Where can I buy / rent gear?
It is surprisingly easy to rent gear for Paine.
You could rent everything you need at small shops & hostels in Puerto Natales. Price varies with quality, but expect to pay US$3-6 / item / day. (i.e. tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc.)
You can purchase basic gear too. Quality, selection & price are, of course, not what you might hope for. (Though we bought a great stove there.)
Best is to bring everything with you to Patagonia.
Some hikers actually rent tents & other gear from the campsites. It costs more — but the tent is set up for you when you arrive! What a treat. Some sites provide thick air mattresses rather than sleeping pads.
If you arrive in Puerto Natales missing gear, you can arrange what you need in one day. No problem.
Do I need a Reservation to hike?
If you are carrying your own tent, no need to reserve anything. All sites are first come, first served.
The happiest hikers on Paine are tenting.
If you need a rental tent, or accommodation in cramped bunk beds in expensive refugios — you should book them. This can be a hassle in high season. Do it in Puerto Natales when you arrive.
Where else can I get information?
Good question.
We did not get much help from CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal) offices, though our Spanish was not fluent. You could try the CONAF website (Spanish).
The booth at the Park gates at Paine was unhelpful. We disembarked the bus there to hike the Circuit, therefore — like most hikers — we never visited the park administration visitor centre at Lago del Toro because it is a further 29km into the Park, not on the Circuit.
The best source is the Lonely Planet Trekking in the Patagonian Andes guidebook.
Who should hike the Paine?
This is a very long hike. It should not be your first major multi-day walk.
That said, any reasonably fit hiker who can carry a pack 6 hours / day should be able do the Circuit. Only 1 section is difficult — the west side of John Garner pass.
If not confident, hike hike the “W” instead.
Who should NOT hike the Paine?
NOT those with chronic knee, ankle or back injuries.
There are rough, steep & muddy sections. Evacuation from the remote north side would be excruciating.
What's the most difficult section?
John Garner Pass is bloody steep & slippery, especially descending when hiking counter clockwise!
Be sure to allow an extra day or two in case of bad weather. Storm, rain, wind or snow could tie you down. John Garner is sometimes closed due to excessive snow.
The sidetrip boulder scramble up to the Towers of Paine lookout is challenging too. Some hikers opt to skip it.
