Highlights: Trekking Base Torres, Trekking French Valley. Grey Glacier.
We invite you to explore Torres del Paine, marvel at the massive granite towers that give the Park its name, hike beneath the breathtaking Cuernos del Paine and take stunning photos in the Frances Valley. Come and be amazed by the incredible Grey Glacier which extends into the horizon and is the final tip of Chilean Patagonia's Southern Ice Fields.
Before the adventure begins, you will get an email with information to help you fully prepare for your Torres del Paine trip. Our sales executives will contact you about the Welcome Kit and vouchers. The day your trip begins you will take the 2:30 p.m. bus from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine National Park. The journey takes about 2 1/2 hours (112 kms). You will reach the park in the afternoon and have time for dinner before spending the night in the Central Sector. If you prefer to seize the day and enjoy one of our horse-riding or rock-climbing excursions you should take the 7 a.m. bus from Puerto Natales and book these activities beforehand as they are not included in the program. Remember that the camping program includes all the equipment you need.
Accommodation: Refugio Torre Central.
Recommended hour to start: 9.00 AM. The first hour and a half walking is steep with fantastic views of Lake Nordenskjöld and Almirante Nieto Mn (2.670 m.s.n.m), with it’s hanging glacier until you reach Refugio El Chileno to recover energies and leave your luggage. Then the trail continues through a millenary Lenga forest (1 hour) until the base of “the moraine” which challenging ascent (45 min), will take you to one of the most impressive places in the park: the lookout of the “Base of Torres del Paine” where you will enjoy the view of Torre Sur (2,850 m.s.n.m.), Torre Central (2.800 m.s.n.m), Torre Norte (2.600 m.s.n.m) and Cerro Nido de Cóndor.
Accommodation: Torre Central. Difficulty Level: High. Altitude: Initial: 120 m. Highest: 870m
We will walk about 13.5 km along the shore of Nordenskjöld Lake, Almirante Nieto Hill, and the striking Cuernos del Paine. During the hike, we will enjoy magnificent views of Los Cuernos, hanging glaciers, lakes, and the abundant local vegetation and wildlife.
We will have dinner and sleep in the Francés Sector.
Recommended hour to start: 9.00 AM. The trail goes through the Base of Almirante Nieto Mn. – part of the Paine Massif-, with great views to Nordenskjöld Lake; from December the flora presents different colours specially the “Ciruelillo” or “Fire Bush” which take its name from the red colour of its flowers. After about 4 – 5 hours you will get to the Base of Los Cuernos where our Refugio is located, considered by many, one of the most charming sites in the whole park, a perfect spot to rest and recover energies for the next day challenging trek: “The French Valley”.
Accommodation:Sector Frances .Difficulty Level: Medium. Elevation gain :200 m
Recommended hour to start: 9.00 AM. The first 2 hours are with some ascents, descents and views to Nordenskjöld Lake, until “Campamento Italiano”. The ascent goes for about 1 hour and a half until French Glacier lookout, where you’ll be able to observe its hanging glacier and opportunities to observe small avalanches. After that the trail continues until “Campamento Británico” and after about 20 minutes you will reach the lookout point considered by many as one of the most overwhelming spots in the Circuit: “Mirador Británico”, where you will admire: “Paine Grande”, “Cerro Hoja”, “Cerro Máscara”, “Cerro Catedral”, “Cerro Aleta de Tiburón”, “Cuerno Norte”, etc.
• The return is the same way back to “Campamento Italiano”, and then to Pehoé sector.
• Accommodation: Lodge Paine Grande. Difficulty Level: High. Altitude: Initial: 120 m Highest: 709 m
On this day, we will reach the third milestone of the circuit, a place that offers one of the most unforgettable sceneries of the park, the magnificent Grey Glacier.
The trail goes around the Paine Grande Hill, the highest peak in the mountain range (3,050 m), with incredible views of its hanging glaciers. Walking amidst Antarctic Beech (ñirre), Dombey's beech (coigüe), and Chilean firebush (notro), we will reach the first lookout point of Grey Lake, where we will see floating pieces of glacier. We will continue to walk towards the imposing view of Grey Glacier to reach the Grey Sector. Then, we will return to the Paine Grande Sector and take the 6:30 pm catamaran that will take us to Pudeto. There we will meet the bus that will take us back to Puerto Natales. Difficulty : High. Altitude Initial: 43 m Highest: 313 m.
