The noise was terrifying. The walls and ceiling of our tiny hostel seemed to bend and buckle with the force of the storm. Rarely have I been truly scared while traveling, but as I lay on my back listening to the deafening destruction outside, my mind raced. This, I thought, is Patagonia. What have we gotten ourselves into?
Here we were, at the end of the Earth, facing some of the planet’s most unpredictable weather, about to spend the next eight days in the mountains. We had nothing more than a barely adequate, used tent, a sleeping bag not warm enough for the climate, and budget gear we picked up in Punta Arenas.
I convinced myself we would have to cancel. Torres Del Paine in Chile is notorious for its erratic weather, with wind gusts so strong they can literally pick up trekkers and slam them to the ground. The week we arrived, the area was experiencing extreme conditions. Heavy winds and flooding had closed the backside of the O Trek just days before our arrival. Trekkers were stranded on the trails; it was chaos.
The words from the safety meeting the night before echoed in my head: “Almost all deaths in the park occur because trekkers don’t follow the rules.” Deaths. Plural.
I didn’t sleep a wink that night. At 5:30 AM, still intimidated by the howling wind, I said a small prayer before waking up Dariece. I’m not religious, so this was a first for me. “Wake up Dariece, it’s time to start the O.”
We had packed our bags the night before, so getting ready was simple. When we opened the hostel door, it was still windy and rainy, and the cold was biting. However, the extreme gusts had died down somewhat. It was now more like a severe storm reminiscent of the ones we’d seen in Canada, rather than a hurricane-force blizzard common here at the end of the world.
We met up with our friends Jarryd and Alesha from Nomadasaurus and boarded the two-hour bus ride to the park. As the bus traveled down the highway, filled with nervous and excited trekkers, it felt like none of us truly knew what we were getting into. In hindsight, that was definitely the case. An hour into the ride, the thick, dark, apocalyptic clouds began to part. Brief moments of brightness blossomed, and beams of sunlight pierced through, giving us hope.
By the time we reached the entrance to Torres del Paine National Park, the sky was clear and blue. We got off the bus with massive smiles on our faces, feeling a surge of confidence. “We can do this, Dariece!” I said. She bravely replied, “Oh yeah, we got this!”
The most common trek in Torres del Paine is the W trek, which covers part of the O. Picture a W with a loop connecting the outer arms. The trek we were embarking on, often called “The O,” “The Circuit Trek,” or “The Backside,” stretches 132 kilometers through the heart of Chilean Patagonia, with a few small camps or rest areas along the way.
The backside is remote, with trekkers surrounded by wildlife, forests, snowy peaks, and the dramatic landscapes that make this national park famous. Although I was terrified the night before, I’m so glad we chose the more challenging O Trek. The W is more commercialized, with many tours and amenities. People on the W were trekking with blow dryers and rolling luggage, carried by porters.
The backside is a different beast. There are no restaurants at some camps, just simple campsites, drop toilets, and small shacks for cooking. Thus, most trekkers on the O carry their own food or hire a porter for $150 a day. This made our bags incredibly heavy, loaded with eight days’ worth of food, cooking supplies, and essential gear. On the first few days, before we’d eaten some of our supplies, our bags dug into our shoulders and hips and our backs ached under the pressure.
Despite the heavy packs and sore backs, we were ecstatic. Here we were, at the southern edge of the planet, hiking with good company in beautiful weather. We couldn’t have been happier.
Day one was relatively easy, taking us five hours from the park entrance to the first camp, Serón. We faced some powerful wind after crossing a 300-meter ridge, but the sun shined all day. We set up our first camp under the protection of small hills and cooked our first meal together. We were relieved to be on the trail and grateful for the good weather.
Amazingly, the weather held up for our entire eight days. We had a few hours of light showers and strong winds at times, but mostly clear skies and crisp weather—quite unusual for this region. By the second night, we realized we would be sharing the trail with the same small group of friendly faces. About twelve of us had booked all the same campsites for the entire trek, turning our evenings into a social event with shared meals, stories, and laughter.
Every member of our group had a unique story. One couple had quit their jobs to travel for a year, like we did eight years ago. Another had left Germany two years ago on bicycles, ridden to the UK, then shipped the bikes to New York, and spent two years riding down to the end of South America.
Although Dariece and I often trekked alone during the day, we enjoyed having the trails to ourselves and meeting up with our new friends each evening. The first four days on the backside were incredible. We passed glaciers, sat on lakeside beaches, camped under snowy peaks, and hiked over a 1,200-meter pass. By the time our trail merged with the W trek, we felt a real sense of accomplishment.
The W had a different vibe. Us, with our well-used gear, unshowered and exhausted, meeting W trekkers who had makeup, flip-flops, and day packs. It was like mountaineers descending from Everest to see trekkers at base camp. However, we still loved the experience. The scenery remained breathtaking, and we felt immense joy trekking in Torres del Paine National Park.
The finale of our trek was at The Torres, three massive rock formations rising from an emerald lake. Initially, it seemed we’d miss the view due to poor weather, but after waiting in the biting cold since 6:00 AM, the sky cleared, revealing the golden peaks. The sight was awe-inspiring, worth every bit of effort.
On the final day, we were the second pair from our group to finish. Jarryd and Alesha soon joined us, and Jarryd generously bought everyone a round of beer to celebrate. Our faces and bodies were battered and sore, but our minds were strong, and we reveled in a profound sense of accomplishment. We did it. We not only survived but thrived out there.
The O trek was challenging, but definitely achievable for anyone with a decent level of fitness and trekking experience. Our group included a 65-year-old man and a family with three kids (ages 12 and 14). While the trek is doable, we had fantastic weather. If Patagonia had unleashed its full wrath, our experience might have been very different. We’re grateful the weather was kind to us, allowing us to enjoy this remarkable part of the world fully.
Torres del Paine is probably the most scenic place I’ve ever seen, and I come from the naturally blessed Western Canada. Patagonia delivered on all its promises and more. We can’t wait to return, perhaps not to tackle the O again but to explore other parts of this vast outdoor paradise.