Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

It is hard to choose one but high up on the list of memorable things: * walking in spectacular mountain scenery - Mount Fitzroy, Torre, Torres del Paine (great weather helped no doubt); * standing close to the Perito Merino glacier listening to the cracks and groans of the ice as lumps fell away; * seeing the local wild life - many birds, guanaco, fox, hare armadillo, penguins, seals and even a puma!; * experiencing the Patagonian wind en route to Torres del Paine. For location certainly one of the most memorable hotels we have stayed. * the coach drives which gave a clear picture of the vastness of the grasslands in this part of the world.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was a star! His local knowledge of all aspects of Argentina and Chile is extensive. He shared this willingly with the group at large or with individuals. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he went out of his way to make sure that things went well and that the group was having a good time. He was always ready with recommendations for an optional visit, for somewhere to eat, for what we would need for any part of our trip. He also wanted to know about us as individuals and told us about himself (not always the case with Exodus leaders in my experience)

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are a couple of things: * layers of clothes are the order of he day. The weather is changeable (we had snow, rain and sunshine all in one day!) and it can be very cold. * "water for the coach drives as well as something to nibble on@ was helpful advice we were given. * for photographers don't forget a spare battery and extra cards - the scenery is spectacular. * for those who are not used to eating red meat, don't worry. We had plenty of options when it came to choosing what to eat. On the other hand don't miss out on the steaks - they are seriously large but delicious.

Most Inspirational Moment

No one moment comes to mind.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier Espil is passionate and friendly . He gave detailed information at all times but left us to make our own decisions with that info. i.e. suggested places to eat , when to change money , restaurant pricing and food selection .

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that ATMs are very temperamental with UK chip & Pin cards. sometimes they work , mostly they dont . This might be obvious at start of transaction or you might get taken all through security , down to cash amount selection and then a message appears saying transaction disallowed. Everyone in group ( British cards ) had issues in several locations. Only Bank of Patagonia in El Calafte and Ushuaia allowed cash withdrawals without any issue whatsoever . There is only 1 ATM in El Chalten , at tourist office and it spent most of its time out of service / rejecting cards ( British / French / Australian ) . Current - Nov 2017 - restaurant exchange rate was 17 or 18 Argentine dollars to USD. So you could pay for things in USD cash at that unofficial exchange rate and receive any change in Argentine money . Some restaurants do not take USD in denominations below 20 USD and apparently high denomination notes 50 USD / 100 USD are the preferred denomination when changing money at bank / exchange office.

Suggestions

Apparently Xavier is a fan of Colmans mustard , so if you have bit of luggage space spare I am sure a jar would be appreciated ! Be aware for internal Argentina flights hold luggage is 15KG and this is enforced . Its worth double checking on web site of Aerolineas Argentina , but dont get caught out having to pay excess luggage fees - they are not cheap .

Most Inspirational Moment

The mountain days, the included glacier visit and the guided walk in Tierra del Fuego were all equally inspiring, and the tango show made a great finale.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was the best tour guide we have been on holiday with. He was permanently cheerful, enthusiastic, responsive to the whole group’s and individual needs and great fun to be with. Xavier also had excellent relationships with the local guides, who were all equally enthusiastic about their specialisms.

Advice for Potential Travellers

These are the things which are described very accurately in the trip notes. We did experience four seasons in a day: snow, sun, torrential rain, high winds, calm etc, so you need lots of adaptable clothing and waterproofs. The two day walks and the additional day walk the group did were long with step sections over rocky paths (all the walks were 20km long). The travel days by bus were very long. Everything on the whole trip, except wine, was on a par with London prices (this is not a cheap destination). Add about 10% to the guide prices given in the trip notes. You can complete the trip with dollars, with no problems then with non-functioning ATMs or restaurants which won’t take credit cards. The downside of this means travelling with large amounts of cash. (There is no need to take Chilean pesos.) We travelled out a day earlier to enjoy Buenos Aires; we wished we had taken two extra days because there is so much to do in Buenos Aires.

