factor i


’d been staring down at my feet for the past hour, clambering up and over large boulders and steadying myself on slippery patches of


grit. The sun was bright and the air crisp, but the low temperatures didn’t bother me because I was warm from what felt like an endless climb. Eventually, the trail began to even out and, finally, I looked up. It was my first sight of Torres del Paine – three giant


granite towers that give the Patagonian national park its name. Rising dramatically from behind a shimmering turquoise lagoon, their blunt peaks soared into the cloudless sky. I felt tears on my flushed cheeks and my voice unexpectedly cracked in awe at the sight. Rosario, my guide, put her hand on my shoulder


and reassured me. “Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to feel emotional here,” she said.


travelweekly.co.uk 4 JUNE 2026


DESTINATIONS PATAGONIA | LATIN AMERICA


Taking on Torres del Paine’s famous W Trek is no small task, but the rewards are as great as its towering mountain peaks, writes Annie Ure


This powerful moment was the grand finale to the


W Trek, one of Chilean Patagonia’s most sought-after multi-day hikes. Named after the ‘W’ shape that it forms on a map, the 46-mile trail weaves its way through forested valleys, past glacial lakes and beneath imposing, jagged peaks in Torres del Paine National Park.


GROUP GOALS Most travellers choose, as I did, to cover the distance over four days, but unlike others, I tackled the trek in April – shoulder season in Patagonia. As it was the height of autumn, I balanced the bonus of fiery foliage and quieter trails with fewer hours of daylight and lower temperatures: at night, it can fall below freezing, so woolly hats, gloves and layers were essential. ²


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