W Trek packages: the five-day classic, done as an express
The five days, one by one
Day 1 — arrive in Puerto Natales, welcome dinner and briefing. Day 2 — private transfer into the park and the guided 18 km Base Torres trek, 7–8 hours on the trail, night near Laguna Amarga. Day 3 — the French Valley, reached via the Pudeto catamaran, self-guided; night at Paine Grande, camping. Day 4 — the Grey Glacier hike, self-guided, then catamaran and bus back to town. Day 5 — depart. Lodging is three nights in a shared tiny-house in Puerto Natales, one night in a shared cabin and one night camping; the welcome dinner opens the trip and pizza closes it on the final night.
What “express” actually means
This is a packaged W, not a fully guided one. You get the scarce beds, the transfers, the catamarans and most meals organised, plus a guide for the hardest navigation-free day — Base Torres. On days 3 and 4 you walk the well-marked W trails on your own timing. For confident hikers that is a feature; if you want a guide at your side all five days, this is not that product, and I say so plainly in my W Trek Express review. If what you really want is just the towers, the one-day guided hike gets you there in a single day, for a fraction of what this package costs.
Usually included
- 4 nights: shared tiny-house in Puerto Natales, shared cabin, one camping night
- 4 breakfasts, 3 boxed lunches, 4 dinners — welcome dinner on day 1, pizza on the last night
- Private transfer into the park, Pudeto catamaran and return bus
- Guide on the first trekking day (18 km Base Torres)
Not included
- Park entrance fee — the CLP 48,500 multi-day pass, bought in advance online through CONAF
- Insurance, which is required
- In-town taxis
- Tips and alcohol
The sell-out warning
The classic W is 70–80 km over four to five days, and the refugio beds and campsites inside the park sell out months ahead for December to February. That scarcity is most of what you are paying for: booking the same beds, ferries and meals yourself is not dramatically cheaper, it is mostly more flexible and more work. If your dates fall in high season, book as far ahead as you can — free cancellation up to 24 hours before means an early booking costs nothing to undo. The cost page compares this against every other way to see the park.
Not sure you want five days of this? Reviewers who loved the Express praise the organisation, not the ease. Jens from Germany called it a challenging hike with very good accommodation, and Takahashi from Japan reached the end with the guides’ help on that first long day. Honest self-assessment beats optimism here.
The trek against the day options
Per person, side by side. The middle column is this page’s tour.
| Puerto Natales: Base of the Towers Day Hike | This pageTorres del Paine: W Trek Express | Puerto Natales: Torres del Paine Full Day Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meals | Food and drinks included | Most meals included | Lunch stop, not included |
| Time | 15 h door to door | 5 days | 12 h door to door |
| On foot | 22 km | ~70–80 km | Short optional walks |
| Guide | Throughout | First trekking day only | Throughout |
| Entrance fee | Included | Not included | Included |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
Undecided on the whole question of days? The how-many-days page maps one, three and five days to the right tours, and the worth-it page weighs the spend.
Frequently asked questions
Is the W Trek Express fully guided?
No. A guide leads the first trekking day — the 18 km Base Torres route — and there is a briefing on arrival day. Days 3 and 4, French Valley and Grey Glacier, are self-guided on marked trails. My review discusses who that format actually suits.
Is the park entrance fee included in the package?
No — and this is the only tour on this site where it is not. A pass for more than three days costs CLP 48,500, and must be bought in advance online through CONAF. The entrance fee page explains the advance-purchase rule.
How far ahead should I book?
For December to February, months ahead — the beds and campsites this package depends on sell out well before summer. Shoulder months are more forgiving. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before applies, so early booking carries no real risk. The best time to visit page helps pick the window.
Would doing the W independently save much money?
Less than most people expect. Once you price the refugio beds, campsites, food and catamarans separately, the gap to the package price narrows; it mostly sells you the planning and the scarce beds. The arithmetic sits alongside every other price on the cost page.
Do I need to be an experienced trekker?
You need to be genuinely fit: day 2 alone is 18 km over 7–8 hours, followed by two more self-guided walking days. If consecutive long days sound unwise, the one-day Base of the Towers hike delivers the headline view without the multi-day commitment.