Patagonia’s O vs. W Trek: Which Hike is the Best For You?
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Visiting Patagonia at the tip of South America is on a lot of hikers’ bucket lists. The views are out of this world, the glaciers are so big, and it feels so remote. And it is! The Patagonia region is huge. And Torres del Paine National Park, where the two most famous backpacking trails reside, is just a small little blip on the map.
If you’re planning a Patagonia trip and wanting to hike, I know you’re balancing this vacation with so many other factors – PTO, travel time, budget, other Patagonia locations, and more.
And I know when I was planning my trip, I was overwhelmed with all of the options, and not really sure what the actual difference between the O and W Treks in Torres del Paine was except that the O Circuit was longer – and to be honest, with my thru-hiking background, that’s the main reason I chose to hike the O!
So in this guide, I’m going to go a little deeper into each trek so you can stop struggling to decide and make a decision on which hike works best for your hiking and camping skills, vacation time, and full Patagonia trip!
What are the Differences Between the O and W Treks?
First things first, the O Circuit includes the W Trek. So keep that in mind while reading through this post and planning. If you choose to hike the O, you won’t miss out on anything on the W side, but if you only hike the W, you will miss out on the O-only specifics.
Map of Torres del Paine and the O & W Trek
Quick W and O Trail Comparison
Overall, the O Circuit is longer, more remote, and will require more self-sufficiency than the W Trek.
The W Trek is shorter and contains the majority of the scenic highlights in the park, but has a little more logistics to contend with, being a point-to-point hike.
|
Feature |
W Trek |
O Circuit |
|---|---|---|
|
Time Needed |
3-5 days |
7-9 days |
|
Distance |
~38 miles/ 60 km (really depends on route & camps) |
75 miles / 120 km |
|
Direction |
Flexible (east ↔ west) |
Must travel counterclockwise |
|
Best For |
First-time trekkers, hut hikers |
Intermediate – experienced backpackers |
|
Crowds |
Refugios & trails more available to day crowds, more trekkers |
Fewer crowds, limited to 80 people/day, more remote |
|
Camping Required? |
No |
Yes |
|
Daypack Only? |
Yes |
No |
|
Difficulty |
Moderate |
Moderate – Challenging |
|
Terrain |
Well worn path |
More rugged with roots & rocks in some spots |
|
Time of Year |
mid-September–April |
November–March (John Gardner Pass closes) |
|
Park Entry |
3+ day pass – $46,200 CLP |
3+ day pass – $46,200 CLP |
|
Budget |
Less days = less money spent |
Longer trip = more expensive |
|
Highlights |
Valley Frances & Mirador Britanico, Los Cuernos, Las Torres & Lago Torres |
John Gardner Pass & the Southern Patagonia Icefield, Lago Dickson, Los Perros Glacier |
|
Can You Do It Guided? |
Yes |
Yes |
Who Should Choose the W Trek?
In my view, the main reasons to choose the W over the O would be if you aren’t already comfortable backpacking or overnight trekking on your home turf or you just don’t have enough time for 8 days of hiking.
I also think hiking the W is better for seeing more of the park vs. just day hiking in Torres del Paine.
The W Trek is perfect for those who:
- Have 5 or fewer days to hike (not including travel)
- Don’t want to camp in a tent
- Want to only carry a day pack vs. larger backpacking pack
- Want to prioritize the main sights in Torres del Paine (Grey Glacier, Los Cuernos, Mirador Britanico, The Towers)
Who Should Choose the O Circuit?
I hiked the O Circuit in 2023, so I might be a little biased, but I think it’s the way to go! You really get to see the majority of the park, and still get to see all of the highlights on the W.
If you are used to overnight wilderness backpacking in the United States, the O Circuit is not going to feel super remote, but the difference in crowds from the backside to the W Trek side of the hike is very noticeable. I remember showing up at Camp Grey and almost feeling like I was in Disneyland compared to the morning coming over John Gardner Pass.
You should hike the O Circuit if:
- You want a deeper wilderness experience
- You’ve done multi-day hikes before
- You’re okay carrying your own gear longer distances
- You want to “earn” the back half and escape the crowds
- You want a chance to see the expansive Southern Patagonia Icefield beyond Glacier Grey (not guaranteed depending on weather)
- You have 7-9 days available just for the hiking portion
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between the O Circuit and W Trek
How Much Time Do You Have?
