94
ediciones
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→Season 2024/25
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=Overview=
Here it's important to note that to legally visit Valle Zapata (Option 8) you need either licenced guide or an expedition permit issued by CONAF.
Suggestions:
1. trail to Mirador Torres closes at 15:00, checked by CONAF
2. official trail to Mirador Británico closes at 14:00, checked by CONAF
3. RR now leads from km 160 on old unmaintained (yet walkable) trail, that follows the right side of the river from the glaciar down to RR, the bridge at the same place is unusable, the river must be crossed higher on the stream. Oficial road from mirador leads back to campamento Italiano on km 151 and then continues West.
4. All the way from CONAF station through Pingo and Zapata campsites is regular trail which we've walked there and back and which we've recorded on GPS. Next to the road there are several miradors and at the end, in the middle of the valley, lies third possible camping spot and a meteorological station.
5. The trail after this spot in still sort of marked but disappears in the bushes. More exploration needed from from this point on.
GPT Hiker's Guide to Torre del Paine NP:
1. If you know exactly what you want to do and when you want it especially in the peak season, buy entrance and reserve all the camp sites in advance to be sure you have your "freedom" there
2. If you don't, then don't bother with booking, they lie about the availability (at least out of the peak season). Buy the entrance (which will be checked by CONAF) and ask at the receptions when you arrive to the campsites. They have places, they just don't say honestly to on the web.
3. If you need freedom or feel stressed when being highly regulated, consider other place. This park has some side affects of tourism overuse.
See Links to other Resources below to make reservations and see the official web pages of Parque Torres del Paine.
==Season 2024/25==
*'''12-12-24 - 17-12-24 - 4.5 days, NOBO / O+W trek / RR + option 3 / Robin & Manon'''
Coming from Rio Serrano, we hiked the O+W trek. We took 3+ days entrance for 45kCLP that never got checked. We arrived without reservation at Paine Grande without any problem, don't bother the reservation. We walked to Mirador Británico ar 6am and were almost alone. Incredibly scenic valley. Then we walked to Chileno camping without reservation (38km long day). We got refused at Chileno, but if you negotiate with the guy, there is a very small spot at the end of the camping above the luxury tents for guests. They're not supposed to let you in but they did for 2 tents before us and we did not ask and just joined. Better to avoid this shitty crowded place and stay at central if you really want to go the the Torres base.
Day 1. trail to Mirador Torres closes at 15:00, checked by CONAFRR [114.8-121.1]
2. I returned to Laguna Azul & slept at the Laguna Azul campsite (see accomodation section) About 7KM from Laguna Azul NOBO a road goes right over a bridge & the RR goes left. There are a few vehicles a day going over the bridge & none continue on the RR. Just as I got to the bridge a van came & I hitched the last 7KM to Laguna Azul. Bought my park entry for the next day online using the campsite wifi.
3. Above Laguna Azul the RR goes SOBO CC on no trail. I continued on the road & after 3.5KM there is a good marked trail going in right which joins & becomes the RR. Followed it to a road junction where the RR again continues CC. I walked on the road to the park entrance. Continued mostly on road to Camping Pehoe. Not recommended as you are on pampa & it's very exposed & windy. At times it was hard to move forward against the wind. This is the main park road & there is quite a bit of traffic so it's dusty. Short section on trail from Laguna Larga. Once you are in the Paine river valley you get some shelter from the wind.
4, Continued from Camping Pehoe to the park exit at Rio Serrano partly on road & sometimes on a faint trail near the road. Walked to Villa Rio Serrano & continued onto GPT46 without entering the village.
* '''From 01/12/2023 to 05/12/2023 // 5 days // hiking // NOBO // RR // Quentin Clavel'''
I did the W trek. Not much informations to add than what was previously mentioned.
Then I took the walk who go on the way to the border. (better to have an arranged permit if you go there). I haven't got one, and I've been stopped in the way because Rio Zamora was way to dense to pass threw. So I've been back, hitchhiking, passing threw Torres del Paine NP, El Calafate and Los Glaciares NP, then I hiked to the other shore of Rio Zamora (who was less crazy than few days earlier) and I continue my way to the border and to GPT 44.
Nice road until the Argentinian border. 1 river to pass just before the border (50°39′00.81″S 72°46′33.03″W)
You have a puesto to rest if needed just before the border.
