Don’t hike the W-Trek in Patagonia until you read these 5 MUST-KNOW TIPS!

I learned so much the first time I hiked the W-Trek in March 2023, that if I were to hike it again (or even the longer O-Trek) I would do it differently. 

After experiencing all of the lodging options, hiking/camping gear rental opportunities, and figuring out what food and hiking gear to pack, the biggest thing I learned is that you DO NOT need to be a hardcore, experienced backpacker or camper to hike the famous W-Trek! This famous Patagonia hike is for EVERYONE. Sure, hiking 47 miles over 4-5 days can sound daunting and overwhelming, but hiking the W-Trek is one of the most luxurious and easily accessible outdoor adventures I’ve ever done.

In this Patagonia travel guide, I’ll share my top 5 must-know things about hiking the W-Trek, including:

• If you need to book a hiking guide or tour company to hike the W-Trek
• Non-camping Lodging and accommodations along the W-Trek 
• Where you can rent camping and hiking gear
• Where to buy warm meals, take a hot shower, and get WiFi
• What to pack and how to prepare for Patagonia’s famous unpredictable weather

Whether you are a beginner hiker or camper, avid backpacker, or a luxury traveler, hiking the W-Trek is for everyone (and a must-do adventure before you die)!

Looking to explore more of what makes Patagonia so famous outside of the W-Trek? Check out my Ultimate 2-Week Patagonia Itinerary (Chile & Argentina Must-See)

What is the W-Trek in Patagonia?

1. Location: Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
2. Total distance: 47 miles / 75 kilometers
3. Difficulty: moderate to difficult
4. Completion time: 4 to 5 days to complete
5. Best season to hike: November - March (Patagonia’s summer months)
6. Permits: no special permits are required
7. Entrance fees: Torres del Paine National Park entrance fee is $45 - $64 per person

As one of the most famous and popular hikes in Patagonia, the W-Trek is a 47-mile, multi-day hike in Torres del Paine National Park. This hike is unreal in that you get to hike through some of the most iconic landscapes in the entire world, including the famous granite spires (Las Torres), expansive glaciers, and turquoise lakes! Most hikers complete the W-Trek in 4 to 5 days. 

For step-by-step details on how to plan your trip to Patagonia, book campsites in Torres del Paine, and hike the W-Trek, check out my travel guide “How to Hike the W-Trek: Best 5-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide".

W-Trek Trail Map with Distances

1. You Can Hike the W-Trek Without a Guide or Tour Company.

One of the biggest ways we made hiking the W-Trek more affordable and budget-friendly was to complete the hike without a guide or tour company. With guided tours ranging from $1,300 - $3,300 per person, hiking the W-Trek with a guided tour can be expensive. 

You don’t need a hiking guide to do the W-Trek in Torres del Paine National Park because the trail is easy to navigate, well-maintained, and has sufficient signage, making it difficult to get lost. In addition, the W-Trek does not require any specialized skills like route-finding, rappelling, or bouldering, making this hike doable for new hikers and adventure travelers!

Want to hike the W-Trek without a guide? Check out my detailed travel guide and itinerary on how to hike the W-Trek in 5 days without a hiking guide.

2. You don't have to camp on the W-Trek if you don't want to.

There are sleeping accommodations for all types of travelers. Although camping is the most affordable and budget-friendly option for hiking the W-Trek, you can still do the W-Trek even if you don’t want to camp.

In addition to camping, hikers also have the option to stay in hotels, domos, and refugios along the W-Trek. These Torres del Paine lodging options provide furnished beds for anybody looking to hike the W-Trek without having to camp!

Below are the non-camping lodging options available along the W-Trek:

• Hotels - just like your traditional hotels. Here's a list of hotels in Torres del Paine National Park.
• Domos - permanent camp domes constructed from metallic frames and durable plastic sheets or cloth. Domos are equipped with bunk beds or cots and bedding is provided for guests, including a sleeping bed or duvet. EcoCamp Patagonia is an example of a domo in Torres del Paine.
• Refugios - dorm-style rooms, where each room is equipped with 4-8 bunk beds. Bedding is provided for guests, which includes either a sleeping bed or duvet. Here’s an example of a refugio in Torres del Paine. 

3. You can rent camping gear to hike the W-Trek and O-Trek.

If you do prefer to camp along the W-Trek, there are gear rental options in Torres del Paine so that you don’t need to bring camping gear from home (which makes travel much easier and more efficient).

Camping gear rental is available at every campsite along the W-Trek as well as from vendors in Puerto Natales, Chile, the closest gateway town to Torres del Paine. 

Renting gear for your trek in Torres del Paine makes hiking the W-Trek even more accessible for: 

• Anybody who wants to hike and camp along the W-Trek but doesn’t own camping gear
• Anybody who wants to travel to Patagonia or hike the W-Trek without packing and carrying their own camping gear

I wish I had taken advantage of gear rentals for hiking the W-Trek in March 2024. Instead, I hiked all 47 miles of the W-Trek carrying my own camping gear, supplies, and food in my backpack, which weighed nearly 35 pounds! It doesn’t sound like much, but hiking with all that gear on my back is honestly what made the W-Trek so challenging, especially on those longer days. 

If I were to hike the W-Trek again (or do the longer O-Trek), I would rent camping gear instead of hauling my own camping gear throughout Patagonia during my 2-week trip.

Trying to figure out what to pack to hike the W-Trek? Check out my complete Patagonia Packing List for everything I packed to hike the W-Trek in Torres del Paine in March. 

