Argentina & Chile Travel Agent Review: Santiago & Buenos Aires Tours, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Atacama Desert, Hiking

Review by traveler

James N.

3.10.2020

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Chile

Argentina

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

Our trip could not have gone better! Our trip planner was very helpful and responsive during the planning phase of the journey. She answered all of our questions in a timely manner and helped us craft a trip to our abilities and desires. While on our journey we were in contact with our concierge during all phases of the trip. She was ahead of the game in letting us know important timing for tours, travel arrangements and to check how we were doing with our accommodations. In speaking with fellow travelers, one commented that he had used a different travel company for many trips, but once he was on the trip, he had no further contact. He wanted the name of our travel company.
We felt that this travel company understood and respected what we wanted from this trip. We were supported with several options for hotels, tours and a range of areas to visit. Everything that the company arranged happened exactly as promised.
Our half day guided tours in Buenos Aires and Santiago were very informative and well orchestrated. Our guide in Santiago was flexible and changed part of our itinerary to allow us time to shop for a special gift for our daughter. We learned a lot about history and the current issues in the countries we visited. Our drivers were timely and helpful.
We have told many people about Zicasso and the travel company. We could not be happier with how our trip turned out.

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

Staying at the Lodges in Torres del Paine and the Atacama Desert were the absolute highlights. The pristine nature, excellent guides and accommodations gave us an invigorating and relaxing environment in which to hike, horseback ride and decompress. In addition, we met fellow travelers and kindled new friendships. Our driver to El Calafate and the four hour trip to Torres del Paine was a great guy! Our driver helped us get the most out of our time at the Perito Moreno Glacier and gave us a new perspective on South America, Argentina and living in this beautiful, wild landscape. Our guides at the hotel in Atacama were phenomenal people. We connected at a heart level and shared in the beauty and life giving experiences of hiking through a varied landscape with people who know and love the land.
While in Patagonia, I celebrated my 60th birthday. Our planned hike was cancelled due to high winds. Which meant we were at the hotel to see a spectacular sunrise standing on the bluff outside of our hotel. My husband and I shared this experience with a father and son who were photographing the breathtaking scenery. The Lodge scheduled another hike for the day and we had an amazing time hiking with a family from Brazil. The scenery was incredible including massive clouds that looked like UFOs shaped by the high winds. On our descent from the high lands to the base where our car was waiting, we had a moment on the cliffside when a young condor hovered just feet above our heads, floating on the wind currents. Magical. Later that night, we were invited to join our Brazilian friends and a couple from Australia for a birthday celebration dinner. The staff brought out a cake and sang Happy Birthday in English and Spanish. Life just doesn't get better than this!

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

If I changed anything, I would have skipped staying in Santiago for the day. After spending 6 days in the wild beauty of Patagonia, a city of 7 million was a bit jarring. We loved our guide and our hotel was fine. But the tensions within the country and the contrast of a noisy, crowded city was too much of a change. My husband was very happy in Santiago. I am grateful for the opportunity to increase my understanding of Chile and life in this large city but may have preferred to visit earlier in my trip in order to NOT break the rhythm of Patagonia to Atacama.
This is a small change. I still give this journey an A+.

Photos

Argentina & Chile Travel Agent Review: Santiago & Buenos Aires Tours, Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Atacama Desert, Hiking

General Info

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

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