Nearly three decades ago, under a military dictatorship, chile attracted few foreign visitors, and hiking torres del paine was a solitary experience. Then, as you hike day five and come over the john garner pass, you see the huge and stunning lago grey glacier below. Its such great activity and id recommend everyone doing a trek in torres del paine should add it to their itinerary. Aug 11, 2016 guidebook to trekking chiles 1011 day torres del paine circuit in patagonia. Oct 19, 2018 after deciding to trek in torres del paine your next step is to decide which trek to do, the w trek or the o circuit. Want to know how to book the campsites mentioned in this itinerary. Nasa grey glacier, torres del paine national park, chile.
The famous rock formations steal the show in the national park. Grey glacier is a glacier in the southern patagonian ice field, just west of the cordillera del paine. Grey glacier is different from serrano its the edge of a huge icecap, and icebergs calve into the lago grey, which is large. We were at the entrance for an hour because everyone needs to buy tickets, watch a safety video, and then if needed get back on the bus.
Refugio paine grande hikers trekking multiday w or o trek need to book. Torres del paine s w trek is celebrated by active travellers globally as one of the most scenic treks anywhere. Typically glaciers will grind away any sedimentary rocks leaving only the granite for us to appreciate, but in this case, there is still a clear layer of. Mirador grey grey viewpoint provides an excellent viewing platform across grey lake and is the most popular place from which to see the impressive glacier. How to hike the o circuit in torres del paine travel outlandish. Incredible day hike in torres del paine laidback trip.
From puerto natales, you need to take a regular everyday bus to torres del paine. If youre planning to visit chiles famous national park torres del paine, hiking is probably high on your list. Ice hike glacier grey torres del paine by experience chile. Mar 05, 2015 grey glacier in the torres del paine national park, patagonia heiko beyerrobert harding a trail of luminous blue icebergs in the milky lake below our path gave clues as to the sight that was to come a magical, jagged river of ice spilling forth from misty mountains. In 1996, it occupied a total area of 270 km 2 100 sq mi and a length of 28 km 17 mi. Mirador base torres, mirador britanico, valle frances and glaciar grey. On this trek well enjoy long days on the trail taking in all of the postcard moments of torres del paine national park in chile.
Grey glacier in the torres del paine national park, patagonia heiko beyerrobert harding a trail of luminous blue icebergs in the milky lake below our path gave clues as to the sight that was to come a magical, jagged river of ice spilling forth from misty mountains. Torres del paine gets its name from three soaring granite towers, best seen from a lookout point visited on both the w trek and o circuit, and you can also trek up on a day hike. The heavier the pack the heavier the boot, simple, if you are camping and carrying all your gear, a twisted ankle on the back side would be a hassle, if you have a down sleeping bag and are only staying in refugios, trail shoes are fine. View of the grey glacier from john gardner pass on the o circuit in torres del paine where to stay before and after hiking if youre planning to do day hikes in the park the best option is to stay inside the park or in one of the nearby places, itll save you a lot of time compared to staying in puerto natales and spending 45 hours every. How to prepare for hiking in torres del paine, chile back. Climbing a scree field up to the john garner pass to reveal the 6km expanse of glacier grey. Torres del paine has long been worldrenowned for its beauty and is chiles most popular national park, which means it also has topnotch infrastructure. Patagonia trek torres del paine chile mountain guides.
Glacier grey ice hike october to april torresdelpaine. Ultimate guide to torres del paine national park chile. With its abundance of stunning scenery, torres del paine national park is one of chiles mostvisited attractions, despite its remote location. Day 3 trekking to grey breakfast at the cafeteria and box lunch pick up. We took the bus from puerto natales, arriving at the park at 9. People with bad knees or other physical difficulties should not select this activity. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, and backpacking and is best used from october until may. On my swoop recce to torres del paine i spent an afternoon ice hiking on glacier grey. And after making a few financial considerations we returned to the black sand beach surrounding grey lake for the boat that would take us to the glacier which each year disappears in a slow goodbye. The w trek on torres del paine leads hikers along the side of lago grey. After deciding to trek in torres del paine your next step is to decide which trek to do, the w trek or the o circuit. Highlights iconic view of the torres themselves and seeing glacier grey in all its glory.
