Mickey
A Bucket-List Trip to Patagonia
We just returned from a Private Journey to South America (The Complete Patagonia). My husband and I usually make our own arrangements, but from the start we really liked having the full service of a privately guided tour. Rather than having to negotiate public transport or an Uber from the airport to center-city, we were met by our Santiago guide as soon as we exited from customs. She had already sent us a photo of herself via WhatsApp, so it was no problem to spot her - plus she had a sign with our names! This level of service was matched at every stop from Torres del Paine National Park to El Calafate. The accommodations were outstanding. True to its name, Le Reve Boutique Hotel in Santiago was a luxury boutique hotel -- elegant and intimate. Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine was spectacular. We upgraded to a lakefront yurt with Jacuzzi and it was well worth it. We opted for low to moderate excursions, so it was more active walking than hiking. But we still managed to reach amazing viewpoints with breathtaking views of the Horns. Meals were of "fine-dining" caliber. In El Calafate, Los Ponchos was incredibly warm and charming, decorated with regional art and artifacts. We had a terrific view of the lake; the only drawback was being outside of town. We did the 45 minute walk the afternoon we arrived but used local taxis at other times. The included Santiago city tour and excursions in Patagonia were great. Everything started on time and the guides were fantastic. For the private tours, the guides were flexible and able to adjust things to our preference. EG, dropping us off at the Pre-Columbian Museum in Santiago after the tour so we could visit on our own. The guide even gave us her Metro card along with detailed instructions on returning to the hotel! We had researched doing this trip on our own, but the flight and transfer logistics in Patagonia were not as simple as using trains in Europe, so we were happy to find an itinerary that included everything on our Patagonia bucket list. The fact that it was a private tour rather than traveling in a group was a real bonus.




