January Reviews

My friend and I were so fortunate to happen into a trip with 3 other ladies our same age who were energetic and kind and perfect travel companions. Our guide, Mauricio, was top notch: Warm and welcoming. Well known and happily greeted by nearly all staff amongst the campsites and facilities. A perfect balance of motivation and patience, a wide knowledge of the trek and terrain, and a passion for the land. We had unusually fantastic sunny weather the entire trek which made for stunning views. Two moments of the trek stick out in my mind -- the night sky at Grey Glacier taking in what seemed like the entire galaxy with the naked eye; and an extended mountaintop lunch break overlooking Grey as we walked on to Paine Grande, enjoying the company of friendship we had made with our guide Mauricio and the porters Pablo and Antonio while we played cards in front of an unforgettable backdrop.

Reaching the peak of the Base of the Towers trek! It was a tough trek but so worth it!

No one particular highlight. Landscapes were pretty awesome. We only met our group (six in total, all Canadians) and our great guide and porters. Probably would tell anyone “don’t go”.... The trail and conditions were a surprise. Climbing to the John Gardner pass and finishing the “O” circuit were great moments.

Highlight was the circuit trek and enjoying the company of our guide, porters and fellow trekkers. Landscape and wildlife were fabulous. The biggest surprise was the terrific weather and lack of wind. We got very lucky with only 30 mins of rain in 9 days of walking.

The scenery was epic and enjoyed the challenges of the hike, camping and Patagonian weather! Seeing the Southern Ice field stands out as my most memorable moment.

Penguins on the Australis cruise, AND Iguazú falls from the Argentine side.

We especially enjoyed Aysen and Patagonia National Park with the highlight being our Lagunas Altas hike on a lovely sunny day and staying at Explora PNP.

Glacier Grey lookout. This was a beautiful end to my four day adventure. Stunning, serene, and simply spectacular. Second most memorable was awakening on Day 2 and seeing a horizon-spanning rainbow arching over Las Torres in the sparkling sunshine.

It is very hard to say! Our visit to Barraco Lodge was incredible and Patagonia Camp and the excursions were epic!

So many memorable moments of our Patagonia trip - dramatic crossing of the Pollone river in full flood, reaching the Circo de Los Altares to view Cerro Torre - an amphitheatre of iconic mountains, 30 minute exhibition by 20 Condors for our personal benefit, climbing Mount Madsen in the shadow of the Fitzroy Massif, crossing the Andes by boat and bus retracing the start of Che Guevara's famous motorcycle expedition, relaxing in Valparaiso and a biodynamic vineyard for a few days prior to our return. All our guides were excellent and wonderful company.

Swoop and JLA prepared me well. Just enough to ensure I took the right stuff and had realistic expectations but not too much so no spoiled surprises. Everything surprised and delighted me. I hope it doesn’t sound self-centred to say that most of all I surprised myself. I was petrified of holidaying alone as I didn’t know what to expect but I seemed to cope with all the challenges. On reflection I think that my enjoyment of the holiday was largely due to our group leader who successfully built and managed the group dynamic so well, ensured super smooth administration of the arrangements without any fuss and was always mindful of our needs.

It was the first day on the humpback whale watching adventure. We saw so so much wildlife and also the natural beauty of the place. I couldn't imagine that these remote places host so much life in them and that truly changed my perspective of how lively nature is supposed to be.

Y family's experience in Patagonia was the best! From the Lake Grey glacier boat ride to the mountain hikes to the delicous food and wine, it was wonderful to soak up everything this special place has to offer. The tour team at Remota was one of the best we've ever had. We have to take a moment to highlight Nacho (Ignacio) and Cris (Cristobal). They were so generous, funny, kind and went above and beyond. They taught us a lot about the area, its history and answered all of our questions.

Hiking up to Mirador Las Torres on a beautiful sunny day

The highlight of the trip has to be kayaking next to the magnificent Glacier Grey with giant icebergs floating by. I’ve never experienced anything like that before and the 2 hour flew by as we took in the most incredible views. The staff were very professional and made everyone feel at ease.

O route hike was the highlight. Amazing mountains, group, and th guides to 10/10

Hiking to breathtaking vistas, celebrating the natural beauty of Patagonia.

Hiking to the base of the towers (or the Laguna de Los Tres hike).

Completing the Los Torres hike - we had amazing weather and were rewarded with fabulous views at the top

Highlight for us as we are avid hikers was Laguna de los Tres. The entire trail is scenic and the view from the top is otherworldly. A common reply from friends we sent photos to was "that doesn't look real" and they were right. The landscape is so dramatic at times that it seems unnatural...surreal. One surprising thing for us was how much we wore the buffs that Swoop sent before the trip. When we got them we thought they were strange and so thin that they would be of little use. We were wrong. We used them almost every day and they have become our new favorite piece of gear!