Kimkim Trip Reviews for Patagonia

Thanks to Axel and Oleksandra for helping to create a very memorable experience for my friend and I. We planned an amazing trip through Patagonia, beginning in Santiago, and ending in Buenos Aires. Calafate and El Chaten were definitely highlights. Axel checked in with us throughout our journey. I will absolutely use KimKim again, and I’ve been recommending it to everyone.

The trip was amazing! Thank you to Erin and Nara for organising such a great trip, we had such a good time. Everything was really well organised, the itinerary was clear and helpful, and we always knew exactly what we needed to do each day without needing to worry. All the activities really suited us and the structure of the trip was well put together, we really noticed the consideration and experience that had gone into planning the trip.

One tip for others is to be prepared for things to change due to the weather, which in Patagonia is unpredictable and can be wild (particularly the wind), sometimes an activity may need to be cancelled/modified because the weather is too extreme. We had a boat trip cancelled due to wind, when that happened though, Erin and Nara were super helpful and responsive in organising an alternative.

The two-day ice trek at Cagliero was definitely the highlight of our whole trip, we loved it! It was very challenging, definitely not for everyone, but we were up for the challenge and the reward was worth the effort!

One final thing, all the guides we had (Mika, Dennis, Berenice, Andreas and Eritmar) were great! They were experienced, knowledgeable and friendly (and all spoke English really well).

Our guide to Chileo was awesome, he was Javier, a Mapucin. Awesome day.

Rapa Nui our guide for two days was Hugo. Degree in Rapa Nui culture! He was wonderful.

Our guide to Valparaiso was Orlando. He too was awesome. He had been our driver on a lot of shuttles prior as well.

Santiago tour was so so

The Lake tour from Puerto Varas was very nice.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel DoubleTree by Hilton Santiago Kennedy

Santiago

Great staff who helped with boarding passes, restaurants and holding out bags. Good breakfast and late night drinks at top floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Park Inn by Radisson Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Nice place with great breakfast Convenient location

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vai Moana

Easter Islan

Great breakfast and dinner Great grounds. Chickens in the yard are cool. Some issues with getting hot water for shower. No AC.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Bar tender was great

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tour Around the Llanquihue Lake

Puerto Varas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Excursion to Chiloe Island: Ancud, Castro & Dalcahue - PRIVATE

Puerto Varas

This was an awesome trip. Just the two of us, no dual translation. Learned about Mapucin culture from him, Javier was Mapucin. Great lunch spot in Castro on the water. Great local market tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Javier all the way😁

Transport

Panoramic City Tour

Santiago

Fairly basic other than changing of the guard. Blue rock store was not needed

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Easter Island Full Day Tour

Easter Island

Sooo much history. Hugo was our guide and he has a degree in Rapa Nui culture. Two days with him was totally awesome

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Orongo Tour

Easter Island

Same comments as the full day tour

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Half Day Akivi Tour

Easter Island

Same comments as the full day tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Full Day - Valparaiso & Viña del Mar

Santiago

The side tours were good on the way there. Valparaiso was great. Orlando was an awesome guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

First tour guide did not show and no communication to us. Orlando was infill and awesome.

The trip was overall great! Thanks for everything!

Activity Review

Visit Estancia Mercedes

Patagonia

One of the best days of my life - incredible from start to finish!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Camilo, our guide did a great job. The lunches got old after a few days but the food was good besides. The Frances camp tents were one person tents for two people - not great. All other accommodations were great and we enjoyed being with all of the other hikers. It was a trip of a lifetime!

Erin was absolutely amazing. We stared to plan this trip six months in advance, and her attention to detail was very impressive. We had no logistical issues whatsoever, and it was a very well-organized trip. Would absolutely encourage you to use her services. It was a trip of a lifetime!

The O route was spectacular - the views and hikes were very nice. Varied landscapes, open plains, glaciers, high passes and lagoons. Accommodations were very fun - our particular group spent half of our nights in tents and half in the Refugio’s - we enjoyed the mix. It was a super experience all around.

El calafate was a great little town. B n B there was comfortable and very kind and helpful staff. Tours were great from there. Perito Moreno glacier amazing, so beautiful. Hotel in Puerto Natales, hotel Costraulias was great location! Day trip to Torres Del Paine was wonderful. Highlight of the trip was the day at Estancia Mercedes. Wonderful people, stunning property, incredible lunch and then quesadillas and mate tea on the side of the waterfalls, horseback riding through gorgeous, rivers and streams, and amazing views, returning to another home-cooked delicious meal for dinner in their cozy cabin with delicious wine, wonderful company and ending the day with a gorgeous rainbow over the water and dolphins and puppies and kitties and smiles all around. Incredible day! Boat trip and hikes to O’Higgins glacier was great too. Hotel in Santiago was great location and tour to winery and Valparaiso and Viña Del Mar and Reñaca was great to see the many beaches of Chile. We concluded our trip with more exploring the coast and visiting the surfing capital of Pichilemu. Tour guides were all professional and kind. Only mishap was not getting picked up at the airports. Drivers weren’t there as outlined in the tour but all other parts of the trip were wonderful. Erin put together a great trip in a short amount of lead time. Great job Erin!

