arrow_back

3 Day itinerary in Chile, South America

Fast Track W

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

1 / 13
All Photos
GonzaloAndreaMarina

By Gonzalo, Andrea and Marina

Overview

Physical Difficulty

Average
help_outline

Recommended Age

Everyone

Operated in

English, Spanish

GUIDANCE

Tour Guide, Driver

starting point

Puerto Natales

trip type

Private

trip attributes

Hiking

Meet local people

Nature & Wildlife

Start

Night

End

Highlights

1

Hike the Challenging French Valley

2

Boat Navigation Across Iceberg-Dotted Grey Lake

3

Trek to the Base of the Famous Three Towers

4

Secluded Deluxe Belle Tent in Our Riverside Camp

Itinerary

Chile Nativo Riverside Camp expand_more

Day 1

place 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:

  • Chile Nativo Riverside Camp: Chile Nativo Riverside Camp
Day 2

place 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:

  • Chile Nativo Riverside Camp: Chile Nativo Riverside Camp
Day 3

place 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

What’s Included

Accommodation expand_less

  • Chile Nativo Riverside Camp

Meals expand_less

  • Lunch (3)
  • Dinner (2)
  • Breakfast (2)

Transport expand_less

  • All Private Transportation Indicated in Schedule
  • Round Trip Catamaran to Cross Pehoe Lake

Extras expand_less

  • Entrance Fee to Torres del Paine National Park
  • Two Nights Lodging in Chile Nativo Riverside Camp (comfortable deluxe tents with 2 premium inflatabl
  • All Meals Indicated in Schedule (B: Breakfast, BL: Box Lunch, D: Dinner)
  • Guide/Driver (English-Spanish Languages)

Not Included expand_less

  • Any Additional Nights
  • Medical Expenses
  • Insurance of Any Kind
  • Personal Expenses
  • Gratuities for Guide/Driver

About Gonzalo

TEAM LEAD

+2 Local experts

verified Baboo Certified

star_outline 5 (7 reviews)

Expertise: 

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.

Learn more
FROM PRICE PER TRAVELER

$1,695.00 USD