The O Circuit (CONAF calls it the Circuito Macizo Paine) is the full loop around the Paine massif: the W Trek plus the quieter north side via Serón, Dickson and Los Perros and over the John Gardner pass at about 1,200 m. CONAF’s segment distances add up to about 93 km for the loop and about 122 km with the Francés valley and Base Torres side trips. Plan 7 to 9 days. It is open only in summer, it is one-way on its northern half, and since the deaths of five hikers in November 2025 it runs under tighter safety rules.
Status on 8 October 2026: the circuit has been closed since May 2026, initially until 31 October 2026. Reopening for 2026-27 depends on a CONAF technical and weather assessment of the John Gardner pass. Check CONAF’s park page before you book.
O Circuit at a glance
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 93 km loop; about 122 km with Francés and Base Torres side trips |
| Days | 7 to 9 (Las Torres sells an 8-day itinerary) |
| High point | John Gardner pass, about 1,200 m |
| Season | 2025-26: 1 November to 31 March. Closed in winter. |
| Direction | One-way only from Serón to the Paso ranger station |
| Daily cap | 100 visitors per day from December 2025 |
| Registration | Guardería Coirón, and exit registration at Los Perros and Paso |
| Guide | Not required in season (temporary requirement lifted 1 January 2026) |
The northern half, stage by stage
| Stage | Distance (CONAF) | Cutoff (2025-26) |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Las Torres / Central to Serón | 13 km, about 4 h | |
| Serón to Dickson (via Coirón) | 18 km | Latest entry from Coirón to Dickson 16:00 |
| Dickson to Los Perros | 11.8 km | Latest departure from Dickson 14:00 |
| Los Perros to Paso (over John Gardner) | 8 km, about 6 h | Latest departure from Los Perros 07:00 |
| Paso to Grey | 7 km, about 5 h | Latest departure from Paso 15:30 |
The pass day is the crux. From Los Perros (about 560 m) the trail climbs through forest and moraine to the John Gardner pass, then drops steeply beside Grey glacier. Las Torres describes height changes of over 600 m within a few kilometres, and Vertice times Los Perros to Grey at 10 to 12 hours. The 07:00 cutoff exists so nobody is high on the pass late in the day. With CONAF’s Paso camp closed in 2025-26, most itineraries go from Los Perros to Grey in one day.
Bookings, operators and costs
Overnight treks need confirmed refugio or campsite reservations for every night: CONAF states that without them access to the mountain area is not permitted, and rangers check them on the trail. On the north side, Serón is a Las Torres campsite; Dickson (refugio and campsite) and Los Perros (campsite only) are Vertice. Two concessionaires run the accommodation: Las Torres Patagonia (Central, Chileno, Francés, Cuernos and Serón) and Vertice Travel (Paine Grande, Grey, Dickson and Los Perros). CONAF’s free campsites (Torres, Italiano and Paso) were closed for the whole 2025-26 season, and CONAF had not published their 2026-27 status by 8 October 2026.
| Item | 2026-27 price (as published) |
|---|---|
| Park entry, foreign adult | CLP 48,500, valid up to 10 consecutive days |
| Serón campsite (Las Torres), own tent | USD 40-50 pp (double occupancy) |
| Dickson or Los Perros campsite (Vertice) | CLP 9,000 / USD 11 pp |
| Refugio Dickson or Grey bed (Vertice) | CLP 36,500 / USD 46, meals extra |
Rules and safety
- One-way only from Serón to Paso, as printed on the official CONAF route map.
- Register at Guardería Coirón, and register your exit at Los Perros and Paso.
- Keep the cutoff times; rangers enforce them.
- CONAF’s early-warning protocol can close the pass on wind, rain or temperature thresholds; plan a spare day.
- Microspikes and poles may be required depending on trail conditions.
- Park rules: walking the trails without daylight is prohibited; fire of any kind is banned outside designated cooking areas (Ley 20.653, with fines up to CLP 2,000,000, prison or expulsion); no smoking; no drones; stay on authorised trails; register at every ranger station you reach.
When to go
Only in the summer season. In 2025-26 the O ran from 1 November to 31 March, and Dickson and Los Perros opened on 1 November. For 2026-27 it is closed until at least 31 October 2026, and Las Torres sells it from November 2026. January and February bring the longest days; March is quieter but colder.
Planning
If the O is closed or full, the W Trek covers the south side in 4 or 5 days. Park overview: Torres del Paine guide; more routes: Chile hiking trails. In Chile, local tour service providers provide all services; questions about combining Patagonia with Peru go to info@incatrailreservations.com.