Fiona & Stephen returned in January 2014 from a 4 night stay at a luxury lodge in Torres del Paine, from where they took various excursions into the National Park. Here they tell us about their experiences on her trip and in booking with Swoop and our partners…
What was the highlight of your trip?
This is such a difficult question to answer. The whole experience was incredible from start to finish. Of our whole 5 week trip from Buenos Aires down to Patagonia, the Patagonian experience certainly takes the crown.
The obvious things that come to mind are the first glimpse of Lago Gray, hearing the thunderous roar of a glacier calving overhead in the French Valley, standing in front of the Towers of Paine and seeing the elusive Puma on our evening drive home after our final hike in the national park.
There were so many more beautiful moments that are less spectacular but equally inspiring. The milky green colours of the lakes, the fiercely invigorating Patagonian winds in your face, the delicate flowers. The landscape delights with an ever-changing presence as your walk, like moving from Mordor to Narnia to the land before time. We are so grateful that we have been lucky enough to make the trip and experience this wondrous place.
Did you manage to visit anywhere else in Chile or Argentina on your trip?
We spent time in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Bariloche and el Calafate before we ventured across the border and into Chile. We loved Bariloche, and spent 5 days hiking, biking, kayaking and eating chocolate of course!
Following our time in Torres del Paine we crossed back into Argentina and headed to El Chalten. We were so blessed with the weather and spent two amazing days hiking here. The spectacular hike to Laguna de los Tres was a really a major highlight for us. I couldn’t recommend making El Chalten a must visit place if your down south.
How well did Swoop Patagonia do helping you plan your holiday, and finding the best trip for you?
We have to give our whole hearted thanks to Luke and Chloe and the team at Swoop for their expertise, time, and advise both in the planning stages of our trip, and while we were travelling. We are so grateful for their enthusiasm and love of Patagonia and their practical advice. I don’t think we could have planned such a successful trip without their expertise.
How was your stay at the Luxury Lodge in Torres del Paine?
The hotel was a real treat for us, and totally worth it. The accommodation, staff, food, guides and location could not be topped. We met some amazing people from all walks of life staying in the hotel and really enjoyed sharing their company on the hikes. The staff including everyone from the drivers to the guides were so fantastic – fun friendly and really knowledgeable, and all were totally in love with Patagonia, and so enthusiastic and proud of their homeland. They made superb hiking partners and we loved being in their company. We were also blessed with the most beautiful weather during our whole trip and of course this was a major plus. The groups were small, and the food on our hikes was as tasty as the meals at dinner. I hope that some day we find ourselves back in Tierra Patagonia.
Do you have any tips for other people who are planning a trip?
Tip number one – Talk frequently with the team at Swoop! They guided us in our every move when planning the trip and the advice was spot on.
Tip number two – Just do it – go there! And enjoy.
