Torres Del Paine - For Beginners

It would be better if you go to El Chalten and do day hikes from there. You can sleep in El Chalten and eat dinner in El Chalten cheaply. Either book your Refugio Reservations in advance (NOW), or hope that you can book them when you arrive in Puerto Natales. But I'm not sure if you would have difficulty getting Refugio accommodations for the needed days and needed locations for the Park if you wait until you get to Puerto Natales.

The trekking is not that hard but it can get incredibly windy. There are a lot of places to rent camping gear in Puerto Natales so that isn't a problem. Refugios need to be booked ahead of time. I liked el Chalten better than Torres del Paine but they are both spectacular and worth seeing.

We were evacuated due to a forest fire half-way through Torres.

Wow compost - is that current status

Mister Steve - we´ll definately be heading on to El Chalten (we have plenty of time) so can proibably do both the El Chlaten area and TdP. Would you know where i would find contact details of the refugio to check whether they are full up

Cheers

search the Thorn Tree for "refugios+reservations" and you'll find lots of threads - many with the contact info

TdP circuit is, IMO, the best trek in the world...

the walking is easy enough, though the day walking alongside the grey glacier is quite hard work.

but its not ideal for novices; the weather can be fierce with high winds and torrential rain even in summer, and there may well be snow on the john garner pass.

many of the people we saw doing it looked miserable, cold, wet and hungry

how long are you in chile? if you have time, cut your trekking teeth on some shorter treks in the lake district, where the weather is milder. the termas de callao, or paso de las nubes (argentina) are both good bets; each is only 2-3 days long. both are scenically awesome too.

make sure you are very fit, plenty hillwalking and camping before you go. if you are based in the UK, the british weather is ideal for pracising camping in wet weather and keeping you and your kit from getting soaked through...

best get good quality gear before you go, and be familiar with using it. when we were there, the gear you could rent locally wasnt great; and light, robust,reliable kit can make the difference between it being a miserable endurance test and the experience of a lifetime

notwithstanding the above caveats, go for it! that first view of the grey glacier from the pass, 4 miles wide and 2000 ft below you, is worth the trip to chile by itself..!

cheers
gregor

just noticed, your post says you are already there...

in which case my above advice is a bit late...!

I think you might be able to do the 'W' staying in refugios, but you cant do the circuit, there are none in the central, roughest section.

others may be able to advise better on the situation with refugios; but i;d say, judging by the experience of others we saw on the circuit, as a first trek, with dodgy gear, its a recipe to have a week of cold, wet, misery...

however: even if all you do is the day hike to the torres themselves, its worth going. has to be among the best single days walking anywhere, but do it on a good day...

gregor