Desiree
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?”
Desiree's Trip Date:
10th Dec - 24th Dec 2023
What was your most memorable moment?
I developed sciatica the week I was leaving for this epic trip. I was most amazed that even if I couldn't be super active, the most amazing views were right there all the time. Fitzroy in El Chalten, transfering from one point to the next, and Torres del Paine in Ecocamp. I really didn't feel like I missed out at all. I was blown away when we were driving into Ecocamp, and when we arrived seeing Torres del Paine up close and personal throughout our stay. Walking to and from our dome it was framed in the background by the Towers. I loved the theme of Ecocamp..."Making Connections". We met so many amazing people from all over the world who were there to enjoy the rugged beauty just as we were. At Ecocamp they connected people to different groups each day depending on their hikes. They would have breakfast and dinner together allowing you to really get acquainted with a different group each day. The guides on all our excursions from Chalten, Calafate, Eco Camp, Puerta Varas, and Valparaiso were well prepared to lead us on our adventures.
Which of the following best describes your adventure?
Life changing
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?
10 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Safari in Southern Patagonia?
10 out of 10
Something Else?
-Our first pick up at El Calafate airport was by a non english speaking driver. We all thought we were with him for the day and wouldn't be able to communicate. Would have been nice if our itinerary would have told us we'd be picking up our guide in Chalten. -Our difficulty at the train station was very stressful. Probably should have been there a little earlier incase a difficulty arose. I'm not sure how it was resolved and why we were allowed on the bus, but maybe the transfer driver could stay with travelers until they check in so as to translate and help with any difficulties. Also there was a QR code that we thought we had to download before leaving and many of us didn't have internet when not at a hotel. We scrambled trying to get it at the station while dealing with the mismatched passport numbers for two of us because we thought we had to. When we got on the bus, the driver was handing out printed forms to fill out. Would have be nice to know this in our adventure planner. -Didn't know we'd be off the grid (no internet) at Eco Camp. It was lovely however our family was worried when they didn't hear from us or reach us for 4 days. Would have been nice to know ahead of time. - This was our itinerary for December 21: *You will ride your bikes bordering the lake, with stunning views of the mountains and the green lands; after 20 km of PAVED road you will arrive at a local brewery called 860, whose name comes from the total surface of Lake Llanquihue, in square kilometers. This is what our excursion actually was: *What we got was an 18 Km ride. 3/4ths of which was on loose gravel going uphill. We are all 65 and over. There were quite a few cars going by which caused us to move off to the side which was angled on the loose gravel. I came close to losing my bike under me at least 3 times. Not what we were expecting. Difficult to enjoy the scenery while having to pay attention to the surface. The guides were lovely. Don't know where the error was made in the execution of the plan.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Patagonia?
We found that 1 and 5$ bills were like gold when tipping drivers and guides. 10 and 20$ also helpful if your a couple. We didn't use any larger bills than that. We were able to use our credit card for everything except some street vendors in Valparaiso, so, didn"t need quite as much cash as we took.
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
It energized me in ways I didn't expect. Exploring new countries is definitely something I feel much more compelled to do after this trip.
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
I wrote it all earlier in the review. The Swoop team was amazing preparing for our trip. We have recommended you to many people already. We are grateful for your knowledge and expertise in putting together our amazing itinerary. I just put some things that will hopefully help you make it even more amazing for travelers in the future. Thank you all that were apart of it. Our trip was Epic. We will be taking about it for a long time.
How prepared and excited for Patagonia did you feel?
Extremely. The Swoop site was so very helpful in preparing and educating us about what was to come. The anticipation was palpable.
Would you consider another trip to Patagonia with Swoop?
No
Would you be interested in travelling to the Arctic with Swoop?
No
Would you be interested in travelling to Antarctica with Swoop?
No