Torres del paines w trek is celebrated by active travellers globally as one of the most scenic treks anywhere. It may not look like it, but this glacier is indeed the biggest one in torres del paine park 6 kilometers wide and to reach it, we passed the pingo river and endure strong winds in some of the sections. Torres del paine w circuit magallanes, chile alltrails. The geology at torres del paine national park is unique because there is such a clear distinction between the granite and sedimentary rocks. Glacier grey as a day trip torres del paine, chile life. Guidebook to trekking chiles 1011 day torres del paine circuit in patagonia. It is cold, but we forget about it in the company of other tourists who also want to meet the giant. Continue to the notoriously windy grey lookout, where you get an excellent view of grey glacier. The shameless selfregard on the day where the trail finally joins up with the dear diary, i still. Day 2 of my 5 day hike of the w circuit in the torres del paine national park took us back the same route as the prior day but on reverse. Grey glacier is a great day hike in the torres del paine national park. The best views, though, come from the w trail along the north shore of lago nordenskjold, between hosteria las torres and lago pehoe. Hey there, my husband and i will have 4 nights in the tdppunta arenas region in january.
Hiking in torres del paine swoop patagonias trekking guide. Below us lay the eightmile expanse of grey glacier spread out like an icy sea. Visit grey glacier in torres del paine national park. On arrival, we will disembark on the island at the glacier. Details of this experience go back to simpler times and forget that modern day society exists. This blog will explore the similarities and difference between the two treks so that you can choose which one is the best fit for your patagonian adventure. There is a conaf office in puerto natales where you can book free. The first day is a long one but all you need is a day pack. Parque nacional torres del paine hiking and climbing. You can learn more about the trekking routes in torres del paine in more detailhere.
Only one company holds the concession to operate ice hiking on glacier grey, which means that groups are between 2 people to 10 people max. Parque nacional torres del paine hiking and climbing moon. Jettisoned icebergs are dispersed across the lake by frigid katabatic winds which hurtle down from the southern patagonian icefield. Incredible day hikes in the torres del paine national park. Apr 26, 2018 hiking to grey glacier in torres del paine is for many a bucket list adventure. Torres del paine the w trek in chile, south america g. Hiking to refugio grey, passing by different viewpoints overlooking the lake and the glacier.
Me, looking out of glacier grey in torres del paine national park. Hiking the torres del paine w circuit patagonia day 2. How to hike the o circuit in torres del paine travel. Therefore, you need to stay overnight at grey camping and refugio and hike back to. From the lago grey hotel, we arrive in minutes at the pingo river where we cross its. We spent a month recently discovering the incredibly huge and long country of chile and only a week of that was spent in torres del paine national park. Grey glacier hike in torres del paine sling adventures. Hiking through the french valley, torres del paine. The o circuit starts out in the rugged backcountry and joins up with w so you dont have to miss highlights like glacier grey, valle del frances, and obviously las torres. The best time to travel to patagonia for this trek is during octobermarch.
Keep hiking toward the glacier through sometimes dense forests to refugio grey. It is most famous for the w trek, but dig deeper and youll find this is the perfect place to experience this region at its wildest and most remote. Before dividing in two at its front end, the glacier is 6 kilometers wide and over 30 meters high. Moderate, but participants must be in good physical shape. How to hike the w in torres del paine trekking guide. Nov 14, 2019 view of the grey glacier from john gardner pass on the o circuit in torres del paine where to stay before and after hiking if youre planning to do day hikes in the park the best option is to stay inside the park or in one of the nearby places, itll save you a lot of time compared to staying in puerto natales and spending 45 hours every. The ice hike lasts 5 hours and there are departures in the morning and afternoon from november until march. Glacier grey is a favorite amongst visitors to torres del paine national park. The more challenging 8day o trek winds along the northern side of the massif, crosses the john gardner pass and then takes in all the attractions of the w trek. Heres a quick sixday trip thats simply perfect as an addon to other patagonian adventures. The w trek takes in the southern half of the paine massif exploring the stunning grey glacier, the gorgeous french valley and drum roll las torres. Puerto natales bus pudeto ferry paine grande grey glacier, 11km6,8 miles.