Our local specialist, Erin and our on the ground advisor, Nara were both great. Communication was excellent and they were both very responsive.

This was a big trip for us and we felt well supported by Kim Kim and Ditmar/Walk Patagonia. The app was helpful, and Erin was well-organized and responsive.

Nara was a friendly communicator in Puerto Natales and helpful to have as a local orientation. Some feedback - we found the maps for the W not accurate, and we would have preferred distances and elevation changes over # of hours for each hike. A special thanks for the "back up" plan if the Lago Grey Navigation got canceled. We were very lucky on our day of departure - calm water in the morning. Crazy wind and rain in the afternoon. We really did not want to hike back to Paine Grande after 1 pm, and we had heard that the catamarans were sold out, even if we got there.

The only negative feedback I would offer is for the cancellation policy. We paid well in advance of our trip, and some of the hotels/excursions had more generous cancelation policies than Kim Kim offered. With so much uncertainty, I would like to suggest Kim Kim offer the same cancelations offered to customers who book directly with hotels/excursions as when we book with Kim Kim

Thank you so much for getting our money back from our hotel in El Chalten. We really appreciate the extra effort.
Hope you guys have a great rest of your summer in Chile.

Erin and Nara helped us with our W trek and our transport and lodging from Lago Grey in Chile to our El Calafate and El Chalten stays. They were very responsive and the KimKim platform made it very easy for us to review our conversations and trip details. When one of us left her sunglasses on a shared ride van, Nara was very responsive and contacted the transport provider who found and delivered the sunglasses to us! After we made a change to one of our lodging arrangements, Erin went anboce and beyond and was able to get us refunded for the 2 nights we didn’t stay. The only thing that would have been even better is if we had both elevation and distances for each of the W segments but it appears that most available maps only had approx time and some distances.

Hotel Reviews

Refugio El Chileno

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Refugio Los Cuernos

Torres del Paine - W trek Circuit Reserva Cerro Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Aquaterra

Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Refugio Paine Grande

Puerto Natales, Chile

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Refugio Grey

Torres del Paine National Park

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lunajuim

El Chalten

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Minitrekking Ice Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

★A big reason why I chose Kim Kim Tour
・ Ms. Emilce Alonso provided a very detailed information about all of my questions and courteous response(ex Chile side or Argentina side)
・I didn't know how to travel and how to spend time in the Patagonia El Chalten& El Calafate, however she arranged the best schedule for me.
・We were able to carefully share information using chat from the tour schedule to the day of departure.
・After arriving at the Buenos Aires, El Chalten & El Calafate, the transfer to the airport proceeded on time using a similar chat system with the local staffs in charge.
・The two-step system from reservation to payment is easy to understand, and the cancellation system is also clarified.

★Detailed reasons for choosing Kim Kim Tour
・Hotel selection was close to the trailhead, in the center of the downtown area, etc. The location was good and the concierge staff was solid.
・Local staffs with driver who met us at the site, exchanged money, pre-flight check-in, and reserved seats for the flight
・My big trouble: Even when the window glass was broken due to strong winds at the EL Chalten hotel, the chat system with the local staff in charge responded smoothly.

Hotel Reviews

Two Hotel Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Location is very good, Easy to go around a city sight seeing, and one more good point is late check out system until 14;00 pm.

Authenticity & Character

late check out system until 14;00 pm.

Location

Very good!

Staff

Vey kind & English speaking

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good

Kapenke Hotel

El Calafate

Location is good, Staff is so kind, English speaking

Authenticity & Character

good

Location

Staff

Kind & English speaking

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good

Hotel Kalenshen El Chalten (NO USAR)

El Chalten

Location is good, Staff is so kind, English speaking

Authenticity & Character

Good

Location

Good

Staff

Good

Cleanliness & Comfort

Good

Activity Reviews

Nativo Experience

El Calafate

All of attendee is Spanish speaking, however Driver gave me detail explanation about Patagonia history to only me in English.

Quality of Experience

Good

Food

Excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very good

Transport

Good

Perito Moreno Glacier Excursion 🗻

El Calafate

Amazing experience in my life,

Quality of Experience

Excellent

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good

Transport

Good

Nautical Safari

El Calafate

Excellent

Quality of Experience

GOod

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good

Transport

Good

We felt that Kimkim was well worth the amount we paid for our trip to the Lake District in Chile. Every need was anticipated, all transfers were easy. On each leg of our trip, we had contact before, during, and after each new event was scheduled. A

Almost all of our guides and excursions were excellent. (we had one guide who really was unqualified, and were very disappointed with that, as we did not get to see some of the cultural offerings we were interested in). Our outdoor guides were tops, especially Consuelo, who headed our kayak excursion in Porto Varas, and reconfigured it well due to deteriorating weather; Juaquine in Porto Varas, who guided us in Alerce Andina National Park, with a wealth of information about flora and fauna, and Felipe in Pucon, who had extensive knowledge of geology, mountaineering, and botany. The hikes we did were varied and fascinating, and we couldn't have been happier.

We did not want luxury accommodations, and we were very happy with all of our hotels, most of which we were the only gringos in the guest list. All of the hotels were clean, all of the hosts were friendly, and all of the breakfasts were adequate.

