KE Adventure

Patagonia Paine Circuit

Classic trekking at the end of the earth
The awe-inspiring Paine towers
Blue lakes and tumbling glaciers
Full support, no backpacking

Located at the southern tip of mainland South America, the rugged territory of Patagonia is renowned for its breathtaking scenery. At its heart is the Torres del Paine National Park, where pink granite towers, iridescent blue lakes and surreally sculpted glaciers compete for the viewer's admiration. This is also the setting for one of the world's great trekking challenges, the 90 kilometre circuit of the Paine Massif. Involving 6 days of hiking, by way of several lakeside camps and the remote John Garner Pass, this is the ultimate Patagonia trekking experience: enhanced by excursions on foot to the most spectacular viewpoints in the Ascencio and Frances valleys. Our amended itinerary now includes a final day's hike along the northern edge of Lake Nordenskjold, which effectively completes the whole circuit. A support team of packhorses and porters means you are free to devote your energies to enjoying what has been voted the most dramatic mountain region on the planet.

Trip Guide

During the course of this relatively short adventure, we cover a total distance of approximately 100 kilometres or 62 miles (including the 2 side trips that we make into the Frances and Ascencio valleys). This equates with an average daily trekking distance of little more than 12 kilometres (7.5 miles). Having arranged for both pack-horse and porter support, group members will not need to carry more than a normal day-pack at any stage of the trip. The circuit trek around the Paine Massif is well-established and there are good trails for most of the route. However, on the north side of the range and especially whilst crossing the John Garner Pass, there are some sections of rugged pathway, negotiating slippery forested terrain and marshland. Altitude is not a factor on this trip.