The Best Short Trek To Do In October - Torres del Paine W Circuit
You'll find the most important details you need to know about this trek here, ranging from average cost to the nearest airport, aswell as a brief description of what you should expect on this trek.
FYI - This is part of a series of blogs that describe and detail the best short and long treks around the world per month. The trek per month is not random, I chose the best treks with the best climate conditions per month. Type in November in the search bar of my blog section and find out what the best treks to take are in November.
Name of the Trek: Torres del Paine W Circuit Trek
Location: Chile
Nearest Airport: Punta Arenas airport
Average Trekking Duration: 5 days
Distance: 80 km
Difficulty: Moderate/ Challenging
Highest Altitude: 1,200 m
Best Month To Go: October
Average Temperature: 13 degrees Centigrade
Average Cost: If you are planning to go trekking solo, Torres del Paine W Circuit is an ideal trail to go. There are plenty of markers along the way for trekkers to follow. The cost of solo trekking would come to around USD $140 per person. With a tour operator, the trekking cost might be around USD $1,500.
The overall trekking route can begin from Puerto Natales where you enter Torres del Paine National Park. Take a ferry to go to Paine Grande, and then to Grey from where the trail takes you to a higher altitude.
From Paine Grande, you hike 11 km to reach Frances by hiking up rugged lands. The view of unique shaped Cuernosdel Paine mountain ranges and lakes will take away all your feelings of exhaustion. On the fourth day, you reach El Chileno, and then finally to Laguna Amarga after hiking for more than 7 hours.
What to Expect?
There are refuges and shelters along the trail for the trekking enthusiasts. You may camp out, but it is better to book the campsite well in advance if you are planning to trek between July and October. Trekkers will not have to worry about altitude sickness or even finding accommodation. You can drink water from these glacial lakes without any problem by boiling them.
Talking about accommodation, you can rest assured that you will get to stay in the free camps and get the basic amenities run by CONAF. There are tents with sharing basis and shelters with beds costing anything around USD $40 per person. Look out for slippery and muddy trails, especially when trekking in the Frances Valley. Carry your camping gear if you get a place in the campsite.
Patagonian routes are famous for its long and most scenic routes in this part of the world. At least, that is what those trekking Santa Cruz Alpamayo treks or the other famed ones have claimed. From seeing barren mountain ranges to viewing a scenic valley full of wildflowers and spotting glaciers and snow-capped mountains on the other side, the trail is full of surprises.