Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Day boat trip in the Glacier national Park

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent. He worked hard and everything ran like clockwork

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't pay in dollars. Make sure you change to local currency.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the peak of Mount Fitzroy close up in bright sunshine after a long, at times challenging, ascent on foot was the stand-out highlight. This was closely followed by relaxing on a beach by the Perito Moreno glacier and a beer in probably the most southerly bar in the world.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier is warm and gregarious with a good sense of humour. His knowledge of the history, geography and nature of his country is extensive. He is passionate about his homeland and its culture and is keen to share traditions with the group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that this trip entails a lot of bus travel; many early morning starts; some basic accommodation and very little “free” time. As always on this type of tour, be aware that tipping for guides and drivers is not included and will come to around $100 per head.

Suggestions

Several of the hotels used on this trip were well below the standard that I expected for the price paid. Some barely had running water; many did not have showers which functioned efficiently and one was positively dangerous. The most comfortable hotel that we stayed in was 2 miles outside the town meaning that we had to catch taxis which was inconvenient. The accommodation overall was a disappointment and would make me consider using other tour groups in future. All other aspects of the holiday were exactly as described.

Most Inspirational Moment

Going on the optional boat trip to see glaciers, and Iguazu. They leave you speechless, awestruck and a little overwhelmed.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tomas del Toro I think is an exceptional being. His energy and enthusiasm will make you smile and motivate you to keep going and ignore the wind and rain of Patagonia, when it happens. His attention to detail, general knowledge and expertise, humanity and humility will exceed your expectations of what you think the trip will offer.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do it!

Most Inspirational Moment

The views at dawn of the Torres del Paine Massif.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Tomas was more than excellent. He was very attentive to all the group and their needs. He gave us a great deal of information and led the tour very well. His only fault was I think he tried too hard to please everybody. Oh, and he does talk a lot!

Advice for Potential Travellers

The trip notes are not always updated and itineraries can change. Pack light. You're only allowed 15kg hold luggage on the internal flights - but you can carry 8kg as hand luggage. The airline does not always enforce its rules though. Research beforehand. More options are available for your free days than may be obvious. Expect crowds on the most popular hikes and attractions. The Perito Moreno Glacier expects half a million visitors a year but only 2,000 tourists get to La Leona Petrified Forest ! Take a good camera with a wide angle lens as the landscapes are stunning. Try to get up early for the dawn light and enjoy the sunsets. Wildlife can be elusive and more often spotted from the minibus. See the penguins! Breakfasts are meagre but expect your waistline to expand: we dined out every evening and meal portions are huge! ATM in Argentina restrict you to 4,000 ARS and cost a lot to use. But Santander Rio have branches in all the towns we visited. If you have an account, it gives you a much better rate. Spend a few days in Buenos Aires if you have the chance. It's pretty safe and easy to get around. There's some lovely Art Nouveau architecture, a lively café-culture, craft markets at the weekend, fine Opera and bookshops, tango dinner dances and lots of urban art. We recommend a 5-hour cycle trip: Hidden Graffiti And Urban Art Tour.

Suggestions

We were expected to contribute to a kitty at the start of the tour for tips. This and the gratuity for our tour leader added considerably to the overall cost of the holiday and the amount of cash we needed to carry. While I agree we should reward good service, I felt this was excessive on occasions. We would have liked to have had longer to enjoy the El Chalten area and the Torres dal Paine. Maybe at the expense of the long journey down to Tierra del Fuego.

Most Inspirational Moment

The three hikes: Torres del Paine Laguna de los Tres Lomo del Pliegue Seeing the Milky Way from the hotel in Torres del Paine. The glacier boat trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was great. Dependable and knowledgable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There are some long driving days as per trip notes. Also the hikes are not gentle. Most are uphill most of the way and moderately difficult in areas. If you’re keen on ice climbing on the glacier book we’ll in advance. Currency: a mix of US dollars and pesos is best as not all places accept dollars. Get pesos out of cash machine but there is a charge. A few of us did a scenic flight in Ushuaia as the weather was so good. Reasonably priced and worthwhile. Book ahead. Suggest having a few days in Buenos Aires at the end to unwind and see the city in a relaxed pace. Even better - Xavier can organise kayaking trips in the Tigre delta which is a great way to get away from the hussle and bustle. When you arrive in Pueto Natales you’ll be wiped out and won’t want a fancy meal... ask about the pizza bar/restaurant along the road. Pizzas were amazing - and big. The beer is good too. Left overs served a great mid-morning snack the next day.

Most Inspirational Moment

First steak in Buenos Aires....seeing birds and animals in the wild...fighting the wind on the fossil walk...seeing the Milky Way...hand print from 6,500 years ago on cave wall...