The W takes anywhere from 3-5 days depending on your starting point, with most people completing the hike in 4 days and 3 nights. I’d actually recommend taking the full 5 days on the W Trek so you can enjoy some side trips like hiking from Grey to the suspension bridges closer to John Gardner Pass or doing a glacier walking tour at Grey camp.
Most people will hike the O Circuit in 8 days and 7 nights, and return to Puerto Natales on day 8 as well, which is what I did. Some people can go a little bit faster and knock a day off, but the campground companies (Vertice, in particular) actually make it a little challenging to book the trail in less days, even if you’re a super fast and experienced hiker.
Remember that Torres del Paine is remote. It’s a 2 hour drive to the park from Puerto Natales, Chile. Most people will be fine taking the bus into the park and starting their hike on the same day, and taking the bus back to Puerto Natales on the day they finish their trek. But, getting from Puerto Natales to Santiago or El Calafate, Argentina, will require another day, so you need to factor in travel time with your overall plans.
I actually spent more time in Torres del Paine than the 8 days for the O Circuit. Here’s what my travel plan looked like:
- Day -1: I took the bus from Punta Arenas, Chile to Puerto Natales, then to Torres del Paine to Camping Pehoé.
- Day 0: Took the bus from Camping Pehoé to Laguna Amarga & the small shuttle to Camping Central.
- Day 1: Started the O Circuit when my friend’s bus arrived around 8:00 am.
- Days 2-7: O Circuit hiking Serón → Chileno
- Day 8: Chileno → Mirador Las Torres → TDP Welcome Center → Bus to Puerto Natales
What’s Your Budget?
Overall, the W Trek is cheaper than the O because you’ll be staying for less nights, which means less money spent on accommodation, food, WiFi, etc.
But you could easily spend more money on the W Trek if you decide to fully stay in the Refugios and pay for all meals on the hike vs. deciding to camp with your own gear and bring your own food on the O.
Another factor to consider: the later you book your trip, the more likely you will need to pay more to stay in the refugios vs. DIY camping.
And just to keep in mind: you don’t need to book full board if you choose to sleep in refugios. You could definitely bring all of your own food to save costs – grocery and backpacking meals are definitely less expensive than $100-130/day. You’ll just need to carry a stove & fuel.
Let’s compare the costs for 1 individual on the hikes*:
Average Cost for Camping Only on the W Trek
|
Item |
USD |
|---|---|
|
Campsites (carry your own gear) |
$206 |
|
Park Entry |
$48 |
|
Park Shuttle to/from Central |
$4 |
|
Pudeto Ferry to/from Paine Grande |
$28 |
|
Bus from Puerto Natales (round trip) |
$36 |
|
Total |
$322 |
Average Cost for Camping Only on the O Circuit
|
Item |
USD |
|---|---|
|
Campsites (carry your own gear) |
$320 |
|
Park Entry |
$48 |
|
Park Shuttle to & from Central |
$8 |
|
Bus from Puerto Natales (round trip) |
$36 |
|
Total |
$412 |
Average Cost for Full Room & Board on the W Trek
|
Item |
USD |
|---|---|
|
Bunk in Shared Room with Bedding |
$624 |
|
Full Board |
$460 |
|
Park Entry |
$48 |
|
Park Shuttle to/from Central |
$4 |
|
Pudeto Ferry to/from Paine Grande |
$28 |
|
Bus from Puerto Natales (round trip) |
$36 |
|
Total |
$1,200 |
Average Cost for Full Room & Board on the O Circuit
|
Item |
USD |
|---|---|
|
Bunk in Shared Room with Bedding** |
$1,087 |
|
Full Board** |
$690 |
|
Park Entry |
$48 |
|
Park Shuttle to/from Central |
$8 |
|
Bus from Puerto Natales (round trip) |
$36 |
|
Total |
$1,869 |
*1 hiker has to pay a single supplement at Las Torres campsites.
**Board does not exist at Los Perros camp on the O Circuit, “room” at Los Perros and Serón are fully-equipped tents.
Note: these prices are accurate as of the 2025-2026 season. Exchange rates vary.
Read next: I talk more in depth about the average costs of refugios and campgrounds in my Torres del Paine refugio guide.
How Much Weight Do You Want to Carry?
