W-Trek Day 1: From Puerto Natales to Grey Glacier

Introduction: W-Trek Day 1

Today, we embark on our Torres del Paine W-Trek Day 1 adventure, starting with a bus ride from Puerto Natales to the national park. From Pudeto, we’ll take a scenic catamaran across Pehoé Lake to reach Paine Grande, where our trek officially begins.

We’ll then hike 11km through breathtaking Patagonian landscapes to Grey, where we’ll spend the night.

Couple sitting on a rocky viewpoint eating a snack with Lago Grey and the glacier in the background. — Banana break

Read: The Ultimate Torres del Paine hiking guide, 5-day W-Trek

Mapping the W-Trek Day 1

Map of Torres del Paine National Park highlighting the W Trek route from Paine Grande to Grey and key facilities along the way.

Tip: We use the DJI Action 4 to film our vlogs — compact, durable, and perfect for capturing every adventure.

Buying the bus ticket

We arrived in Puerto Natales the day before our trek, around 1:30 pm. As soon as we arrived at the bus terminal, we headed straight to the ticket office and inquired about the buses to the park the next day with Bus Sur, which offers two morning departures:

6:40 am to Pudeto (for those heading to Paine Grande)
7:00 am to Laguna Amarga (for those starting at Central)

Green and blue Bus-Sur coach parked on a gravel road near Torres del Paine entrance.

We booked two seats on the 6:40 am bus and also purchased our return tickets for six days later, choosing the 6:30 pm return bus. The round-trip fare was 30,000 CLP (€33.50) = 7,500 CLP (€8.40) per ticket each way. Today the cost is between 12-15€ per ticket.

Other bus companies also operate this route and we would recommend buying your ticket online on BusBud.

Google Maps route showing two driving options from Puerto Natales to Estancia Pudeto in Torres del Paine National Park, with highlighted Y-290 and Y-150 roads. — Google Maps route showing two driving options from Puerto Natales

Tip: We recommend checking directly there to be sure about the time and departures available. Or you can also get your tickets in advance on Busbud. We recommend getting them if you are organising your trip early.

Getting to Torres del Paine

Bus

We woke up around 5:00 am to finish packing our bags, leaving behind anything we didn’t need at our accommodation. After a quick breakfast, we left at 6:00 am and walked to the bus terminal.

Getting to Torres del Paine

We arrived at the bus terminal at 6:20 am. It was still closed, but several other hikers were already waiting.
After a while, the terminal opened, and we boarded our Bus Sur. It was the first bus to depart, stationed on the left side of the platforms.
The Bus Sur office opened at 6:30 am, and our bus departed around 6:45 am.

Couple smiling and making peace signs while sitting inside a bus on the way to Torres del Paine. — Bus to Torres Del Paine

The road was mostly dirt and bumpy at times, but the bus was comfortable, equipped with USB chargers and a WC.

At 8:10 am, we made a quick 5-minute stop for pictures. By 8:25 am, we reached the park entrance ticket office, where we had to buy our entrance tickets and register.

Visitors gathered inside the Torres del Paine entrance office to buy tickets and register.

Entrance Process & Fees

Fill out a registration form
Pay the entrance fee → 35,000 CLP (€39) per person in 2020 (for stays longer than 3 days), 46,200 CLP (50 USD) in 2025.
Receive a map and an approval stamp

Once everyone had completed the process, we boarded the bus again. By 8:40 am, we reached the park administration, and at 9:05 am, we arrived at Pudeto, just in time to watch the 9:00 am ferry depart without us!

Snow-capped Torres del Paine mountains rising above golden grasslands under a blue sky at the entrance of Torres del Paine for the W-trek day 1 — View from the park entrance

Tip: You can also get your tickets in advance on Busbud. We recommend getting them if you are organising your trip early.

Where to stay in Puerto Natales

Unique Stay near the Park

Or in Puerto Natales:

Budget: Puma House
Mid-Range: Toore Patagonia
High-Range: Hostal Boutique Factoria Patagonia

Here are all your hotel options in Puerto Natales and here in Torres Del Paine

Ferry

What a shame… we just missed the 9:00 am ferry, watching it leave right in front of us. That meant a 2-hour wait for the next ferry at 11:00 am in 2020. in 2025, you have ferries at 8:30 am and 10:30 am.

We made the most of this time by relaxing by the lake, having a snack, and using the WC. There was supposed to be a store or coffee shop at Pudeto, but it was closed.

View of the Pudeto pier and surrounding hills reflected in the blue waters of Torres del Paine. — View of the Pudeto pier

The ferry arrived around 10:15 am, dropping off passengers from the previous ride. Within 15 minutes, they started boarding for the next trip, but by this time, a huge line had already formed as at least four other buses had arrived.