Suggestions

Remember that this is South America. You need a patient and relaxed attitude to everything to enjoy this holiday.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me the most inspiring part of the trip was the two full day walks we did at Mt Fitzroy and Torres del Paine. Despite not having clear weather conditions, we were able to make challenging ascents and to enjoy the key 'money shot' views of each iconic natural landmark just as the clouds broke. With the sun shining through each was revealed just at the right time making the efforts to hike up really worth it. hard work on the feet and knees but so rewarding.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was Xavi. An Argentinian who was proud of his country, really knowledgeable, friendly and wanting so much to ensure we all had a great time and got as much out of our trip as we could. He was able to share the history and social context of places we visited as much as the geographical and natural world that we were experiencing. Very honest on how things would be each day, which additional tours were worth the money in the relevant weather conditions and with a superb sense of humour that was really endearing. One of the best group leaders I have ever come across. On our first day in Patagonia, he welcomed us with preparing the mate for all os us to taste and share. To do this may be part of showing us Argentina, however in his culture its an honour to be offered and to receive the mate cup. Lovely gesture. Xavi also had to deal with an individual in the group who was disruptive in their comments and attitude at many times. Despite this challenge he was professional at all times, ensuring that he balanced the needs of all and preventing the nonsense of one person from affecting the enjoyment of the holiday for the others. Thats quite a skill and he did it wonderfully.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you are considering this trip I would; Ensure you are fit and capable of the two long days walks and consider taking walking sticks to assist you. Pack plasters for walking blisters Keep your packing light as the internal flights only have 15kg checked baggage limits. However excess baggage rates are really reasonable. Extend your trip at the beginning or end by an extra two days minimum to make the most of Buenos Aires

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many! Sunrise on Fitzroy; walking on the Viedma Glacier (don't be put off by warnings of a difficult approach- it's very well supervised and very well worth doing); the 'wild frontier' feel of El Chalten; the remoteness of Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel...... Pretty much the whole trip is inspirational. And we were so lucky with the weather.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant. Xavier is informative, funny, hard-working and attentive. Excellent inter-personal skills.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Some details in the trip notes are awry: The optional boat trip from El Calafate to see icebergs and glaciers does not include a visit to the Perito Moreno glacier. There is an over-emphasis on taking dollars - we could have paid for pretty much all of it in pesos. The dollar costs of options are rather out-of-date - they cost quite a bit more. On reading previous reviews it's clear that some travellers need to take on board that this trip does involve two long walking days that cover rough, steep terrain - be prepared!

Suggestions

We discovered that there were fixed tent sites near the refugio in Torres del Paine N.P. We wonder if there could be a camping option, as communal 'sleeping' in small rooms can be difficult and uncomfortable.

Most Inspirational Moment

Loved seeing icebergs calving off the Perito Merino glacier and hiking in the very windy Torres del Paine to see the Granite towers.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was outstanding. Highly knowledgable of both Argentina and Chile. He had a great sense of humour and was very willing to accomdate the different interests of the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take mostly Argentine Pesos, some US dollars and some Chilean Pesos. Additional trips can be paid for in dollars. Food is more expensive than at home so you will need a reasonable amount of spending money.

Suggestions

Might be worth flying direct. Air Europa were appalling and very rude. I don't tend to complain about things but I did on this occasion. Make sure you take a bottle of water on the long flight to Buenos Aires as they only served two drinks on the whole flight!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the sunrise on Mount Fitzroy.........or maybe hearing the thunderous cracks of the ice at Perito Moreno glacier. Very difficult to pick a single highlight.SFYUp

Thoughts on Group Leader

Great, Xavier was laid back but hit all the right spots, keeping the group working well.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Pay attention to the Trip Notes and don't underestimate what you are taking on.

