Self-Launched Torres del Paine Full Circuit (O Trek)
11 days · Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
G Adventures charges £3,290
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A solo-friendly, self-launched version of the classic 11-day guided O Circuit in Torres del Paine. You'll independently book refugios and CONAF campsites along the 130km full circuit, carry your own gear (or hire a porter locally in Puerto Natales), and cook your own meals — no CEO, no group, no markup. The route is identical: Las Torres base, Serón, Dickson, Los Perros, Grey Glacier, Paine Grande, French Valley and back along Lake Nordenskjöld. Costs assume you book your own flights to Punta Arenas, take the public bus to Puerto Natales, self-cater on trail, and stay in hostels in town. Estimates exclude international flights and travel insurance (which is strongly recommended for solo trekking).
Day-by-day
Arrive Puerto Natales & prep for the trek
Puerto Natales
Fly into Punta Arenas (PUQ) if you can — daily flights from Santiago, ~£100-160 return. Take the Bus Sur coach from Punta Arenas airport to Puerto Natales (~3.5h, ~CLP 10,000 / £9). Check into a hostel dorm, stock up on trail food at Unimarc or the central supermarket (porridge, pasta, tuna, nuts, dried fruit — roughly £40-50 for 9 days of self-catering on trail). Rent any missing gear locally: walking poles ~CLP 6,000/day, sleeping bag ~CLP 8,000/day, waterproof overpants. Collect your park entry ticket and campsite reservations online in advance (CONAF booking site + Vertice/Fantastico Sur refugios). Confirm your bus/van to Laguna Amarga for tomorrow morning.
🚌Bus Sur coach from Punta Arenas airport to Puerto Natales, ~£9
🛏Hostel dorm in Puerto Natales (e.g. Erratic Rock, Hostal Yagan) — ~£16/night
- →Gear rental in Puerto Natales
- →Supermarket resupply
- →Park entry & campsite reservation confirmations
Bus to Laguna Amarga & trek to Base Las Torres
Torres del Paine — Las Torres / Chileno area
Take the early public bus from Puerto Natales to the park entrance at Laguna Amarga (~2.5h, ~CLP 15,000 / £13). Pay the park entry fee (~CLP 25,000 / £21 for foreigners) and shuttle to Hotel Las Torres trailhead. Hike up past Refugio Chileno through lenga forest to Campamento Torres (~4h). Leave your pack at camp and make the 45-minute scramble up to the towers mirador for sunset over the three granite spires and turquoise lagoon — the classic photo moment, with no group to keep pace with. Cook dinner at camp.
🚌Public bus Puerto Natales–Laguna Amarga (~£13) + park shuttle
🛏Campamento Torres (CONAF campsite, tent pitch ~CLP 12,000) — £10
- →Hike to Refugio Chileno
- →Sunset at Base Las Torres mirador
Descend and trek to Camp Serón
Torres del Paine — Serón
Descend back down through the forest, then head west around the massif across ancient glacial moraines and lenga woods to Campamento Serón — roughly 5 hours of easy-to-moderate hiking. This is the quieter, less-visited start of the O circuit, so you'll share the trail with far fewer day hikers. Set up, boil water, and enjoy the long Patagonian evening light.
🚌On foot — ~14km
🛏Campamento Serón (tent pitch ~CLP 12,000) — £10
- →Trek across glacial moraines
- →Wildlife spotting (condors, foxes) in lenga forest
Serón to Lago Dickson
Torres del Paine — Dickson
An early start for a leisurely ~6-hour hike to Lago Dickson, a glacial lake on the edge of the Southern Patagonia Ice Field. Walk past blooming Notro bushes and follow the shoreline. Reward yourself at Refugio Dickson with a hot shower (small paid extra) and a beer — genuinely one of the highlights of the circuit for its views over the lake to the ice cap.
🚌On foot — ~18km
🛏Campamento Dickson (tent pitch ~CLP 13,000) — £11
- →Notro bush trail
- →Lago Dickson shoreline walk
- →Refugio Dickson hot shower & beer
Dickson to Los Perros
Torres del Paine — Los Perros
Continue along the north side of the park to the Lake Dickson lookout, then push through tall Andean forest to the Perros Glacier viewpoint — the climb is worth it. ~5-6 hours. Arguably the most atmospheric campsite on the circuit: a small clearing in the forest beside a glacial stream. Very quiet overnight.
