Torres Del Paine - W trek

This four day point to point trek in the Torres Del Paine National Park deserves it’s own blog post. The W trek is a hike that has been on my to-do-list for many years. The highlight is seeing ‘las Torres,’ the towers reflected in the emerald lake beneath. I chose to hike the trail east to west to make this my first day whilst my legs were fresh. It was fairly moderate to begin with, in places VERY windy (there’s actually a pass called ‘windy pass’ on this section) but only got steeper during the last hour I would say when you climb up boulders and encounter some rocky switchbacks. I was incredibly lucky to have the picture perfect views at the top with blue sky and sunshine. What a reward!

Day two and full rain gear on from the start at Refugio Central where I spent the night, to my tent at Frances campground. This day was so different to the previous one where the trail had been busy almost all the way up. Most of today I spent on the trail solo, just me and the rain and my heavy pack. Visiting this national park is super expensive and I was not going to add to the expense by adding on the meal plan for $100 US a day!! Insane! So instead I was carrying all my food for the four days, which I think was most of my weight in my pack! Despite this slowing me down a little, it didn’t matter as today was my shortest distance and least amount of elevation. I loved that it was quiet, the trail went past lakes and across a pebble beach. The last hour of walking was perfect as the sun came out and dried me out before I reached the campsite.

I had fallen asleep to rain on the tent but woke to the most beautiful sunrise on day three. I made my porridge and coffee and headed down to enjoy it by the water. There was only a few other people awake and again for most of today I had the trail going up to Britanico to myself. Silence and solitude. Perfect. Again I was incredibly lucky and the view at mirador Britanico was spectacular. You are surrounded by mountains whichever direction you look and I could see the tops of all of them. Amazing. The hike down was a little busier as people were starting their hike up but the clouds had started to roll in. 

A night’s rest at Refugio Paine Grande and I was ready for my final day on the trail to complete the ‘w.’ I didn’t know until I checked later but this was my longest hiking day at 18 miles. The trail took me up to Glacier Grey, passing the Refugio on the way. I decided as the weather was clear to go up a bit further crossing two suspension bridges to the second mirador with incredible views of the glacier. I had heard it carving all week, when big chunks break away. It sounds like loud, rumbling thunder. Again the trail wasn’t busy and for most of it I was alone with the birds. Much of today was walking through forest and I stopped so many times to watch, film and use the Merlin app to identify birds I had never seen before including the White-Crested Elaenia, Austral Thrush, Patagonian Sierra Finch, Black-Chinned Siskin, Thorn-tailed Rayadito and the Southern House Wren. Today was also full of unexpected flora including purple foxgloves and swathes of bright, yellow buttercups.

Back at Paine Grande it was thirty minutes on the catamaran and a two and a half hour bus back to Puerto Natales as my W trek was complete with zero blisters or injuries but with the photos I had hoped for. Was it worth it? Absolutely. A privilege to finally hike in this part of the world, however, it is expensive and this I don’t understand. I think there are trails and views in Europe in the Alps and elsewhere in the world that do not have this price tag attached and for me were just as enjoyable to hike. I also know people that have been to do the W and not had great views, so it feels like unfinished business. 

For those thinking of doing this hike, here are my top three tips to keep the price down:

1. Take your own food. There is hot water available at all refugios so I just took food I needed hot water for, so no need for a stove.

2. One outfit to hike in, one to sleep in. Keeps weight in your pack down to a minimum. There are hot showers available each night in the refugios which everyone can use even if you’re staying on the campsites.

3. Do it on your own, you do not need a guide. Trails are well marked and I think it would be very hard to get lost!

So there you have it. One happy hiker leaving Chilean Patagonia and crossing to see what adventures await on the Argentinian side. 

Thanks for reading and happy trails! I’ll leave you with just a few of the many pictures I took.

Patagonia

After spending the night at Santiago airport, it was a short flight south to Punta Arenas. I had come to ‘Patagonia’s Capital’ for penguins, but I wasn’t expecting to see colourful lupins lining the shore or to learn so much on an afternoon walking tour about the history of the city, particularly the four hunter/gatherer tribes that once called Patagonia home. As well as the walking tour I visited the museum, walked along the waterfront and up to the viewpoint over the city. 

The highlight of course was a day trip visiting Isla de Magdalena to see hundreds of Magellanic penguins including one month old chicks still with their fluffy, grey feathers. Cute! As well as the penguins, I saw black faced Ibis and herring gulls, also with chicks. On the way out, dolphins jumped alongside the boat and on the way back, sea lions swam. It was such a brilliant day, full of wildlife! 

Dream come true

One of the simple joys of being a child in the 80s and early 90s was collecting the tomb that was the Argos catalogue every autumn and taking it home to circle all the things you’d like for Christmas from the toy section. One of the things I circled was an illuminated globe and ‘Father Christmas’ was kind enough to grant me my wish! That globe became one of my prized possessions as a child. I remember flicking the switch to turn it on, studying the continents and oceans on it, memorising their names and neighbours. One of these places on my globe and in my very first atlas that fascinated me was Easter Island, Rapa Nui, a tiny dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  

Leaving Santiago, it’s a five hour flight across the Pacific to reach the island. Arriving at the airport to music, floral garlands, palm trees and sunshine I felt I’d left South America behind. The initial feeling reminded me of Fiji and as my next few days passed, the island is definitely more Polynesian, even though it remains a territory of Chile. 

Why come? The moai. Large, carved, stone statues that litter the island made by the first settlers on Rapa Nui. First platforms were built then the statues were carved from a huge quarry on the island and somehow moved onto the platforms - there are still questions on how this was achieved. They were erected for the first explorers on the island and important chiefs when they died. The bodies were burnt behind the platforms and once they were ash, the eyes would be added (made from coral and obsidian) and this would be the living face of the person’s ancestor.

I learnt so much about the history of the first people here and although it may sound strange, there were similarities with Orkney in how the people lived and constructed their homes. There were also signs of Peruvian influences too as well as cultural similarities to Māori and Polynesian people. DNA testing and other research has shown that the Rapa Nui people have the biggest connection to people in Tonga. 

So, after five days of moai, history, hiking to the highest point, sunrises and sunsets it is time to leave already. Who knew that seven year old me would one day visit the dot in the ocean she found on her illuminated globe? Dreams can come true!