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Life before Swoop My Patagonia experience My photos Day-to-day at Swoop

Life before Swoop

Marcela

I have always loved outdoor activities. I spent my youth in Mendoza, the land of mountains (and wine), which gave me the opportunity to climb many of the highest mountains in the Andes and rock climb as well. That was how my career as a guide started.

Then, I worked as a tour leader around South America, and I was lucky enough to land in Puerto Natales where I fell in love with that area of Patagonia, so I started to work as a guide in Torres del Paine for a few years.

Because of my trips and my nomadic life, I end up living and working in places like Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires.

My Patagonia experience

I was born in North Patagonia (in Sierra Grande, a small town near Puerto Madryn) and lived there until I was 11 years old. I always think of Patagonia as my home, even though I don’t live there now.

Years later, I was fortunate to come back working as a tour leader leading a beautiful trip from north Patagonia to Ushuaia. This allowed me to see this wonderful region not only as a local but also through the eyes of tourists.

Working as a local guide in Torres del Paine National Park allowed me to get to know the hikes, boat trips and local "estancias" of Chilean Patagonia in more detail. As an outdoor enthusiast, I got to know as many places as I could; I went on several kayaking trips, climbed mountains and hiked most of the famous trails there.

I am passionate about travelling, especially in Patagonia, and enjoy sharing my knowledge with others.

In April 2024, I embarked on a Swoop recce trip to Torres del Paine. It was an incredible experience to return and connect with numerous properties we collaborate with. It once again sparked my passion for Patagonia.

Marcela

Trekking in San Luis with baby Lila

Day-to-day at Swoop

Nowadays I am part of the global Patagonia Customer Experience team and I love helping customers to get the most out of their trips!

Marce horse ride

Lake Linda horse ride

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What our customers think of Marcela

Marcela Benegas was wonderful - so helpful and accommodating. Read the full review

Travelled: January 2024

Mary Bennett - USA

The Swoop team did an excellent job with our trip. Chloe was very knowledgeable and provided excellent guidance during the planning process. Marcela was very patient and did a great job of answering my questions. The planning was first rate and everything worked as it should have. Read the full review

Travelled: October 2023

Paul Hatch - USA

Sydney was our first contact and filled with helpful information and enthusiasm. Marcela was our contact after that and she was most helpful with the details and answering questions about our trip. Read the full review

Travelled: January 2023

Karen Coakley - USA

Review:

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