Those who hiked the W Trek in high season should know what I’m talking about. If you visit Patagonia in summertime (December to February), you can experience pretty high temperatures. Yet you may meet hundreds of fellow hikers, experience strong wind gusts, and struggle to get your space in one of the refuges/campsites.
Patagonian winter (May to August) is another story. It may be colder than other months, yet you can experience the real wild Patagonia and a unique feeling of quietness at the feet of snow-capped mountains. And if you’re still not convinced, here’s why we believe winter is simply the most epic time to come to Torres del Paine National Park and do the W Trek.
With about 250,000 people visiting Torres Del Paine every year, this incredible National Park became immensely famous. Some trails, like the Towers’ base and the French Valley, can be very crowded during peak season. This is especially true in January and February.
Yet you can’t imagine how different it is in winter. It gives you space, time, no stress, and the viewpoints look even more beautiful with fewer people.
Winter months attract lots of wildlife photographers and it is easy to understand why. With less people on the roads, pumas come closer and are much easier to spot. On the trails, we cannot promise you will see animals. However, your chances of spotting a huemul (an endangered local deer) or a puma are much higher.
Those who love the mountains know that mountains always look more dramatic when snow is on the top. If you’re lucky, you might experience the biggest avalanches of the season, just like in this video shot in July. No worries, there is no risk of getting stuck in an avalanche on the trails. Glaciers look bigger, making the granite peaks of Torres del Paine look like giants emerging from the ice.
Hiking the W Trek or Torres del Paine Circuit in peak season can quickly become painful if you haven’t made the reservation with anticipation. Campsites may be full, and getting space for your tent (or a bed in a refuge) is not as easy as years ago. In winter, you won’t waste time struggling for a place to stay. You should even get a warm bed in a cozy dormitory.
If you want to get dramatic shots of snowcapped mountains, foggy hills, and incredible reflections, come in winter. Fall is also a good option. Landscapes are way more photogenic with less wind and people, and the changing weather makes for epic shots. Even though you may get some rain or snow, photographers know the best time to immortalize the mountains is right after the storm.
. . . and sunsets. With less than 7 hours of daylight a day, you may have to walk in the darkness if you want to reach the National Park’s best viewpoints with the sun at its peak. You can see the mountains painted in red every day. This depends on the weather and the sun's position during that time of year.
And unlike during summer months, you won’t have to wake up at 1 am to see epic sunrises.
If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, come in Patagonian winter. You might need to walk slower because of the snow on the trails. You may have less flexibility because there are fewer services in the area, and you could also feel cold temperatures.
Yet you will experience emotions few people ever experience while hiking through a truly pristine wilderness. Unlike other months, winter requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone, and that’s actually something great.
This worldwide famous viewpoint is totally different in winter. Snow covers the towers, and the lagoon at the base freezes completely. A breathtaking landscape that you can normally experience from June to August.
Do you want more information? Check our program to hike the W Trek in winter.