Marla
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?”
Marla's Trip Date:
25th Jan - 15th Feb 2025
What was your most memorable moment?
Wow, only one? Probably reaching the top of the climb to peak over and see the Base of the Towers and the glacial lake after hiking for 4.5 hours from Ecocamp. We’d had good weather all morning and I was eager to reach the top before the weather shifted. Alas, it did not and we were rewarded with a long lunch, lots of photos and quiet time to enjoy the view before heading down.
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: Cape Horn & Glaciers Cruise?
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
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Santiago Express?
10 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Buenos Aires Express?
10 out of 10
Tell us about the Wildlife
All of our guides were extremely knowledgeable and eager to find/see wildlife, teach us about the animals/birds, answer questions, help with photos, etc. We even were excited to see & identify fresh poop from puma and humule!
Tell us about the Zodiac
Zodiac drivers for Stella Australis were awesome! Lots of fun getting to/from islands, getting up close to see the glaciers, pulling broken off ice into the boat to inspect for rocks & sediment; plus our safety was always of the utmost importance. They were especially good taking care of older guests.
Tell us about the Excursions
Not sure if the next section of the survey will talk about Walk Patagonia or not. But needless to say, our time in El Chalten with this partner was top notch. The guide they paired us with for our four days was great — Rocio. She kept us on a great pace and helped ensure we were prepared for each phase of each hike. Super knowledgeable, very passionate, lots of fun, etc. I could go on and on about how much we enjoyed our time with her!
Would you consider another trip to Patagonia with Swoop?
Yes
Would you be interested in travelling to Antarctica with Swoop?
Yes
Would you be interested in travelling to the Arctic with Swoop?
Yes
How prepared and excited for Patagonia did you feel?
Extremely prepared and super excited! It was magical! Now, I have to sort through the collection of photos we captured!
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
Let folks know that WhatsApp is the official mode of communication with your partners. I hadn’t used it before but quickly downloaded it when we had a travel delay from the US. I quickly found it easy to use and relied on it to review updated itineraries, ask questions etc. while we were traveling. Plus, we made several friends while on our trip and setup a WhatsApp group to communicate with each other after our travels ended.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Patagonia?
Utilize the packing lists provided by Swoop. It was perfect. I wore everything I packed at some point because as our specialist said, ‘there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.’ Having the right selection of clothing (which we changed throughout each day/layer on/layer off), made each adventure completely comfortable. Also, there isn’t a need for a lot of Argentine currency. Our local guide told us to exchange only $100 USD because most places accept credit cards and all tips are preferred in US currency. It was a great suggestion and saved us from having excess pesos before entering Chile. Spend more time in each location than you might otherwise. We were grateful to have been guided by Sydney when we created the itinerary to spend 4 days in El Chalten, 4 days on a ship, 5 nights in Torres del Paine — in addition to our transition days/times. We heard from several guides that many visitors only stay in El Chalten for two days — that is definitely not enough time to truly appreciate this part of the world. It was such a great community with amazing hiking, delicious local dining options and adorable dogs throughout the town.
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
First of all, nature always helps one feel settled. In such a difficult time in the world, it was refreshing/revitalizing to be engulfed by nature without all of the ‘noise’ of everyday life. It was so very peaceful to be offline for large chunks of time, disconnected from all of the craziness that surrounds us right now. Secondly, I always find that international travel proves that people with vast differences can absolutely find common ground, enjoy each others company, learn from one another, and gain new perspectives. Finally, spending three weeks in a new region of the world allowed us to learn a lot more about the local people, history, culture, traditions, foods, etc. than a typical one-week trip abroad would allow. Such a joy!