I would not hesitate to book through kimkim again, as they really checked every box we had on our list.

As we travelled to both Chile and Argentina, we have broke our comments into two sections.

CHILE:
All told we are quite happy with our Chilean road trip, but if you are open to some points going forward,
here are my Chile notes and recommendations for future bookings.

-Santiago: quite happy with this our arrival and starting off point;
- Temuco: I would personally scratch the hotel stay here,as for the one night stay, it was constant 1 hr. traffic fight to go into the City and then the next day go back out the same way, once again passing the airport where we came in to then drive to Pucon, where I would recommend a two day stay there instead of one night in Temuco and only one in Pucon

- Pucon: beautiful spot;again saying two days here would have been better, as that way you could have the Guide there be able to do the tour to the Volcano, without the rush and having to pack the rental cars with the luggage, do the hike and then leave for Huilo-Huilo. As far the organized hike with Juan Paublo, you already got my report on using a rental car to go up the rugged mountain trail only suitable for 4 wheel drive jeeps and the problems that created.
- Hate to take business away from Juan Paublo, (JP) but I would suggest that hopefully JP or if not him or her another English speaking guide could pick up the customers in his or her 4 wheel drive Jeep to do the drive and hike, because we we’re very disappointed to miss that hike, due to the car unable to get up there.
- Huilo-Huilo: Magic Mountain: great experience,unique place.
-
- Valdivia: Sorry again to take possible business away from JP, as he is very nice and speaks very good English,but again a little rushed, as it is a 3 hr drive to get there and then JP was waiting for us upon arrival and immediately we had to go on a drive and hike, with barely catching our breath and then again with an unsuitable car to do the proposed hike , we had to change locations and did a simple short hike, not the one planned
- Suggest: giving the first day of arriving in Valdivia after the 3 hr drive, just a chance to do a Self day to look around as we didn’t get much of chance to see Valdivia, as you also had a full day excursion planned for the next day with JP.
- Speaking of the next day, again JP was not really needed as we drove out with him to cross the ferry to Corral and then had to go to the National Ranger office, to pick up their guide and go in his Jeep on a very rugged trail to see the ancient larch trees. We could have driven there ourselves and met the guide without having to use and pay for JP’s services, as the local guide ( Edmundo) could have been booked and expected us at a given time frame. JP wasn’t even aware he couldn’t go up there himself and we had to use their guide. We couldn’t have gone up anyway, as there is no way our car would haven’t made it.
- Puerto Varas: everything good
- Ancud: as this was over the day before New Year’s Eve, New Years Eve and New Year’s Day, hardly anything open. Understandable and no way around that.
- However suggest add the trip out to the Penguin colony in Punihuil as the day trip, as this we found on our own and it was less than an hour away from Ancud and the highlight of the area.

Thank you for the Chilean experience;

Mike and Pat Chatwin
Comox, BC
CANADA

Argentina

I had previously sent a recap of our journey and travel through Chile , to Oleksandra. The following is our time through Argentina.

First though, we would like to congratulate and applaud the fine work that mainly Oleksandra and then Axel and the Tour Company Tangol put into our package. It was definitely not easy to come up with a 40+ day travel package that included both Chile and Argentina, that we would be happy with , including a large portion of it been a self- drive holiday, trying to cover the main attraction spots in each country and to make it even harder; over the summer and Christmas/New Year holidays. So, thank you so much for arranging this.

Argentina

- We first travelled into Argentina by the experience of “Crossing the Lakes” . A series of : 3 Catamarans and 3 buses from Puerto Varas in Chile to Bariloche in Argentina. A very long 14 hr day , but definitely worth the experience.
- Bariloche: only down side to the Very touristy city of Bariloche was, we we’re there during the very peak summer season, so the population of the area triples during that time, which may have been the reason for some of the delays and hotel availability selections. In saying that, wouldn’t have chosen the Carlos V Hotel there, as it wasn’t on the drop off route for the buses and where we we’re dropped off, was a 4 block, uphill climb over uneven cobblestone roads, plus with a car rental arranged , the hotel has no parking spaces and it was near impossible to get parking anywhere near the hotel (3 blocks away for parking and extra 4,000 pesos for overnight, secure parking). Which , speaking of car rental there; as we didn’t arrive until 21:30, the arranged car rental office was closed, so would suggest not having the rental pickup arranged until the next day.
- **Both the El Chalten and El Calafate portions we’re wonderful . Great experience. Great hikes and extraordinary scenery. All transfers went well, no problems.
-
- Ushuaia: : A definite highlight portion. Hotel in walking distance to the town and the tours arranged we’re very interesting. Points to note though: as mentioned for the hike out at the National Park, credit card was not accepted and had to borrow money from the guide for entrance. Should tell future clients to expect this and have 5,500 pesos per person ready for the entry fee.
- Hike was very nice, as well as the lunch and rafting.
- Penguin Island cruise was a good day, but again as mentioned; good thing we checked the new vouchers with the old ones, as the two excursions we’re flipped on each day.
- ** As mentioned: When your contact company makes changes to the original vouchers, they should send a * Change note to both us and you, as the excursion dates we’re flipped for each day and almost missed it. That goes for Hotel changes as well, from the original vouchers .
-
- Mendoza : 3 days, there was plenty, as it was over a weekend,so a lot of places we’re closed; wineries, etc. But managed to get some driving sightseeing in and even a round of golf. Nice hotel.

