Patagonia Trekking: W Trek and Beyond

Updated for 2026 — Accurate as of February 2026.

Patagonia is the trekking destination that appears on more bucket lists than any other. The granite towers of Torres del Paine, the massive Perito Moreno Glacier, the jagged spires of the Fitz Roy massif, and the windswept steppe stretching to the horizon. This is landscape at its most dramatic and untamed, and walking through it on foot is one of the defining adventure travel experiences of a lifetime.

The region spans southern Chile and Argentina, roughly from the 40th parallel to Tierra del Fuego. The trekking season is short (November through March), the weather is notoriously unpredictable, and the wind, that legendary Patagonian wind, can knock you sideways on an exposed ridge. But the reward for enduring these conditions is scenery so spectacular that photographs consistently fail to capture its scale and impact.

I have trekked in Patagonia twice, completing the W Trek in Torres del Paine in January 2024 and the Fitz Roy circuits in El Chalten in November 2025. This guide covers both areas in detail, along with lesser-known alternatives for trekkers looking to avoid the increasingly crowded main routes.

The W Trek: Torres del Paine

The W Trek is the most famous trek in South America and one of the most popular multi-day hikes in the world. It follows a W-shaped route through Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia, visiting the park’s three main attractions: the Torres (granite towers), the French Valley (a hanging glacier amphitheater), and the Grey Glacier (a massive blue ice field).

Route Overview

Day	Section	Distance	Time	Highlights
1	Welcome Center to Refugio Chileno or Torres Camp	11 km	4-5 hours	Park entry, forest walking
2	Base of the Torres (day hike from camp)	8 km return	4-6 hours	The iconic Torres viewpoint at sunrise
3	Chileno/Torres to Cuernos/Frances	15-20 km	6-8 hours	Transfer along lake shore
4	French Valley (day hike from camp)	12-18 km return	6-8 hours	Hanging glaciers, dramatic amphitheater
5	Cuernos/Frances to Paine Grande	12 km	4-5 hours	Lake views, open steppe
6	Paine Grande to Grey Glacier and return	22 km return	8-10 hours	Glacier viewpoint, icebergs

Total distance: Approximately 80 km over 5-6 days Difficulty: Moderate to challenging. The trail is well-marked but the terrain is rough (roots, rocks, mud, wind exposure). No technical climbing. Fitness required: You should be able to hike 15-20 km per day with a pack over uneven terrain. Training on hilly terrain for 2-3 months before the trip is strongly recommended.

Booking and Logistics (Critical for 2026)

Torres del Paine has implemented strict capacity controls managed by CONAF (Chile’s national forestry corporation). All overnight accommodation (refugios and campsites) must be booked in advance, and you cannot enter the W Trek corridor without confirmed reservations for every night.

Booking timeline: Reservations open in late July or August (exact dates announced by CONAF). Popular dates (January, early February) sell out within days of opening. Book the moment reservations open if you want peak-season dates.

Accommodation options:

• Refugios (mountain lodges): Bunk bed accommodation with meals included. From 120-180 USD per night with full board. Run by Vertice and Fantastico Sur.
• Campsites (with full service): Tent site with access to cooking facilities and hot showers. From 30-50 USD per night. Some offer tent rental for an additional 40-60 USD.
• Free campsites: Only the Italiano campsite (French Valley) is free, and it must still be booked in advance.

Park entry fee: 42,000 CLP (approximately 45 USD) for foreign nationals (2026 season price, subject to change).

Pro Tip: If peak-season booking is sold out, try late November or early March. The weather is colder and more variable but the park is significantly less crowded, and the scenery is no less spectacular. March offers autumn colors that add a golden dimension to the landscape.

Photo credit on Pexels

Weather and What to Pack

Patagonia’s weather is legendarily volatile. You can experience all four seasons in a single day: blazing sunshine, driving rain, snow, and wind speeds exceeding 100 km/h. The wind is the defining feature. It blows from the west almost constantly, and on exposed ridges it can be strong enough to knock you off balance.

