Victoria Vuong
United States Of America
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?”
Victoria Vuong's Trip:
Discovering Torres del PaineVictoria Vuong's Trip Date:
19th Feb - 4th Mar 2019
Overall, how was your trip?
Highlight was definitely all the hikes. The landscape and wildlife were amazing. The drive itself wasn't that great, except from El Calafate to El Chalten. However, I enjoyed seeing all the guanecos everywhere! We didn't quite meet too many people, but everyone was friendly that we met. Especially in El Calafate, when we had issues with our car and had to change our plans - the hotel staff were especially helpful. Seeing Mt. Fitz Roy, cloudless and framed by the beautiful lake was amazing.
In one sentence, what did you think of Patagonia? Did it live up to your expectations?
It was amazing and completely lived up to my expectations!
Would you visit again?
Yes
How was the service that Swoop provided?
I was so happy with the advice I received from Natascha. She was amazing, quick to respond (especially on our last minute timeline), and knew exactly what we wanted. More than that, there was no pressure to buy anything - just a true sense that she wanted to help make our honeymoon the best it could possibly be. I would definitely seek Swoop's advice again and I plan to use them for our next trip!
How did you feel about booking directly with our partner(s)?
I enjoyed working with the partners. They were also quite quick to respond. We only booked through one, but it seems great.
How likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend?
10 out of 10
How was your experience in Torres del Paine?
The highlight of the trip was definitely the hike to the Base of the Torres. We did the other portions of the W trek the first 2 days - definitely exhausting, but very fulfilling with a sense of accomplishment. The knowledge to take the catamaran was essential. We did self-guided hikes and did not use guides, so cannot comment on that. The food was delicious (bar better than the actual restaurant at Hotel Lago Grey - cheaper too). The accommodations were amazing and super comfortable - view was astounding. Of note, we self-booked a rental car - ended up with a flat tire near the hotel. The hotel had someone that helped, but did not solve the problem. Added stress to the trip, but not anything the partners or the Hotel could do.
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
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
This was an amazing experience - we pushed our bodies to the limit, and together as newlyweds. We also learned so much more about tires than we ever thought we would know about. If anything, I personally learned more patience and problem-solving. The amount of nature and scenery was absolutely what we were looking for in a holiday. And improving on our Spanish knowledge was a plus.
Is there anything you would recommend we change to make trips like yours more environmentally sustainable?
I would recommend taking the transfers more than the rental car. It did provide a lot of flexibility, but I think that everything we did was doable with the transfers as long as one planned for it. The group transfers are more environmentally sustainable and would have relieved the stress we got from the rental car problems.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Patagonia?
See specific regions. Maybe stick to one country or another to make problem-solving easier. Definitely keep travel days as part of the trip itinerary as it saved us when we ran into problems.