The time spent in the wild in each of the three major destinations--El Chalten / Fitz Roy, Torres del Paine, and in the channels and fjords between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia. Of course, we had remarkable luck with weather and visibility in each location!

Great holiday

Having a car and getting to the trails (Chalten) and boardwalks (Calafate)early made all the difference. We have experienced glaciers in many ways and places (Iceland, Alaska, Switzerland, New Zealand) and Los Glaciares was as remarkable as any! The diversity of ice and access between the north and south made it all the better. We were so taken with the boardwalks that we chose to skip the boat! (But then, we have been on several glacier-related boat trips.)

We strongly recommend that the cruise company make available a digital resource (in several languages) to access during the voyage. Minimally, it should contain the variety of natural history topics not covered by the presentations or training level of the activity staff. (Birds; other fauna; geology; botany.). Optimally, the company should offer continuing education to its leaders. In the absence of this, I think, you might look into a similar set of resources through your website or encourage those interested to bring guides in their areas of interest.

See recommendation for Tierra del Fuego below. Pricey, but the upgrade from standard to superior dome was really appreciated--funny how much a bathroom, shower, and heater can mean to people our age.

See comments earlier in the survey.

Mentioned before, but the issues with transfers makes me wonder at the logistical strengths of your in-country agents and resources. Conversely, the years of organizing, reorganizing, and communicating about this trip with Carys et al made all difference. Thank you so much.

Be ready to walk and pay attention to the pack lists--it pays off. Our three destinations and for feverish nights each are a great combination. Be prepared for a lot of travel and schedule downtime. (23 hours to Buenos Aires; 10 hours to Cheltan by air and car; 10 hours to EcoCamp by taxi, bus (grrrr), and van; 7 hours to Punta Arenas by vans; 4 hours minimum to transfer luggage and yourself to the Australis; 8 hours by transfer, air, and taxi to BA Hotel; 28 hours to home.). Don't assume that advice about currency practices are up to date. It is true about having lots of US cash in pristine condition; it is not true that Argentinian taxis, small shops, or restaurants prefer dollars--when we were there, the best practice was to trade US cash for AR Pesos on the Blue market at a hotel-recommended, exchange business.

Imbedded above. Other suggestions: 1. Buenos Aires (we spent 6 nights coming and going) is no big deal compared to Patagonia and is certainly not comparable to Paris. But our little hotel was amazing in so many ways (especially the staff) and the food is diverse, and, often inexpensive by our standards (and we have recommendations). There are really no must-see sights. Great to get over jet lag or travel fatigue. 2. Short stays in the Patagonia destinations put you at the mercy of variable weather and disappointment--we had brilliant weather, but we met others who did not and those who only had two or three full days near Fitz Roy or in Torres del Paine regretted not scheduling more time. 3. Fitz Roy area and Torres del Paine are majestic from several trails--and along the trails short of the final destinations. Don't be concerned about getting to the end and give attention to the journey! And don't forget the catamarans on Lago Grey and Pekoe in Torres. 4. The 15MB limit for photo uploads is really small--we will send a few that will fit. 5. BTW, no need for the Magdalena's Island penguin encounter as the cruise had scheduled a better encounter at Tucker Islets on the cruise.

Imbedded above.

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