Before You Go: Food, Water, and Huts in Patagonia

Hi fellow hiker,

This email will answer some of those questions you might still have about refugio life in Patagonia.

In Torres del Paine, three companies manage the refugios and hotels in the park, each with their own rules and procedures: Vertice Patagonia, which manages Paine Grande, Refugio Grey, Refugio Dickson, Campamento Los Perros; Reserva Las Torres, which manages Hotel Las Torres, Camping Serón, Dome Frances and refugios Central, Chileno, Torre Norte, and Los Cuernos; and Hotel Lago Grey.

In Los Glaciares National Park, you will have the opportunity to stay at the Eco Domes, as well as the Puesto Cagliero Hut. Once you make your way to El Chalten downtown, you'll have your pick of the hotels that we partner with.

Best regards,

Pygmy Elephant

WHAT ARE MEALS LIKE?

TORRES DEL PAINE:
Most hikers have opted for full board in the refugios and breakfast in the two hotels. In addition to breakfast and dinner, refugios will provide packed lunches for the trail. You can buy a similar packed lunch from hotels for an additional fee. These will be delivered to you right after breakfast.

Important: If you have dietary restrictions or food allergies, check in with the front desk at your accommodation to make sure that they can meet your dietary needs. We include any dietary restrictions when we make your initial booking, but it is always best to double check directly with your accommodation.

Breakfast might consist of coffee, tea, milk, oatmeal, cereal, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, bread, ham, cheese, butter, jam, seasonal fruit, cake, fruit salad (example from Refugio Paine Grande). Service time is usually 07:00 to 09:00 (in Campamento Los Perros 05:00 to 07:00).

Your packed lunch will typically contain juice or water, sandwich of the day, fruit, nuts, cereal bar, and chocolate (example from Refugio Grey).

Dinner is typically a salad buffet, main course, dessert, bread, and juice (example from Refugio Paine Grande). Service time in the refugios is generally from 18:00 or 19:00 to 21:00. In Hotel Lago Grey and Hotel Las Torres, service is à la carte.

All refugios provide snacks for purchase, with Refugio Grey and Refugio Paine Grande offering the most impressive selections.

LOS GLACIARES NAT IONAL PARK:
At Puesto Cagliero, breakfast includes homemade bread, a variety of pastries, cereal, fruit, coffee, tea and milk. Dinners consist of a main course, soup or salad starters and dessert. Puesto Cagliero is most well-known for their delicious crepes with dulce de leche.

The Eco Domes Patagonia provide an array of gourmet dining options crafted in their Dome Restaurant kitchen. Guests typically choose the full board package, which includes a packed lunch that can be ordered at check in the night before. Breakfast is served in the Dome Restaurant everyday from 07:30 to 10:00 and dinner from 19:30 to 21:30.

CAN I FIND WATER EN ROUTE?

Water is plentiful in the Torres del Paine National Park, and CONAF, the corporation that manages the park, confirms that the water is safe to drink without treatment. Still, try to source your water from running streams away from buildings and human habitation. There are also many rivers along the paths in Los Glaciares National Park. To err on the side of caution, we do not recommend drinking from streams or rivers from any of the parks without the use of treatment or a filter.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IN TORRES DEL PAINE HUTS?

ROOMS AND BEDS

Staying in refugios means communal living, and you’ll share your dormitory room with somewhere from 3 to 8 other people. The refugios are outfitted with bunk beds, and depending on the booking, you’ll have either made beds (already fitted with bedding) or simple beds (sleeping bag or self-fitted bedding).

INTERNET

All refugios except for Dickson provide Wi-Fi for a fee. In refugios managed by Reserva Las Torres, a Wi-Fi code purchased from one refugio kiosk should work in all of the refugios. In Refugio Paine Grande, payment can be made only by PayPal.

CELL PHONE COVERAGE

There is no cell phone coverage in the entire park. Any transaction or login that requires 2-factor authentication (2FA) via SMS will not work. Consider using an authenticator app or another form of 2FA that does not require cell signal.

POWER

In Refugio Grey and Paine Grande, electrical outlets (220V) are available only in the lounge area, and they shut down their generators from 22:00 to midnight. In Refugio Chileno, charging is available only via USB hub at the front desk (no hair dryers, sorry). Dome Frances, however, spoils its residents with a personal outlet at every bed.

TOWELS

Towels can be rented from all refugios, when they are available (depending on laundry service).

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT IN LOS GLACIARES HUTS?

ROOMS AND BEDS

Puesto Cagliero offers private rooms with ensuite bathroom and hot water showers. All rooms hold single beds equipped with duvets and fleece blankets. The house is heated with wood stoves. At the Eco Domes, each dome is equipped with a private entrance hall, private bathroom with shower, fireplace and a safe.

INTERNET

Internet is not available in Puesto Cagliero or Eco Domes Patagonia.

CELL PHONE COVERAGE

Just as with Torres del Paine, there is no cell phone coverage in the Los Glaciares park.

POWER

The Eco Domes use solar energy which is available in each dome. Please keep in mind that there are only 12 Volts of energy and 2 USB plugs for charging devices. There are 220 volts available in the common domes. The Puesto Cagliero lodge also relies on solar panels, though charging is less accessible. They suggest bringing your electrical appliances charged so you do not miss any unforgettable moments.

WHAT ABOUT MONEY?

Bring enough cash with you to Torres del Paine, because once there you will find a grand total of zero ATMs. Thankfully, credit cards are being increasingly accepted in the park. The current entrance fee to the park is $49, but the park no longer accepts cash payments. Payment with credit card is possible but unreliable. The best method is to purchase your tickets online, which you can do via the button below.

Purchase Torres del Paine tickets 🎫

Paine Grande and Refugio Grey accept credit card, but sometimes the weather can knock their systems offline, which means no snacks without some cold, hard cash. Dome Frances and Refugio Chileno also accept credit card, and we haven’t yet heard anything about the weather precluding that.

For inquiries regarding your specific itinerary, please contact your group leader or key travel builder. If you have any questions about the content of this email, feel free to reply here.