Essential gear:

• Waterproof, windproof jacket (hardshell, not just water-resistant)
• Waterproof pants
• Insulating layers (fleece + down jacket)
• Warm hat, gloves, neck gaiter
• Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support (broken in before the trip)
• Trekking poles (essential for stability in wind and on rough terrain)
• 30-40 liter backpack (if staying in refugios) or 55-65 liter (if camping)
• Sunscreen and sunglasses (UV intensity is extreme in Patagonia due to the ozone hole — the WHO UV Index regularly reaches extreme levels here)

The O Circuit: The Full Experience

The O Circuit is the extended version of the W Trek, adding the remote backside of the Paine massif to create a complete loop around the mountain range. The backside section (the “top of the O”) crosses the John Gardner Pass at 1,241 meters, with views over the entire Grey Glacier ice field, and descends through virgin forest on the northern side of the park.

Distance: 130 km over 8-10 days Direction: Counter-clockwise only (mandatory since 2016) Difficulty: Challenging. The backside section is more remote, less maintained, and exposed to weather. John Gardner Pass can be closed by snow and wind. Key difference from W Trek: The backside is genuinely wild. You camp in basic, remote sites with no refugio option. Fewer trekkers. More solitude. More weather exposure. More rewarding. Cost: Similar to W Trek, plus additional campsite fees for backside camps.

El Chalten and the Fitz Roy Massif

El Chalten, a small town in Argentine Patagonia, is the base for trekking in Los Glaciares National Park. The town sits beneath the Fitz Roy massif, a collection of near-vertical granite spires that are considered the most technically challenging peaks in the world to climb. For trekkers, the massif provides some of the most spectacular day hikes on Earth.

Essential Day Hikes from El Chalten

Laguna de los Tres (view of Fitz Roy): 25 km return, 8-10 hours, 750m elevation gain. The trail climbs through lenga forest before a steep final ascent to a glacial lagoon at the base of Fitz Roy. On a clear day, the view of the granite towers reflected in the turquoise lagoon is one of the great mountain views anywhere. Free, no permit required.

Laguna Torre (view of Cerro Torre): 18 km return, 6-8 hours. A gentler trail to a glacial lagoon at the base of Cerro Torre, one of the most dramatic peaks in the Andes. Free, no permit required.

Loma del Pliegue Tumbado: 18 km return, 6-8 hours. A less-crowded trail to a panoramic viewpoint overlooking both Fitz Roy and the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Free, no permit required.

Huemul Circuit: 65 km, 4 days. A challenging backcountry circuit around Cerro Huemul, crossing rivers by tyrolean traverse (hand-over-hand on a cable above the water) and traversing remote terrain. Free, but a permit from the park office is required.

Why El Chalten Is the Budget Alternative

Unlike Torres del Paine, the treks around El Chalten in Los Glaciares National Park are free. No park entry fee. No campsite fees (free backcountry campsites are available at Poincenot, De Agostini, and Laguna Toro). No booking required. The town has hostels from 15 USD per night and excellent, affordable restaurants.

Getting there: Fly to El Calafate (FTE) from Buenos Aires. Bus to El Chalten (3 hours, from 15 USD).

Lesser-Known Patagonia Treks

Dientes de Navarino (Chile)

The southernmost trek in the world, on Isla Navarino south of Tierra del Fuego. A challenging 53 km circuit (4-5 days) through sub-Antarctic wilderness with no trail markers, no facilities, and no other trekkers. Beaver dams, bogs, exposed ridges, and views of the Beagle Channel. This is real wilderness trekking for experienced, self-sufficient hikers.

Getting there: Fly from Punta Arenas to Puerto Williams. Ferry from Ushuaia also possible.

Cerro Castillo (Chile)

A 4-day trek through the Cerro Castillo National Reserve, south of Coyhaique on the Carretera Austral. The trail passes through forests of ancient southern beech, across high alpine passes, and past the dramatic basalt spires of Cerro Castillo. Far fewer trekkers than Torres del Paine.