🚌On foot — ~12km
🛏Campamento Los Perros (tent pitch ~CLP 13,000) — £11
- →Lago Dickson lookout
- →Perros Glacier mirador
Los Perros to Grey Glacier (the tough day)
Torres del Paine — Grey Camp
The hardest day of the O trek. A 2-3 hour uphill climb through forest to reach the John Gardner Pass (~1,200m), where the path turns rocky and can be slippery after rain or snow. At the top you get your first view of the 270km² Grey Glacier stretching to the horizon. Descend steeply via ladders and a suspension bridge to Campamento Grey. Start early — the pass weather can turn quickly.
🚌On foot — ~16km, ~8-9h including John Gardner Pass
🛏Campamento Grey (tent pitch ~CLP 13,000) — £11
- →John Gardner Pass (1,200m)
- →First view of Grey Glacier
- →Ladder & suspension bridge descent
Grey Glacier rest day & ice hike
Torres del Paine — Grey Camp
A well-earned rest day. Take a short walk along the west side of Grey Lake for different angles on the glacier and floating icebergs, or splash out on the guided Grey Glacier ice hike (bookable direct with the refugio operator, ~CLP 230,000 / £190 — optional). Otherwise just read, dry your boots and recover. Refugio Grey has a small shop for resupply if you're running low.
🚌On foot (short walks)
🛏Campamento Grey (tent pitch ~CLP 13,000) — £11
- →Grey Lake west shore walk
- →Optional guided Grey Glacier ice hike
- →Refugio Grey rest day
Grey to Paine Grande (via Lake Grey)
Torres del Paine — Paine Grande
Optional early morning kayak among the icebergs on Lake Grey (bookable at the refugio, ~CLP 170,000 / £140 — optional). Then hike along Lake Grey to join the famous W Trek, ending at Paine Grande beside Lake Pehoé. This is the busiest section of the park — plenty of fellow hikers to swap stories with in the evening. Well-stocked refugio with a small shop and hot meals if you want a break from dehydrated food.
🚌On foot — ~11km
🛏Campamento Paine Grande (tent pitch ~CLP 13,000) — £11
- →Optional Grey Lake kayaking
- →Lake Grey viewpoints
- →Arrival on the W Trek at Lake Pehoé
French Valley and on to Cuernos
Torres del Paine — Cuernos
Leave your pack at the ranger station (or carry it — it's a big day) and day-hike up into the French Valley, Chile's most dramatic hanging glacier amphitheatre, with the granite range spread across the park. Listen for avalanches echoing off the walls. Then continue along the shore to Campamento Cuernos, with its striking view of the Cuernos del Paine horns at dusk. ~7-8 hours total.
🚌On foot — ~22km
🛏Campamento Cuernos (tent pitch ~CLP 14,000) — £12
- →French Valley viewpoint
- →Cuernos del Paine sunset views
Lake Nordenskjöld and back to Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales
Final day of the circuit: a gentle walk along Lake Nordenskjöld back toward Hotel Las Torres, taking in the last long views of the peaks. Catch the shuttle to Laguna Amarga and the afternoon public bus back to Puerto Natales (~CLP 15,000 / £13). Check into your hostel, shower, and eat a very large pizza. Swap trail stories with other trekkers at Erratic Rock's evening briefing hostel bar.
🚌On foot ~13km + park shuttle + public bus to Puerto Natales (~£13)
🛏Hostel dorm in Puerto Natales — ~£16/night
- →Lake Nordenskjöld shoreline walk
- →Circuit completion celebrations
Depart Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales / Punta Arenas
Bus back to Punta Arenas airport for your flight out (~CLP 10,000 / £9, 3.5h) or, if flying from El Calafate in Argentina, take the early public bus across the border (~6h, ~£15) — book a flight after 4pm to allow for the crossing. Return any rented gear before you leave Puerto Natales to avoid extra day charges.
🚌Bus Sur to Punta Arenas airport ~£9 (or cross-border bus to El Calafate ~£15)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Return rental gear
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £3,290 |
| Duration | 11 days | 11 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,545 per person (77%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Torres del Paine Full Circuit (O Trek) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 per person for 11 days in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,290 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £2,545 (77%) per person.
How long is the Torres del Paine National Park, Chile trip?+
This itinerary runs 11 days, covering 11 day-by-day stops through Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, backpacker trip through Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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