Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hernando de A guirre 414, Santiago.
&
2/335-6898.
www.patagoniacamp.com. 18 units . 3-night pr o-
grams $2,110 (£1,426) single , $1,410 (£953) double . Rates include all meals , excursions, transfers, and
guides. AE, DC, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant; library.
395
Refugios & Hostales
Four cabinlike lodging units, all with shar ed accommodations, distributed along the
park's Circuit and W trails, are moderately priced sleeping options for backpackers who
are not interested in pitching a tent. Although most have bedding or sleeping bags for an
expensive rental price, y our best bet is to bring y our own. The price, at $40 (£27) on
average per night (about $63/£43 for r oom and full boar d) for a simple dorm bed (or
$80/£54 for full boar d), is not cheap; it 's at least thr ee times mor e than camping. All
come with hot sho wers, a cafe, and a common ar ea for hiding out fr om bad w eather.
Meals ser ved here are simply pr epared but hear ty. Alternatively, guests can bring their
own food and cook. Each
refugio
has rooms with two to six bunks, which y ou'll have to
share with strangers when they 're full. During the high season, consider booking w eeks
in advance; although many visitors have reported luck after calling just a few days before-
hand (due to cancellations). All agencies in Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas book reser-
vations and issue vouchers, but the best bet is to call or e-mail (see belo w).
The first thr ee
refugios
are owned and operated b y
FantásticoSur,
a division of the
Hostería las Torres. They can be booked b y contacting
&
/fax
61/360361
or by visiting
www.wcircuit.com:
•
Refugio Torres:
This lodge is the largest and most full-ser vice
refugio
in the par k; it
sits near the Hostería Las Torres and the trail head for the W-circuit and Full Circuit.
You may dine in the hotel or eat simple far e in the
refugio
itself. Horseback rides can
be taken from here.
•
Refugio El Chileno:
This is the least-frequented
refugio
because it is located halfway
up to the Towers (most do the trail as a day hike). Hikers will find it more convenient
to stow their stuff in the campground at the
hostería,
but, then again, this
refugio
puts
you away from the hubbub below.
•
Refugio Los Cuernos:
This may be the park's loveliest
refugio,
located at the base of the
Cuernos. The wood str ucture (which miraculously holds up to some of the str ongest
winds in the park) has two walls of windo ws that look out onto Lago N ordenskjold.
12
Tips
A dvance Planning
Due to the soaring popularity of Torres del Paine, it is recommended that travel-
ers book well in advance, if they're planning to visit the park between late
November and late March. Nearly every business now has a website or, at the
very least, an e-mail address, so trip planning is easier than ev er. Hotels can be
booked directly, and often they offer their own transportation from the airport.
At the very least, they can recommend a service to call or e-mail. One-stop local
agencies such as
FantásticoSur,
Sarmiento 846, in Punta Arenas (
&
61/613410;
www.fantasticosur.com), and
Chile Native,
Eberhard 230, in Puerto Natales
(
&
61/411835,
or toll-free from North America 800/649-8776; www.chilenativo.
com), are good places for
refugio
reservations, horseback-riding trips, or camping
equipment rentals; and they can sometimes offer lower hotel rates at
hosterías
in
the park. They can also solve tricky transfer problems.
