Patagonia: Torres Del Paine ‘W’ Trek Express – 5 Days

Traveler Reviews

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  Vashesh

  January 12th, 2026
  If this tour sounds too good to be true, it is. If you are reading reviews because you already have red flags after...
  If this tour sounds too good to be true, it is. If you are reading reviews because you already have red flags after booking with Unu Raymi Expeditions, trust your instincts. We did not and it resulted in one of the most stressful and unsafe travel experiences of our lives. What the Owner Will Likely Say — And Why It’s Not Accurate: The owner will likely respond to this review claiming: “Accommodation was booked” “Guests chose to abort the route early” “Park congestion / seasonal issues” “Guide was certified, acted appropriately, and was not asked to leave the camp” Below is the factual account of what occurred, based on verifiable events during our trek. Here is the truth, based on verifiable events that occurred while we were on the trek. What Actually Happened (Misrepresentation of Services): We arrived at the first campsite of the W Trek to be told we had to leave because no accommodation had been booked for us. Our guide, without our knowledge, had earlier in the day attempted to hide our tents under trees to avoid paying campsite fees, which is against park rules. Camp staff discovered this and confronted him in a very heated discussion. At that point, the guide explicitly told us that no accommodation for the entire trek had been booked. What followed was a clear pattern of deflection and blame-shifting: * The guide blamed the owner * The owner blamed the guide * Neither provided any proof of reservations We immediately contacted James and requested documentary proof of all accommodation. That message was read and ignored. We independently spoke with campsite operators, who confirmed that: * There were no reservations under our names * No reservations under Unu Raymi’s name * They were fully booked No booking confirmations were ever produced during the trip because they did not exist. Any claims made after the fact are meaningless. The owner later attempted to justify the lack of bookings by referencing deaths on the O-Circuit, despite those occurring more than three weeks after we booked our tour. This explanation was inaccurate and deeply insensitive. The “Guided” Experience (Negligent and Unsafe): This was not a guided trek — it was dangerous negligence. * Guide arrived over an hour late to the pre-trek briefing. At that briefing, we were explicitly told we did not need to bring cash and that the only payment required in advance was the park entrance fee. * Despite repeated follow-ups, I had to continually chase for the link to pay the park entrance. This was only provided after persistent messages, and eventually came directly from James, not the guide. * After paying the park entrance, I asked James in writing whether there was anything else we needed to book or pay for in advance. He replied that we also needed to book the catamaran, but did not provide any link, schedule, or guidance, despite being asked to do so * Once again, I had to chase the guide separately to obtain the information needed to purchase the catamaran tickets ourselves. * This pattern — delayed responses, incomplete instructions, and requiring us to independently organise critical logistics is consistent with what we later discovered on the trek: there was no confirmed accommodation in place. At the time, this was not disclosed to us. * Promised fresh food and cooked meals as advertised — delivered only dehydrated meals * Day 1: Guide had failed to take cash out to pay for the shuttle service into the park and only had card. He asked me to pay the cash for all parties on the trek as he could not. * Pointless hike not part of the W Trek or itinerary — later revealed to be an attempt to find accommodation as we were taken to be shown the facilities at a hotel which the guide was using to ask for rooms * Total food provided for day 1: 2 dehydrated meals ~1,100 calories total after burning 2796 calories * Day 2: breakfast at 6:30am (powdered eggs & oats, eaten from the same small cup you had to have your coffee in) * We were then expected to walk 21km and over 800m elevation gain with no lunch. Other guides handed out boxed lunches and snacks at the view point — we received nothing * By 2pm, after burning ~2,500 calories, we still had no food and had to force the guide to buy us food. His expectation was for us to go 10 hours without eating. * Guide walked 200+ metres ahead, gave no information, no supervision, and never checked on us. Had someone fallen or been injured, he would not have known. At the end of Day 2, we were