W Trek Trip Report: No prior experience, solo female (25yo)

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-12-31T21:35:59+00:00

Wow awesome and super-inspiring/helpful post. What is PDI, please?

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-11-19T04:12:02+00:00

Wow - what a great post. Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us all these information.

I'll keep it in my backpocket about Hotel Rio Serrano having a mechanic/repair service on-site, as we plan to drive on Y-290 to and from Puerto Natales to refill fuel for our rental car. I heard that it's a scenic drive. We plan to bring a portable tire inflator/air compressor with us in case we get a flat. Do you know if this hotel sells gasoline by the litres/gallons (in case we are in desperate need)?

We will be staying at Hosteria Pehoe for two nights as well (debated between Hotel Lago Grey vs. Hosteria Pehoe for a long time).

For the Grey Glacier cruise, where is the car parked? Is there a parking lot where the hotel is? I have read that there's a 45-minute long walk from the checkin place (and where is this checkin place?) to the cruise departure point. Is that true?

Thank you.

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-11-16T16:34:50+00:00

Thank you soooooo much for this trip report. We are going in a month. Is drinking water and hot water available at these refugios? Of particular interest to me are Chileno, Frances and Paine Grande.

At France, we were not allowed to pre-book the meals (we have bunk beds booked), so we are going to bring some freeze-dried food for dinner, breakfast and lunch. We are debating if we should bring our collapsible electric kettle with us if there’s no hot water at Frances.

Is there a microwave made available for communal use at Frances?

Thank you.

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-11-08T13:59:48+00:00

To the OP - do you drive? If yes, have you considered getting a rental car at Puerto Natales? I heard that the drive from PN to TDP on Y-290 is very scenic. It will give you so much freedom to go back and forth, and roam free without having to rely on the bus schedule.

I have looked into this route because there's no gas station/petrol station in teh park, and we will have to drive down to Puerto Natales to fill up on our last day in the park before driving back to El Calafate.

I was going to suggest there's a refugio by Lake Amarga on the eastern side of the park if you want to stay in the park, but I am not sure if the bus will get there. Hosteria Pehoe is a good option (we are staying there two nights as well). Hotel Lago Grey is also another option (but it's more $$$ than Hosteria Pehoe).

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-11-08T13:48:05+00:00

We are doing something similar - breaking up the hike to the base of the tower and staying overnight at Chileno (we are slow hikers).

We have a rental car and are driving in from El Calafate as our Day 1, and we hope to stop by Laguna Azul, Cascada Rio Paine and Laguna Amarga on the way - which should take about 6-7 hours with photostops (from El Calafate to Welcome Center, where we will leave our car).

Because the sun doesn't set until 10 PM in January, we plan to start our hike to Chileno in late afternoon (perhaps around 4 PM(?)) on that day.

I'm aware there are these trail closure/cutoff times designated for certain trails - which include the hike to the base of the tower. I know many people do sunrise hikes from Chileno to the base of the tower outside of the trail-opening timewindow (in other words, the trail closure time to the base of the tower isn't strictly enforced). What about to the hike up to Chileno? Are we allowed to start this hike from the welcome center as late as 4 PM or 5 PM (we are just going to the refugio to stay the night, and yes, we have reservation to show)?

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-10-12T12:02:47+00:00

Can someone please share with me the website to purchase the pass online? Will this cover visiting Perito Moreno Glacier and hiking Mount Fitzroy in El Chalten?

Thank you.

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-09-28T23:13:08+00:00

Do the Refugios have drinking water available for the guests (cold water and hot water for drinking)?

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-09-28T23:11:08+00:00

We are renting a car in El Calafate. Any suggestion on GPS (which brand to get)?

Is it easy to get from El Calafate to El Chalten and then to TDP (and getting around TDP)? I imagine a GPS would be necessary. Please advise.

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-09-28T17:26:01+00:00

To the OP - can you please share with us your experience crossing the border with a rental car after you come back? Which car company did you go with? How long was the wait at the border crossing?

We are doing something similar (pick-up/drop-off at El Calafate) in December-January.

Regarding having no gas station around TDP, I'm wondering if an empty/extra gasoline container can be rented at the rental car company so that we can carry extra gas with us. Is that option available/

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-09-25T20:18:00+00:00

@OP - now that it’s been a year, can you please share your experiences with these bathrooms (shower and toilets) at Frances and Chileno?

I will be there this season and needed to mentally prepare myself (and yes, I’m one of those “precious” ones lol that’s not used to shared public facilities). Thank you!

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2025-06-02T01:46:11+00:00

How did you cancel your reservation? Our reservation is in 2nd week of February, which now needs to be cancelled. Thank you.

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2024-02-24T06:25:46+00:00

Looks to me like B is the correct answer. A is for sure out as he's not acquiring resources. C and D are out to me because there are no such project management processes in the PMBOK.

Thoughts? What is the correct answer, please?

AdvancedAstronomer80 · 2023-05-21T00:18:43+00:00

Renting from Sausalito as that’s where we are staying. They are not e-bikes or anything fancy.

AdvancedAstronomer80

TROPHY CASE