Patagonia – W Trek – Day 1

Dear Reader (2025-01-13),

It is time to begin the second part of the Buenos Aires, Patagonia, Antarctica adventure. The two areas I visited in Patagonia were Los Glaciares National Park using El Chalten in Argentina as a base, and Torres del Paine National Park in Chile where I walked the W trail.

One of the surprising elements of planning this trip was realizing that the distances between places was greater than I thought. The schedule of transportation options drove some decisions. Speaking of timing, the planes and buses I used could teach Air Canada a thing or two about being on time.

Patagonia Logistics Summarized
For those interested in logistics here they are for Patagonia. All times are in hours:minutes and are approximate.
2024-11-23 (Saturday)
~ 3:20 flight from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, Argentina
~ 3:00 bus ride from El Calafate to El Chalten, Argentina
2024-11- 24 to 26
~ 3 walks based out of El Chalten
~ 2:30 bus ride from El Calafate to El Chalten
2024-11-27 (Wednesday)
~ 3:00 bus ride from El Chalten to El Calafate
~ 5:45 bus ride from El Calafate to Puerto Natales, Chile plus some unknown time for a border crossing.
~ Night in Puerto Natales
2024-11-27 (Thursday)
~ 1:30 bus ride from Puerto Natales to Refugio Torre Central in Torres del Paine National
2024- 11-28 to 12-03
~ W Trek
2024-12-03 (Tuesday)
~ finish W Hike and travel
~ 0:30 Catamaran on Pehoé Lake to bus stop
~ 3:00 on 2 buses to get from bus stop to Puerto Natales
~ Night in Puerto Natales
2024-12-04 (Wednesday)
~ 5:45 bus ride from Puerto Natales to El Calafate plus some unknown shorter time for a border crossing.
~ Night in El Calafate
2024-12-05 (Thursday)
~ 1:20 flight from El Calafate to Ushuia, Argentina

In today’s post you and will walk the first leg of the W Trek (Distance 20 k plus, Elevation Gain and Loss 770m, Out and Back).

Notes On Photos
01 – There are still many hours of daylight left after I have checked in (11-27) and found my bed for the next two nights (top bunk in a co-ed dorm). The lookout to those spires is tomorrow’s destination.
03-05 – View from the trail’s end.
06 – There are more people than one might expect at trail’s end. The panorama didn’t quite turn out as planned, and I hope you get an impression of the scene.
07 – Looking down the trail from near its end.
08 – Around the half way point there is a refugio where I did not stay. The refugio is accessed by foot or horseback. On the return trip I and other walkers could barely stand as the winds barreling down the valley made us all unsteady on our feet. A string of 4 pack horses delivering supplies needed substantial coaxing to continue along the trail.
12 – Walking back down. Off to the left there is the road that goes to Refugio Torre Central, which is where I started the W Trek.