After an early breakfast, we leave Puerto Natales and journey deep into Torres del Paine National Park. The day’s hike begins with a gradual ascent of Almirante Nieto, offering wide views over the emerald waters of Lake Nordenskjöld and the haunting Silencio Valley.
We stop briefly at Refugio Chileno before pushing into a dense lenga forest. Emerging from the trees, we reach Las Torres Camp where we leave our heavier gear and continue a tough final ascent over a rocky moraine to stand before the legendary granite spires of Las Torres. 
After lunch and photos at the viewpoint, we return to camp and press onward to Japanese Camp, the original alpine base used by the first climbers who dared summit the Towers. This secluded site is nestled in the woods and serves as our resting place before the technical crossing to come.

Length of hike: 6-7 hrs,14km

Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Japanese Campsite

We rise early for a day few hikers ever experience. After breakfast, we pack and begin the hidden path toward the Oggioni Pass. The trail isn’t marked, just occasional cairns left by previous explorers. We follow a narrow valley to a waterfall, which we cross via a natural stone bridge.

Two moraine fields test our footing before we start the long ascent behind the Silencio Valley. As we gain elevation, the views become surreal, vast rock walls, snowfields, and the kind of silence only found far from civilization. 

We reach the top of the pass at 1,585m (5,200ft), where the wind roars and the scenery overwhelms. On the descent, we reenter dense forest, following a wild path toward Dickson Lake. Eventually, the distant roofs of Refugio Dickson appear—a welcome sight after such a challenging, technical crossing. 

Length of hike: 12-13hrs, 15km / 9.3Mi

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Dickson Campsite

Difficulty: Crossing the Oggioni Pass requires excellent physical fitness and endurance. Trekkers should be prepared for sustained uphill and downhill hiking over long distances. Mental resilience and determination are just as essential, as the trail exposes you to fierce winds, sleet, and even snowfall—yes, even in summer. Most of the route cuts through loose moraine and snowfields, conditions that vary depending on the previous winter’s snowfall. Patagonia’s weather is notoriously unpredictable, and facing discomfort is part of the challenge. This is a semi-technical ascent, reaching a maximum elevation of 1,585m (5,200ft) with a demanding 1,020m (3,350ft) of elevation gain.

Today is a flexible day, a chance to rest tired legs, dry out gear, or explore the surroundings of Dickson Lake. If the weather is favorable, take a short optional hike through nearby trails surrounded by glaciers and hanging valleys.  The location is magical: towering peaks reflect in still waters, birds soar overhead, and the camp is nestled in one of the most remote, peaceful sections of the park.

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Dickson Campsite

Today we enter one of the most pristine and untouched corners of Torres del Paine. The trail rises and falls as we weave through some of the park’s oldest beech forests. Views of rugged peaks, snow-dusted ridgelines, and gushing waterfalls are constant companions.

We cross a swaying hanging bridge over the Los Perros River to reach a glacial lagoon, created by a dramatic hanging glacier crashing into a basin of crystalline water.  Just beyond lies the Los Perros campsite, remote, wild, and simple. This is the most basic site of the entire circuit, but its setting is unforgettable.

Length of hike: 5hrs, 13km / 8 Mi

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Los Perros Campsite

We begin our day with a gradual but persistent ascent through the misty forest, the ground soft and soaked underfoot as we gain approximately 200 meters in elevation. The trail weaves between ancient lenga and coihue trees, their trunks dark with moisture, until the forest starts to thin and give way to exposed slopes of rock and scree.

As we climb steadily upward, the terrain becomes more rugged, and we’re soon battling strong winds and shifting clouds. For over an hour, we push through the final section, advancing carefully across loose stone and steep switchbacks. The air grows colder, and visibility may change rapidly as we approach the pass. 

At last, we reach the summit of the John Gardner Pass, standing at 1,190 meters. Here, the landscape opens with sudden grandeur: the immense Southern Patagonian Icefield stretches out before us like a frozen ocean. The colossal face of Glacier Grey dominates the valley below—cracked, luminous, and endlessly vast. It's a view that freezes time. 

After a long pause to absorb the scale of what we’re witnessing, we begin the demanding descent. The trail drops steeply toward Paso Camp, where we rest briefly beneath wind-twisted trees. From there, we continue along a winding path clinging to the cliffs, with spectacular vistas of Grey Glacier, Lake Grey, and Ferrier Hill guiding us forward. Several deep ravines require crossing via hanging bridges or metal ladders, expertly placed by park rangers to navigate these wild crossings.

We stop for a final short break at Guardas Camp, perched just above the glacier, offering an awe-inspiring close-up. From there, a final push leads us to Refugio Grey, where our camp is set among the trees and icy fragments drift silently across the lake just beyond.

Length of hike: 10-11hrs, 17km / 10.5Mi

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Grey Campsite

Enjoy a relaxed morning at Grey Camp, watching for ice calving from the glacier’s immense face. Or choose to explore with optional excursions like kayaking among floating icebergs or hiking on the glacier itself. 

Kayak: Paddle for 2.5 hours around the massive bergs calved from Grey Glacier. You'll receive all equipment and training from specialist guides.

Ice hike: This 5-hour excursion begins with a safety briefing and boat transfer, followed by a short hike to the glacier's edge. Gear—including crampons, helmet and harness—is provided. You’ll need your own hiking boots, gloves and sunglasses.  

After lunch at the refugio, we hike to Lake Pehoé and our camp at Paine Grande—gateway to the French Valley.

Length of hike: 3.5hrs, 11 km /  6.8 Mi

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Paine Grande Campsite

Today’s journey takes you deep into the heart of the Paine Massif, on one of the most awe-inspiring and challenging treks in Patagonia.

After breakfast, collect your box lunch at the refugio and set out on a winding trail that leads to the French River, an invigorating hike. As you enter the French Valley, the landscape transforms into a dramatic glacial amphitheater. Towering peaks, jagged ridgelines, and suspended glaciers surround you, while massive boulders mark the way forward.

Here, the wild calls of native birds echo across the valley and the sound of rushing meltwater reminds you of nature’s relentless rhythm.

The climb continues through a surreal, almost otherworldly forest that feels like a Japanese garden sculpted by the wind and time. After an hour’s ascent, you’ll reach the Plateau, an unforgettable lookout that offers a panoramic vista of granite spires and cascading glaciers. To one side, the colossal Paine Grande (3,050 m) and the shimmering French Glacier; to the other, the iconic silhouettes of La Espada, La Hoja, La Máscara, and the distinctive horns of Los Cuernos. In the upper valley, Mt. Catedral and Mt. Fortaleza stand like ancient watchtowers over this enchanted land.

We’ll have lunch at the viewpoint, taking in a final, breathtaking dose of Patagonia’s untamed beauty. As we descend toward the shimmering waters of Lake Pehoé, the journey draws to a close with a scenic catamaran ride, one last voyage across this wild frontier, before we return to Puerto Natales, hearts full and spirits forever changed.

Length of hike: 7–8hrs, 21km /  13 Mi

Catamaran: 35 minutes

Transfer: 2hrs

Meals: Breakfast, picnic lunch