The Torres del Paine W - Refugios and Camping

Torres del Paine National Park in Chile has an excellent network of refugios and camping grounds. Eight of them are on the W Trek. This is a guide to their locations, rates and facilities.

(All rates are approximate and based on an exchange rate of $1 = Ch$559.)

Paine Grande Mountain Lodge
A well equipped but out-of-place mountain lodge has now replaced the rustic Refugio Pehoe. Reach it by Catamaran from Pudeto (30 mins) or by hiking from Torres del Paine Administration Centre (14 km, 5 hours).

Distances
To Camp Italiano: 7.6km, 2.5 hours
To Mirador Grey: 11km, 3.5 hours

Facilities include shared bedrooms, tent and sleeping bag hire, left luggage and safe box. hot showers, telephone and internet, a restaurant and a bar.

Paine Grande Mountain Lodge is run by Vertice Patagonia.

Rates
Bed only from US$39
Full board from US$73
(Rates do not include sheets, duvets or sleeping bags)
Camp site US$6
Two-man tent hire US$13
Sleeping bag hire US$9

Camp Italiano
Free campsite set within woodland with no facilities except a cooking area and WCs.

Distances
To Camp Britannico: 3.5 km, 2.5 hours

Camp Britannico
Free campsite with no facilities except pit WCs.

Distances
To French Valley Mirador: 2 km, 30 minutes
To Refugio Los Cuernos: 7km, 2 hours

Refugio Los Cuernos
A hot tub with a view sets Refugio Los Cuernos a little above other accommodation on the Torres del Paine W. It also has separate lodges in addition to the usual shared rooms in the refugio. Facilities include hot showers, a restaurant, camp sites, a shop selling hiking supplies, tent and sleeping bag (two-person) hire.

Los Cuernos Refugio and Lodges are run by FántasticoSur.

Distances
To Refugios Torres Central and Torres Norte: 11 km, 4 hours

Rates
Bed only from US$40
Full board from US$82
(Rates do not include sheets, duvet or sleeping bag)
Camp site US$8
Tent hire US$11
Sleeping bag hire US$6
Mat hire US$3

Los Cuernos Lodges
US$145 per cabin per night
Full Board - 2 people - US$221 per cabin per night
Full Board - 1 person - US$180 per night

Refugios Torres Central and Torres Norte
Of these two refugios, Torres Central is the newest, best equipped and therefore most expensive. Both refugios have hot showers, camp sites, sleeping bag and tent hire, bars and lounge rooms. Only Refugio Torres Central has a restaurant, but it caters for both refugios.

Distances
To Refugio El Chileno: 2.5 km, 2 hours

Rates
Refugio Torres Central
Bed from US$44
Bed with sheets US$51
Full board from US$86 including sheets

Refugio Torres Norte
Bed from US$40
Bed with sheets US$47
Full board from US$82 including sheets

Camping
Camp site US$8
Tent hire US$11
Sleeping bag hire US$6
Mat hire US$3

Refugios Torres Central and Norte are run by FántasticoSur.

Refugio El Chileno
The closest refugio to the famous Towers (Las Torres), after which Torres del Paine is named, El Chileno has shared bedrooms, a camping ground, hot showers and a restaurant. A good place to stay if you want to see the sun rise over the towers in the morning.

Distances
To Camp Torres: 2.5 km, 2 hours

Rates
Bed only from US$40
Full board from US$82
(Rates do not include sheets, duvet or sleeping bag)
Camp site US$8
Tent hire US$11
Sleeping bag hire US$6
Mat hire US$3

Refugio El Chileno is run by FántasticoSur.

Camp Torres
Free campsite with no facilities except WCs and a covered cooking area.

Distances
To The Towers (Las Torres): 1 hour, 0.75 km

How to Book Refugios
Refugios can be booked via the websites of FántasticoSur or Vertice Patagonia or through agents in Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales. There are also plenty of hotels in Torres del Paine, some of them with access to the W and other treks.