Category: Guest posts

In the late 1920s, sub-editors on the Times of London came up with a game to entertain themselves during tedious evening shifts. A prize was awarded to whoever wrote the dullest headline that made it into print. In his autobiography, journalist and novelist Claud Cockburn claimed to have won the competition on one occasion with […]

‘Patagonia!’, wrote the British aristocratic explorer Lady Florence Dixie in 1880. ‘Who would ever think about going to such a place? … Why, it is thousands of miles away, and no one has ever been there before, except Captain Musters, and one or two other adventurous madmen!’ Well, Lady Florence, Captain Musters—or to give him […]

Chile’s Atacama Desert is, by some measures, the driest place on Earth. The salty earth here bumps up against an amphitheatre of camel-coloured hills and the ground has the texture of burnt pizza crust, cracking under the pressure of your boots. The air feels as if it’s whooshed in from some giant unseen hair dryer. […]

‘Don’t go right. Please, don’t go right…’ Talking to the road is never a good sign, but I’d become obsessed with its direction and the crazy thought that I could win it over as an ally in my all-consuming struggle with the Patagonian wind. Now so strong I could barely keep my bike on the […]

In Spring 2016 Harriet, Chloe and Sally will be downing tools and heading to Patagonia. Regular trips like these ensure we stay close to our roots and maintain our in-depth knowledge of the region. We test out new trips, visit new parks, hike new routes and eat in new restaurants – all in the name […]

Swoop Guest Blog: Richard Power @thewineoceros My good friend and wine-lover Rich Power has kindly shared some background on Patagonian wine. The main region he refers to lies about 5 hours to the north east of Bariloche and a visit to the vineyards here could be integrated into a visit to the north Patagonian Andes. […]

Yesterday afternoon we were lucky enough to have Elsa Hammond visit us in the Swoop office, and inspire us with her extraordinary plans: Elsa will row solo and unsupported 2,400 miles from California to Hawaii.
We thought people would be interested to hear about her challenge that lies ahead, her environmental goals and the opportunity to recognise an inspirational woman in their lives.

Sally, the latest member of the Swoop team, is a true Patagonian enthusiast. Having worked as an English teacher and Tour leader in Chile and Argentina throughout the last 8 years, Sally has a wide and diverse knowledge of Patagonia. Take a few minutes to find out about her Patagonian adventures and her top tips on where to go.