Best of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile

This was the trip that kept on giving. We were first timers with Explore but nothing disappointed. Carolina, our tour leader was wonderful and made sure everything flowed seamlessly. She found me veggie meals without fuss or issue, patiently translated and made sure we were all happy. A very sensible tweak was made to the itinerary in order to help us acclimatise to the altitude as well. All three countries gave us jaw dropping scenery and photo opportunities and day after day of natural beauty. There were many highlights but those that especially stood out were the huge and colourful rock formations and scenery in Argentina, the salt flats of Bolivia, the sundowners and wonderful stay at Luna Salada, the Atacama in Chile and the night of stargazing in Santiago. All in all, I can't recommend this trip enough and would definitely suggest adding time at the start and end if you can.

Excellent trip and itinerary. The bus in Bolivia had no microphone and so we had no commentary crossing the altiplano. The description of the optional stargazing tour was misleading and expensive - we mostly paid for photo shots with the night sky. The narrative however was excellent. The farewell dinner should not be at individual expense.

The trip was awesome with stunning landscapes of desert canyons, inca archaeological sites, salt flats and the unique geological formations of red sand and wind covered canyons in the valley of the moon, Atacama Desert. Every day had a unique and unforgettable experience with unbelievable nature views at their best. The tour leader Andreas attended to everyone's needs and questions with patience and humor. His knowledge about the local setup and different cultural norms across the 3 countries was very helpful. The drivers and local guides at every destination were very efficient, especially driving on Bolivia's salt flats is no easy task. The guides interchanged the days itinerary while visiting argentina's salt flats to get folks acclimatized to the high altitude which was a bonus. The accomodation in all the locations was clean and comfortable. There were just 6 of us on this trip and 2 SUVS was more than enough for all us to view the salt flats and its stunning scenery at leisure. The food was decent at all the restaurants recommended by Andreas and one could get a taste of the local cuisine and different culinary flavors in each country. I highly recommend this tour for anyone who is looking for something different and loves nature.

This was my first visit to all three countries (but my 10th with Explore). The itinerary was definitely 'full on', but we saw and experienced so much. The altitude and cool winter temperatures were challenging at times as we were traveling mid southern hemisphere winter, but we had the advantage of few other tourists around. Our tour leader, Andres was excellent in all ways, and ably supported by the local guides and drivers. Everything was perfectly orchestrated which in itself was a remarkable achievement. Altogether this was a wonderful trip. Extra info for travelers - all hotels had hair dryers in the room, and almost all had a tea/coffee maker in room or in the lobby

My first trip with Explore and, even though they’d been recommended by close friends, they exceeded my expectations. Customer care from the very start was exemplary and pre-departure information was clear, timely and comprehensive. The itinerary is very well chosen, with stunning landscapes, cultural variety and a good range of activities. It’s hard to pick highlights as there were so many but walking in the Humuaca Gorge, the incredible Uyuni salt flats and early morning Tatio volcanic geysers, and opportunities to view the stunning southern hemisphere night sky in clear and very dark conditions really stood out for me. The trip lives up to its “full on” billing - expect early starts, cold high altitude weather (down to -15C), and long days in the vehicles but you’ll be paid back amply in rich experiences. Tour leader Andres was second to none in knowledge, attention to detail and enthusiasm and the local guides were all first rate too.

This was a spectacular trip. There were so many wow moments, it's hard to pick out the highlights. There were stunning landscapes throughout: the colourful hills and villages of Argentina, the vineyards with cacti dotted throughout, the otherworldly Bolivian Altiplano, the amazing reflections in the water covered salt flats, and the Moon and Mars valleys in Chile. Although the trip is mainly focused on the landscapes, there were some nice cultural and wildlife experiences. I enjoyed the Pena show and the visit to a Bolivian local market. We saw lots of flamingos, vicuna and llama, and saw some charming vizcacha close up. This trip cost more than I would normally spend but I think it was totally worth it. Almost all activities are included and many of the included meals had three courses (not to mention the five course meal at the vineyard with wine pairing!). We didn't really pay for water and soft drinks and there was a surprising amount of alcohol included beyond the wine tasting day. Every sunset and some lunches were accompanied by a tipple. Hotels were all good, with the salt hotel a highlight. Transport was comfortable, although I suggest moving seats should be enforced so it's not always the same people in the best seats at the front. Logistics were seemless and our guide Diego was fantastic. He really made sure we were all looked after. Local guides and drivers were also great, in particular Yasmin and Danny in Argentina. Please make sure you pay into the tip kitty. Some people didn't and it meant that those working hard and providing essential services got less than normal. Remember that you are extremely privileged to go on such an amazing trip and that tips go a long way for people who do not have those same opportunities as us. Bolivia in particular was noticeably poorer. Lastly, we were all okay with the altitude, whether we had medication for it or not. Drinking water, coca leaves or candy and limiting alcohol helps. All in all, I highly recommend this trip.

Fabulous trip and our Explore leader Diego was the best we have encountered, he was just brilliant, we have never met a leader who was so suited to the job, he was just as excited as us about the things we saw and experienced along the way. Jasmine in northern Argentina also deserves a special mention. We saw so much on this trip. It was indeed fast paced as warned, lots of beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Though don't worry, time also for naps en route. However, warning, the scenery everywhere is so stunning, you really won't want to close your eyes and miss any of it! So hard to pick out highlights - however, we were lucky to have water in the Uyuni salt flats which were spectacular, we loved San Pedro and the sights around the town as well as Pumamarca and of course the mining town and market we visited in Bolivia. Make sure you book an optional star gazing tour around San Pedro if you can because the stars are incredible as is the Milky Way. Oh, and the day of wine tasting, also spectacular. Honestly, we loved all of this trip. if you can stay an extra night in Santiago, please do, as there is lots to see there! The elevation was handled carefully so that you don't elevate too quickly and you can adjust. We will never forget this trip! Thank you so much Diego!

Although I enjoyed the itinerary very much and there were some lovely experiences particularly in Bolivia, there some issues with the way the trip was operated. The tour guide in Argentina was very difficult to understand, she was very pleasant but only grasping about one word in ten was very frustrating and I missed information I would like to have had. We occasionally had conflicting information from the local guide and the tour leader regarding timing. Whilst not directly causing problems it did cause some anxiety and was frustrating. I understand the hotel change in Purmamarca was known to Explore before the final joining instructions were issued but not mentioned. The hotel was of a lesser standard not an equivalent as per Explore’s standard statement. This should have been advised and compensated. The 4x4 vehicles in Bolivia had to have someone in the centre back seat given our number. Taking my turn was totally acceptable however I was in pain for most of that part of the journey. I couldn’t possibly ask that someone else take my turn as I didn’t feel anyone should suffer in my place. The minibuses used also left something to be desired, with the exception of the front seats, viewing the wonderful landscapes this tour is all about was restricted. One in particular had very high seat backs. Explore should perhaps look at the running details of this new tour to provide more suitable customer experience for this very expensive trip.

This was an excellent itinerary, with long drives through wonderful landscapes. Unfortunately it was badly let down by cost-cutting on inadequate transport. 7-hour off-road journeys in 4x4s are part of the fun, but not when packed in, three to the back seat, all the way. One more vehicle would have made the trip so much better. The buses too were very cramped, with poor visibility. Add this to a seriously downgraded hotel for two nights, and there is a lot of room for improvement in what was not a cheap trip, even if it did feel like one.