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Torres del Paine Travel Tips

Torres del Paine – What is a Refugio

Swoop’s definition of REFUGIO: are warm, friendly, convivial places with shared dorm-style rooms for 6 people, and hot meals and showers. The accommodation is basic but comfortable

  • By Harriet Pike
  •  | Head of Swoop Patagonia

22nd October 2015

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The refugios in Torres del Paine allow you access to the mountains so that you can complete the entire W trek without the need to camp. There are 8 refugios in Torres del Paine. Torre Central and Norte, Chileno, Cuernos, Domos Frances, Paine Grande, Grey and Dickson

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A map of the Torres del Paine refugios

What is a Refugio?

refugio masculine noun

  1. english translation of REFUGIO: refuge, shelter
  2. swoop definition of REFUGIO: warm, friendly, convivial places with shared dorm-style rooms for 6 people, and hot meals and showers. The accommodation is basic but comfortable
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You will find a communal dining room…
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….shared bathrooms…..
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……and 6 person dorms.
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And some refugios have an area to hang out.

Your bedding and meals are provided so you only need to carry your trekking clothes, a change of clothing and personal belongings. More on what to pack here.

What will you eat in a refugio?

Refugios provide you with dinner, breakfast and give you a packed lunch.

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Breakfast
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Lunch
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Dinner

Each refugio has a small shop selling snacks and a bar with beer, wine and of course pisco sours.

Top Tips for Staying in Refugios

  • We highly recommend you upgrade to a cabin at Refugio Cuernos to get some privacy, bathe in the hot tubs and because Refugio Cuernos does get very crowded. 
  • Don’t forget to take a lightweight travel towel so you can use the hot showers and a headtorch for night time toilet trips.
  • The food is not very inspirational so take some trail mix from the Unimarc supermarket in Puerto Natales and grab some avocados to make your sandwiches a little more tantalising.
  • Wifi is only available occasionally at Paine Grande Refugio and in Hotel Las Torres (a short walk from Refugio Las Torres).  There is almost no phone signal in the park.
  • The showers sometimes run out of hot water so you may want to wait until after dinner.
  • If you would like some privacy then why not camp at a refugio? They will provide you with tent, sleeping bag and mat and you can shower and eat your meals inside the refugio.

unnamed (8)Have some privacy for a night at the Cuernos Cabins

Find out more about trekking Torres del Paine or get in touch with us today.

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Harriet Pike

Head of Swoop Patagonia

Harriet first started planning a trip to Patagonia at the age of 14 when her parents returned from a holiday there. Four years later she went to work in the remote Patagonian region of Aysen where she discovered trekking, the great outdoors...and her future husband. From this base she went on to trek in Torres del Paine and throughout Patagonia, Bolivia and Peru before going to University.

When Harriet returned to the Andes she did so with her bicycle and spent two and half years biking and mountaineering throughout the Andes, climbing 8 of the 12 highest Andean peaks completely independently.

Harriet joined the Swoop team in 2014 and on her most recent visit to Torres del Paine and El Chalten she checked out both the traditional hiking trails and some off the beaten track trails that she likes helping our customers to discover.