Andes Sightseeing Trips

Itinerary: while the tour was rated as "full on", we discussed on a number of occasions that we all had expected - and hoped for - more physical activities and serious hikes rather than leisurely strolls and a lot of hop-on, hop-off as there would have been time for that in the itinerary. It was also confirmed that normally, guests are older and it would make sense to manage expectations in that regard. Explore Leader: as we had the privilege to only be a group of 4, we often felt to be over-chaperoned with a tour leader, a local guide and a driver which was a ratio of 3:4 which probably makes sense for bigger groups. While it is nice to have a knowledgeable tour leader for the entire trip, there really was very little for him to do on most days other than time management, room allocations, splitting restaurant bills or liaising with HQ for queries as the local guides did all the site seeing. It often felt we were five guests, not four. Accommodation: No complaints, comfortable and adequate. Of course, being a single traveller who was willing to share but then got a room to myself as there was no-one to share with, I was very lucky and did not expect premium rooms.

This is a great trip to see a variety of unique environments and to learn about the history of these areas. Andres is an excellent tour guide and leader. As the itinerary is so packed there is limited time for hiking or more strenuous activity. Definitely recommend this trip.

The itinerary was full on. Our fantastic guide Carolina made some well planned changes in terms of altitude. This meant we gradually increased up to the highest point which made adjustment to high altitude much easier. The salt flats in Bolivia were fantastic. They were the real highlight for me. All the drivers and local guides looked after us very well. Always felt safe in the vehicles and well looked after. The internal flights all ran very smoothly as did the border crossings. A great trip seeing these 3 amazing countries.

The hotel in Buenos Aires wasn't in a great neighborhood--Palermo would have been much nicer. My only complaint about the itinerary was too much downtime in San Pedro de Atacama. It would have been good to have one afternoon free, but two was too much without an idea of what else there is to do. Even providing a list of possible excursions would have been helpful. Other than that, I loved the itinerary--we saw and did so much! I preferred spending three night in Uyuni--our scheduled night in Tupiza was changed due to elections that day. However, even though you changed our itinerary to have us stay in Uyuni that night, our drivers couldn't take us out because they didn't have permission to do so until late afternoon/early evening. Everything worked out OK in the end, but we basically sat around all day in the hotel, and I think that could have been handled better. Our guide for the whole trip, Carolina, was superb! She was knowledgeable, friendly, and very approachable. Our local guides were also good, some more than others.

This was a well planned trip to a collection of destinations less well known to most travellers from the UK. The scenery was incredible, ever changing and thrilling. There were too many highlights to mention, but both salt flats and the geysers in the Atacama desert stand out. The hotels were all fine, interestingly different and comfortable. We were never cold, despite warnings of this. The Luna Salada hotel in Bolivia was a great hit with all our group. Another night there would not have gone amiss. In Bolivia we were transported around in 4x4 vehicles. There were three passengers, plus the driver, in each car. This worked very well and was a great way to travel all those off road tracks. Something that we really appreciated and enjoyed was the 'picnics' provided by Explore staff. To have a table, with a white tablecloth, comfortable chairs and delicious food and wine provided , out on the remote salt flats, was a real treat. The visit to the wine region of Cafayate was excellent. The journey alone was worth it to take in the stunning scenery. A few more stops to appreciate the scenery and take yet more photos would have been welcomed. The tour round the first vineyard we visited was comprehensive, interesting and well delivered. The lunch at the second vineyard was a delicious affair, in beautiful surroundings. However, the tour round the second winery was not really necessary, it was not as good as the first winery tour and I feel that we would all have preffered to linger over our meal. This trip is, as advertised, "full-on", as it has to be with the ground covered. It offers something a bit different for those adventurers who are looking for new experiences and outstanding scenery.

The trip was well planned in ref to itinerary and Blanca was excellent seeing to the needs of everyone, very calm and relaxed no matter if situation occurred unexpectedly. Have 2 comments - If a planned event was not possible, having the leader communicate other possible ideas as an option would be welcome . - the coordination of transportation to airport was not communicated by local Santiago staff despite having sufficient time to do so.