again told to leave the campsite. We no longer felt safe continuing this tour with Unu Raymi or the guide. After personally speaking with campsite staff, they shared the same concerns and told us they did not want us to remain under the guides supervision. They were able to find a solution where they provided us with tents and sleeping bags. They also asked the guide to pack and leave. Safety & Aftermath: We no longer felt safe and terminated the tour immediately. Their responses afterward contained: * No apology * No accountability * Repeated blame-shifting * Claims of bookings that were never produced when it mattered Local campsite operators, rangers, and rental companies later flagged Unu Raymi Expeditions for highly misleading and harmful practices, stating that such behaviour damages the reputation of legitimate operators. TourRadar’s Failure: TourRadar was informed on Day 1 that: * We believed the services had been misrepresented * We had no accommodation * We were stranded in a remote national park The response was to forward our message to the operator and ask us to wait. When travellers report a serious safety issue during a multi-day trek with nowhere to stay, this should trigger immediate escalation and duty of care — not passive message passing. TourRadar should urgently audit Unu Raymi listings and require verifiable proof of accommodation for future bookings. Final Warning: The owner and Unu Raymi ruined what should have been a once-in-a-lifetime W Trek. Where others spent their days and evenings enjoying the scenery, laughing and joking, we were left worrying about basic necessities — accommodation and food — because nothing had been properly arranged. That stress overshadowed the entire experience. This was a calculated misrepresentation of services sold, carried out in one of the most remote trekking environments in the world. Do not book with Unu Raymi Expeditions and be extremely cautious relying on TourRadar if something goes wrong.Show more
  Traveled in January 2026
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Thank you for providing your feedback regarding your recent "W" Trek. We take all concerns regarding safety and service integrity with the utmost seriousness. While we understand the stress that can be involved in a remote trek (though it was inside a manned national park), we must address several points with the documented facts of the operation. *Logistical Adjustments and Accommodations:* The start of your trek was impacted by a sudden illness of the original guide, which led to a transition of leadership to Edward. This transition caused a clerical delay in the pre-payment of the first campsite; however, we want to clarify that payment was secured on-site. Records show a payment of $295.25 was made to Refugio Central on January 6th for your camping through January 8th. While there was a wait for confirmation due to site overflow , our guide remained on-site to resolve this and ensure you were equipped with high-quality gear, including a Marmot tent and specialized mats. Furthermore, reservations were already confirmed and held for your subsequent nights at Paine Grande (January 8–10), totaling $624 USD. *Guiding and Nutrition:* We aim to provide comprehensive support on the trail. Regarding the concerns over nutrition and safety: Our records indicate an investment of $300 USD for general meals and an additional $80 USD specifically for lunch boxes at the Chilean Refugio on January 7th. Our guide, Edward, reported that on January 7th, the group reached the Mirador Torres together and ate at the Refugio during the ascent. We apologise if the pacing or communication style of the guide did not meet your expectations; however, Edward’s report indicates he took full responsibility for the group's route throughout the first two days. *Termination of Services:* According to the report submitted by our guide, the transition to independent travel was based on a conversation at Sector Central following the trek on January 7th. Edward was informed that you wished to continue on your own and manage your own expenses from that point forward. Based on this agreement with yourselves, he departed for Puerto Natales. *Commitment to Resolution:* We have provided documented proof of payments for transport, equipment, and park accommodations totaling over $1,400 USD for your group . We regret that the logistical challenges at the start of the trip overshadowed your experience. We are currently reviewing our internal prepayment protocols to ensure that such delays do not occur for future travellers. *NB: The Trip Service dispute was taken to third-party arbitration, and the resulting outcome was an agreement that the contracted service was delivered as paid for.*

