W Circuit with Grey Glacier Navigation
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Duration 5 Days
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Difficulty Hard
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Languages English , Spanish
From $1.700.000 / Person
About This Tour
This is the W Trek with an unforgettable finale: instead of the standard catamaran, you close the route with a Grey Glacier navigation, sailing among floating icebergs to the towering blue wall of ice. Five self-guided days through the classic "W", from the base of the Towers and the French Valley to Grey.
What's included
Park entrance fee, round-trip bus transfer from Puerto Natales, the Grey Glacier navigation ticket (Refugio Grey–Hotel Lago Grey), and full-board lodging with overnights in the Central/Chileno, Francés/Cuernos and Paine Grande sectors. Choose camping or refugio at booking.
Why this version
Sailing right up to Grey Glacier is one of Patagonia's most spectacular moments — a perfect, memorable way to end the trek. Guide and porter available as extras.
Prefer the classic ending, or want a shorter option? Compare all our Torres del Paine treks and tours. Ready to hike the W and sail the Grey? Book with Kali Travels.
Included/Exclude
- Torres del Paine National Park entrance fee
- Round-trip bus transfer from Puerto Natales to Torres del Paine
- Grey Glaciar Navigation ticket (Refugio Grey – Hotel Lago Grey)
- 1 night accommodation in Central or Chileno Sector
- 1 night accommodation in Francés or Cuernos Sector
- 1 night accommodation in Paine Grande Sector
- 1 night accommodation in Grey Sector
- Full board (4 breakfasts, 5 boxed lunches, 4 dinners)
- Breakfast on Day 1
- Dinner on Day 5
- Additional beverages
- Luggage porter (available as extra)
- Guide (available as extra)
Tour Plan
To start this experience, you will need to go to the bus terminal and
board the bus departing at 7:00 a.m. (we recommend arriving at
least 10 minutes before departure), heading to Torres del Paine
National Park. You will travel through beautiful landscapes until you
reach the main entrance, Laguna Amarga, where you must register
with CONAF (park rangers). Here you will transfer to “Las Torres”
shuttle, who will take you to the Visitor’s Center. Check yourself in at
the Cerro Paine Reserve and, after about a 5 minutes’ walk, you will
arrive at Torre Central where you must check in, either in refuge or
camping, before starting your trekking.
Today’s hike begins through the Ascencio Valley, enjoying its
extensive forests. During the final ascent, you will traverse an
immense field of giant rocks until you reach one of the most
emblematic viewpoints in the world, the famous Base of the Towers
lookout. At 900 m.a.s.l., you will be marvel with the 3 granite towers
(north, central and south) and the bright turquoise glacial lake at its
feet. Take beautiful photos and enjoy your box lunch before returning
along the same path back to Torre Central. After a long day and
enjoying the Towers, delight yourself with the dinner at the refuge.
Enjoy breakfast and then request your box lunch to start the walk in
the depth of the park to Los Cuernos or Francés. During this hike you
will pass through beautiful crystal-clear streams, and you can admire
the snowdrifts of Almirante Nieto mount at 2,670 meters. You will be
able to see the majestic condors gliding from the heights and go
alongside the fascinating waters of the Nordenskjöld lake. Continue
along the trail until you reach Los Cuernos or Francés refuge, where
you will relax for the evening
We recommend to begin early! This hike will take you to the heart of
Torres del Paine National Park. After breakfast, ask for your box lunch
and get ready for a day of amazing Patagonian landscapes. After 2
hours walking, you will pass through the Francés campsite, and you
will arrive at the entrance of the French Valley. You can leave your
backpack at the Italiano camp, where there is a park ranger outpost,
and start your journey up to the French Valley.Climb through a
massive boulder field and follow a tree-lined ridge until reaching the
French plateau. Here, you will be rewarded with stunning views of
Los Cuernos (the Horns), turquoise glacial lagoons and amazing blue
hanging glaciers cascading down the east face of the Paine Grande
Mountain (3,050 m.a.s.l.). If you are lucky, you will hear the
thundering sound of water and ice crashing down, as it is very
common to witness avalanches. Take some photos, enjoy your box
lunch and a well-deserved rest. Descend through the same path back
to the Italiano camp (remember to grab your backpack). From here
walk to Paine Grande refuge (about 2.5 hrs). Take it easy as it is
practically flat. In the evening you will enjoy a delicious dinner at the
refuge.
After breakfast, remember to ask for your box lunch and start today’s
trekking. The hike begins through a narrow and winding valley that
leads to Los Patos lagoon. As you continue, you will get glimpses of
the immense Southern Ice Field, as well as the icebergs in the Grey
lake. After passing the sometimes very windy viewpoint, the path
descends through a mountainous forest until it reaches the Grey
refuge. From here, you can continue your walk for about 10 minutes
until you reach the Grey glacier lookout, where you will be facing the
bluest glacier in the world. Dinner will be served in the refuge
between 6:00 and 9:00 pm.
OPTIONAL:
For an unforgettable panoramic view of Grey glacier, set o for an extra 3 - 4 hrs
(round trip) past the refuge in the direction of the famous hanging bridges. It is by
far the best viewpoint of the glacier. In addition to contemplating the impressive ice,
you can see the depth of the ravine formed by the rivers and waterfalls that come
from the Olguín Range. If luck is on your side, you may catch ice calving into the
deep, freezing waters of Grey lake
In case you did not have the chance to visit the hanging bridges the
day before, you can use the morning to explore the spectacular
panoramic views of the Grey glacier. Then you must to start you
return to Puerto Natales and board the navigation Grey III, the place
is located to 10 minutes from Grey Refuge.
You will arrive to Grey Beach and walk for 20 minutes until reach
Pingo sector, the place where you will wait the bus that will take you
back to Puerto Natales.
