Beautiful, scenic and relaxing This was an amazing experience for us. Although El Chalten is very touristy (I don't think I met a local), it offers amazing hiking routes for all types of fitness levels. At the end of one route, we ended up at a lake which had a glacier in the background and massive icebergs at the "shore". It was absolutely amazing. In El Calafate we ended up seeing the massive glacier, which was absolutely impressive! Just as a tip: If you'd like to do the walking routes, the boat ride isn't really necessary. It was included in our package, but if you're looking to save some time and money, you can easily exclude the boat ride without missing out on the majestic nature of this incredible iceberg. We also visited an Estancia (a ranch), where we rode horses, saw a sheep being sheered and ate some amazing lamb. My favourite trip! Highly recommended trip! Just bring a warm jacket ;)
Two weeks of wildlife bliss This was our second trip to Costa Rica (we travelled with Exodus 3 years ago and loved it) and it didn't disappoint. If you love the natural world this trip is for you. The entire holiday is spent immersed in the diversity of nature visiting some of Costa Rica's amazing locations From tiny leaf cutter ants to majestic whales this trip offers it all. Each stop on the itinerary offers its own unique view of the natural world with a abundance of wildlife in stunning surroundings.
Another tick on the bucketlist! Outstanding hiking holiday in a very beautiful part of the world. An expensive holiday, and a long way to travel, so it needed to be good. It was! This trip manages to efficiently fit in the trekking highlights of Patagonia with some sightseeing. Add on time to explore Buenos Aires and the optional trip to Iguassu Falls and you have a really well balanced, satisfying holiday.
We found the hiking to be easier than expected, but we did have great weather. We were surprised how busy the trails are - this is not a holiday for those seeking solitude.
Accommodation was relatively basic, but functional and adequate throughout. The Refugios in Chile are of a high standard - much better than European mountain refuges. Food throughout was excellent if you eat meat, possibly less so if you don't.