Froilan returned in January from a Trek in Torres del Paine. Here he tells us about his experiences on the trip and in booking with Swoop Patagonia and our partners…
‘I would, without hesitation, recommend Swoop to everyone wanting to take a trip to Patagonia’
How was your experience of Swoop Patagonia?
Swoop was very responsive, I was very well accommodated and advised even with my “last minute” plans, and the wind-stopping snood sent to me before my departure was a really nice surprise.
I would, without hesitation, recommend Swoop to everyone wanting to take a trip to Patagonia. In fact, since my return, people have been asking how I organized my trip and I have simply told them to Google Swoop Patagonia and that they would not be disappointed.
How was your W Trek and Swoop’s partners who ran it?
My W Trek was absolutely incredible. Our guides, Carlos and Omar were very knowledgeable, nice and really understanding of the needs of each member of the group. They even added avocados to spice up our daily lunch sandwiches (which, as we understood, were fairly plain as they were initially provided by the refugios).
Swoop’s partners had everything planned for us ahead of time, lodgings were more than adequate and the guides were top-notch. They knew more or less when the weather would be changing (an incredible skill in a place like Patagonia) and we had ample time to reconfigure our clothing to be comfortable long before the change happened. I’m sure my travel companions definitely appreciated it as well. The group itself was a very fun one, and we had a great time chatting away and snapping pictures from the beginning till the end of the trek.
I honestly don’t think there’s really anything to change about Swoop or their partners who ran the trek.
What were the highlights of your trip?
The highlights of my trip definitely had to be the Torres and Grey Glacier, but overall I was very happy with the itinerary that Swoop and their partners set up for us.
Do you have any tips for other people planning a trip to Patagonia?.Is there anything you would have changed about your trip?
If there was anything I would have changed about my trip, it would have been to extend it to include Argentina (El Chalten and the surrounding area, but also Buenos Aires)
My biggest tip for people planning to travel to Patagonia: go with Swoop! And If they plan to do the W as part of a bigger itinerary and definitely need to have bigger luggage, I would suggest they leave the rest of their luggage in Puerto Natales and take a light backpack, 25-30 litres max (3-4 days worth of clothing, and do laundry in the refugios when possible). They will have a more enjoyable time being lighter and more mobile. Oh, and don’t forget your camera.
Did you manage to visit anywhere else in Patagonia?
Unfortunately, being short on time, I did not manage to visit any other places while in Patagonia. The up side is that it gives me a very good excuse to come back.
‘Thank you very much for the incredible service and the great experience.’
