Torres Del Paine accommodation help
 

Has anyone stayed in the all inclusive eco camp ? Or hotel rio Serrano? These seem like the cheaper options as compared to the other lodges in TDP. what are your thoughts on this and is it worth it? Thank you!

I stayed at the refugios inside the park (Torre Central and Paine Grande). Also was able to get the noninclusive rate at Hotel Las Torres for a few nights around doing the day hike up to the Towers, which allowed me to use their luggage storage, shuttle van as well as book a space-available leftover spot on their excursion to Glacier Grey which at the time was difficult or expensive to reach without a car or a tour. I didn't rent a car(pre fire, pre new bridge) so staying outside the park wasn't a good option for me. Now that roads and gasoline availability may be better having a car and staying outside the park may work, especially if there are two of you.

I didn't do the 'full W' but rather a segmented version with full day hikes..out and back to the Towers, and then two out and back legs from Paine Grande, a short way up French Valley (until it got too snowy/haily) and then a very windy and rainy day going toward the Glacier Grey lookout until I gave up as there was no view anyways. I had seen it already and did again, via the zodiac excursion.

We stayed at Rio Serrano and were very happy with it. We did not include any of their excursions though as we had our own car. In 2013, there was no gasoline in the park and that was a problem, perhaps it has changed now.

If it is for this season then you should look at what is available at this late date before booking flights.

We are total newbies starting to plan a trip (for January or February 2019) to Patagonia, among other places in South America. Our very favorite trip ever was the lodge-to-lodge Salkantay Trek we did in Peru several years ago. But now I see suggestions of having a car in Patagonia. I'm just confused.

Can you go lodge-to-lodge or refugio-to-refugio in Patagonia? (we will not be camping)

Or do you need transportation between "sites"?

If you can just hike from place to place, where can you leave your "regular" luggage? And how do you get back to your starting point? (we were on a "tour" in Peru, so they handled transportation and luggage)

You can drive to Las Torres but no to the other refugios.

As I said above, I used the Las Torres hotel for luggage storage.

You can take the Catamaran to Paine Grande instead of hiking.

There are guidebooks as well as several different websites (some are travel agents or hotels that helped me).

http://www.torresdelpaine.org/
https://torresdelpaine.com/en/

www.lastorres.com

The two companies wit refugios on the W are Fantastico Sur and Vertice Patagonia, if you want to book your lodgings directly. They have restaurants and bedding available so you don't really need to "backpack".

Cascada runs hiking tours using their "ecocamp" lodgings if you want to do an escorted trip.

You'll also find a bunch of companies that run tours in Patagonia, such as Advenure Life.

That'll help me get started, thanks.

The only place that I know of in Patagonia to hike lodge to lodge (and these are refugees-not a typical lodge) is in Torres del Paine-hiking either the W or O circuit.

Hello Flips!

Depend of your trip, will depend of your Hotel in TDP. If you will do the W Circuit, EcoCamp will be for you, plus the other accommodation manage by Fantastico Sur or Vertical refuges.

If you will visit TDP for multiday trips, navigations, horse ride, hiking around, Rio Serrrano Hotel will work for you. Hosteria Tyndall, Hotel Cabañas del Paine, Hospedaje Mate Amargo(New) and Hosteria Rio Serrano are other options less expensive.

Have fun in Patagonia, Chile!

Torres del Paine is perfect for refugio to refugio trekking. It is not designed for driving around. You do not need a car. Booking will open sometime during or after May this year.

If you are trekking you need just transfers to the starting and ending points. If you are not trekking there is a reason to have a car.