Where to Rent Camping Gear to Trek in Torres del Paine (W-Trek and O-Trek)

1. Camping Gear Rentals in Torres del Paine National Park: each campground along the W-Trek will offer camping gear to rent, including sleeping pads, sleeping bags, and even tents!

Below shows how much it cost in 2024 to rent camping gear from W-Trek campsites in Torres del Paine:

• Sleeping mat: $9/night
• Sleeping bag: $20/night
• Tent: $31/night

You can rent your camping gear in advance when you book your campsite reservations to guarantee that they will be available for your trek in Torres del Paine. However, you can also rent W-Trek camping gear last minute if they are available. We ended up having to rent a sleeping pad for my husband during our trek after discovering a leak in the sleeping pad he brought!

2. Camping Gear Rentals in Puerto Natales, Chile: you can even rent camping gear for your Torres del Paine trek before you even enter the park. Puerto Natales, the closest town to the entrance of Torres del Paine National Park, has plenty of outdoor vendors that offer both hiking and camping gear rentals. The Puerto Natales hostel we stayed in (Hostel El Patagonico) even offered hiking and camping gear rentals for the W-Trek!

Some of the places where you can rent hiking and camping gear in Puerto Natales are:

• Rental Natales
• Day Zero Patagonia Outfitters
• Puma House

You Can Stay in Premium Campsites Along the W-Trek

The most hassle-free way to camp along the W-Trek is to reserve a premium campsite in Torres del Paine. Premium campsites have tents that are already set up for you upon your arrival. If you book a fully-equipped premium campsite, your tent will be set up and furnished with a sleeping pad and even a sleeping bag and pillow. This is a great option for W-Trek hikers who want to camp along the W-Trek without having to hike with camping gear or worrying about setting up or breaking down your camp each day. 

Although premium campsites can be more expensive, the convenience of not having to worry about setting up and breaking down camp each day makes the cost worth it, especially after a long day of hiking. Having a simple, premium campsite made our sunrise hike to the Base of Las Torres that much easier to just wake up and hike!

Below is how much it cost to camp in a premium campsite in Torres Del Paine in 2024:

• Premium Camping, Fully Equipped (includes tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, pillow, and a drink voucher): $120 - $130 per person per night (2 people max). For single occupancy, it costs $90-$100 per night.
• Premium Camping, Simple (includes tent and sleeping mat): $90 - 95 per person per night (2-people max). For single occupancy, it costs $60-$70 per night.

4. You can purchase warm meals, enjoy a hot shower, and even get WiFi on the W-Trek.

I’m telling y’all…hiking in Torres del Paine is luxurious! Every place we stayed at along the W-Trek offered amazing amenities to cater to all types of travelers, including:

• Dining halls and restaurants, where you can purchase warm meals, drinks, and snacks
• Markets for you to rent gear and buy hiking and camping supplies (like cooking fuel, hiking snacks, electrolytes, etc.)
• Hot showers to freshen up after a long day of hiking
• WiFi and charging stations for you to stay connected

If I were to hike the W-Trek again (or do the O-Trek), I wouldn’t pack as much camping food or supplies to lighten up my backpack weight!

5. Patagonia weather is unpredictable, no matter when you visit.

Patagonia is one of those places with such unpredictable weather that you can experience every season in a single day!

Hiking the W-Trek at the end of March (Patagonia’s start of the fall season), we experienced daytime temperatures in 40-50°F and nighttime temperatures in the 30°F’s. However, each day was filled with a mixture of extreme winds, some rain, and sunshine. 

The best way to prepare for Patagonia’s unpredictable weather is to pack layers and windproof outerwear! Layering your clothes will make it easier to regulate your body temperature as you hike and adjust to any changing weather. The windproof outer layers will cut the wind and keep you warm when those famous Patagonia winds hit. 

Below is a list of what kinds of clothes I packed to hike the W-Trek in Patagonia in March:

• Base layers: this is the first layer you put on in your layering system that is closest to your skin. When hiking, I prefer base layer tops and base layer bottoms that are made with either merino wool or wool because these materials are odor-resisting, breathable, and moisture-wicking 
• Mid layers: the next layer you will wear to keep you warm. For a mid-layer top, I’ll usually pack a hoodie or fleece pullover. For a mid-layer bottom, I’ll pack hiking pants or fleece-lined sweatpants (mostly for sleeping)
• Outerwear: your outermost layer for additional warmth. I packed a compressible puffer jacket, gloves, and a hat.
• Windproof rain jacket and rain pants: a rain jacket and rain pants are ESSENTIAL in Patagonia. Not only do they keep you dry when it rains, but they cut the wind and keep you warm when those famous Patagonia winds are raging! The best part is that they do not take up a lot of space in your pack.

Trying to figure out exactly what to wear and everything to pack to hike the W-Trek in Patagonia? Check out my ultimate Patagonia Packing List & Gear Guide for all of the clothes and gear I packed.

Conclusion

I wish I knew about all of the amenities and lodging options available in Torres del Paine before hiking the W-Trek. This famous hike in Patagonia truly is for all types of adventurers!

Have you hiked in Torres del Paine National Park?

Other Travel Planning Resources for Patagonia

• How to Hike the W-Trek Without a Guide in 2024: Best 5-Day W-Trek Itinerary
• How to Spend 2 Weeks in Patagonia (Argentina & Chile): Best Itinerary in 2024
• Patagonia Packing List: Clothes, Hiking & Camping Gear, and Supplies You Need