Suggestions

It was a privilege to take part in this trip, absolutely jaw-dropping at times

Most Inspirational Moment

Reaching the base of the Torres del Paine. Seeing (and hearing) ice calve from the Perito Moreno Glacier.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was great. He had a really good sense of humour and was calm and relaxed whilst being incredibly organised. We felt we were in very safe hands.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely take lots of layers that you can easily carry in your backpack (including a thin waterproof jacket). Walking poles are really helpful for the steep downhill sections on the two major hikes. We had really good weather for both the walks (base of Mount Fitzroy and Torres del Paine) but you should be aware that if it rains heavily then both the walks would be very difficult and/or too dangerous to attempt. The Viedma Glacier has receded significantly in the last three months and we got the distinct impression that it was felt by the local guides that reaching the glacier (in order to be able to walk on it) was no longer safe. This optional excursion may therefore be unavailable or inadvisable. We decided not to do it as we felt it probably was not without risk. The cost of the optional excursions is increasing all the time so take plenty of US dollars. There is no need to change US dollars for Chilean pesos as the three days in Chile have lots of included meals and most places take US dollars anyway. Take blister plasters as they cannot be bought in Argentina or Chile. The guides will be really grateful if you donate any left- over plasters when you leave as they think they are great and cannot buy them.

Suggestions

We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday and would definitely recommend it - we had an amazing time. However, we are not walkers/trekkers and we were a bit surprised at the physicality and technical difficulty of both the walks. We had not appreciated that from the trip notes. Perhaps the trip notes could spell it out a little more clearly that both walks have very steep sections with big boulders and/or loose shale which are likely to be a challenge for most and definitely will be a new and challenging experience for those of us who are not experienced trekkers. Xavier (and Edmundo the local guide in Chile) were so amazingly good at their jobs and experienced that we did not doubt that we would make the trek safely but we really were shattered!

Most Inspirational Moment

The Perito Moreno glacier is just so impressive, especially the noise when a bit breaks off. Do the optional boat trip (wrap up!).

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was an excellent group leader.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Not all the hotels have hairdryers, so if that is important to you, bring your own. Bring walking poles for the two walks. I enjoyed the Todos Glaciares boat trip from El Calafate, a restful way to see 2 more glaciers, and floating ice. In Ushuaia it's worth doing the longer boat trip to see the penguins, the catamaran actually "parks" on the beach (you dont get off ) - you can see the penguins fairly close up. Even though there were some long bus days - especially to get to Ushuaia, I didnt find them too arduous, and we had regular stops along the way. Just make sure you have a few good books to read, and I used a neck pillow too for the odd kip. Do bring wine/beer to the refuge, it will save you loads.

Suggestions

I would recommend this trip, and give yourself some extra days in Buenos Aires if you can take the extra time off. Argentina is quite expensive, and prices for the optional trips are going up all the time, so budget for more money rather than less.

Most Inspirational Moment

I cannot pin point this to only 1 moment. Both of the walks to Mt Fitzroy and Towers of Paine were truly incredible. They are not easy but they are worth every single step as you are constantly surrounded by breath taking scenery! Also our visit to the Moreno Glacier was brilliant and we were lucky to see giant parts of the glacier falling into the water. The thunderous sounds were so impressive.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was a brilliant tour leader all the way through. Not only was he extremely passionate and knowledgeable he was also a lot of fun and kept us laughing throughout. Even on the long bus journeys he kept us smiling! He was also spot on with recommending the best wine to go with our dinner.

Advice for Potential Travellers

The walks are not easy so I would really recommend making sure you have a good level of fitness before you travel. The first walk to Mt Fitzroy is a full days walk and is 21 kms and the walk in Torres Del Paine is 18 kms. There is quite a steep climb to reach both viewing points for about an hour or so but there is no rush and everyone went at their own pace. I recommend coming prepared with some entertainment for the long journeys. Although if you finish your book like I did the scenery you drive through never gets boring! If you like wine in the evening I recommend buying some in Argentina before you travel to the refuges in Torres Del Paine as it is really expensive there.

Suggestions

This really is a wonderful trip with incredible scenery and delicious food! I don't think I will ever taste steak like that again.