Ventus Australis Ship Reviews

We had many memorable moments, its hard to choose. The restaurant recommendation that the team provided for our night in El Calafate was an amazing experience and we would not have known to make that reservation if not for Swoop's on the ground experience. On our cruise, we were able to land on Cape Hope and hike up to the monument. We experienced all the seasons during our short visit, but it made it clear we were somewhere wild and singular.

Really, there were too many to be able to single out one. The particularly memorable moments included many of the wildlife encounters (including whale and orca watching, sitting close to elephant seals, and visiting penguin colonies), and the iconic views after the long hikes to the Base of The Towers, French Lookout, and Laguna de Los Tres.

Our three day trek around El Chalten and our two hikes in Torres Del Paine. And our trip to the Moreno glacier was a close second.

How can a person select one when there were so many...I'd say top 5 include the trek on Perito Moreno Glacier, Kayaking La Leona / Hiking Los Hornos, Hiking to & Lunching at Cerro Torre, Hike to & View from Toro Lookout, & Huemul Glacier / Lago Desierto.

Highlights: Hiking to the blue towers in Torres del Paine and hiking to base of Fitz Roy in El Chalten. Landscapes in Torres del Paine (Cordillero, lakes, glaciers) were stunning. no wildlife to speak of on the W Trek. The Trek afforded us the ability to meet like minded trekkers, willing to get up early and challenge themselves on steep trails through wind, rain, sun , all for the the love of the outdoors. Most magical moment was kayaking 21km on the Rio del las Vueltas, with crystal blue skies, views and reflections on Fitz Roy, Cerr Torre on the river! Booked when we arrived in El Chalten, not through Swoop.

Base of the Towers hike at Torres del Paine and Cape Horn visit are too close to call.

Too many memorable moments. The views, the staff, the overall journey... Going down glacier lane was just terrific!

Experiencing strong winds while looking out at beautiful El Bote Bay, as we began the exclusive Patagonia Camp Los Maitenes Peninsula hike.

There were so many…. the lack of other people, noise pollution and sound pollution . We felt very privileged having access to many remote areas in a sensitive way. The sights, sounds, weather and flora were incredible.

Hard to choose, several were bucket listers! Seeing the Horns and Towers of Torres del Paine and Cape Horn were tops. Running into a friend in the bathrooms at Eco camp was crazy! Made new friends, over ate on excellent food.

The Australis cruise was fantastic

So many. If I were to pick one I would choose experiencing the Patagonian wind for the first time. There is no preparation, just experience.

Pia Glacier, Cape Horn wind and the penguins

The cruise was a unique experience, Australis crew was very knowledgeable, took utmost care of our safety, accommodating when it came to dietary needs for vegetarians and overall a memorable experience.

Too many highlights. The landscapes are extraordinary. The Chilean were very welcoming, and all the other travelers I met along the way were super friendly. There were a few magical moments, riding into a rainbow, or experiencing a storm in Cape horn, or watching the pinguins.

The adventure tat Swoop organized for us was perfect in very respect. It was beautifully coordinated with the two major venues in our itinerary; The Ventus Australia’s Tierra del Fuego expedition cruise and the time we spent in Patagonia Camp. Both segments of the trip were of quality outstanding quality run by highly professional, safety conscious, warm and caring staff. Everything from the beauty of the glaciers to the surreal vistas 9f snow covered mountains is something that is embedded in out souls and or memories for the rest of our time here on the planet.

Hiking on one of the islands duiring the cruise

There were so very many "most memorable moments": snow, double rainbows and rounding the bend to see the view at the base of the towers in Torres del Paine; experiencing the calving of Perito Moreno Glacier; enjoying the camaraderie of our new trekking mates on the trails and at camps; bracing for the wind gusts at Cape Horn; and every sunrise and sunset we were awake to see.

Watching Pia glacier calving.

Excursions were interesting but honestly left quite a bit to be desired for the active traveler. However, the people we met and the experience onboard was unparalleled and totally made up for it. I was blown away at the thoughtfullness that went into the experience and the level of service and consideration towards the guest. I greatly appreciated the historic/informative talks and movies, and the onship library was a treat.