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  jared

  December 10th, 2025
  All my guides were amazing! Shoutout to Gabriel, Gonza, and most of all Renata. The trip was a blast and I will...
  All my guides were amazing! Shoutout to Gabriel, Gonza, and most of all Renata. The trip was a blast and I will almost certainly be back. Advice to people booking in the future is to train and ask detailed questions so you are prepared and aware of your itinerary. Base Torres on day one is beautiful challenge that sets the tone for the rest of the trek. James at Umi was very helpful answering all my questions along the way. Also, The campgrounds are in great shape with wonderful staff.Show more
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  Traveled in November 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hi Jared, thanks for your comments & photos :) What an incredible trip! We were thrilled to have you with us, and we're very pleased you had a great time. We hope you'll keep in touch, and we look forward to seeing you again. Best regards from all of us at Unu Raymi Expeditions & Tour Radar

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  Rachel

  October 11th, 2025
  I wanted an active adventure for turning 65. This was an incredible 10 days with challenging hikes, talented guides,...
  I wanted an active adventure for turning 65. This was an incredible 10 days with challenging hikes, talented guides, and a very responsive tour company. A great introduction to some of the incredible sites in Chile and Argentina.Show more
  Traveled in October 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hi Rachel, many thanks for your thoughtful review. It was our pleasure having you with us, and we're delighted you enjoyed the tour :) We hope you'll keep in touch, and we wish you all the best for the future. Best regards from all of us at Tourradar & Unu Raymi Expeditions.

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  Marcos

  September 29th, 2025
  The tour was amazing The staff was great. I recommend the tour.
  Traveled in September 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Thank you for your review Marcos. It was a pleasure to operate your trip, and we hope you'll keep in touch! Best regards from all of us at Tourradar & Unu Raymi Expeditions.

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  Vilma

  June 5th, 2025
  Great trip, although short. Spectacular.
  Traveled in May 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hi Vilma, thanks for your review! It was great connecting with you again for your Patagonia trip. We hope to see you next year!. Best regards, the Unu Raymi Expeditions team.

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  Kairan

  April 7th, 2025
  Our guides were excellent and super accommodating. Food was great, very informative and made sure we were well looked...
  Our guides were excellent and super accommodating. Food was great, very informative and made sure we were well looked after. Got super lucky with weather so views were spectacularShow more
  Traveled in April 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hello Kairan, we truly appreciate you taking the time to leave such a wonderful review! We're so pleased to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your 'W' trek experience, especially with Francisco as your guide. It's fantastic to know you had a memorable journey. On behalf of both Tour Radar and Unu Raymi Expeditions, we'd also like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to you on your recent engagement! What wonderful news! We wish you both all the very best as you plan your wedding and prepare for a happy and fulfilling 2025 together.

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  CC

  March 6th, 2025
  The guides, Francisco and his team, were fantastic. The overall coordination by Unu Raymi Expedition was very poor,...
  The guides, Francisco and his team, were fantastic. The overall coordination by Unu Raymi Expedition was very poor, and the very reason my rating is so low and it was the exceptional effort from the guides that saves the day! Unu Raymi has to be reminded so often and often at the last minute before they take any action. take for example i have my arrival and departure flight to Puerto Natales in Dec 2024 for my tour end Feb and Unu never pass this information to the guides. it was the day before i arrived that the guide asked if i'm already there as the activities start at 7am the next day but my arrival is at 10 am. Apparently they were not told about this! As a result we did not make the trek to Bas Los Torres which was suppose to be the crown of the W trek.Show more
  Traveled in February 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hi Chin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent trekking experience with us. However, after carefully reviewing your comments, we've noticed some inaccuracies that we think are important to address. Specifically, our records show that you scheduled your flights to arrive about two hours after the trek's scheduled start time. Your delayed arrival required an exceptional effort by us to make a big adjustment to our pre-arranged bus transportation schedule. This was necessary to ensure we could still facilitate your entry into the park and allow you to participate in the trek. We were genuinely pleased to hear that you ultimately enjoyed the trek itself, especially with Francisco as your guide, and we truly believe that the overall experience you had was worthy of a rating higher than the three stars you provided. We value all our customers and strive to provide exceptional experiences. We extend our best wishes to you in your future travel endeavors. Best regards from both the Tour Radar team and the entire Unu Raymi Expeditions crew.

