5 *****

It was very memorable – reaching the lakeside at Torre del Paine after the trek through the valley; exhausted but exhilarating. The small group bred a camaraderie that added to the wealth of experiences.

The hotels were a level below what we might have chosen for ourselves but we could never haver reached such locations or enjoyed ourselves so much if not for the group experience.

Going to Patagonia really was the trip of a lifetime for us.

Getting to visit all 3 national parks was most welcome.  (We even got 2 days of sunshine in Ushuaia!). And we loved the hotels you suggested in Buenos Aires.

The scenery is unmatched, the hikes were well chosen and just arduous enough for us, our local guides and our driver and host guide were superlative, and our fellow group members were huge fun to be with, and a welcome diverse lot from several different nations.

The staffs at our base camps were first rate, looked after all our needs and provided good and more than ample food for us.

We enjoyed the estancia overnight very much.

We felt that Andean Trails did a good job of making sure we knew what to expect.

The Santa Cruz – Ulta trek was good acclimatization training for Huayhuash and we were glad we did this trek first. The four young Americans with us were good company.

The high camp below Yanayaku Pass across from Contrahierbas and the pass itself, and the earlier close-up sight of Alpamayo from the base camp side were the scenic highlights for us on this short trek.

Huayhuash is in a different league scenically and physically. It is really spectacular. It’s also not for the beginner trekker. We really liked our own small trip and flexibility we had in altering things with Rodolfo’s suggestions and knowledge.

Rodolfo was absolutely terrific in every way. He is an excellent organiser and guide and very worldly in his knowledge and views.

So all in all we are very happy with AT and your on-ground operations in Peru. Again, Rodolfo was terrific in Huaraz and on the trail.

There were a number of “reach the pass and see spectacular landscapes open up” moments; those were probably the high points.

I would highly recommend both the circuit and your company to anyone interested in that kind of experience (some strenuous hours, no-frills travel style, spectacular unspoiled landscapes).

I’m pleased to say that all the arrangements went to plan and the Eco Camp was excellent. Much better than an hotel. More comfort than I had expected and the food was excellent.

I was in a group of 11 and we had an excellent group dynamic even with an age range from 72 to 33. 3 Brits, 4 USA, 2 Canadians, 1 Honk Kong and 1 France.

We had 2 guides who were excellent.

Well worth the long journey and I can thoroughly recommend the holiday.

Hi Tom – just wanted to let you know that the riding was FANTASTIC and the Galapagos trip was WONDERFUL!

It was all a highlight really! The riding week was fantastic in terms of the setting / organisation/ quality of leadership / quality of horses and group composition.

And ditto in relation to the Galapagos Islands trip!

Sally was an excellent and knowledgeable guide – as was Martha on the Angelito.

I would rate the Guide as 10/10, or maybe a 9/10- really excellent.

The cook was great also, as were the donkey drivers.  Thanks for setting us up with such great people.  The food was very good, 9/10. Maybe a few more potatoes than we bargained for.

The highlights were probably the summits, although the rest days after the summits were very nice.

The trip was fantastic.

I think the trip was a life changing experience for some and everyone had nothing but positive things to say about it. The accommodation was of good standard and in a good central location.

It was more challenging than just doing the Inca Trail and that is what I wanted.

Thank you very much for organizing it and putting up with a lot of emails from the team/myself.

We’re back in El Calafate at the conclusion of our wonderful adventure.

Thanks so much to you, Andean Trails, and the local operators here in Argentina and Chile for what turned out to be a perfectly executed trip.

Everything went as scheduled with friendly and helpful people assisting us along the way.

The accommodations were great, the food delicious and nourishing (broiled salmon at a remote Refugio!), and the views and experience spectacular.

An unforgettable experience was watching the glacier calving at Perito Moreno. Every five or ten minutes, another building-sized block of ice came crashing down into the lake. Many of these events I was able to capture on video.

Again, thank you so much for everything, we will have memories that will last us a lifetime.

I got engaged on the 2nd day at Salkantay Pass which was a huge highlight and the team made such an effort to celebrate it with us.

It was absolutely amazing! It was tough at times but totally worth it. Your team in Peru were amazing, they were very professional.

Our guide, Percy was very passionate, knowledgable and very patient with me at times we reached high altitude. He never rushed on ahead, he kept our small group together and kept the atmosphere and energy high. His sense of humor and personality is great! The chef, Alberto made amazing food and such a variety!  The horsemen of course were lovely and very caring towards their animals.

Thank you for all the thorough information and instant replies, it was exactly as you explained.

I just wanted to send this email as a thank you and it has most certainly been the highlight of our Peru trip!

Just to let you know the holiday was a massive success…our best family holiday ever..!

Rodolpho was amazing – very knowledgeable, friendly, and good at accommodating the different skill levels and interests of the group.

Food was great – very impressed with what they can put together in the middle of the mountains!

Best hikes for me were Churup and Arhuaycocha – couldn’t get over the turquoise color of the water!

It was a fantastic experience… for me personally it was so rewarding and a real personal achievement.

The highlight for me…perhaps that iconic initial view down to Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate, the whole trip was great.

All our guides were fantastic and passionate and knowledgeable and the porters are incredible.

I would definitely recommend Andean Trails and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your help and advice which was so very helpful and glad we took a pair of walking sticks each!

Definitely made me feel restless, a fab memory to share with my daughter and looking forward to the next trip

We are now home again from our fantastic trip. We thoroughly enjoyed it all.

Hotel Las Torres at Torres del Paine – a lovely hotel. Very happy with our accommodation there and restaurants and bar etc. The guides were friendly and professional and we enjoyed it all.

With the Stella Australis, it was an experience to be standing on Cape Horn and some of the scenery was wonderful. I think we had been spoiled by the truly magnificent scenery of Torres del Paine and Mt Fitzroy.

All up, Alan, it was a fantastic holiday and we enjoyed it all. Thank you for your excellent service and advice in making all the arrangements, your brilliant suggestions and attention to all the details.

FANTASTIC! The trip was magical, magnificent and great fun and much of that is credit to you for helping us build such a wonderful holiday.

All of our guides and drivers were excellent but of course some were more exceptional than others. The driver who took us around on our last day in Cusco was better than most guides.

Coral I, Galapagos – On Galapagos we had 2 absolutely brilliant guides.

The boat was excellent and although the itinerary had changed slightly we had a fantastic array of experiences on many different islands. The accommodation was good and we are very pleased we upgraded. Being downstairs helped on those nights that the boat was moving in choppy waters as it only has a 2m draught and so can sway quite heavily.

Food was unbelievably good and plentiful given the limited resources. Extra snacks were provided when we came back from swimming/snorkelling and hot drinks were available 24 hours.

We had a memorable holiday and we thank you for all you did to make it work so well.

In summary, it was terrific and we have already, and will continue to sing the praises of Andean Trails.