Santiago Tours and Holidays

Lots of flights to get to north & south Chile. The itinerary was good. For me Torres del Paine was the highlight. The hotel & location was excellent. I would have liked one more day. Our guide Andres was attentive and went out of his way to make our trip enjoyable. Local guides were also very good with a good level of spoken English. Overall a very good trip. Highly recommended.

As advertised, this trip is hectic. Little time to stop and reflect Not all the locations are equally appealing, or necessary it seems to me eg Puerto Montt. Even so my trip was an extremely well organised whizz through a spectacular country. The landscapes in Atacama and the Paine national park are astounding. For those who like birds and wildlife it is wonderful. The Andes are a sight to behold. So it you are content to take the travel pain for the sake of a glimpse of a spectacular country, then go for it. I was. Despite drawbacks I don't regret it.

The Explore leader was amazing and always went the extra mile in giving us information as well as extra cultural experiences. She is a natural leader who is well respected amongst her colleagues. We were in capable hands.

My Patagonia trip was a lifetime experience, made even better by traveling with a great group. Together, we explored beautiful trails, shared meals, and encouraged each other through windy hikes and long days. Being with the group made every moment more fun from spotting wildlife to reaching incredible viewpoints with mountains, glaciers, and bright-blue lakes all around us. We laughed a lot, learned from our guide, and enjoyed the peaceful feeling of being surrounded by nature. The scenery was stunning, the company was wonderful, and the trip left me with memories I’ll never forget.

This trip was an amazing way to see Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia. There were two full day hikes, one to base Torres and one to base Mt Fitzroy. Both hikes were about 15 miles round trip with 3000 to 4000 feet of elevation gain. Be prepared for these two full days of hiking. However, some of the group was able to hike faster while some could hike slower as there were three guides on each hike. The trip manager and guides were all friendly and helpful making for an enjoyable experience. Other activities included glacier viewing via boat, kayaking, and horseback riding which made for a well rounded trip. The weather is unpredictable so make sure you’re prepared for wind, rain, snow and sun possibly all in one day. This was the most active Contiki I have been apart of, and was a perfect change of pace from the usual city focused Contiki's. I highly recommend this tour if you’re looking to be in nature, experience Chilean and Argentinian culture, and have an active week.

Many aspects of this trip were most enjoyable, and Luciano, our guide, went out of his way to ensure we had a positive experience. Most of the accommodation was good, but Explore should find another option in Santiago. The Fundador in Santiago is a bit 'tired'. Also, there should be alternative activities in case the weather in Patagonia makes it impossible to follow the itinerary. But in general it was a most enjoyable trip!