Thoughts on Group Leader

The best! Xavier is warm, direct, likeable, entertaining, thoughtful and a true professional. He obviously loves the region and his work. We couldn't have wished for a better tour guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Keep a journal otherwise the whole trip will be a blur and you will lose many memories. Binoculars would have been useful.

Most Inspirational Moment

For me it was completing the first hike. Not only did we have perfect skies and weather for our views of Mt. Fitz Roy and glaciers off in the distance during this hike, but as a new hiker I definitely had a sense of accomplishment that I could actually do this in the first place. My husband would say the hike in Torres del Paine was most rewarding, as he thought the trail and views were better (I didn’t partake unfortunately, but was instead treated to a more private tour of the park with two other members of the group who also weren’t up for the arduous trek that day). We also booked an extra excursion during our free day in El Calafate to hike on Perito Moreno Glacier that we both agree ranked as another favorite part of the trip. We missed our way more fun Exodus group, but still had a blast drinking from glacial streams, hopping over crevasses, and silently eating lunch on the middle of the glacier while listening for distant avalanches. Pictures don’t do Patagonia justice — it’s unbelievably beautiful, and every viewpoint was in its own way an inspiration.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was amazing! I had been hoping to have him as a guide as previous reviews really raved about him and we were not disappointed one bit. From being very open with us, to having all the best advice of what to eat, to saving us at the last minute in the little ways (like giving us a copy of the roadmap that we missed out on, or arranging for some trekking poles for us on a moment’s notice) to the bigger stuff (taking one in our group to the doctor to make sure everything was all right after a bad fall, or frantically making sure we were all checked in on our flight to Buenos Aires after an airline strike the day before) he really worked hard to make sure everyone had an enjoyable experience. This is only our second Exodus trip but we can tell Xavier is a high-caliber guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

A few things: 1) The full-day hikes really are tough. Poles are a must if you don’t want to feel completely wiped out. Also, just as an FYI, they are both around 14 miles with 3000 to 4000ft of elevation gain (starting from a fairly low elevation though) with a lot of that gain being in some rather steep, shorter sections. I wish I had trained ahead of time so that I could have participated in all the hikes, including the free day one the *entire* group went on in El Chalten except for us. 2) Breakfast in most places is going to be toast with a few small pieces of ham & cheese that you might be really sick of by the end of the trip. Pack extra snacks if this is a concern! 3) Cash only in most places, no joke. Especially with the fluctuations in the Argentinian economy these days, your cards are mostly unwelcome. There’s a bank in the EZE airport right by the customs doors (before or after — we went after) that has a very fair exchange rate and, if I remember correctly, takes GBP as well as USD. In Chile, cards are accepted everywhere except the middle-of-nowhere toilet stops you’ll desperately need, so you only need a small amount of Chilean pesos. 4) If your heart is set on a glacier walk in El Calafate or a penguin walk in Ushuaia, these things sell out early. Let your guide know days in advance you’d like to book these (with the hopes of getting a spot), or book them yourself ahead of time. Note that the penguin walk may make you miss out on the morning walk in Tierra del Fuego though, so choose wisely! 5) A lot of times in restaurants, Xavier was nice enough to give us a taste of what he’d ordered. You’d think after a couple times we’d realize he was routinely ordering the best dish and copy him but alas we did not. So my advice to you is — if he’s your guide — ask what he’s having before you order. The man knows what to pick!

Suggestions

Not really — just have fun if you choose to go on this trip! Accept that the bus rides can be a bit long and uneventful, and that you’ll need plenty of cash on this trip, and then roll with any inconveniences that might arise. You’re in the middle of nowhere a lot of the time and it’s amazing how well orchestrated the trip actually is considering that.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were many candidates but the day walk to the Torres del Paine just about wins the prize. The views were spectacular and we were exceptionally lucky with the weather so could see the towers very clearly.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We were very lucky to have such an experienced guide as Xavier. He ensured that everything about the trip went smoothly and always focussed on our needs.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Get fit beforehand as the treks are hard but we’ll worth the effort,

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the granite horns in the Torres Del Paine National Park, for as long as i can remember I’ve looked in awe at the mountains in magazines but to see them face to face was a dream realised.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier, was good in lots of ways, friendly and as helpful as he could be, often going out of his way to ensure others enjoyed their holidays.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take hundreds of pictures and soak in that amazing scenery.

Suggestions

No

Most Inspirational Moment

The ascent to the bases of Mount Fitzroy and Torres del Paine in glorious weather, along with viewing the Mereno Glacier at such close proximity plus seeing a puma so close to where we were walking

Thoughts on Group Leader

Xavier was such a great leader. He was so enthusiastic & knowledgable about his country & worked so hard to ensure we had a really good holiday.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it! You won’t regret it. Well worth the effort & all the travelling