What To pack For a camping and Trekking trip in Torres del Paine, Chile

packing for a trekking and camping trip in Torres del Paine national Park in Chile, means being prepared for all seasons. That’s right, even in the summer months, you can expect to see some snow. If you’re properly prepared, trekking the Circuit (“O”) or the “W” trail is an incredible, memorable experience.

In this article I’m going to list what you should pack for a camping and trekking trip in this famous national Park, based on our recent experience there.

We decided to do the O trek independently and we had a terrific time, but many people opt for an organized tour to help navigate the complexities of planning and for convenience. There are plenty of operators available in Patagonia, so it can be hard to choose. I’ve recently been introduced to Pygmy Elephant who offer a 5 day / 4 night self-guided tour of the W-Trek. check them out for more info.

If you’re staying at refugios and eating the food there, just ignore the accommodation and food portion of this list. But, the clothing and other items will be the same.

Here’s my list of what to pack for a trekking and camping trip to Torres del Paine.

Clothing for Torres del Paine

This list applies for any time of year that you visit. You never know what the weather is going to do in Patagonia. For all of the clothing listed below, opt for lightweight, quick-drying material. I’ve linked to the items that we wore so you can get an idea of what you’re looking to buy / pack.

When trekking, the rule of “wet and dry” applies: one set of clothing is for sweating in and getting wet during the day, while the second set is for keeping dry and wearing at night.

You only need 2 sets of clothes when hiking, plus fresh socks and underwear.

Trekking attire on a sunny day in Torres del Paine

2 Shirts: short-sleeved or long-sleeved. You’ll wear one when you’re trekking during the day, and one at night. If you choose a t-shirt, keep in mind that you’ll need to put sunscreen on your arms. A thin, lightweight, long-sleeved shirt might be a better choice. Nick wore one similar to this, while I just wore a basic t-shirt with a thermal top.

Thermal: long-sleeved, base layer top. You’ll want to wear this when hiking if it’s amazing outside, or if you’re too warm on the trail, keep it dry and clean for the evenings. I wore mine during the day, while Nick wore his at night. Click here for women’s thermal tops, and click here for mens.

Lightweight fleece: keep this dry in your backpack and wear it in the evenings, either when you’re outside, or when you’re sleeping. We both wear Misty mountain fleeces, but have worn and owned North face ones in the past.

Down Jacket: this will be your best pal on the trek. Make sure it stays dry. wear it at night when it’s cold outside, or if you are really cold during the day, toss it on. just make sure it doesn’t get rained on. We both had synthetic down jackets, and were warm enough. Click here to check out down jackets and compare prices.

Windproof / waterproof Jacket: wear it when hiking if it’s raining or very windy, but you’ll probably be too warm to wear it while working up a sweat. In the evenings, it’s a good wind breaker for extra warmth. We both wear North face windproof / waterproof jackets, which are just shells, no added fleece or layers. Click here to check out waterproof jackets and compare prices.

Thermal Leggings: some sort of fleece lined, thermal base layer pants will be needed. If it’s extra cold, wear them during the day, but we found that they were the most useful at night for sleeping in. Both men and women will want a pair! Click here to compare prices.

Hiking Pants: a comfortable pair of hiking pants, preferably with some side pockets. I swear by the Halle pant by Prana and always wear these pants when hiking – they’re so comfortable! Nick wears a basic hiking pant by Columbia.

Hiking in my Prana pants – I love them

Windproof / waterproof Pants: when the wind is whipping, or the rain is coming down, you’ll want to have a pair of these pants to keep you warm and dry. try to keep them only for the wind so that they are dry for you to wear at night if you need. However, if it’s pouring rain and you’re freezing, put them on. get a pair that are large enough that you can just pull them over your hiking pants, they shouldn’t be tight and “fitted”. If they have zippers on the side to let in air, or to make them easier to put on, that’s a bonus. Click here to check out some affordable rain pants.

Socks: I suggest wearing a thin pair of socks, with a warmer pair of thermal socks on top. This will help with reducing the risk of blisters, and will keep your feet warm. have a new pair of thin socks for every day, 1 pair ofwarm socks for on top, and a clean pair of warm socks for at night. Click here to see some styles and compare prices.

Underwear: for men, make sure to have quick-drying, lightweight underwear so that they don’t take up too much space or weight in your pack. For women, your underwear will be small enough, so buy whichever is the most comfortable. Nick recommends these boxer briefs.

Bras: ladies, for comfort you’ll want to wear sports bras rather than regular wire cups. have 1 bra for during the day and one for night (if you want). Click here to browse styles and compare prices.

Hiking boots: I used to always hike in regular cross trainers, but in the terrain of Torres del Paine, I’m so glad that I purchased a new pair of proper hiking shoes, with high ankle support. I have Merrells, and Nick has Keens and both shoes were perfect for this trek. You’ll want to make sure that your boots are waterproof, there’s nothing worse than cold, wet feet.

Nick’s Keens and my Merrells (photo from the Laguna Torre in El Chalten)

Toque (beenie): for those cold nights you will definitely want to have a beenie (what we call a “toque” in Canada!) Click here to browse style and compare prices.

Neck Warmer / Scarf: I brought a scarf with me but only used it once. Nick had a neck warmer which could act as a face warmer and a toque, but he also didn’t use it. We were lucky with the weather being quite warm when we trekked, but I would suggest having something just in case. Click here to browse neck warmers and compare prices.

Gloves: when the wind, rain and snow picks up and you’re holding on to your trekking poles, your hands will be freezing! If you can find thin gloves that are very warm, that’s best. but if not, then regular ski gloves will do as well. Click here to browse gloves and compare costs.