- Salta: This was where it was too bad our original hotel (Marquis De Tojo) out in the country got changed to the one in the city of Salta ( The Inkai) , as we we’re to return here 3 different times and again very limited, to no parking and very busy area, with a lot of street construction going on. Thank you for changing the hotel on the last day.

- Purmamarca: Fantastic Mountain Village. Great hikesand dazzling coloured canyons. A ver interesting old western style town . Thoroughly enjoyed.

- Cachi: The Drive from Cachi was a sensational,long twisty road , with huge elevation changes that definitely kept you focused. The drive was the highlight , as by the time you got there, your pretty tired, and with only one night booked, not really enough time to look around ( two nights here would have been better).
-
- Cafayate: Again, same as above; the Drive was the highlight, as only one night , would have preferred two), as a nice hotel at the Wine Resort. Be warned: The drive from Cachi to Cafayate,along Route 40 is a long washboard track that you are constantly driving at approximately only 20-25 km’s an hour as you are being bounced around.BUT; the scenery through the canyons was spectacular. If at all possible the car rental in Argentina should be a SUV or something similar.
-
- Cafayate back to Salta: What could have been a spectacular , easy drive along the Canyon filled Route 68 , ended up due to a huge rainstorm and flooding the night before , being anything but relaxing. A 2.5 hr drive ended up taking 7.5 hrs and we we’re just lucky to even get through at all, with constant stops, flooded out roads and heavy eqpt working just to try to keep a small one lane mud path opened to let cars go through. Just back luck on our part, that the rains came when they did.

- Iguazu Falls: This is where once again where our hotel vouchers we’re changed from the original hotel to the Mercure Hotel. However, a nice change , as we we’re spoiled to be upgraded to this fabulous 5 star hotel.
- For the Excursions to the Falls; First the Argentina Side:
- Group tour with a guide that really a guide was not needed, nor the large group. As we had to leave early in the a.m. and got there at the same time as ALLLL the other large bus tours, which unfortunately put us ALL, on the same walkways, at the same time, causing turtle like walking and very limited opportunities to enjoy the view points. The guide doesn’t give any information of interest, just helps herd everyone.
- We would have rather gone out on our own for a 3,500 pesos taxi ride, later in the afternoon,when all the tour buses have departed and walked our own route, with far less people. Again credit cards did not go through, so ensure you have the 5,500 pesos per person for entry.
-
- Brazilian Side: Obviously guide needed to coordinate the border crossing . Credit cards did work here for entry.
- Spectacular views from this side and although still crowded due to the Summer Season, did not feel as congested. Fantastic views.

- Buenos Aires: final stop and as not city folk and really not liking the concrete jungle of big cities, but we had to come here to be able to fly back home through the International Airport. Just our bias opinion, some would probably love it. We did visit a few historic sites and had some nice meals and of course the highlight of the city having you arrange the most spectacular Tango Show and Dinner for us.

Leave to go back to Canada on Monday, and want to once again; thanks to all for putting this South America package together for us.
Mucho Gracias;

Michael and Patricia Chatwin
Comox, British Columbia
Canada
🇨🇦

When I was contacted by Erin, we discussed all that we wanted to do in 2 weeks time. Buenos Aires was a must for us - I had heard so much about this city so wanted a coupe of days to explore it. From BA, my daughter, a friend (from Botswana), and I flew to El Calafate and then to El Chalten for 3 days. Our private hiking guide (Leo) in El Chalten was fantastic and so knowledgeable. With his expertise an encouragement, my daughter and I were able to hike Laguna de los Tres and Mt. Fitzroy which was quite difficult due to the extreme wind and rain that day but the view at the end of the hike was phenomenal! We then spent 2 nights in El Calafate. The highlight of this portion of the trip was a visit to the magnificent Perito Moreno glacier. On the way to the glacier, we visited two rain forests and learned about some of the history of the region.
From El Chalten, we traveled to Puerto Natales by a luxury bus and had a free day to explore this cute little town on the outskirts of Torres Del Paine where we had some delicious ice cream! The following day, we boarded a bus to Torres Del Paine where we stayed for the next 3 days. One of the highlights of this part of the trip was a private hike we arranged through the hotel to view cave paintings and natural flora and fauna. It was truly one of the best days of our stay along with a private tour of the southern portion of Torres Del Paine the following day. Our guide Devi was friendly, personable, and knowledgeable and along with our driver, made our day extremely enjoyable! The highlight of the private tour was the hike to Mirador Los Cuernos where we had lunch and enjoyed the magnificent view!
From Torres del Paine, we returned to Puerto Natales for 2 nights. One of the days here was spent at Estancia Mercedes which we highly recommend. We were not sure what to expect but this turned out to be one of the best days of our vacation! Sebastian and his family were so warm and hospitable. We went horseback riding to their private waterfalls where spent part of the day building a fire to make matte and sample some delicious snacks. The breakfast and lunch was sumptuous.
From Puerto Natales, we headed back for a night at El Calafate before departing for Buenos Aires and then home.

