Customer Reviews

There were a lot of highlights. We very much enjoyed Puerto Varas and surrounding areas. Our mix of activities centered around PV were really fun and diverse; the birding trip with an excellent Birds Chile guide, Carlo, to the Alerce forest natural park was a nice hike and we saw a number of birds; the kayak trip across the fjord was fun and our wonderful guide, Paz, was fun and we had lunch at a sheep farm, which was special. On our off day, we rented a car and drove into the Petrohui National Park and hiked up the flank of Osorno volcano, which was a bit challenging but really fun. The Mero Gaucho B&B was the best place to stay and had great staff. Puerto Varas was a nice little place to walk around and we found great places to eat. The second phase of the trip to Patagonia was really great. We had a good experience with the car rental and able to manage getting gas. Arriving at the Estancia Cerro Guido was a real highlight. The staff was wonderful and the accommodations were great and very interesting. We ended up going into Torres del Painey every day for hikes and drove through most of the park on one day. It was spectacular scenery and we especially enjoyed the ferry out to the Francis valley for a hike up towards the lookout was awesome. The other hikes we took were also suggested by the staff at the Estancia and those were excellent. We saw a lot of guanacos, rheas, flamengos, swans and geese. The food at the Estancia was excellent and we had very nice conversations with the waitstaff at the restaurant. Very special place. On the first night in the Estancia, after a long day of travel it was special to be able to see the Torres in the sunset. We have already told our friends about how wonderful our trip was to Chile in general and these places in particular. We were surprised by how open we found everyone in Chile to be and how enjoyable it was to talk to everyone we met; even those people who didn't speak much English and we speak very little Spanish, and much of that badly. We also had a chance to meet with one of the owners of the Estancia, who was on a visit to the ranch, and had a very interesting conversation. The gas situation in Patagonia was not really a surprise but we did find it manageable with some planning.

Excellent varied package of life experiences, in a stunning unspoilt part of the world with great scenery and wildlife, friendly hospitable people and well organised logistics. Enjoyed the UNESCO sights of Valparaiso and Chiloe churches.

If you like hiking (or the outdoors in general) and wine, Chile is one of the best places on the planet to visit. Landscapes remind me of the Montana nickname - Big Sky Country. Wildlife was more abundant and more accessible than we expected. People were friendly and helpful. Didn't really go in with specific expectations, so we really were not "surprised" by anything. I/we learned much more detail about the society and the original European settlers than we knew. I had no idea that Croatians migrated in some numbers to the area - like my ancestors (Rick).

Highlights-- time in Bariloche and Torres del Paine Landscapes etc----immense and spring was lovely time to go with all the flowers. Also saw new born chulengo and Torrent duck family :). All Chilean & Argentinian people were great, helpful & friendly

In three and a half weeks we packed in an incredible amount; it is almost too soon to say what the highlights were. The landscapes were awe-inspiring; the wind, literally, took your breath away. The people that bother to live, work and even travel so far away are almost always delightful. It is a physical challenge: you could experience a limited Patagonia without exerting yourself, but you would miss so much. It's the sort of travel that at times makes you wonder, "Why aren't I lying on a beach in Thailand??", but that you appreciate so much more after the event.

Torres del Paine was the highlight. Aguas Arriba was a close second. The landscapes were stunning. There wasn't terribly much wildlife, but we'd also ranked landscapes over wildlife in our trip preferences. Every one of the local activity leaders was fantastic--professional, exceptionally good at communication, and really worked to provide the best experience (Nikolas in Torres del Paine, our driver Luis, Juan in Chalten, both of our kayak operators at Perito Moreno glacier, and the head guide in our Torres del Paine kayaking trip). The glacier was a surprise--we weren't expecting it to be so impressive. I wish we could have gotten closer. Waking up in the quite of Torres del Paine campsite and Aguas Arriba were pretty magical. Watching Alexi grill meat (and try to warm up the wine), while ignoring everyone's instructions on how to cook steak rare, and listening to NWA, it started snowing in our campsite--that was pretty unique.

As we were nearing the end of the Base of the Towers hike in Torres del Paine, I wasn't sure my legs were going to let me finish the hike. I then looked up and saw a condor soaring above my head. It was awe-inspiring to see this majestic creature against such an incredible backdrop. It was as if the condor was there to encourage me on, my energy spiked and my body was ready to continue to the base. What a magical experience!

See detailed answers for highlights. We were amazed and delighted by the enormous variety of landscapes we travelled through. The Chilean and Argentinian people we met were, without exception, warm and welcoming. Our grandchildren will be subjected to the full photographic record once they are old enough, and urged to visit for themselves. There were endless surprises every day!

Overall the trip was great with the highlights being the kayaking excursion and homestay on Yolande's farm and the Chiloe Island wildlife. Everyone we met was very friendly, especially Yolanda, and the guides were all excellent especially Isobel. The Patagonia (Torres del Paine) landscapes were fantastic but we didn't see as much wildlife as we would have liked.

There were many highlights, some via Swoop's efforts and others through our individually arranged trips. Landscapes are amazing, thank goodness my husband was driving on the lengthy trips. Wildlife at Iguazu was fantastic, from the coati's; monkeys, beautiful butterflies, tree snake (not my favourite). We met some really lovely people; were really impressed by the police & security in Buenos Aires and the cleanliness of the city. What to tell the grandchildren - it's hard to know where to stop, but I think the waterfalls on the Argentinian side at Iguazu were really spectacular. The main surprises were the bike racks on the BA trains - so efficient and space saving; the clear and simple directions when taking transport in Buenos Aires, particularly the lit up sign boards inside the train carriages ; the transport & tourist police - again not seen in London & very reassuring; the cleanliness of Buenos Aires.