Hiking the torres del paine the daily adventures of me. The complete guide to hiking in torres del paine, chile stingy. Torres del paine national park, with its iconic granite towers, is one of the most popular destinations in patagonia. Winding in a w shape from one end of the paine massif mountains to the other, the trek takes hikers past some of the regions. The complete guide to the w trek in torres del paine, chile stingy. Hiking to grey glacier in torres del paine is for many a bucket list adventure. May 18, 2015 day 2 of my 5 day hike of the w circuit in the torres del paine national park took us back the same route as the prior day but on reverse. Jun 17, 2016 if youre planning to visit chiles famous national park torres del paine, hiking is probably high on your list. All you need to know about hiking in torres del paine, chile. Hiking in patagonia nomadasaurus adventure travel blog. Ive sworn to return one day to complete the below torres del paine hiking trails in full. While the trek alone is challenging enough, the real contest. Spend four days walking through stunning landscapes surrounding grey glacier, french valley, and the imposing three towers. The torres del paine w trek is the worlds best multiday trek without high altitudes, according to lonely planet.
Torres del paine national park trail trek patagonia chile. Glacier grey as a day trip torres del paine, chile. We did it as a day hike, which was tough but absolutely doable. They are some of the best hiking trails on the continent, if not the world. Book campsites beforehand and bring a printed booking confirmation. It is adjacent to the grey lake, where the pieces of ice that come off from the glacier float. Grey glacier, torres del paine national park, chile 06. Hikers on the torres del paine w trek, patagonia with views across glacier grey. The complete guide to hiking in torres del paine, chile. Besides grey glacier, highlights include the vividly blue lake pehoe, encircled by mountains. Grey glacier is in torres del paine national park, and no matter if you plan on staying in puerto natales and travel forth and back every day or if you are going to stay in one of the few lodges within the park, you need to get to the park anyway. This mighty glacier forks like a snake tongue as it reaches the edge of the magnificent grey lake. For a quieter perspective, some offthebeatentrack hikes also offer beautiful views from different directions, making them some of the most interesting.
Torres del paine w trek complete guide updated 2020. While you will still need to book campsites with directly with conaf, vertice. Everything else can stay in the van that you arrived in. Discover the 5 days torres del paine w trek and live the authentic patagonia. The iconic grey glacier with your feet firmly on dryland having crossed the scenic lake pehoe from the pudeto dock, youll head out towards the western part of the torres del paine national park. The w trek of torres del paine national park in chilean patagonia is one of the mustdo multiday hiking trails in the world. A oneday hike to grey glacier was challenging but also our favorite trek. Everything you need to know to trek patagonias torres del paine. Please note that you must book your place in the campsite well in advance.
This glacier grey ice hiking experience is a one of a kind adventure, only torres del paine can offer. Night 1 refugio grey get the bus to the park and then ferry read more about the ferry below to the start of the trail. The o circuit in torres del paine is about exploring the remote, everchanging landscapes of the patagonian backcountry. This is the best guide to the torres del paine w trek and circuit treks. How to hike the torres del paine w trek without a tour 20192020. Torres del paine national park spans over 180,000 hectares and lies 112 km north of the coastal city. Nov 22, 2019 the w trek takes in the southern half of the paine massif exploring the stunning grey glacier, the gorgeous french valley and drum roll las torres. And one of the most spectacular hikes you can do there is a thrilling ice hike on glacier grey with bigfoot patagonia, the only licensed vendor in torres del paine. From our base camp located in torres del paine, we go in a zodiac boat for 15 minutes until we reach the west side of the grey glacier.
Torres del paine granite towers, refugio chileno, hotel las torres. Torres del paine is even more spectacular in person than the photos youve. The park has superb hiking infrastructure with exceptionally maintained trails along with campsites and refuges at regular intervals. It may not look like it, but this glacier is indeed the biggest one in torres del paine park 6 kilometers wide and to reach it, we passed the. The grey glacier is located in the torres del paine national park and it is part of the southern ice fields. Lago grey trail hiking trail, puerto natales, chile. One of the highlights of the park for us was seeing and hiking glacier grey, one of the regions smallest glaciers at 270 square kilometers and receding rapidly each year.
624 661 118 1103 377 603 136 1192 1036 1239 1042 1395 1062 691 900 514 486 1358 43 575 576 1470 237 1329 409 1200 465 413 1357 1221 1369 908