Wonderful experience for the trip of a lifetime!
Chile | Oct 25 - Oct 31, 2024

L
Lisa S.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Nov 06, 2024

Our local specialist, Jesse, did a wonderful job throughout! She was receptive to our ideas, chose locations and excursions that matched our interests, and was flexible and patient as we worked out the details for two couples--one pair of native Chilenos and one pair of English-speaking US citizens. She was available for last minute questions late at night and early in the morning. We felt well-taken care of the whole time. In terms of our experiences, our stay at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia was a splurge but was well worth it. The location inside the park was extraordinary, the rooms and food were exceptional, and the folks who worked there could not have been more welcoming. Two excursions stand out in our minds as experiences we will never forget. The first was the boat trip to Isla Magdalena to see the penguin colony there. Jesse reserved VIP tickets for us, which gave us an opportunity for good views, a nice snack, and personalized information from Guillermo, a guide from Fiordos del Sur. Another memorable tour was the day we spent hiking from Sarmiento to Amarga Lagoon in Torres del Paine National Park. Our guide, Pedro, with Patagonia Planet was fantastic! We appreciated his ability to speak both Spanish and English, the tour van with big windows that offered all of us a great view, and his patience and knowledge in answering the million questions we asked about the flora, fauna, geological features, and cultural history of the park. This trip really was the adventure of a lifetime, and we could not be more appreciative of the services Kimkim offered!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Costanera
Puerto Natales

New and modern accommodations, a nice breakfast, and a friendly, helpful staff. The hotel was a little off the beaten path, but we were able to walk to the center of town, though getting an Uber was often more convenient. The location on the water was nice!

Authenticity & Character
The women who worked the front desk were welcoming and helped us to make dining reservations each evening.
Location
Not in the center of town.
Staff
The women who cooked and served breakfast could not have been friendlier.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Everything was clean and comfortable.
Hotel Las Torres Patagonia
Torres del Paine

The hotel is certainly pricey, but its location in the park was well worth the money. We could walk out the front door and immediately start trekking. It was also a warm and welcoming place to rest after a long day of adventures! Our reservation was "half-board," and the breakfasts and dinners were exceptional. Every staff member we encountered went out of their way to be helpful.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Right in the park! We could hike to the base of the towers.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Great showers!
Activity Reviews
Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island
Penguin Colony on Magdalena Island
Chile

Seeing penguins up close was amazing! Although all visitors to the island are required to stay on the paved path, we never felt herded or rushed. The walk was self-paced, and a number of guides were spread out during the walk to answer questions and give more information.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guide, Guillermo, who was assigned to the upper deck, set up a big map that helped us to visualize where we were and what made that route on the Straits of Magellan so special.
Transport
Safety was a primary concern of the staff, which we appreciated. The seating was comfortable, and the big windows allowed us to have clear views as we travelled.
Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings
Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings
Chile

This trip was disappointing. Our tour was for just the four of us, but the small SUV we rode in required that one of us sit up front with the driver, while the other three sat in the back, with someone in the middle seat. Not ideal for looking out the windows, which was a big part of this driving tour. Two of us were native Spanish speakers with good English, and two of us were native English speakers who know a little Spanish. Our guide was fluent in Spanish, but his English was definitely not fluent. The result was that he spent 90% of the time conversing with the Chileans, and much less time talking with the English speakers. It was frustrating when we had questions. That being said, we visited some beautiful parts of the park, places we never would have seen if we had been driving on our own.

Quality of Experience
Food
We had box lunches which were very good.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
A guide for English speakers who is truly fluent in English.
Transport
A larger vehicle with bigger windows.
Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon
Hike from Sarmiento Lake to Amarga Lagoon
Chile

The route was amazing and so was Pedro, our guide!

Quality of Experience
The route offered us extraordinary view of both Los Cuernos and Los Torres. Seeing guanacos and native birds was a thrill, as was seeing the cave paintings and imagining those who traveled this route before us.
Food
Box lunch was convenient and delicious.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Pedro was SO knowledgeable and shared his knowledge generously in both English and Spanish. He was also extremely responsive to our needs and abilities.
Transport
Nice big van with big, clean windows.
Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers
Boat Tour to Balmaceda & Serrano Glaciers
Chile

Full disclosure: The day we took this tour could not have been wetter. It poured rain the whole time, and everyone on the boat was soaking wet before we were finished. It limited the views of this incredibly scenic place. The windows were steamed up, and most people never went out on the decks because it was raining so hard.

Quality of Experience
Food
Everything. We stopped at an "estancia" for lunch. It seemed more like an event venue, a giant room filled with tables. The wait staff was insufficient for the number of people they were trying to serve. We waited forever to be served, making the lunch take hours. The food was poor. The specialty of the house--lamb--was dry and overcooked. What a disappointment! We would have preferred to have skipped this part of the experience altogether.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
There was little in terms of a guide. The narration came over a loud speaker, and because of the noise level of conversation on our deck, we could hardly hear what was being said.
Transport
Local specialist: Jesse Barrera
Jesse
Jesse Barrera
Local specialist in Santiago | Replied on Nov 06, 2024
Hi Lisa, I'm happy to hear you and your group had an overall awesome experience exploring the Patagonia in your 7-day trip to Chile! The Penguin Island tour is one of my very favorites and I'm so glad you enjoyed it as well 🐧 I apologize again for the lackluster service during your tour of the National Park! I have taken note of your experience and will make sure our future travelers have a better time enjoying the sights. I'm also sorry to hear the weather wasn't ideal for your boat... Read more

Hi Lisa,

I'm happy to hear you and your group had an overall awesome experience exploring the Patagonia in your 7-day trip to Chile!

The Penguin Island tour is one of my very favorites and I'm so glad you enjoyed it as well 🐧

I apologize again for the lackluster service during your tour of the National Park! I have taken note of your experience and will make sure our future travelers have a better time enjoying the sights.

I'm also sorry to hear the weather wasn't ideal for your boat trip to see the Balmaceda & Serrano glaciers! The weather can be tricky in the Patagonia and especially in the park. We normally don't have issues with the food on this excursion so that's a double bummer that you weren't able to enjoy your Estancia lunch! We have reached out to the operator so we can come up with solutions to ensure the very best for our travelers.

Don't hesitate to reach out again if you ever decide to revisit our beautiful country! Maybe a visit to the Atacama Desert? 🌵

All the best,
Jesse