Hotel Reviews

Duque Hotel Boutique & Spa

Buenos Aires

This cute boutique hotel was located in a great neighborhood (Palermo). Our room was clean but on the smaller side with inadequate lighting. The staff were friendly and welcoming and the breakfast had something for everyone!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hosteria Senderos

El Chalten

A cozy hotel with charm and character at the foot of Mount Fitzroy! Our room had a wonderful view of the mountains. We enjoyed the outstanding and warm hospitality and the multi-course dinner on New Year's Eve.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

We loved this hotel with it's many amenities and high speed WiFi. It was close to the downtown are of El Calafate and within walking distance of many restaurants and shops. The massage on our last day was excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Las Torres Patagonia

Torres del Paine

A beautiful hotel at the heart of the park. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The breakfast was outstanding with so many choices. However, there are not many lunch/dinner options for vegetarians or vegans .

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Front desk staff were not the friendliest!

Cleanliness & Comfort

NOI Indigo Patagonia

Puerto Natales

A beautiful hotel with unique architecture and proximity to the Puerto Natales sea.We stayed here two separate times on our trip to Patagonia and liked it both times. One one of the days, our room hadn't been swept since there was still gravel and debris on the floor.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Buenos Aires City Tour

Buenos Aires

The tour allowed us to explore different neighborhoods of Buenos Aires. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Flexible Guided Hikes in El Chaltén

El Chaltén

The guided hike to Laguna de los Tres and Mount Fitzroy was challenging but our guide Leo made it a great experience. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the area as well as the flora and fauna. The next day, our guided hike to Lago Viedma was an easier one. Leo was, once again, very knowledgeable and so much fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Not applicable

Admire the Famous Perito Moreno Glacier [Mayo Trek - Alternative Excursion]

El Calafate

This was a fantastic excursion from start to finish! We loved all parts of this adventure from the boat ride to the visit to the rain forests to Perito Moreno.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Patagonia

Devi was an excellent guide. Our favorite parts of the tour were hikes to Lake Nodenskjol, Mirador Los Cuernos, sampling Calafate blueberries along the way, a visit to Lake Sarmiento, Lago Pehoe and Grey Lake.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Estancia Mercedes

Patagonia

We were not sure what we were going to do at Estancia Mercedes other than horse back riding but this visit turned out to be one of the great experiences of our trip. The family were very hospitable and the meals were so delicious. It helped that, in addition to my daughter could speak some Spanish, there was a young couple who were staying there who spoke Spanish, This allowed us to have lively and informed conversations with the family!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Ride to El Canto de los Turbales Waterfall (Estancia Mercedes)

Patagonia

This was a great adventure and experience! Before getting on our horses, we were given a mini 'riding' lesson and safety tips. The ride to the falls was about 30 minutes through a very pretty forest. Once at the waterfall, we made a fire (from sticks and twigs we collected) and boiled water (from the waterfall) to make mate (an herbal drink). We also used the fire to toast bread that had been packed as part of the snacks). We feasted on mate and snacks before venturing to the waterfall where we 'played' for a while. We then returned to the Estancia after putting down the fire. All through both rides, we took sips from a bota containing white wine!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

It was useful to get an overview of what to expect in the following days.

Quality of Experience

We planned this trip for our honeymoon and it exceeded all of our expectations! From the beginning, Erin was super responsive and helpful to assist us in designing and tailoring our trip wishlist to include every hike and activity we asked for, affirming all the highlights we wanted to see and do. Even when an activity was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control she helped us move stuff around so we could still have a similar activity/experience included and it ended up being our favorite excursion (mini trekking on Perito Moreno)! Every guide we had was super nice and helpful and all activities were organized very well. When we met with the Dittmar associate (Nara) upon arrival we were very impressed, everything was laid out for us (vouchers, etc.) and we felt very prepared for our itinerary; and then mostly everything went as outlined and so smoothly which definitely decreased our travel/logistics stress. It was also helpful to be able to contact her while we were there. All the hotels were super nice as well, even ones that apparently were second choices were just lovely! Patagonia is a large area and we realized it would be really overwhelming to plan on our own but they did a great job honing in on our interests and creating truly the trip of a lifetime for us. Aside from staying in Patagonia longer we wouldn’t have changed a thing!

Hotel Reviews

NOI Indigo Patagonia

Puerto Natales

Clean, front desk very helpful, nice views.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

We got a superior room and let me tell you, the view was incredible!! The bar and restaurant also had amazing views. Front desk was super helpful as well. Loved this hotel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

While we were there they had record heat which I realize is abnormal but the sun had been beaming in our room all day and it was super hot with no AC; no way to prop the window open.

Camping Central

Torres de Paine, Chile

We always camp with our own gear but didn’t have a choice for our trip; was pleasantly surprised at the quality and cleanliness of the tent and sleeping bags. Cafe food was also really good!