* '''2023-11-24 to 2023-11-27 / 4 days / Hiking / O without W / Fangwen & Tobi'''
You can find plenty of information about Torres del Paine on the internet, hence just some pointers for GPT hikers: first, the O and especially W is extremely overrun, and many people book half a year in advance. For us, this was not feasible (since we booked one month ahead of time), and we instead went on the 'O' trek minus the 'W' trek (which was booked out). This turned out to be a great option, as it avoided the massive crowds of people going on the W. At the same time, the O is still really scenic (but this is not an exception -- other GPT sections are just as pretty, without the crowds). You can do this trip in as little as 3 nights, spending your first night at Seron, the second night at Los Perros (skipping Dickson), and then Grey. From there, you can either take the ferry out (100usd) or hike on the overcrowded and somewhat less scenic but short trail to Paine Grande and take the ferry out from there (30usd). A note for fast hikers: skipping more than one campsite in one day does not seem to be permitted (?). Furthermore, there are certain trail closure times that you should be aware of. For instance, you must pass Dickson by 2pm (or you will not be allowed onward) and you must pass Los Perros before 7am, making an overnight stop there somewhat mandatory.
==Season 2022/23==
* '''2023-03-30 to 2023-04-06 / 8 days / Hiking / Westbound / RR & Option 8 / Jakub & Veronika'''
We hiked some parts of GPT45 in Torres del Paine NP. Because we were quite late in the season, we couldn't do the "O" trek so we ended up doing "W" with some extensions. There are two things to mention, one is the reservation system (for that see the "GPT Hiker's Guide below), the other are the optional hikes and some warnings on them. Basically we took the bus to Camping Central, hiked to Base Torres and back, overslept, hiked all the way to Paine Grande Camping (due to lack of places in other camps), next day we went to Mirador Británico by the Rio Frances which was hard to finish (see below), so we tried the other day by the official path (there is a nice circle loop leading threw peatbog so you don't need to walk the same way twice). The next day we continued to Camping Grey, overslept and in the morning continued to Mirador Grey and back for a boat over Lago Grey (with great views of the glacier). From visitor's centre at Glacier bay we hiked Option 8 to Valle Zapata where we spent 3 beautiful days before we came back to Glacier bay and took a bus back to Puerto Natales.
* '''SoBo / January 2023 / Tobias Schorcht /7 Days / Hiking '''
Took the bus to Park entrance Laguna Amarga and went 88 km up to the border. Easy walking, nice views, lonely. Funfact: I met 2 builders who are in charge of maintaining the road. They are supposed to start in Dezember this year! In some years (it will take quite a while to build up 15 bridges) there will be a even a border control up there.
Payed the Torres del Paine fee for 3 days at Laguna Amarga and walked straight 26 km to Camping Pehoé. It is a good visible, official trail, is barley used. I did not meet any other hiker but a beautiful Puma (Lago Sarmiento). For some parts you have to walk on the road. The views are stunning.
The part southbounded (Lago Sarmiento Chico) is the most beautiful one. Left the park at admission Río Serrano and continued with GPT 46.
=Resupply and Accommodation=
==Resupply and Accommodation along the Route==
Robin December 2024 - all camping have basic resupply. Especially Paine Grande, Dickson and Grey, you will find gas, pastas, cheese, bread if you're lucky, and junk food (cookies, chips, chocolate) + beers and sodas. Overall very high cost. Bad resupply at Los Perros, Seron.
Don't necessarily trust what you hear or read about the camping and reservation. You most likely will find room on the O trek even at the last minute, and Paine Grande and Central campaigns will always have room.
Frank January 2024. There is a good campsite at Laguna Azul 1KM from the park office. The location is marked Laguna Azul Viewpoint on OSM. Camping 12,000 pesos. Wifi, electricity, food & hot water available from 7PM. They have pizza & sandwiches, not expensive. Also sell bread & biscuits. You don't need to have a park entry ticket to stay there.
Camping Pehoe is 15,000 pesos per night. They have a good 4 course evening meal for 25,000 pesos. Shop sells snacks & camping gas at 2-3 times normal prices. Internet only available by buying an expensive token.
Possibility to resupply on all the refugios on torres del Paine. Expansive but possible.
=Permits, Entry Fees and Right-of-Way Issues=
Robin 12/24 - we bought directly tickets from the Rio serrano entrance and never got checked. 45 kCLP for more than 3 days. Trail closure times are indicative. When it's checked, a small discussion with guardaparques can solve the problem. You will probably always find a spot at Paine Grande, Central, Seron, Dickson, Los Perros and Grey campsites without reservation. The other ones (Frances, Cuernos, chileno) are mostly luxury tents, and they will refuse that you pitch your tent. Overall, prefer the camping ran by Vertice company (Paine Grande, Dickson, Los Perros, Grey) (9kCLP/p/d). Avoid the Las Torres campings (Francés, Cuernos, Chileno, Central, Seron) (45kCLP/p/d).
You can no longer buy tickets at the park entrances & should get them online instead. There is no wifi or phone signal at the Laguna Amarga entrance.
Park entry is currently $35 US for up to 3 days or $49 for more than 3 days (January 2024 prices) for foreigners. Chileans pay 8000 pesos for up to 3 days & 11,500 for more than 3 days.
=Links to other Resources=
=Images=