Past Week
Past Month
Past Month
Past Month
Past Month
+ 194
Torres del Paine O Circuit (Circuito O)
Hiking Trail
Hard
74.17 mi
17,601 ft
An extended version of the classic W Trek in Torres del Paine National Park that makes a full loop and includes the uncrowded backside of the range.
The photo-famous granite towers of Paine rise from a Southern Andes sub-range that stretches roughly east-west. It is crowned by snowy peaks and furrowed by glacier-carved gorges. The W route travels up and down three parallel valleys via a traverse of the southern side of the range. The O Circuit continues this route around the north side, through a broad valley, over a high pass, and across a traverse above a massive glacier. The track mapped here is the O extension only. See also Torres del Paine W Trek, and combine the two for the entire O Trek.
Considerably fewer people see the unique O scenery than view the scenery from the W side. Besides the extra length and difficulty of the O, the national park sets a limit of 80 people per day traveling the backside, as opposed to no formal limit on the W. Thus, you should buy your camping permits far in advance if you want to do the O. The rewards for diligent planning and intrepid trekking are days of relative solitude among flowery meadows, deep forests, and jagged peaks. You will, of course, also see the more classic sights of Torres del Paine—Glaciar Grey, Los Cuernos, Valle Frances, Las Torres, and all the rest—by completing the W as part of the O.
You must be self-sufficient for camping when trekking the O. The W portion of the circuit has the option of staying in campsites, refugios, or lodges at various places along the way. The portion unique to the O has only campsites. A few campsites have luxuries of cook huts, running water, and hot showers, but you will still need your own tent and other sleeping gear. Pack strategically to stay comfortable in the blustery and rainy climate of Patagonia. Renting equipment and/or hiring a guide are options for the O Circuit, but you can also do it on your own with proper campsite reservations.
Sources:
Written by Jesse Weber
The photo-famous granite towers of Paine rise from a Southern Andes sub-range that stretches roughly east-west. It is crowned by snowy peaks and furrowed by glacier-carved gorges. The W route travels up and down three parallel valleys via a traverse of the southern side of the range. The O Circuit continues this route around the north side, through a broad valley, over a high pass, and across a traverse above a massive glacier. The track mapped here is the O extension only. See also Torres del Paine W Trek, and combine the two for the entire O Trek.
Considerably fewer people see the unique O scenery than view the scenery from the W side. Besides the extra length and difficulty of the O, the national park sets a limit of 80 people per day traveling the backside, as opposed to no formal limit on the W. Thus, you should buy your camping permits far in advance if you want to do the O. The rewards for diligent planning and intrepid trekking are days of relative solitude among flowery meadows, deep forests, and jagged peaks. You will, of course, also see the more classic sights of Torres del Paine—Glaciar Grey, Los Cuernos, Valle Frances, Las Torres, and all the rest—by completing the W as part of the O.
You must be self-sufficient for camping when trekking the O. The W portion of the circuit has the option of staying in campsites, refugios, or lodges at various places along the way. The portion unique to the O has only campsites. A few campsites have luxuries of cook huts, running water, and hot showers, but you will still need your own tent and other sleeping gear. Pack strategically to stay comfortable in the blustery and rainy climate of Patagonia. Renting equipment and/or hiring a guide are options for the O Circuit, but you can also do it on your own with proper campsite reservations.
Sources:
Written by Jesse Weber
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Grey to Camp Paine Grande | 6.56 mi | -748 ft | -0.0% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.58 mi | 259 ft | 8.5% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.56 mi | 387 ft | 13.0% |
| Paine Grande to Camp Italiano | 4.59 mi | 2,156 ft | 4.9% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.57 mi | 184 ft | 6.0% |
| Y-150 Climb | 0.28 mi | 171 ft | 11.3% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.41 mi | 167 ft | 7.6% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.21 mi | 135 ft | 11.6% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.73 mi | 272 ft | 6.6% |
| Ita/Britanico full hill | 3.27 mi | 1,759 ft | 10.2% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.73 mi | 522 ft | 13.5% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.54 mi | 295 ft | 10.3% |
| Mirador France to Britanico | 2.07 mi | 2,303 ft | 20.8% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.55 mi | 364 ft | 12.4% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.40 mi | 180 ft | 7.4% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.60 mi | 262 ft | 8.1% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.29 mi | 138 ft | 8.9% |
| Camp Frances to Camp Chileno | 10.01 mi | 1,273 ft | 1.3% |
| Frances to Chileno segment | 7.58 mi | 1,243 ft | 3.0% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.35 mi | 135 ft | 7.1% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.21 mi | 151 ft | 13.4% |
| Y 150 Climb | 0.72 mi | 390 ft | 10.3% |
| Y 156 Climb | 0.58 mi | 164 ft | 5.3% |
| Y-156 Climb | 0.28 mi | 148 ft | 9.9% |
| Y 156 Climb | 0.71 mi | 253 ft | 6.7% |
| Y 156 Climb | 1.22 mi | 636 ft | 9.8% |
| Refugio Chileno to Torres Mirador | 2.93 mi | 1,631 ft | 10.1% |
| Segment | 0.59 mi | 249 ft | 7.9% |
| Y 156 Climb | 1.09 mi | 387 ft | 6.7% |
| La morrena final | 0.89 mi | 1,027 ft | 20.0% |
| Torres climb | 0.76 mi | 965 ft | 23.8% |
| Y 156 Climb | 0.26 mi | 167 ft | 12.0% |
| Segment | 0.78 mi | 203 ft | 5.0% |
| Camp Seron to Camp Dickson | 11.41 mi | 692 ft | 0.3% |
| Y-156 Climb | 0.43 mi | 177 ft | 7.8% |
| Segment | 0.74 mi | 489 ft | 12.4% |
| Segment | 0.35 mi | 184 ft | 9.9% |
| Camp Dickson to Camp Los Perros | 7.43 mi | 1,240 ft | 2.9% |
| Segment | 0.93 mi | 436 ft | 8.9% |
| Y-156 Climb | 0.39 mi | 151 ft | 7.4% |
| Segment | 0.49 mi | 148 ft | 5.7% |
| Y-156 Climb | 1.16 mi | 217 ft | 3.4% |
| Paso John Garner | 7.28 mi | 2,687 ft | 7.0% |
| Segment | 0.42 mi | 151 ft | 6.7% |
| Segment | 0.55 mi | 236 ft | 8.1% |
| Segment | 0.53 mi | 135 ft | 4.8% |
| Segment | 0.22 mi | 164 ft | 13.7% |
| Segment | 1.66 mi | 1,381 ft | 15.7% |
| Segment | 0.20 mi | 243 ft | 22.1% |
| Segment | 0.21 mi | 253 ft | 22.1% |