The whole trip was memorable! There are so many moments it's so hard to pick one. Our trip began in the city of Buenos Aires and most memorable there was our dinner at Fogon Asado. Absolutely wonderful!! In El Chaltén, our most memorable hike was Laguna de Los Tres. Fantastic hike and we got lucky with the weather - clear and no wind! Our guide, Emi, was outstanding! But of course, we loved Huemul Glacier as well. We went early and had the unique opportunity to view the glacier in complete solitude. Breathtaking and peaceful! The ice trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier was also fantastic - and the opportunity to drink water from the glacier was mind blowing! Unbelievably refreshing! In Torres del Paine, our most memorable hike was the Base of the Towers. We couldn't do this trek the first couple of days due to weather, but finally able to do it on our last day in Patagonia Camp. For a couple of 60-somethings, this hike was challenging and we felt a huge sense of accomplishment afterwards. An added bonus was the puma sighting on our return trip to Patagonia Camp! Views were breathtaking and the glacier water refreshing to drink! Our guide, Bruno, was phenomenal. In Santiago, William-Cole winery tour was the best we'd ever had - and of course the tasting was excellent! Then there is Atacama - truly otherworldly and very different from Patagonia. There were hikes in which we felt like we were on Mars, but others with so much wildlife! Hot Springs, geysers, volcanos! Too many to choose as a memorable - all so different!

Life changing

We've never stayed in a yurt before, and we weren't sure what to expect. Totally loved this stay. Being in the yurt, we could hear the wind and the rain - or the complete solitude. Every one of the staff was kind and helpful during our stay. Everyone staying there should get to know the bartender - Ricardo! He also gave us quite an education on the surrounding environment! We had really great guides for each of our excursions. They were knowledgeable about the area and we'd often stop for insightful discussion on what we were seeing. On the Paine Massif hike, our guide talked about the local fauna, and we sampled wild Calafate berries and also the Patagonia Apple - a surprise given we hiked in the Fall!

Explora met our expectations and beyond! The room was very comfortable, but we didn't stay in it much! There are so many excursions to choose from! We enjoyed our hikes and also the stargazing. The guides were fantastic - very knowledgeable of the surrounding area.

Be ready for any type of weather. For example, on our Paine Massif hike in Torre del Paine, we started with beautiful sunny weather and fortunately reached Gray Lookout for the views of the lake and glacier while it was sunny! As we continued our trek, it started to rain which then turned to snow. The wind kicked up and then we had hail. Then, of course the snow changed to rain on our descent from the mountain! Carry layers and make sure you have a good waterproof/windproof jacket! Be advised that many of the drivers only spoke Spanish. It would be helpful to learn a little of the language before you go. You don't need to be an expert but basic communication is helpful.

It was profound to both of us how Chile, in particular, takes care of the natural environment. We have read about their efforts, but to see it is amazing. Chile is phasing out use of coal for electricity by 2025 - there are large banks of solar panels in unpopulated areas as well as wind turbines. Impressive! They take great pride in their national parks and they make a huge effort in protecting them.

Sydney and Isidora were awesome! Many thanks to them for the recommendations for our trip.

We were very prepared and of course excited!

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A special note of thanks to our driver, Gustavo, from the El Calafate Airport to El Chaltén. He stoped along the way showing us local wildlife as well as taking pictures. This web site will not upload any of my photos that I would like to share. Is there another way I can do this?