Authenticity & Character

Location

The views

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kau Yatun Hotel & Estancia

El Calafate

This place was such a gem! Beautiful setting, nice clean large rooms, lovely restaurant as well.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chalten Suites Hotel

El Chalten

We loved this place! really loved and took advantage of the jetted bath especially after long hikes. Bed/pillows were so comfy! Views of the mountains a plus. Staff friendly and helpful, when we ate at the restaurant they had told them it was our honeymoon and they sent us dessert, so thoughtful and sweet.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Minitrekking Ice Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Our favorite activity! The guides were awesome and it was just so cool, not every day you get to literally climb a glacier. One of the most awesome things we’ve done in our life!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Upsala Glacier & Estancia Cristina [Horseback Riding Program]

Patagonia

In general we felt overwhelmed by this experience. Between the amazing views, lunch on a glacier lake in the middle of a beautiful landscape and the excitement of river crossing on the horse we couldn’t have been more pleased with everything. The guide was exceptional and so knowledgeable of the area and rich history, not to mention a great cook!

Quality of Experience

Even though it was our first time horse back riding the guide explained everything and it was easy. Such amazing views and the river crossing were so much fun.

Food

Guide made the lunch from scratch. It was delicious and exceeded expectations.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Patagonia

This experience exceeded expectations. Our guide was so knowledgeable on the area and asked us for our inputs on things we wanted to see in order to tailor things. We saw tons of wild life, and breathtaking landscapes.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grey Glacier Boat Tour

Patagonia

Such a cool experience to be that close to a glacier and amongst the icebergs floating in the water. The crew was exceptional of providing all sorts of information. The hauling in of a iceberg to make cocktails with the ice was so neat!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Laguna de los Tres

El Chaltén

This was such an amazing hike. The hike offered nonstop views and thanks to our guide we stopped at all the best viewing spots along the way. The guide was also extremely prepared and knowledgeable about the geological history, wildlife floral/fauna. The guide was happy to capture all the moments for us on camera too! This is a long hike so be prepared.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak Lago del Desierto

El Chaltén

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Everything was clear! Felt very prepared with our trip outlined and all docs organized for us.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Laguna Torre

Patagonia

With our hiking abilities we really didn’t need a guide for this hike but the guide was super nice and helpful explaining the geography and pointing out animals etc, which was a really great addition to the hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

KimKim review: Emi was amazing and curated such a wonderful trip for us. Booking on KimKim was very convenient for us as we had very little time ourselves to plan a whole trip. The one aspect that caused some frustration was that Emi was only reachable by email effectively which makes the process very slow. I think even having one phone call to sort out small details and ask questions would have been much more efficient. In addition, factors outside of our control (big storms that take out internet for a week or Park Ranger strikes) made Emi inaccessible for a week. We certainly don’t blame Emi for this at all, but it did create kinks in the planning process.

Once we were in Patagonia, our local support on WhatsApp Mateo was SO responsive and immediately available when issues came up (a lost reservation at one of the hotels, a lost cab, etc). None of these were KimKim’s fault but each issue was resolved in minutes. This was such an amazing feature!

Our trip review:

Transitions:
The transitions were seamless and we didn’t have any issues at all! Cab transfers to and from the major airports with local guides was a nice touch but ultimately for those wanting to save money, getting a cab/uber on your own seemed easy in Buenos Aires and Santiago and was likely a lot cheaper. I would therefore offer the transfer as an option. I would definitely recommend the private transfer from Calafate airport to El Chalten lodging. Puerto Natales also has a great cab system, and Weskar lodge can call a cab for you at any time that will be there in 5 minutes. That being said, not having to worry about calling cars was such a luxury. Our Taxi driver in Puerto Natales from the bus terminal to Weskar was really great.
- The bus from Argentina to Chile was very easy but a little confusing at the boarder. We could have used some instruction on what to expect.

English speaking guides:
- We found the guide in Buenos Aires to be helpful, especially because we had just arrived and money changing is quite difficult in Argentina. The English speaking guide in Santiago was not necessary for us, although if you are starting your trip in Santiago it could be nice.
- In general, we felt we did not need english speaking guides for transit purposes.

Airport timing: We appreciated getting to the airport before international flights early, but 2 hours early would have sufficed and definitely you don’t need to get to Calafate airport or Puerto Natales airport more than one hour in advance (2 hours early was way too much time). It felt like we were sitting for hours waiting for those flights. Others may have different preferences.

Hotels: We loved all of the hotels we stayed at. Weskar Lodge in Puerto Natales and Alto Calafate were our favorites. The pools and sauna at Alto Calafate after our 30 mile trek in Chalten was such a nice treat. It’s sort of away from the main town, but they have an hourly shuttle that takes you to and from the center of town. Weskar Lodge is also a bit outside of the center but we loved the 20-30min walks along the water to get into town.
For younger people like us wanting a more social lodging situation, staying in hostels in Chalten and Puerto Natales or even the major cities would have also been fun options. But we were really happy with the hotels Emi chose.
-We ended up booking a one-night stay at the Patagonia EcoDomes which was an absolute highlight. From the Domes you can hike directly to Lagos de los Tres and then hike down to town and they had a car that could bring your belongings down El Chalten for free. We had already paid for a private transfer, but this was a great option! They can also call you a cab easily so a transfer isn’t necessary if you want timing to be flexible.