Distance: 64 km over 4 days Where to start: Villa Cerro Castillo on the Carretera Austral Cost: Park entry 8,000 CLP (approximately 8 USD). Campsites from 5,000 CLP.

Budget Planning for Patagonia

Patagonia is not cheap, but it is more affordable than many people assume, especially on the Argentine side.

Expense	Chile (Torres del Paine)	Argentina (El Chalten)
Park entry	45 USD	Free
Accommodation (per night)	30-180 USD (campsite to refugio)	Free-15 USD (camping to hostel)
Food (per day)	20-40 USD	15-30 USD
Transport to/from	30-50 USD	15-25 USD
5-day trek total	250-600 USD	75-200 USD

The Argentine side (El Chalten) is dramatically cheaper, and the trekking, while different in character, is no less spectacular.

When to Trek in Patagonia

November: Early season. Snow on higher passes. Fewer trekkers. Wildflowers. Long daylight. December-January: Peak season. Best weather (relatively). Most trekkers. Book everything well in advance. February: Still peak season. Weather remains decent. Slightly fewer crowds than January. March: Late season. Autumn colors begin. Weather becomes more variable. Significantly fewer trekkers. My personal favorite month. April-October: Most treks are closed or accessible only to experienced winter mountaineers.

Getting to Patagonia

From Santiago, Chile: Fly to Punta Arenas (3.5 hours). Bus to Puerto Natales (3 hours). Bus to Torres del Paine (2 hours).

From Buenos Aires, Argentina: Fly to El Calafate (3 hours). Bus to El Chalten (3 hours) or bus to Torres del Paine via border crossing (5-6 hours).

Combining both sides: Many trekkers do Torres del Paine and El Chalten in a single trip. The bus from Puerto Natales (Chile) to El Calafate (Argentina) takes approximately 5 hours and crosses the border at Cerro Castillo. From El Calafate, it is 3 hours to El Chalten.

Perito Moreno Glacier: A Day Trip Worth Taking

If you pass through El Calafate (likely, as it is the transport hub for both Torres del Paine and El Chalten), a visit to the Perito Moreno Glacier is essential. This is one of the few advancing glaciers in the world: a wall of ice 5 km wide, 60 meters high, and 30 km long that regularly calves enormous chunks of ice into Lago Argentino with thunderous crashes that echo across the valley.

The glacier is accessible from a network of walkways on the opposite shore (park entry 5,000 ARS / approximately 5 USD), from which you can watch and hear the glacier calving throughout the day. For a closer experience, glacier trekking tours put you on the ice itself, walking on crampons across the crevassed surface for 1.5-3 hours. Mini trekking from 50,000 ARS (approximately 50 USD). Big Ice trekking (3.5 hours on the glacier, more advanced) from 80,000 ARS (approximately 80 USD).

Fitness Preparation for Patagonia

Patagonia trekking is physically demanding but does not require elite fitness. Here is how to prepare:

Minimum fitness: You should be able to hike 15 km with a 10 kg pack over hilly terrain in a day without extreme fatigue. If you can do this, you can complete the W Trek.

Recommended preparation (8-12 weeks before):

1. Hiking with weight: Hike with your loaded pack 2-3 times per week, progressively increasing distance and elevation gain.
2. Cardiovascular base: Running, cycling, or swimming 3-4 times per week for 30-60 minutes.
3. Leg strength: Squats, lunges, and step-ups to prepare for steep ascents and descents (especially important for knee health on the long descents).
4. Core strength: Planks and dead bugs for stability on uneven terrain with a heavy pack.

On the trek: Pace yourself. The W Trek is not a race. Walk at a pace where you can hold a conversation. Take breaks every 60-90 minutes. Eat and drink consistently throughout the day. Your body is working harder than normal due to the wind, the altitude (moderate, but enough to notice), and the weight of your pack.

You Might Also Like

• Hiking the World’s Most Epic Trails on a Budget
• Camino Alternatives: Epic Thru-Hikes
• Hut-to-Hut Hiking: Complete Beginners Guide