There were so many outstanding moments, it is impossible to select one! Some that stand out are - the sight of the entire Fitzroy and Cerro Torres ranges on a clear day, seen from the Mirador de los Condores, the Perito Moreno glacier, our first sight of the famous Los Cuernos, seeing some condors gliding past us at close range, on two occasions.

Great holiday

This is an outstanding hotel, in a stunning location. It exceeded our expectations. The rooms and the public areas are excellent, all the arrangements (transport, reception etc) were very efficient, there were lots of interesting excursions on offer, the food and drinks were varied and very good. But best of all were the guides who were very thoughtful, attentive, helpful and flexible. We would like to specially mention Francisca who took us riding (which was the first time for most of us) and hiking to Cerro Paine. The weather was very bad but she was very supportive on the gruelling climb. When she saw how exhausted we were, she suggested we change our program so that we could have an easy half day hike the next day and do the more difficult French valley hike the following day - and she made the arrangements for the change immediately. We were very impressed with her. The hotel is extremely expensive, but the very high standards in such a remote location make it worth it. The only improvement we would suggest is that there should be more staff in the restaurants, as the service there is very slow.

Yes

This is a 'must do' place for all lovers of the outdoors and trekking. The scenery is spectacular and packs in much variety in a small area. Only the weather is very unpredictable and can be terrible. We had 2 bad days with rain, sleet, high winds, clouds and poor visibility, but also one very good day with clear views of the Towers (from a distance) and of the Cuernos. But this is to be expected, and is part of the adventure!

El Chalten is a charming little village which reminds one of Swiss villages. There are lots of good hotels, restaurants and bars. The scenery is spectacular, but we found the treks very tough (our group of 5 were aged between 60 and 73 years old!). The weather can be treacherous, and we had a bad day on our trek to Laguna de los Tres, so didn't get a clear view of the Fitzroy massive from up close. But on the last day we had brilliant weather so got a clear view from Mirador de los Condores.

Our group of 5 were between the ages of 60 and 73, so we found the treks very long and tough. The weather can be bad, and the mountains are often hidden in thick clouds, which is very disappointing after a tough climb. But it an exciting and exhilarating place, and we highly recommend it for those who are fit, determined and young (in mind and spirit!). We had a guided hike on the fist day and the guide was very good and informative.

Yes

Our only criticism is that, about 2 months before our trip, we wrote to our agent at Swoop and got no reply. We were rather surprised, as she had always been very prompt in her responses up till then. When we asked our agent at Walk Patagonia, she told us she thought our agent had left Swoop. We felt we should have been told about this and handed over to another agent. But just today we got this mail from our original agent, so don't know what happened. Maybe she went on holiday. If so, her clients should have been handled by someone else in her absence.

Just be mentally prepared for bad weather. Good rainwear is essential. Carry gear for all weathers in your day pack, even if it is warm and sunny - the weather can change in a minute!

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