Highlights:
Lagos de Los Tres
Mini Trekking in Calafate
Kayaking in Puerto Natales
(We also heard Paddle boarding with PatagoniaPaddle (you can find on IG) is an amazing activity although we didn’t do it.)
Hiking Base Torres in Torres del Paine (and our guide Claudia was amazing)
Tango show in Buenos Aires
All of the food in Puerto Natales- we were happy to have so many nights there!

We enjoyed the second hike in Torres del Paine through guanaco territory because we saw cave paintings and learned a bit more about the natives and the geology, but it was a very mild hiking day (~6 miles) and some may have preferred a larger trek in the park. We were tired after hiking Base Torres so it was actually nice! Also, Gabriella our guide was fantastic

Balmaceda and Serrano Glaciers was also a really fun boat excursion. We also heard great things about the Grey Glacier boat excursion.

Overall AMAZING trip with basically no issues. Thank you all so much!!

Hotel Reviews

Two Hotel Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Nice hotel, basic amenities, continental breakfast, good location.

Posada y Cabañas El Barranco

El Chalten

Basic amenities, private ground floor room. Very close to trails and main strip. Nothing special. A hostel would have probably been just as nice and more social.

Alto Calafate Hotel Patagonico

El Calafate

Spa, massages, sauna, pool was so nice after trekking in Chalten! AMAZING view of Calafate-- we sat outside reading with wine every afternoon. Shuttles every hour can take you into town.

Weskar Lodge

Puerto Natales

Amazing view over the bay. Great staff and breakfast. They can easily call cabs within 4 minutes. Only a 20-30min walk into town (beautiful walk along the water) or a 5 min cab away.

Activity Reviews

Full day tour to Parque Nacional Los Glaciares and Minitrekking

El Calafate

Such a highlight!! Would recommend 100%

Full day Hiking Base Las Torres - 20km approx

Puerto Natales

Our guide was amazing and we had a great group. The hike is spectacular. They provide trekking poles. You definitely want to be in good shape for this one. The drive from Puerto Natales is a couple hours so bring a book or something to listen to.

Eberhard Fjord Kayaking Tour

Puerto Natales

It was very windy and difficult but still so much fun! There were many beginners on our trip who did great, and one blind woman! It was definitely hard, but worth it. There is a mini hike on the island where you kayak to with amazing views of Patagonia.

Full day Hike Porteria Lago Sarmiento - 6/7 km approx

Puerto Natales

Definitely an easier day. We enjoyed seeing cave drawings and learning about guanacos, the other fauna, and the native history and geology.

Navigation to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers

Puerto Natales

Good to do after a big trek to rest. The average age was definitely 60-80 (or young children) so we felt a little bit young but the glaciers are so cool to see (although not as impressive as Merano glacier), they serve whisky on the rocks and serve an enormous plate of lamb for lunch- we had a BLAST.

We had the trip of a lifetime! It's really hard to narrow down our favorite parts of the trip, but one huge positive of using Erin and her team at Dittmar was that they were able to find experiences that were off-the-beaten-path, give us great advice on the better-known hikes and sites, and tailored the entire trip to our exact requests. My husband and I are both extremely busy people, so to be able to tell Erin the major things that we wanted to see, the type of vacationing that we wanted to do, and let her largely plan the trip from there, was awesome! I also loved that she and her colleagues had experienced all of the excursions, hikes, and many of the hotels themselves, so could give real-time feedback and advice as we were selecting our itinerary.

One of the best days of the entire trip was going to Estancia La Peninsula in Puerto Natales. This was a last-minute addition to the itinerary after our flight from the States to Chile was unexpectedly moved up a day. While nothing will beat the insanely beautiful views of the national parks in both countries, this day was uniquely special, intimate, and fun. We visited the ranch with 4 other tourists and really got to know the owner and staff as a result. We learned a ton about the culture of Chile and the Patagonia region, got to know their life stories, had a DELICIOUS meal, saw beautiful views on horseback, and just generally had such a special day. These are the types of experiences that Dittmar and Erin arrange: ones that truly unique to the region and to working with Dittmar. That said, Erin and team were also great with the more traditional "must-sees/dos." For example, Erin had a ton of great tips for us while on the 3-night, 4-day W Trek in Torres del Paine, and we felt more prepared and were able to really enjoy our time as a result.

We're so sad that our trip is over, but we're recommending it to anyone and everyone we know now that we are back in the US!

Hotel Reviews

The Singular Patagonia

Puerto Natales

One of the best hotels we've been to yet--gorgeous views, top-of-the-line service, delicious food, and such a unique, historical setting.

Authenticity & Character

One of the coolest places we've stayed--it's like a hotel within a museum. Like that they've added minimalistic architecture to the existing structure to really preserve the history of the place.

Location

Gorgeous views of the fjords, quick ride (or long walk) into town, so there was a lot of privacy and serenity.

Staff

Such nice and helpful people that we felt like we got to know!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great spa area, super cozy bar / restaurant to hang out in after a busy day or to grab a bite

Cabaña Los Cuernos

Puerto Natales

The prettiest place I've EVER been. The cabins were well worth the extra cost as a break from the tents, and nice to have a more private bathroom with just the other cabin-goers. I will never forget this awesome place!