By 10:30 am, we were on board. We dropped our backpacks at the front and found seats. You can either:

Sit inside on the lower deck, which is covered and enclosed (good if it’s windy).
Sit on the upper deck, which offers better views but is open-air.

Ferry boat “Hielos Patagónicos” docked on the turquoise waters of Lago Pehoé in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile.

The ferry departed on time at 11:00 am, and during the ride, we had to buy our tickets directly onboard.

Ferry Cost

in 2020: 23,000 CLP (€26) per person. 35 USD per person (only cash accepted, no cards!)
in 2025: 27,000 CLP (€24) per person. Bookable online.

At 11:35 am, we arrived at Paine Grande, where staff checked our tickets before letting us off.

Backpacks piled high inside the ferry as passengers sit around during the crossing in Torres del Paine. — Backpacks piled high inside the ferry

Tip: Make sure to pack quality waterproof jackets — one for him and one for her — they’ll make all the difference on rainy days.

Hiking from Paine Grande to Grey Shelter (11km)

Trail from Paine Grande to Grey Shelter

While we weren’t particularly impressed with the first part of the trail, the views of the lake with Glacier Grey in the distance were breathtaking. However, the trek itself wasn’t the most exciting compared to what we would experience later in the park.

Wide view of Paine Grande Lodge surrounded by grassy plains and mountains in Torres del Paine. — Wide view of Paine Grande Lodge

We arrived at Grey Shelter around 3:45 pm. Just as we got there, it started raining, so we decided to stay inside and postpone visiting the viewpoint until the next morning for better weather conditions.

Hikers with backpacks walking from Paine Grande towards Refugio Grey under dramatic mountain clouds.

Hiker making their way uphill on a rocky trail surrounded by bare trees towards Refugio Grey. — Tina making their way uphill

View of Lago Grey with the Grey Glacier in the distance, surrounded by rugged mountains under a cloudy Patagonian sky.

Read: All our gears and equipments for hiking, blogging, vlogging and so much more…

Grey shelter

Grey Shelter is located in the eastern part of the park, marking the end of the O-Trek and the starting point of the W-Trek. From what we saw during our five-day trek, Grey Shelter and Camping seemed to be the newest or at least recently renovated, making it one of the most comfortable stays in the park.

Exterior view of Refugio Grey in Torres del Paine, surrounded by grassy hills and forest. — Exterior view of Refugio Grey

When we arrived, we checked in at the reception, where we had to provide our passports and PDI cards. Check-out was at 9:30 am the next morning. The shelter offers electricity and hot water until midnight, which was a welcome luxury after a long day of hiking.

We headed to our shared room, which had six beds, but luckily, we only shared it with one other couple, making for a more comfortable night. Before settling in, we took a hot shower, charged our electronics, and then relaxed in the bar area, where we had a simple dinner of Japanese peanuts and soy tomato cheese sandwiches.

Refugio Grey dorm room with two bunk beds, wooden shelves, and backpacks on the floor.

For campers, hot drinking water is available upon request inside the shelter, and there is also a luggage drop area at the entrance for those who need to store extra gear.

After a long day, we were grateful for the comfy beds and a warm place to rest before the next day’s adventure. For a full review of Grey Shelter and Camping, check out the next article!

Entrance area of Refugio Grey with Chilean and Magallanes flags and a wooden sign.

Tip: We hike with Osprey backpacks and can’t recommend them enough — the Talon 44 and Tempest 40 are comfortable, durable, and great for any adventure.

Shelter/Refugio

General information

Check-in at Grey Shelter is available from 1:00 pm, and check-out is at 9:30 am the next day. The shelter provides electricity and hot water until midnight, making it a comfortable stop for trekkers on the W-Trek and O-Trek.

Emergency evacuation diagram showing the layout of Refugio Grey’s first and second floors.

Rooms

There are two types of rooms available:

4-person rooms
6-person rooms

Bunk bed inside Refugio Grey with white bedding and a small wooden nightstand.

Each room has double bunk beds, a window that can be opened, and individual storage shelves for each bunk. In the 6-person rooms, there are four 220V power outlets available for charging electronics.

There is no heater in the rooms, but the beds come with clean sheets, a big blanket, and a pillow for warmth. One improvement that would have been useful is individual reading lights for each bed.

Close-up of a bunk bed next to a window inside Refugio Grey, with a nightstand underneath.

