Claire returned in December from a Full Circuit in Torres del Paine, followed by a Montes Martial Circuit in Tierra del Fuego, and a Hut to Hut hike in Bariloche. Here she tells us about her experiences on the trip and in booking with Swoop and our partners…
How was your Full Circuit in Torres del Paine?
I did the Torres del Paine Full Circuit from the 9th to the 15th of November and it was a fantastic trek. The weather was sometimes a bit harsh but the park was so stunning it didn’t really matter – And I guess it is all part of the Torres del Paine experience. We were also very lucky on some days with a beautiful blue sky.
The whole week was very well organised by Swoop’s partners in Torres del Paine, and our guide (Armando) was really good: very professional, very knowledgeable about the fauna, flora, history of the park and mountaineering expeditions, caring and a very good cook! I did really have a great time there and would like to thank you for putting me in touch with them.
How was your Montes Martial Circuit in Tierra del Fuego?
Likewise, the Montes Martial trek in Tierra del Fuego with Swoop’s partners in Ushuaïa was great. It was just Cathy (another swoop customer!) who did the Torres del Paine trek with me, along with the guide and the porter.
We didn’t see anyone during 3 days and we had great fun hiking and camping in the snow. The views were stunning, almost like black and white pictures. Once again, they took great care of us.
How was your Hut to Hut Hike in Bariloche?
My last trek in Bariloche, was very good as well. As far as I understood, the other people from the group cancelled, but your partners in Bariloche still ran the trip for me. So it was just the guide and myself up in the mountains.
There was still snow at the time we were there and before the trip they were not sure we would be able to go through the pass. They planned a plan B in case we couldn’t cross. Once again the organization was very good, with good food, a very knowledgeable and responsible guide. I was very lucky too with perfect weather for 4 days.
How was your experience of planning and arranging your trip with Swoop Patagonia?
I am very grateful to the Swoop team. From the very first e-mail I sent to you asking for some tips for traveling in Patagonia, right up to the end of my trip, you were full of resources and able to offer me very good trekking options. Your suggestion of the Navimag ferry was also a very good option for me to get from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales. I had been traveling for 2 months already at that time (one month in Peru and one month from North Chile down to Puerto Montt) and it was a nice change from the bus. I would definitely recommend swoop Patagonia to friends and family.
What was the highlight of your trip?
Overall my trip was amazing. I don’t know which part was the highlight. I still have my head full of incredible landscape and it’s a bit hard to come back to reality… The 3 treks were great – well “great” is weak. “Stunning” is more appropriate. They were very different from each other but all incredible. I think Hut-to–Hut was the most technical and the hardest of the 3 (the 3rd and 4th days were quite intense with some very steep climbs and descents). The full circuit was generally moderate, with the day of the John Gardner pass quite difficult (especially the first 2 hours down after the pass). The hardest thing in Torres del Paine is the weather that keeps changing. Montes Martial was very wild and very enjoyable. We didn’t see anyone else for 3 days!
Did you manage to visit anywhere else in Patagonia?
I managed to go to El Calafate and El Chalten where I did some stunning day hikes. I also visited Puerto Madryn and Piramides as well as Esquel (el parque de los Alerces is beautiful). I finished my trip with a week in the Salta region and a few days in Buenos Aires. I am planning to go back to Patagonia in the next few years to explore more the central part I haven’t been able to see and to the Bariloche area to climb a few peaks 🙂 I wish I could have stayed longer in this region… Thank you very much for all the support, help and tips!