Sunglasses: the sun is intense in Chile – there is no ozone layer! Bring sunglasses.

Ball Cap / fishing Hat: we didn’t wear a hat, but many trekkers did in order to help shade their faces and necks from the sun.

The main thing to remember when choosing which clothing and outerwear to pack is that it’s all about layering when you’re trekking, especially in Patagonia. You’ll wake up early in the morning and be freezing, so you’ll put on your jacket, windproof pants, toque, etc. But, once you’re trekking and moving around, your heart rate will quickly go up and within minutes you’ll be warm and sweating.

Having a wide variety of layers (t-shirt, thermal top, fleece, down jacket, windproof / rainproof jacket), means that you’ll be comfortable no matter the situation.

*Insider tip: when packing your backpack, line your bag with a large, black garbage bag (or a proper waterproof bag liner). It doesn’t matter if your pack gets wet, but you don’t want the contents inside to be soaked. As an additional precaution, have your clothing and sleeping bag in their own individual waterproof bags.

Put the important things in plastic bags so they don’t get wet

Trekking Gear

Now that the clothing is all sorted, I’ll list all of the gear that you’ll need to embark on this epic trek. If you don’t have your own gear, it is possible to rent or buy from various shops around Puerto Natales. check with hostels for rental gear, and at Erratic rock (Base Camp) as well. If you want to buy your own kit, there are numerous shops with fair prices.

Backpack: let’s start with the most important thing. You’ll be wearing this pack on your back each day for 8 days (if you’re doing the Circuit trail). Your load will be heavy and you’ll be tired. If your backpack doesn’t fit you correctly, it’s going to be a long week. get a proper backpacking pack if you can, one that is top loading and meant for trekking / camping, with thick padding on the harness. However, if you plan to use the pack for regular travels and you don’t like that particular style, it’s possible to do the trek with another bag. We trekked Torres del Paine with our Osprey Farpoint packs and although we wished we had more padding on our shoulders and hips, they still did the job. Click here to browse through trekking backpacks.

Breaking for lunch – feels so good to take the packs off!

Tent: having a sturdy tent that can stand up to the elements in Torres del Paine is crucial. Do your research and find one that is lightweight and waterproof. A four season tent is best, but a three season tent will do if you have a very warm sleeping bag. We rented a Ferrino Manaslu 2 person tent from Erratic rock in Puerto Natales (make sure to check for holes), and our pals that we trekked with had their own MSR Mutha Hubba 3 person tent. Both tents stood up to the Patagonian weather. Click here to browse backpacking tents and compare prices.

Sleeping Bag: this is the most important thing that you will pack for your trek. If you’re freezing cold at night and can’t sleep, you will be miserable. Make sure to have a sleeping bag that is as lightweight as possible and is the proper temperature level. I rented a -6 ° celcius comfort level bag from Erratic rock in Puerto Natales, and Nick’s comfort level was +2 ° celcius with his Alpine sleeping bag. He is a hot sleeper though. For most people, -6 ° is the warmest comfort level you’ll want. Also, make sure the sleeping bag is in a compression sac to keep it as compact as possible. Click here to check out sleeping bags and compare costs.

Sleeping Mat: you’ll definitely want one of these. Not only do they help to keep you comfortable (you’ll be lying on rocks, roots, etc.), but because it keeps you off of the ground, you’ll be warmer. We just had a basic foam mat, but there are many different types. Click here to have a look.

Setting up camp each afternoon was all part of the fun!

 Pillow: some people may not want one, but we were happy to have a pillow at the end of the day. get a blow up one so that it doesn’t take up too much room, but if you can’t get one, a small cotton pillow will do (think airplane pillow size). Click here to check out some comfy travel pillows.

Ground Mat: basically, it’s just a thin tarp-like mat that you put on the ground to help keep the moisture away from the bottom of your tent. We had one during our previous treks in Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan, but not for this trip, and we were fine. If you have one however, it’s a bonus. Click here to take a look at some ground mats.

Trekking Poles: you may think that hiking poles are useless, but in the intense winds of Patagonia, you’ll want to have a pair to keep you sturdy on the mountain. Plus, they help to ease some of the jarring on your knees, and assist in crossing rivers. Poles are available for rent in Puerto Natales, but we bought ours at a shop there. Click here to check out trekking poles and see the prices.

Mess Kit: get yourself a compact mess kit that includes a pot or two, a plate, a metal cup, and cutlery. Click here to see some compact mess kits and compare prices.

Portable Stove: if you’re going to be cooking for yourself, you’ll need a portable stove. get a pocket stove that twists on to a gas canister. We’ve used the pocket rocket by MSR and one by Doite, which are small and easy to pack. You can purchase gas canisters in Puerto Natales. You’ll use about 2 canisters for a couple on an 8 day trek, cooking once / day.

Headlamp: many of the camps don’t have any electricity so you’ll need this when the sun goes down. Plus, when you need to get up in the middle of the night for a bathroom break, or for those early morning starts before the sunrise! Click here to compare brands and prices.

Water bottle: bring a stainless steel / aluminum bottle with you. The water is clean and fresh enough to drink straight from the rivers (it’s so pure!). If you have a metal bottle with a foam sleeve on it, you can fill it with hot water at night and use it as a hot water bottle in your sleeping bag for extra warmth. For more information, check out the best water bottles for travel, or click here to search for bottles and compare prices on Amazon.

The water along the trail is the best water we’ve ever had

Carabiners: terrific for clipping your water bottle onto y