Best Season | Shoulder Season | Low Season | Not Available
The O Circuit takes all the sights of the popular W Circuit, and then kicks it up a notch. This hike includes all the wonders the northern side of the park has to offer, letting you experience a whole new Torres del Paine. With very few hikers, peace, solace, and serenity reign powerfully in the mountain breeze.
While the W sections of the hike can include overnights at mountain hostels, the O portion has sections that can only be camped. Your intense connection with nature during these days will bestow you with moments, wildlands, and drastic photo-ops that are seen by few people. Some of the highlights include traversing daisy fields, crossing rivers, and climbing the astonishing John Garner Pass.
The O Circuit gets its name from the way it “closes” the W Circuit. This hike will push your limits, but the self-satisfaction and pure amazement at the raw terrain will undoubtedly make it all worth it.
Transportation to Torres del Paine Natinoal Park, lodging at Serón Sector.
Hike to Dickson, lodging at Dickson Sector.
Revealed after a steep and exhausting ascent, this glacier provides a tremendous and rejuvenating view. It originates from the Southern Ice Field but has, unfortunately, experience a significant shrinkage over the last few decades, resulting in an expansion of its lake below.
A welcome sight revealed after a steep climb, the Lake Dickson is part of the Southen Ice Field and flows into the Paine River. Fed by the Dickson, Cubo, and Frias Glaciers, in 1998 shrinkage of Dickson let to an expansion of the lake which now flows over 17 km (10.5 miles) long and crosses the border of Chile and Argentina.
Hike to Los Perros, lodging at Los Perros Sector.
This hanging glacier comes from the Olguin Mountain Range, not the Southern Ice Field, which explains its name of Glacier Olguin on the Southern Side. Unfortunately, this glacier has experienced the largest shrinkage over the last 20 years…
Hike to John Gardner mountain pass and Grey Lake, lodging at Grey Sector.
One of the most memorable and spectacular views in the park is the John Garner Mountain Pass. Found at 1200 mts (3900 ft), this mountain pass is one of the highest trekking points in Torres del Paine and overlooks the immensity of Grey Glacier. If you´re lucky, you will catch a glimpse of the Southern Ice Field.
Grey Glacier is the largest glacier in Torres del Paine National Park, measuring 6 km wide (4 miles), 30 mt tall (100 ft), and 19 km long (12 miles). Its floating icebergs and glacial moraines are just as picturesque as the glacier itself, which tumbles down from the massive Southern Ice Field. To see this gorgeous ice formation up close, you can take a boat ride, a kayak tour, or an ice-hiking excursion.
Hike to Paine Grande, lodging at Paine Grande Sector.
Made up of four summits, Paine Grande is recognized as one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. The highest peak towers at 3050 mts (10000 ft), making it the tallest mountain in the MAcizo Paine Range and also the technically hardest mountain to climb in the entire Torres del Paine National Park.
Hike to Francés Valley, lodging at Francés/Cuernos Sector.
The Cuernos del Paine put up a fight with the Las Torres Mountains over the prettiest in the park. Standing at 2600 mts (8200 ft), 2400 mts (7900 ft) and 2200 mts (7200 ft), the different types of rocks that make up this massif create a stark, beautiful and multi-colored contrast. A 700mts (3000 ft) wide slab of granite crosses the middle of these uniquely shaped mountains.
The Frances Valley is located in the middle of the W Circuit and offers unique unmatchable views. To the west, you can gaze at the Cuernos, Espada, Hoja, and Mascara Mountains. To the east, the Frances Glacier overhangs Mount Paine Grande. To the north, the jagged Fortaleza and Aleta de Tiburon peaks (shark´s fin) stand out against the sky. AS if that wasn´t enough, the valley is immersed in a Nothofagus forest filled with many species of trees and vegetation that produce a variety of flowers and change colors during autumn.
Hike to Central Sector, lodging at Central Sector.
Hike to the Torres Base. We will enjoy a wonderful trekking to Las Torres Base. Amongst the most famous mountains in the world, these tree towering granite peaks soar in the blue sky at 2850 mts (9350 ft), 2800 mts (9200 ft), and 2600 mts (8500 ft). Molded by pure glacier force, these are the breathtaking towers that give the Park its name. Return to Puerto Natales.
What´s included and what´s not included in your program
