Camping the W Trek means giving up control of your schedule to the Patagonian wind. Some nights it howled hard enough that sleep felt optional; others, it dropped to a stillness that made the silence feel loud.
Choosing Your Campsites
Refugio-run campsites at Torres, Los Cuernos and Paine Grande offer flat, wind-protected pitches and hot showers — a fair trade-off against the higher cost compared to free backcountry camping elsewhere in the park.
Book campsites months ahead
Torres del Paine caps daily numbers and campsites sell out for peak season (December-February) as early as June.
Sunrise at the Towers
The final push to the base of the towers starts around 4am in the dark, over loose scree, to catch the granite spires catching first light — one of the most photographed sunrises in South America, and worth every minute of lost sleep.
Packing for Relentless Wind
A 4-season tent with a low profile and full guy-line setup is essential — freestanding 3-season tents struggle in exposed Patagonian campsites.
Photo Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
Written by
Liam Hayes
Adventure & Trekking Correspondent
A former mountain guide turned writer, Liam has led treks across the Andes, the Rockies and the Himalayas. He writes Trek Tales Online's adventure and road trip coverage, usually filed from a tent.
