How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Our tour leader could not have been better, she was helpful and wanted to share her country to the full with us.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Just go and experience it for yourself.

Do you have anything else to add?

I liked the diversity of the group

 

Overall Patagonia did not disappoint. We were very lucky to have an excellent guide and nothing was too much trouble for her. We had excellent weather, alot warmer than expected, only one day with light drizzle which was the day we travelled by public bus (more like a coach) from Ushuaia to Puerto Arenas. Torres Del Paine was fantastic scenery. The Grey Glacier boat excursion was closed due a fire in the park, but we went on a Zodiak boat instead which was the highlight of the whole trip. It was a 4 hour boat trip with views of waterfalls, glaciers. We travelled along the river to the open Fjord. The views were amazing and the boat exciting. It would have been nice to see the Penguins along the Beagle Channel, maybe extending the time in Ushuaia by an extra day. The alternatives to doing the walk in Torres Del Paine were excellent, several shorter walks and very varied scenery. The walk to the base of the Fitzroy Mountain at El Chaltern was very long but very rewarding. We didn't make the final assent, it was a very hot day, but it was very easy to find our way back.  A very well organised trip, lots of variety of stunning scenery.

A very enjoyable trip with 3 days of great walking.  The weather was very good so this probably helped make it.  There were 5 walks but the 3 main ones (Paine and two in Fitzroy) were excellent.  Long days but great walking.  It would have been good to go further down the Beagle Channel but the logistics of flying in from Buenos Aires and doing the channel on the same day probably make this impossible.  Day 4 is a long day of travelling but I was happy to look at the countryside and watch the world go by.  The downside for me was Day 9.  I didn't want to do the optional glacier walk and I was left for 6 hours to walk the 1.5k of viewing broadwalk!  There needs to be a better alternative for the non glacier people to walk.  It is assumed that everyone will do the optional trips; ask for some good/better alternatives if you don't.  The food on the trip was good although quite expensive, particularly in Chile.  It is up to you what you spend but generally the prices are the same as the UK.  The only free time we had was in El Chalten, and that was probably not needed as there is little to do there unless you like gift shops.  The trip leader was excellent and so were the local guides (with the exception of the Perito Moreno one).  Overall a good trip, we saw a lot of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia. (PA - 12th February 2011)