Authenticity & Character

The little cabins were so quaint and cute, while blending in with the surroundings

Location

Truly the prettiest place, maybe on earth

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Camping Paine Grande

Puerto Natales, Chile

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms were not great but everything else was perfectly fine!

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

The most amazing night after 3 nights of camping on the W! Such a serene lobby, loved the architecture, great food, and insanely gorgeous views.

Authenticity & Character

loved that the architecture was so minimalist and let the views speak for themselves. The lobby/bar area is like a living room--cozy and warm, perfect after a long day of hiking

Location

Such a gorgeous view of Lake Grey and the Cuernos / Paine Grande. What

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

Great breakfasts, super nice staff, perfect location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Just off the main drag, which makes all of the areas you'd want to see in Calafate accessible, but without too much noise.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Chalten Suites Hotel

El Chalten

Nicest staff! Great breakfast, beautiful views, perfect location!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Right on the main street--easy access to the hiking/adventures and all of the cute restaurants and bars in town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Trip to a Patagonian Estancia

Patagonia

We added this to our trip at the last-minute because we ended up having an extra day in Natales--and we are so so happy we did! Ian and his team were the best hosts. The boat ride, the horseback ride, the lunch, sheep sheering and watching the sheep dogs do their thing--I can't imagine a more perfect day. The views at the top of the horse trail were absolutely gorgeous.

Quality of Experience

Everything

Food

Best meal of our trip

Guides, Drivers and Staff

These were some of my favorite people from the entire trip!! The best!

Transport

You get there by boat--so cool!

Grey Glacier Boat Tour

Patagonia

We have never been so happy to see this boat at the end of our ~50 mile W Trek!! It was so fun--we ended up being with a lot of other W Trek-ers. What a fun way to share stories, all while seeing these gorgeous glaciers with a free pisco sour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

These guys are pros!! I was amazed by their work

Transport

Kayak Lago & Rio Grey, Return to Puerto Natales

Patagonia

The guides were awesome--we loved learning about their lives! The kayaking was pretty easy between the current and the wind at your back (which I think it typical coming off the lake). Unbeatable views!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Admire the Famous Perito Moreno Glacier [Mayo Trek - Alternative Excursion]

El Calafate

Loved seeing the waterfall, forests, and other mountains and glaciers of the park in addition to Perito Moreno. It was also great to see so much of Lago Argentina--the lake itself is so incredible. It looks like the southwestern USA on one end (desert-like), and the other you have these huge snow-capped mountains and glaciers. And in between, rolling green mountains that could be in Hawaii! The water is such a neat color once you are on it, too. We had PERFECT weather, which definitely helped, but I think this experience would have been awesome either way.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Natalia from KimKim was super responsive, intuited our needs for accomodation, personal transfers , and overall logistics. We are so grateful to have had Natalia with us on our journey as it made all aspects smooth and stress-free.
EcoCamp is a must and if you are lucky you’ll have Claudio and Nicole as guides, they are exceptional!

This was the second time I used Kimkim to plan my South American trip. Jason was excellent in organizing everything from Beunosaires, El Calafate and peuroto natales to Punta Arenas. The day of ESTANCIA CRISTINA was the highlight of our trip!!! Even if there was hiccup he took care of it. Only improvement I might suggest is a packing list before trip might have been helpful. Punta Arenas some of the Penguin tours and transfers were not exactly up-to mark but Jason took care of the complaints very well to our satisfaction.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Diego de Almagro Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas

Just disinterested staff overall

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location

Staff

Some of them not want to bothered to even attempt broken English

Cleanliness & Comfort

They can’t turn the coffee machine on even 5 minutes early. Most of tours start real early there but breakfast starts at 630. So you are going hungry

Lagos Del Calafate

El Calafate

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costaustralis

Puerto Natales

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

474 Buenos Aires Hotel

Buenos Aires

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Estancia Cristina - Classic Option

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

DONT MISS THIS ACTIVITY

Private Buenos Aires Sightseeing Tour

Buenos Aires

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I’m just not that much into big cities. And king lunch place e stopped in had added cheese in the empanadas which caused sickens for my daughter.

Perito Moreno Glacier - Los Glaciares National Park

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Safari Boat - Sailing Rico Branch

El Calafate

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Highlight of our trip. The iceberg phots incredible

Full Day Torres del Paine National Park (ex. Puerto Natales)

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

Looooong day

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking Cerro Benitez

Puerto Natales

Quality of Experience

I’m

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Erin was amazing! She nailed our itinerary on the first try. She was very open to questions and helped us narrow things down as needed. Every transfer, guide, etc was great. We spent two weeks in the region and never had any complications. I would highly recommend Erin for travel planning.

We loved the Estancia La Peninsula where we spend the day riding, eating incredible lamb and learning how the ranch worked. I left feeling like I’d spent the day with family.

We had several guides Devi, Virginia and Shelda (spelling may be wrong) and we learned so much from them about flora, fauna and the geology of the region. They were patient with our pace and let our son pick their brains about travel.

Truly and once in a lifetime trip that we got to share with our 20 something sons. Thank you Erin!