Highlight - scenery which came up to expectations. Wildlife pretty good. people we dealt with generally excellent. That said, the reason I have ticked 'maybe' on the 'would I return' box is because TdelP in particular is now being 'loved to death'. If I returned to Patagonia I'd need to be convinced that I could do so with fewer people around - and preferably without the need for guiding all the time. [I would add that one thing I will consider and would need a guide for is an ice shelf walk out of El Chalten. As a general comment I preferred the experience at Fitzroy cf TdelP except for the back end of the O circuit. I would recommend Fitzroy over TdelP W circuit. Magical moments - there were a few - the Loma de Plieges Tumbado walk on a brilliant day was one. Arrival at Petit peninsula in Barriloche was another (what a top hotel). Going over the top of the John Gardner Pass. And a little thing, but being met by Victor at AEP in BA and him driving me to the Holiday in at Ezeiza was a pleasure for me as I was not comfortable with travelling across BA at night.

Trip was excellent - brilliantly organised by swoop and affiliates - we had extraordinarily good weather which added to the enjoyment.

Maybe

My experience with Swoop has been universally positive. Everything without exception worked and came up to expectation. I kept expecting something to go wrong and it never happened!! I don't think you could have done anything differently. I needed to visit the place to work out what worked for me. If I go back then I'll consider having Swoop organise an itinerary that might include (a) a trip to Tronador and one of the longer walks at Barriloche; (b) an ice walk and (c) alternative multi-day walks 'far from the madding crowd'.

Excellent. In retrospect I'd probably not hire a car, but use the buses and possibly local tour groups. Walking was good. Track conditions excellent. As stated before Pablo and his team at Peninsual petit was a standout. I arrived jetlagged and spent the first day or so chilling at that lovely location. I cannot recommend that hotel more highly.

Highlights: 1. Our guide on day 1, Leo was excellent. I would not normally travel with a guide, but Leo was excellent and a pleasure to walk with. If I went back and needed a guide, Leo would be my pick as I know I can walk with him and enjoy the company. 2. the weather was exceptional so we did three major day walks and a shorter walk, all were brilliant. 3. Accommodation was fine - not quite up to PP Bariloche standards, but that was always a high barrier to clear. 4. All transport worked seamlessly - even when we requested a change in schedule!

All arrangements worked seamlessly. Seron-Grey part of trip was a joy. The W bit was, as I feared pullulating with people which for an old misanthrope like me was a problem. And the tent sites on the slope at Chileno were fantastic! The walk itself is well within the capability of anyone with a decent amount of hiking experience. We did all legs well within the times and experienced no technical difficulties at all. Accommodation was fine. Personally I'd prefer to use a tent over dorms, but there was a difference of opinion on this in our group so we booked a mixture of tent sites and dorm rooms. One comment - the lunches supplied by the sites were enormous- and heavy. If I were doing the walk again I would not have lunches supplied and carry my own. I think this is a matter of personal preference, but it might be worth discussing with prospective clients in future.