Torres del Paine is one of the most famous hiking areas in Chiles most popular national park. Around Torres del Paine you can choose between three different hikes, the Circuit - 8days, the Q - 9 days or the W - 5days. We did the W-hike, because 4 nights freezing in a tent is more than enough for us.
Before the W-hike, we attended a information meeting at Erratic Rock Hostel at 3pm, they told us everything we needed to know about the hike - what to expect, how to dress, what food to bring. They told us we could expect extreme wind up to 120km an hour, snow, be soaking wet for five days, freeze.. and if we were lucky we might have some sun and see a puma.
We were really lucky and had sun and blue sky for four out of five days. Hurray! (we didn't see a puma)
The W-hike.
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| picture from: http://www.stephandben.com/2012/04/map-how-to-hike-w-in-torres-del-paine.html |
Day 1: We took the bus from Puerto Natales to the park in the morning, and from the park we took the ferry which brough us to our starting point - Refugio Paine Grande. From there we had a short walk, 3,5 hours, to our first campsite "Campsite Refugio Grey" (cost 4000 Chilean Pesos pr person pr night (40nok)). From Lago Grey you can walk one hour to a mirador (viewpoint), and see the glacier.
This day was also my 25th birthday. The girls made a party tent and we celebrated with tomato soup, burned noodles, dulce the leech liquor and coffee, cheap red wine and "champagne"!
In the evening a lot of people joined the "party" - the park rangers, the guide and some other hikers. We were singing Feliz Cumpleanos all night, drinking Gato Negro, and having a good time till the power were cut at midnight and we were left in the dark.
This was the first party ever in the national park according to the park rangers.
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| The party tent |
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| The birthday dinner |
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| The cinnamon |
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| The birthday cake, ofcourse with Dulce de Leche |
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| the birthday song |
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| the birthday party |
Day 2: We walked six hours from Campsite Refugio Grey to Campsite Italiano (free campsite). Great walk, with some amazing views. We were so tired in the evning after yesterdays party and todays walk that we went to bed before sunset, around 9pm.
Day 2 was definitely the hardest day walking, we are not use to walking that long with backpacks and it was a lot of uphill. The last hour we felt close to dying and asked every single person for about one hour how far it was to the next camp.
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| A stupid tourist burned down 10% of the park (the stupid tourist was not Cecilie) |
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| Delicious dinner. |
Day 3: We started the day early with a day hike (without backpacks yej!) into Valle del Frances. The best hike of the trip! Great views and we could hear and see lavanges from one of the mountain. The Valle del Frances hike takes around 5-6 hours.
We got back to the Camp Italiano, packed our bags and the tent, and walked for two more hours to Campsite Refugio Los Cuernos. This campsite is the most expensive one, (8000 Chilean Pesos, 80nok), but definitly the best. They even had happy hour from 18-19pm. Great!
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| Valle del Frances |
Day 4: Today we walked for 8-9 hours, from Campsite Refugio Los Cuernos to Campsite Torres (free campsite). When we arrived at Campsite Torres we actually had some extra energy and walked one extra hour up to the mirador to check out los Torres. Stunning!
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| The snackpack |
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| Torres del Paine |
Day 5. We woke up at 4am in the morning, it was raining, we were extremely cold after another night in a cold tent and a cold sleeping bag. We put on our smelly hiking clothes, wet shoes, brought a torch and walked in a "light trail" (lysløype) with all the other hikers completely in the dark and the rain, to see the sunrise over los Torres, at 5.30am.
We arrived at the top after one hour walk at 5.10am. It was windy and snowy, and we hide in a cave for about 10min before we were too cold and left again. Because of the clouds and the snow we couldn't see anything anyways.
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| Hiding in the cave |
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| The snowstorm |
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| the not-so-great view |
We went back to our sleeping bags, slept for two more hours, woke up again freezing, put on our cold wet hiking clothes, packed our tent and ran down the valley in 2 hours - ready to go back to civilization!
The shuttle picked us up at 2pm, the bus to Puerto Natales left at 2.30pm. We were home at 4pm. Had a loooong shower, and went out for the best lamb and red wine so far! Following by celebration beers and pisco sour drinks.
We survived the W-hike!!
Extra tips:
- Pack everything in black plastic bags, and have one extra plastic bag in your big backpack so everything is dobble secured.
- Breakfast: Eat soup cause its easy to carry and to make. Lunch: bring nuts, dried fruits, chocolate and muesli bars. Eat and walk, so you don't get cold. Dinner: Anything thats easy to carry and make. We had soups, rice&curry, mashed potatoes with sausage.
- Bring a warm sleeping bag! One that goes to minus 5-10degrees. We were freezing every night!
- Bring one set of hiking clothes, and one set of warm clothes + one set of waterproof clothes. Wear the same hiking clothes for 5 days.
- Hike east to west or west to east? We hikes west to east, because the last day is the hardest, and by then we would have eaten most of the food and our backpacks would be easier to carry.
Costs:
*Gear rental per person: 20 500 chile (205nok)
(We rented one 4 person tent, stow, pot, bestikk, cups and plates, four waterproof pants and one waterproof jacket, two warm sleeping bags, and four walking sticks.
* Park fee: 18 000 chile (180nok)
* Campsite fees: 8000+4000 = 12 000 chile (120nok)
* Bus Puerto Natales - Torres del Pain = 150 00 chile (150nok)
* Shuttle bus + boat in the park: 2500 + 12 000 = 14 500 (145nok)
* Food for 5 days incl breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, snack, redwine etc: 20 000pr person (200nok)
Total expenses 5days/4 nights: 100 000chile (1000nok).
How to get there:
We took the morning bus, 7.30am, from Puerto Natales. The bus takes about 2 hours, and cost 180 000 Chile (180kr).
It takes you to the park, and from there you either have to take a shuttle bus (2500 Chile (25nok),) or a boat to your starting point, depending if your hiking east to west or west to east.
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