Customer
Rating
10
Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”
's Trip:
Trekking San Pedro de Atacama's Trip Date:
4th Jan - 9th Jan 2019
Overall, how was your trip?
Considering this was a late add on to a long planned leg of our trip, it was way beyond expectation - Atacama is stunningly beautiful, but what probably brought it so much to life was our guide. Very hard to pinpoint one specific high point, as there were many; camping in our guides favourite secret spots he'd discovered, the Milky Way in all its glory, giant cacti, a range of other plants and animals, geysers, caves, a skillfully swift acclimatisation programme enabling a 5600m summit within 3 days, the list goes on.
In one sentence, what did you think of Patagonia? Did it live up to your expectations?
Er, we went to Atacama, not Patagonia, on this trip. It totally blew us away and we'll certainly go back as there is so much more to do and see - high mountain next time.
Would you visit again?
Yes
How was the service that Swoop provided?
This was the second time we contacted Swoop ( Patagonian Ice Cap trek a couple of years ago ). They very kindly hooked us up with Azimut who organised the logistics for Atacama for us at very short notice in the busiest season, but we received first rate service. We will be in touch again for future trips.
How did you feel about booking directly with our partner(s)?
All good - just as responsive and considerate about detail as Swoop - it felt like someone was spending time figuring the best logistics for us personally - couldn't ask for anything more really
How likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend?
10 out of 10
If you received our guide to Santiago before you travelled, what did you think of it? For instance (but not limited to):
N/A
How likely is it that you would recommend this trip to a friend? (where 0 = Not at all likely, 5 = Neutral, 10 = Extremely Likely)
10 out of 10
How was your trekking experience in the Atacama?
The Atacama region proved to be way beyond our expectations; geology, topography, flora and fauna were so unexpectedly diverse and stunning. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and readily shared his passion for the area with us, as well as more broadly about other regions throughout south america - we had a lot of fun too and feel we made a long term friend there. Good 4x4 and driver, good camping kit and kitchen tent etc and home made meals. Hotel was nice, although we wished for more fellow trekkers to talk with at meal times
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
This leg of our trip proved a huge amount is possible with just a few days in Atacama. Swoop enabled us to see the best and 'secret' parts of the region through the access we received to a partner who brought in the knowledge and experience of a really knowledgeable guide - whilst maybe not the lowest cost way to visit, it paid dividends in terms of what we got back from just 5 days in the area.
Is there anything you would recommend we change to make trips like yours more environmentally sustainable?
We had a very intelligent and detailed explanation from our guide about the best method for dealing with human waste when camping in Atacama which can be applied to most camping expeditions - despite many mountaineering and trekking trips, we've never really received such a clear understanding of the method and rationale for dealing with this inevitable element of our presence in the outdoors - truly excellent! This should be encouraged across the board by all guides.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Patagonia?
Haha - please don't go, you wouldn't like it! And we like ity with less people in it!