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  Damavand

  March 3rd, 2025
  we worked with Unuraymi Company to operate tour in Patagonia and Chile they were very attentive and help us through...
  we worked with Unuraymi Company to operate tour in Patagonia and Chile they were very attentive and help us through out the whole process and everything was operated on the schedule and they were very organized all in all we were happy to work with them you can count on them.Show more
  Traveled in February 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hello Damavand, we genuinely enjoyed the process of organizing your fantastic group trip to Chile. It was a real pleasure to plan an adventure that took you to some of the most breathtaking locations, including the vibrant city of Santiago, the unique landscapes of San Pedro de Atacama, and the stunning region of Patagonia. The carefully crafted itinerary we designed featured an incredible 5-day trek that allowed you to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area. Additionally, the private guided tours we arranged in both the Magallanes region and San Pedro de Atacama offered you an in-depth exploration of the local culture and history. We are truly glad to hear that you had such a memorable experience during your travels and sincerely hope to stay in touch for any future trips you may be planning. It would be an honor to assist you again in creating another unforgettable journey! Best regards from all of us here at Unu Raymi Expeditions, and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

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  Anonymous

  February 20th, 2025
  The tour was well organised with good communication throughout. The trek itself was very smooth with no issues. We...
  The tour was well organised with good communication throughout. The trek itself was very smooth with no issues. We had the best time and can’t recommend it enough.Show more
  Traveled in February 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Hi Tom, thank you for your kind comments and reviews; we truly appreciate them. We're thrilled to hear you had an incredible experience on the 'W' trek. Your team, led by Joaquin, was fantastic, and it was a pleasure to facilitate your trek. Patagonia is a stunning destination, and we hope to stay in touch—perhaps you'll return soon! Wishing you all the best for 2025, from everyone at Tour Radar and Unu Raymi Expeditions.

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  Amar

  February 7th, 2025
  Please DO NOT book with these guys. This was absolutely terrible. Classic bait and switch scam they pulled on us....
  Please DO NOT book with these guys. This was absolutely terrible. Classic bait and switch scam they pulled on us. They told us we would be doing the W-Trek, but the day before the trek told us we were going to skip an entire day and just do day hikes instead. One of the worst customer experiences I have ever had. I can show you multiple threads of me talking to this company, them lying, and then proceeding to blame it on last minute changes. Both the guides on the trip + the campsite that I called also backed us up and showed us that our itinerary was never a last minute change, but always planned, and the company purposely didn't tell us till the last minute so we couldn't do anything about it. As a large group of people, we definitely got scammed and lost a lot of money on this, so whatever you do, DO NOT book with these guys. I am happy to talk to you more about my experience, send you WhatsApp pictures of the conversations that were had - just message you. As a concerned, budget-friendly traveler, I am just trying to help you guys, so please stay away!! Best of luck friends!Show more
  Traveled in January 2025
  

  Reply from: Unu Raymi Expeditions

  Thank you very much for taking the time to share your comments with us. We appreciate your feedback and want to assure you that we have thoroughly addressed the concerns you raised and resolved the issues that were brought to our attention. Unfortunately, we were unable to establish direct communication with the French Valley campsite, as they operate through a centralized reservation system that manages accommodations within the national park. In December, we engaged in discussions with the National Park authorities and various accommodation providers, with the intention of maintaining the original plan we had established. However, it is important to note that they ultimately decided against accommodating your group due to its size, which posed a logistical challenge. Prior to your departure, we made sure to brief you about the plan, and at that time, it was received positively by all involved. We worked diligently to provide a robust trekking plan that included an excellent crew and a variety of resources to ensure a successful experience. While we did make a slight modification by omitting a small section from the itinerary, we could still cover the remainder of the trek as we had discussed over 4.5 days. We took on the challenge of adapting our plans to meet your needs better, even though it appeared that your attitude towards these adjustments did not fully align with the effort we put forth, which was indeed disappointing for us. Despite these challenges, we are pleased to report that we have received feedback indicating that your group enjoyed the overall experience. We sincerely hope that you left with wonderful memories that you will cherish for years to come. Our entire team at Tour Radar and Unu Raymi Expeditions extends their best regards to you and your group, and we appreciate your understanding as we navigated these circumstances together. Thank you once again for your insights, and we look forward to any future opportunities to serve you better.

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