Highlight was the hiking in Argentina and in Chile. The unbelievably good weather enhanced the whole experience. There were guanacos, condors, ostrich type birds, sheeps, horses and others spotted a puma. The people at Tierra and our guides were exceptional. We would tell everyone to head to Patagonia in both Argentina and in Chile and to stay in El Chalten, Argentina and with Tierra in Chile. The most surprising element was the luck we had with the weather and how stunning Tierra Patagonia is. The most magical moment was taking a nap in front of and at the base of Laguna Cerro Torre while hiking in Argentina.

Impossible to pick just one! Cerro Torre lookout? Laguna de los Tres? Reaching the glacier at Aquas Arriba Lodge? The spectacular underwater calving at Perino Moreno glacier? The adorable penguins in Ushuaia? It was ALL amazing! I must say something here - Natascha told us we must not miss Aquas Arriba & so we planned our trip around the available dates there! She was SO RIGHT! It is a magical, special retreat & we both cried when we left. Natascha I am so very thankful to you - being able to take my daughter to such a place makes my heart sing. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I wish we had stayed another day - as you suggested (!) & skipped a day in Ushuaia.

I think we would both agree that the accomplishment of completing all the hikes, especially the Mirador Base las Torres del Paine was the highlight of our trip. The landscapes were so varied and each beautiful in their own way, stunning. We were lucky enough to have clear and beautiful weather, so we were able to see all the ranges clearly, which was fabulous. Our guides, the other visitors, and the locals were all really interesting and nice. The guides were all very knowledgable and conversational about their areas of the parks and were very open and willing to answer questions. We've been telling our family and friends about how this was a once in a lifetime trip!

There were so many but I found the hike on day 3 through the French valley to be out of this world.

Overall, my trip was incredible and that was due to the (1) scenery (2) personal challenges that I conquered (3) the guides and fellow travel mates. The landscapes were gorgeous and we really lucked out with weather only having a little bit of rain in Argentina and only 1 day of rain in Chile. Both Juli and Claudio were incredible guides that really supported and encouraged us all. Yes, unfortunately the biggest surprise was that I had to pack my 28L backpack for 5 days and 4 nights. This was NEVER clear to me in any written communications. And this was OPPOSITE what was told to me during a phone call with Swoop while booking my trip.

The high standards of Argentinian national parks including the very high mountain guide training regime that provided us with enjoyable and interesting experiences.

The highlight was seeing the puma mother and cub playing for an extended period of time. The landscapes were beautiful just like the pictures. The wildlife was fantastic. We were extremely lucky in seeing several endangered, endemic species, the southern river otter, the pudu deer, the huemel deer. Nancy checked off about 80% of the birds on the Chiloe Island/Lake District checklist, thanks to our great guide Rafa di Biase The employees of the resorts and the natives in Chiloe Island especially, were very friendly and helpful.

Overall our trip was wonderful, with only a few snags. The highlights of Argentinian Patagonia were the Perito Moreno Glacier and the Estancia Christina in El Calafate, and the Fitzroy hike in El Calafate. The Perito Moreno Glacier is breathtaking, and easily accessible from the raised walkway in the park. We also did the boat tour, which offers history and closer view of the glacier. Beware though, once you see it, other glaciers in Patagonia will seem less impressive. Estancia Christina was fantastic, but only because we opted for the fossil hike. Others on the excursion had lots of waiting around and did not seems as impressed. Not so great- The scheduling from El Calafate to EL Chalten- we would have preferred a later transfer. With the sun setting so late, you can easily hike until 7 PM...therefore there was no reason to leave so early for Chalten. Chalten was beautiful. Liked the wild dogs and friendly locals. The Fitzroy hike was spectacular....we were on the trail early so it wasn't too crowded but I imagine during peak season it was be a little unpleasant as it is narrow and you need to step aside to let people pass. Our best meal in Chalten was at La Tapera, wish it had been recommended. Avoid La Senyera, worst meal of our entire trip. Australis Cruise- This was a mistake. After having days filled with hiking and enjoying the riches of nature, being confined to a boat was very frustrating. The boat itself was nice, the rooms clean and comfortable but the excursions were short and underwhelming and most of the time on the boat was spent waiting....waiting for a short presentation, waiting for lunch, waiting to get off the boat, waiting to get on the boat etc....The penguins were the highlight of the cruise but, we found out you can take a day trip from Puntas Arenas to visit them. That would have been nice to have known. Highlight of the entire trip was Torres del Paine. The Explora hotel is beautiful and the hiking on the W was the best we experienced. The spa, the guides, the surroundings were all unbelievable. If I could redo the trip I would nix the cruise and spend an extra 3 nights at Explora.

The trip was incredible. The destinations are wild, unique, and absorbing. Every location took hold of us and offered so much more than we could do given our two weeks in the area. We found the people very pleasant and friendly, and the guides at the independent operators were knowledgeable, skillful and committed to ensuring that our family had the best experience possible. We were surprised by exceptional weather with clear skies all day but one! Coming down from the pass to Grey Glacier was unforgettable, as was Perito Moreno and Laguna los Tres.

Incredible. Flawless. Personal. Our adventure was nothing less than a novel of memories. My highlight could never be just a moment, but rather a new lens of of beauty from the culture, the wilderness & the incredible people we met. The culture, deep with love and incredible care that you would not just see but feel the blessing Patagonia has to offer. The wilderness, the most dramatic scenery you can experience and the people, warm with compassion and incredible depth of care for their communities. If the face of God was reflected in the wild it would be Patagonia. It's said that true adventure starts when the plan ends and that was the truth of our trip. Of course planning such a detailed adventure you know in your head the risks you are taking but until your faced with the choices of change and the out of your hand shifts due to storms, the truth whether you love adventure or not comes to a refining moment. And though not all went to plan, all went more than perfect.