Dave returned in March 2015 from a trip to Patagonia that included a 13 day road trip from El Chalten to Ushuaia via Torres del Paine. Here he tells us about his experiences on the trip and in booking with Swoop and our partners, along with some incredible photos!
How were Swoop Patagonia?
Swoop Patagonia have an excellent website, full of ideas for places to visit and activities to do.
I found it slightly odd that, unlike some other adventure holiday operators I’ve used, Swoop acted purely as agents for the ground agents in Patagonia, providing advice and information, before introducing me directly to the ground agents for my chosen trip. Nonetheless, it was great working with them and lovely to receive their pre-trip gift!
[NB. Swoop works in two different ways depending on the needs of our clients and the complexities of their trips. Sometimes we introduce people directly to our ground partners in Patagonia (as was the case for Dave), and on other occasions we take people’s bookings all the way through from start to finish. Here’s some more information on How We Work.]
Would you recommend us to family/ friends planning a trip to Patagonia?
Yes, I would definitely point anyone considering visiting Patagonia to your website.
How were Swoop’s partners in Argentina?
Generally they were very good. We had one or two panics over dates and hotels when it came to arranging extra days before and after the tour, but they got things sorted out pretty
quickly. The extras were worthwhile time-wise and accommodation very comfortable.
How were your itinerary and guides?
The itinerary was brilliant and the guides very professional.
Is there anything you would change about your trip?
I would have liked the chance to see the Magellanic Penguins near Punta Arenas, maybe with 1 night in Puerto Natales.
What was the highlight of your trip?
The highlights of my trip were:
-Getting within 20m of a Puma
-Watching lumps falling off Perito Moreno Glacier
-A gorgeous autumn day hiking up to Laguna de los Tres (alone)
-Lovely weather for trips on both the Beagle Channel and Magellan Strait.
Did you manage to visit anywhere else in Chile or Argentina?
I didn’t visit anywhere else, Buenos Aires aside, but certainly would love to go back to tour the north-west and visit Iguassu.
