If you’re looking to challenge yourself and go on an introductory backpacking trip, this is the adventure for you! Tents and sleeping bags will be provided at every camp (read: you don't have to carry them), but you’ll be carrying about 20-25 lbs of your own personal gear (clothes, toiletries, sleeping bag liner, etc) in your backpack. It’s a great match for hikers who love being on their feet all day and camping under the stars at night, as well as anyone who wants to try their hand at backpacking! Please thoroughly read the Daily Breakdown and make sure you understand everything that comes along with doing this once in a lifetime trek!

We rated our Patagonia trip a 4 out of 5 on the WHOA Adventure difficulty scale because the hiking days are long, and the terrain is very rocky with a lot of steep ascents and descents.

You haven’t experienced wind until you’ve experienced the wind in Patagonia! While our photos show lots of sunshine, don’t be fooled! Temperatures can get downright cold because of the wind chill. On top of the wind, you can get spontaneous rain showers (and rainbows), so layers and top notch gear are clutch here.

Throughout the trek there will be lots of rocky, steep up and downhills, some of which involve scrambling. This can wreak havoc on the knees and ankles, especially with a heavy pack on, so even if you don’t use one normally, we recommend bringing along a knee brace. Just because this trip isn’t at altitude, doesn’t mean it’s easy! 

Bottom line, be ready to embrace what Mother Nature throws our way, and put on another layer (or take one off) and dance when the weather throws us for a loop! Remember, the difference between an adventure and an ordeal is your attitude!

We’re not going to sugar coat it, the W Trek is no joke. It might only be 4 days of hiking, but they’re long days with all your personal gear on your back (which is different than hiking with a daypack). There are no absolutes in adventuring, except this one: the better trained you are, the more enjoyable your experience will be! Stay active, break in your boots, and start wearing your loaded backpack on your training hikes ASAP.

We plan our adventures with most of the logistics taken care of, so you can focus on lacing up your hiking boots and being your best adventure self! Below is a list of everything that’s included on our Patagonia Adventure.

INCLUDED:

• 3 nights in lodge in Puerto Natales (double occupancy)

• 6 nights camping under the stars in Patagonia's most picturesque campsites. Tents, sleeping bags, and mats will be provided for you at each camp. (tents are double occupancy)

• Private transfer from/to Puerto Natales Airport (PNT) on adventure start/end dates

• Amazing Patagonia specialized local female guides by your side for the entirety of the adventure (6:1 client:guide ratio)

• Passionate WHOA GALs (Group Adventure Leaders) to make sure you feel mentally and physically prepared leading up to and during your adventure

• Hearty meals as indicated in the Daily Breakdown (all vegetarian friendly)

• An epic ice hiking excursion on Grey Glacier (ice axe, cramp-ons and helmet will be provided)

• A guided kayak excursion on Lake Grey (life jacket and splash guard provided)- weather dependent

• Catamaran ride on Lake Pehoe

• 1 day reforestation/ trail building project in Torres del Paine National Park

• Special Welcome Dinner and Celebratory Dinner at the end of the adventure

• Park permits

• Tips for drivers, hiking, ice hiking and kayaking guides

• Tons of WHOA TLC!

• 1% for the planet, as in 1% of what you pay goes towards grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities

• Offsetting of this trip’s negative impact on the environment and carbon footprint, from the transportation to lodging to meals*

NOT INCLUDED:

• Flights

• Early arrival accommodation and transportation

• Gear

• Travel Insurance (mandatory)

• Visas (if applicable)

• Additional food/drink/tips

• GAL tips (Always appreciated, but never expected)
  

*For our carbon offsetting, we do our best to crunch the numbers and accurately calculate the carbon footprint the best we can with the information that we have. It’s not a perfect system and carbon offsetting isn’t an exact science, but we believe it’s more important to take action now, in every way that we can. All our offsetting programs are certified by our partners at Sustainable Travel International. At the moment, our traveler’s international airfare to the destination is beyond our scope, and not included. Flights are the largest carbon emitter on most of our adventures, so we encourage all our travelers to consider doing it independently through the airline or with our partners at STI.

Putting down a $750 deposit will reserve your spot on a WHOA Adventure! You’ll be invoiced and must pay in full at least 3 months before your adventure starts. All deposits are non-refundable. All prices are listed in USD.

Or leave us a message below. We’re here to answer all your questions and help you plan your adventure of a lifetime!

Dates not quite right for you? Want to bring along your entire family? We can design a Patagonia trip on your timeline, with your rules. Our private trips have all the TLC that come standard on our group adventures, but are specially organized, personalized and maximized for you!