This will greatly depend on how you choose your accommodations for either hike (refugio style vs. DIY camping vs. rented-gear camping).
In general, most O Circuit hikers will be carrying more of a traditional backpacking gear setup and food. W Trek hikers have more of an option to do the entire trek supported and only carry a day pack with a few personal overnight items than O Circuit backpackers.
I did DIY camping on the O Circuit, so I carried all of my normal backpacking gear on the trip, and all of my food for the entire 8 days. I only planned for one meal to be a “treat” and to buy it along the way, which ended up being pizza at Paine Grande (and so worth it). I believe my pack weighed about 30 lbs at the start, including my camera tripod.
What Kind of Trail Experience Do You Want?
I’ve already alluded to this, but in general, the O Circuit is quieter, has less people, and feels more remote than the W Trek, especially on the portion between Dickson and Grey over John Gardner Pass.
This might sound counter-intuitive, but I actually think the O Circuit is more social. I come from a thru-hiking background, and in fact, hiked the O with my PCT trail family, and I felt like the O had that long trail camaraderie, because you’re seeing the same people each day at every camp from Central – Paine Grande.
With the W trek, there’s so many options for routes: go east or westbound, some might stay at Grey, others won’t, deciding between Frances and Cuernos and Central or Chileno: there’s just a lot of variation that can happen on the W, so you might not be on the same timeline as someone who started on the same day as you.
The W Trek is more like a highlight reel as well. Each day seems to have a high payoff in terms of views because you’re getting to see a main viewpoint of Torres del Paine.
How Much Physical Challenge Do You Want?
This might be controversial, but I actually think both trails are pretty equal in terms of physical challenge.
The W Trek has 2 challenging climbs: from Paine Grande to Mirador Britanico and from Central to Chileno and Mirador Las Torres.
The O Circuit has 1 more challenging climb from Los Perros to John Gardner Pass. The descent of John Gardner is also pretty brutal (thank goodness this is a one-way route – cross traffic on the downhill would be miserable. This was my personal least favorite part of the O Circuit). The climb from Dickson to Los Perros is pretty gradual, my memory is a little tainted because it rained all day and was muddy, but the hiking itself was not challenging.
Hiking the O Circuit definitely has more of an endurance factor: you do need to hike for 8 days straight and often for 9+ miles per day, but you have to do the same on the W Trek, just for less days in a row.
Another point to consider: the O Circuit actually has more bail out points than the W. While hiking the O, you can bail out at Grey, Paine Grande, or Central. The W kind of only allows you to bail out at Paine Grande.
When Can You Visit Torres del Paine?
The main hiking season for both the W and O is November – March.
But, the W Trek has more access during the shoulder season in September and April, and decent amounts of the trail can be accessed during Patagonia’s winter season (May – August), but only with a guide.
Do You Want To Hike With a Guide?
You can actually do the O or the W with a guide or porter – we saw a group of older hikers on our O Circuit utilize porters on the route, allowing them to hike with their day packs and never have to set up their own tents on the trail. They also seemed to have cooks and didn’t do their own cooking at Los Perros.
We saw more guided groups vs. porter-only along the W Trek portion of the hike: which essentially looked like a conga line of day hikers with a guide that would occasionally collect everyone at a viewpoint and talk a bit.
I don’t think it’s necessary to do either trail with a guide. You might learn more about the geology and biology of the park with a guide, but you don’t need one to successfully complete the hike – even if you want to do the W fully staying in Refugios and eating full board.
Can You Do Both the O Circuit and the W Trek?
Sure! Many people come down to Patagonia to complete the W Trek and then fall in love and want to return to hike the full O Circuit.
But if you’re like me, can’t afford to fly to South America multiple times, and have so many things in the world you want to see – I’d just do the O Circuit and then you’ll see all the amazing things on both the O and W Treks.
Final Questions to Ask Yourself to Help Decide
- How much challenge am I ready for?
- Am I more excited by solitude or seeing the most iconic spots?
- Do I have my own backpacking gear?
- Would I enjoy hiking and camping for 8+ days straight?
- How many days do I have for my full vacation?
Get Going On Your Dream Torres del Paine Backpacking Adventure!
✅ Ready to hike the W? Start planning here →
🏕️ Thinking the O is for you? Check out the full circuit guide →
