W TREK PLUS (5 DAYS)

Our journey begins from Puerto Natales as we travel 2 hours to Estancia Lazo, a 13,000 hectare (32,123 acres) cattle ranch founded over a century ago and still operating today beneath striking views of the Paine Massif on the shores of Laguna Verde. From here we’ll hike into Torres del Paine National Park along a generally flat trail through peaceful stretches of native beech and coihue forests teeming with wildlife. As you walk, watch for condors and caranchos circling the skies; guanacos grazing on the hills; and woodpeckers, owls, and lesser-known species such as the cachaña (Austral parakeet), peeking out from the leafy trees. We’ll reach Honda Lagoon and continue on to the Toro Lake lookout (559 m / 1,834 ft.), where 360 degree views of mountains, rivers, lakes and glaciers await. Take a moment to identify the Grey, Serrano and Paine Rivers, Serrano Valley, Mount Balmaceda and the Geike and Tyndall Glaciers. After our short descent to the Weber Bridge, our private transfer awaits to take us to our campsite located on the shores of the Serrano River where we are greeted with a freshly prepared welcome dinner and stunning views of the Paine Massif.

*Chile Nativo Transfers allow us to continue our commitment to sustainability by minimizing our carbon footprint whenever possible. For this reason, Chile Nativo Transfers are semi privarte, sharing among our clients who are coming in or out of the park.

Following a plentiful and freshly made breakfast, our private transfer takes us along a 30 minute drive to the trailhead of our day’s trek of the Pingo Valley. This 3-hour hike in the valley takes us to a breathtaking viewpoint at “Cascada los Salmones”, a waterfall where salmon are sometimes seen. Be alert as we return – you may see the elusive huemul (Andean deer) hiding nearby! After a picnic lunch on the shores of the Pingo River we’ll make our way through a woodpecker-inhabited beech forest to our boat’s departure point. The 3 hour-long boat trip takes us around blue-hued icebergs to the immense face of the Grey Glacier, where we’ll stay for a while to admire its textures, lines and colors. If we’re lucky, we’ll witness a glacial calving, where chunks of ice break off and plummet spectacularly into the freezing waters. On your return journey you’ll see the wind-sculpted “ice mushrooms” atop the massive peaks of Paine Grande. Later, we’ll drive to the Serrano River area where a gourmet meal and good night’s rest await us at our riverside camp.

After a energy-packed breakfast admiring the sunrise on the Paine Massif from our dining lodge, a private transfer will take us to Lake Pehoe where we will take a short 35 minute catamaran to Refugio Paine Grande. Here we begin our hike to the the entrance to the French Valley – a huge glacial moraine where we follow undulating trails over boulders to catch the first sight of incredible hanging glaciers atop the valley.

From this point, we ascend for an hour through a dreamlike Japanese garden landscape before arriving at the French Valley viewpoint (the “Plateau”).

We are rewarded with a heart-stirring bird’s eye view of granite peaks and hanging glaciers. To one side, the French Glacier and Paine Grande (3,050 m / 10,006 ft.); while to the other, La Espada, La Hoja, La Máscara and the main and north “horns” of Los Cuernos arch upwards. In the upper section of the Valley, Cerro Catedral and Cerro Fortaleza loom like turrets above the landscape.

We’ll take our time to enjoy lunch at the viewpoint, surrounded by these imposing peaks and open skies. Our return hike is along the same track back to Refugio Paine Grande & Lake Pehoe where we will take the short catamaran ride back across the lake where our private transfer awaits to take us back to our riverside camp.

A deliciously prepared dinner welcomes us at the dining lodge before turning in for the evening in your private double deluxe dome on the shores of the Serrano River.

This hike is demanding and many parts of the trail are steep. This trek is a minimum of 8 hours along challenging, rugged mountainous terrains. This trek is suitable for travelers with a strong physical stamina.

After breakfast, our transfer will take us along the Paine River past Lake Pehoe to Pudeto where we will begin our first gentle round-trip hike for the day.
We will pass by the Salto Grande Waterfall where the Nordenskjöld Lake flows into the Pehoe Lake creating a magnificent turquoise blue water.
We can enjoy the area’s boardwalk with offers spectacular views of the lake as well as the Paine Grande & Cuernos mountains.
Continuing on along a gentle path, we will pass by an open area where the effects of the 2005 national park fire can be seen. Our trail takes us along the black sandy beach of Nordenskjöld Lake where one can feel the powerful Patagonia winds before arriving up top to the Cuernos lookout point which offers captivating views of the French Valley, Los Cuernos, and Paine Grande mountain.
Listen closely as you can hear the valley´s glaciers as they shake and move down the icy rock. Taking the same path back, we will enjoy a fresh snack, fresh drink, and short rest before our private transfer takes us to our next trailhead!
After a short 30 minute transfer, we’ll set off from the Sarmiento Lake ranger station in route to the Laguna Amarga area.
Hiking along a beautiful wildlife observation trail which connects two of the four park entrances, we’ll be able to photograph some spectacular landscapes and observe guanacos and a wide variety of endemic waterbird species who frequent this area for nesting and feeding.
The coscoroba swan, upland goose, caiquenes, and black-neck swans are just a few of the species we can see along our way.
After about an hour of hiking, we will reach a rock eave formation where a series of cave paintings dating back to 6,000 years ago can be observed.
We will learn about this section’s history and some of the first inhabitants of Patagonia who frequented this area to hunt. This trail crosses through a very special landscape of the park which has several small lagoons and wonderful frontal views of the Paine Massif.
This sector is also a place where Pumas tend to frequent due to it’s prime conditions for hunting guanacos! Arriving to the Laguna Amarga entrance, our private transfer awaits where it will transfer us to our accommodation.

Today, we begin early with a energy-boosting breakfast to prepare us for our final trek – the base of the iconic Towers. Along with our guide, we take a 2 hour transfer to the Las Torres Sector of the park where our trek begins with an ascent, following the Ascencio River into the Ascencio Valley.

After about an hour, we’ll stop to observe how the valley’s beauty unfolds with rich beech forests, glaciers and waterfalls.

Past this lookout point, we continue uphill and through lush beech forests before ascending a gigantic terminal moraine (the ridge formed at a glacier’s end point) where we’ll be rewarded by the arresting sight of the three Towers themselves.

At this lookout point 900 m (2,953 ft.) above sea level, we’ll rest, take photos and have lunch. Our descent is along the same path, taking us back where our private transfer awaits to take us to Puerto Natales.

This hike is demanding and many parts of the trail are steep. This trek is a minimum of 8 hours along challenging, rugged mountainous terrains. This trek is suitable for travelers with a strong physical stamina.

*Chile Nativo Transfers allow us to continue our commitment to sustainability by minimizing our carbon footprint whenever possible. For this reason, Chile Nativo Transfers are semi privarte, sharing among our clients who are coming in or out of the park.