towards the valley. Our big challenge comes in the form of the steep moraine, a huge mass of boulders which will lead us to that iconic base-view of the Towers, the three gigantic granite monoliths that are the remains of a great cirque sheared away by glacial ice. After a tough uphill climb, the Towers eventually come into full view, rising majestically before us with the glacial lake visible below. Is there a better place in the world to have lunch? After feasting on the view (and our picnic), we backtrack along the same trail through Ascencio Valley and return to Camp Torre Central for a well-deserved dinner.
Day 9: Adiós Torres del Paine
We will board an early morning vehicle, sit back, relax and enjoy the scenic ride back to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales in time to catch the evening flight to Santiago.
