1/03/2017 – 11/03/2017   The O Circuit

                                               Torres del Paine National Park, CHILE 

Distance: 196km   Total Ascent: 9100m   Total Descent: 9100m   Time:  73 hours

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

The Torres del Paine circuit, otherwise known as “The O Circuit”, is considered one of the world’s truly great treks. The route includes the shorter “W” Circuit, side trips to the iconic towers or “Torres”, the beautiful Valle Frances, crossing over the Paso John Gardner and the expansive Grey Glacier. The walk is situated in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, at the southern tip of the South American continent, in the area known as Patagonia. The park sits on the edge of the Southern Patagonian ice field, the largest sheet of ice in the southern hemisphere outside of Antartica.

The start of the walk can be reached from southern town of Puerto Natales with regular buses travelling to the park during the walking season from late November to late April. Direct flights to Puerto Natales are available twice weekly from Santiago with Sky airlines.   Continue reading →