Here are all your hotel options in Puerto Natales and here in Torres Del Paine

Bathroom

The bathrooms are separated for men and women. Each section includes:

3 toilets (plus 2 urinals in the men’s section)
3 showers
4 sinks

Men’s restroom at Refugio Grey with urinals, sinks, and toilet cubicles.

Toilet paper and drying paper are provided, but there is no soap in the showers, so be sure to bring your own toiletries.

Shower cubicle with white tiles and curtain in the bathroom facilities at Refugio Grey.

Shared area

The shared area at Grey Shelter consists of:

Four sofas for relaxing
A bar area with tables
A dining area

Group of hikers sitting and chatting inside the cozy wooden dining area of Refugio Grey in Torres del Paine National Park. — Refugio Grey Restaurant

The setup is primarily designed for guests who purchase meals, but we managed to eat our own food without any issues.

Couple sitting at a table inside Refugio Grey, eating sandwiches during a meal break. — First diner

Camping Grey

Even though we stayed in the shelter, we went over to the camping area to check out the facilities and see what it offered for those opting to camp.

Cluster of yellow and black The North Face tents in a grassy field at Refugio Grey, with a backdrop of mountains and sparse trees.

Camping area

The camping area is set within the forest, with designated spots for tents, offering some protection from the wind. The provided tents are The North Face Summit Series, designed for three people, making them quite spacious if you’re sharing with just one other person.

Pathway leading to Refugio Grey’s campground with numerous yellow tents set up in a grassy clearing surrounded by mountains.

The sleeping bags are high-quality, built for temperatures as low as -17°C, ensuring warmth during chilly nights. However, pillows are not provided, so bringing a small travel pillow or improvising with clothes is a good idea.

Orange camping tent set up among trees in the camping area of Refugio Grey.

Bathroom

There are separate bathrooms for men and women in the camping area. However, we didn’t get the chance to check them out, so we can’t comment on their facilities or cleanliness.

Wooden boardwalk leading to the shower and facilities area at Refugio Grey, surrounded by forest.

Kitchen

There is a kitchen area designated for cooking, where you can use a gas stove. A seating area is available next to it and in front of it, providing a space to enjoy meals comfortably.

If you don’t have your own equipment, you can rent a stove and pot for 5000 CLP.

Tabletop display with a camping stove and a sign advertising rental kitchen and cooking pots at Refugio Grey store.

Tip: We use the DJI Action 4 to film our vlogs — compact, durable, and perfect for capturing every adventure.

Shops

A minimarket is present next to the kitchen in case you need or forgot something:

Waters
Beers
Sodas
Cookies
Biscuits
Nutella
DDL
Chocolate
Chips
Dry soups
Pasta and sauce
Wraps
Cheeses
Eggs
Breads
And so on…

Shelves stocked with drinks, snacks, and instant food inside the Refugio Grey store in Torres del Paine.

If you need to use the internet, there are some computers available.

There are also batteries, maps, pads, gas, soaps…

Shelves with camping supplies, toiletries, books, and gas canisters for sale inside the Refugio Grey shop.

Tip: Make sure to pack quality waterproof jackets — one for him and one for her — they’ll make all the difference on rainy days.

Conclusion

The first day of the W-Trek was fairly easy—not too challenging, but also not the most spectacular part of the trail. That said, it was a great introduction to Torres del Paine, and we were excited for the days ahead.

If the weather allows, we highly recommend hiking to the Glacier Grey viewpoint once you arrive at Grey Shelter. It’s only a 15-minute walk past the shelter and offers stunning close-up views of the glacier. Unfortunately, it was pouring when we arrived, so we decided to check it out the next morning instead—but if conditions are good, it’s best to visit right away.

Read: The Ultimate Torres del Paine hiking guide, 5-day W-Trek

About the authors

We are Alex and Tina, a French-Serbian couple who met in China back in 2014. We spent three incredible years there before making France our home. Our shared passion for travel has been the heartbeat of our relationship for over 12 years, taking us across 44 countries and counting.

We launched TheDailyPackers in 2019 as a way to document our adventures. In 2026, we reached a major milestone by officially turning our blog into our full-time job. While we are still growing toward financial independence through this platform, every article we write is fueled by our mission to make your voyages easier through in-depth guides, honest advice, and the lessons we’ve learned from our own mistakes.

Our journey has not been without its storms. In 2023, our world changed forever when our first son, Poppy, was stillborn on November 25th. It was, and remains, the hardest chapter of our lives. In 2025, we were blessed with our second little boy, Milo. He has since joined our traveling tribe, and you’ll be seeing him—and the reality of traveling with a little one-on the blog more and more.

We hope to inspire you to explore the world with curiosity and resilience. Thank you for being part of our story.