3 Day itinerary in Chile, South America
A short and sweet, highlights-only Torres del Paine experience. Hike and boat the famous W trail’s three major attractions. On this 3-day trip you’ll trek the French Valley, come close to the icy walls of Grey Glacier and hike to the Base of the famous Towers, while recharging each night in a privat... Read More
By Gonzalo, Andrea and Marina
Physical Difficulty
Recommended Age
Operated in
GUIDANCE
starting point
trip type
trip attributes
Hiking
Meet local people
Nature & Wildlife
Start
Night
End
Hike the Challenging French Valley
Boat Navigation Across Iceberg-Dotted Grey Lake
Trek to the Base of the Famous Three Towers
Secluded Deluxe Belle Tent in Our Riverside Camp
Hike the Challenging French Valley
Boat Navigation Across Iceberg-Dotted Grey Lake
Trek to the Base of the Famous Three Towers
Secluded Deluxe Belle Tent in Our Riverside Camp
Chile Nativo Riverside Camp
Accommodation Categories
Transfer Puerto Natales - Round Trip Hike of the French Valley
Our day begins at 7:00AM in Puerto Natales where your guide and private transport picks you up from your hotel or accommodation. As we travel to Torres del Paine along unpaved roads and past lagoons and pampas we are accompanied at times by the guanacos (relatives of llamas), grey foxes, Chilean flamingos and black-necked swans that call this region home. Entering the National Park, we’ll cross Pehoe Lake by catamaran and arrive at the starting point of today’s return trek. Our destination, the French Valley, is a spectacular natural basin surrounded by peaks and hanging glaciers. At the entrance to the French Valley - a huge glacial moraine - you’ll scramble over boulders and catch the first sight of the hanging glacier atop the valley. From this point, you’ll ascend for an hour through a dreamlike Japanese garden landscape before arriving at the French Valley viewpoint (the “Plateau”). Your reward is a heart-stirring bird’s eye view of granite peaks and hanging glaciers. To one side, the French Glacier and Paine Grande (3050 m); 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. Take your time to have lunch at the viewpoint, surrounded by these imposing peaks and open skies. Our return hike is along the same track. We’ll take the short catamaran ride back across Pehoe Lake, and a 35 minute private transfer will drive us to Chile Nativo´s Riverside Camp. A freshly prepared welcome dinner welcomes us as we share unforgettable views of the Paine Massif from the spacious dining lodge. Turn in for the evening to your private double deluxe dome on the shores of the Serrano River.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:
Round Trip Hike of the Pingo Valley - Glacier Grey Boat Navigation
Following a plentiful and fresh 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.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:
Transfer to Las Torres – Round Trip Hike to Las Torres Lookout Point – Transfer to Puerto Natales
Our final day begins with a sight filled transfer across the National Park to the starting point for our trek to the famous three Towers lookout. Your hike begins with an hour’s ascent following the Ascencio River into the Ascencio Valley. Here 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, this time ascending along a gigantic terminal moraine (a ridge formed at a glacier’s end point) where we’ll be rewarded by the arresting sight of the Towers themselves. At this lookout point 900 meters above sea level, we’ll rest, take photos and have lunch. Our descent follows the same path and our private transfer awaits to take us back to Puerto Natales where our journey ends.
Guide: Included for the day
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation
Meals
Transport
Extras
Not Included
TEAM LEAD
+2 Local experts
Baboo Certified
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Cycling
Skiing/Snowboarding
Hiking
Rafting
Snorkeling/Diving
Meet local people
Rural home stays
Indigenous culture
Yoga
Meditation
Kayak & Canoe
Purposeful Travel
Nature & Wildlife
Water & Coastline
As founder, Gonzalo is responsible for maintaining & developing the characteristics that Chile Nativo is famous for: top notch service, excellent outdoor programs & continued commitment to sustainability. His Patagonia travel tip? Travel off season!
Travel that Makes a Difference
By choosing to travel with us, you support local communities, wildlife, and the environment. We are dedicated to positively impacting the world through every journey we offer.
Let’s regenerate the planet together
We overcompensate your entire journey’s carbon footprint including flights - for free.
$1,695.00 USD