Adventure
Patagonia on a Shoestring: Hiking the W Without Breaking the Bank
Torres del Paine has a reputation for being expensive. With the right timing and logistics, it does not have to be.
By Inès Caballero · 4 March 2026 · 8 min read
The W Trek in Chilean Patagonia is the most-photographed multi-day hike in South America, and the prices reflect it. Refugios book out a year in advance and dinners cost more than a hostel night in Santiago. But the camping route, done right, can be walked for under 200 euros end to end.
Book the free CONAF campsites (Italiano, Paso) the moment they open — usually in early October for the following summer. Pair them with the paid Vertice and Las Torres sites; together they form the full traverse.
Carry your own food. The supermarkets in Puerto Natales are well stocked and a week of trail meals costs about 40 euros. Renting a stove and tent in town is far cheaper than the all-inclusive packages sold from Santiago.
Walk west to east. You finish at the base of the towers at sunrise, which is the postcard you came for, and the wind that batters every other hiker pushes you forward.