•Transport From Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine and back.
Lodging: 4 nights (mountain hostel /cabin / camping /hotel)
Navegation
Catamaran crossing of Lake Pehóe to Pudeto
A 20% discount in our Wellness Center and 20%
discount for our Patagonian barbecue at Hotel Las Torres.
Ticket
Park entrance fees
Mountain hostels include beds with sleeping bag,All meals
Breakfast, lunch (box lunch) and dinner
All meals, comfortable bed in shared room for 6, with sleeping bag and personal locker, hot showers, bathroom, Welcome Kit with liner and towel, transport and park fees.
Welcome Kit: Includes sleeping-bag liner, microfiber towel, water bottle (stainless steel), a map and a journal notebook. We will organize passing you this kit in Puerto Natales.
• Tour Guide
• Additional services or activities not specified in
the program.
• Health and travel insurance. • Tips.
• Drinks.
Guided Group: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (November, December, January, February and March). Please consult about dates for October and April.
Solo travellers: Every day.
Departures from 1 October 2022 to April 2023.
TRAVEL INSURANCE Make sure you bring travel insurance to cover possible medical treatments (including COVID)
WEATHER AND CLIMATE.Each season has its own charm! Torres del Paine National Park is open all year, but the most popular time to visit is between October and April, coinciding with spring and summer in the southern hemisphere This period is characterized by sunny days, less rain, average temperatures of around 15°C/59°F and up to 16 hours of natural light. Hotel Las Torres operates between November and April and remains closed during winter.
MOBILE COVERAGE Shortly after leaving Puerto Natales mobile service will most probably be out of range, however you will find wifi service in each of our accomodation sectors.
VOLTAGE AND POWER PLUGS
Chielan power plugs got three parallel rounded plugs. We recommend bringing an adaptor. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.
CURRENCY AND PAYMENT OPTIONS
Please remember that there are no ATMs or exchange offices in the National Park. Prices charged in chilean pesos already include the 19% national tax.
The currency used in Chile is the Chilean Peso but we also accept US dollars and credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, American Express).
The guest must go to our Commercial Office in Puerto Natales to participate in the induction talk and receive their Welcome Kit and vouchers.At Christmas and New Years an extra fee of US $30 will be charged due to a special dinner.Regular Buses from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales www.busesfernadez.com, www.busespacheco.com If you need this service please email us.
In Chile we have a Foreign franchise (Chilean Law) to improve tourism, where tourists are exempted of paying the tax of 19% at the check in, for this purpose please do not forget to bring: - Passport - Tourist card (given at the border when entering to Chile). If you do not carry and present these documents you will have to pay the tax in Chilean pesos at the check in.
WHAT TO BRING
Come prepared to experience the magic of all four seasons in one day in Patagonia. The weather changes constantly, but there’s nothing like watching the wind sweep away fluffy clouds and reveal a horizon of soaring peaks and heavenly blue skies. We suggest you bring the following on your adventure:
• Recommended Backpacks:
• - One 40 litres Backpack
- One 20 – 25 litres Backpack por day hikes
- • -- Waterproof jacket and trousers (GORE TEX).
- Warm clothes (Polar Tec).
- Comfortable trousers for trekking.
- T – shirts.
- Long Sleeved Shirts.
- Trekking boots.
- Sandals (for showering, resting and crossing streams). - Flash lamp
• - Enough batteries supplies, (Camera + Charger + Adaptor)as in refugios they produce their own sustainable energy, they do not have places to charge
Warm hat and cap
- Sunglasses.
- Towel. Face mask- hand sanitizer
• - Padlock.
- Gloves / Sunscreen.
- Camera / Binoculars.
- Bottle for water (Nalgene).
- Ziploc bags (for taking your trash back).
- Trekking Sticks.
- Swimsuit * Hot Tub – Los Cuernos Cabins. - Warm Hat.
- Hat for sun protection.
• Porters can be hired at an extra cost of 250 u$ per person for the whole trek. Max load is 14 kilos per porter.
Depending on your flight schedule you will need to spend one night in P.Arenas or Puerto Natales either at the begining or at the end of the trekking. Send us an email so we can organize this too.
