Erin Wiley

Erin is simply the best travel agent I have ever worked with. She spent time up front understanding how we wanted to travel and then helped create an itinerary to accomplish this. Her manner is low key, yet responsive. She suggested a unique experience to visit Estancia Mercedes which was one of the highlights of our trip. She stayed with us for 3 years as we rescheduled several times due to covid. She was timely and responsive to every request we made, offering suggestions of her own. ... read more

Erin is simply the best travel agent I have ever worked with. She spent time up front understanding how we wanted to travel and then helped create an itinerary to accomplish this. Her manner is low key, yet responsive. She suggested a unique experience to visit Estancia Mercedes which was one of the highlights of our trip. She stayed with us for 3 years as we rescheduled several times due to covid. She was timely and responsive to every request we made, offering suggestions of her own. On her day off she made sure that there was a backup person we could reach out to if necessary. This trip involved so many logistics due to covid and she coached us along the entire way, even sending reminders when it was time to upload an affidavit or take a covid test during the travel process. We received a detailed day by day itinerary that we both carried with us which was helpful as we navigated various modes of travel and experiences. I highly recommend her services.

Hotel Review

Lunajuim

El Chalten

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

Great location and price. The beds in particular were very comfortable.

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

Authenticity & Character

Activity Review

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Overall Rating

Activity Review

Nara met us at 1o pm to review our upcoming trip. She was pleasant, had all our materials and provided helpful information. We had one activity where we met a boat early in the morning at an out of the way spot and she even sent us a photo the night before to help us be sure we arrived at the correct location. This was useful since the cab driver used it to find our drop off location and we felt is was above and beyond by Lara.

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

The trip was well organised and everything was as expected - thanks to Erin's thoughtfulness and preparation. Gothe was excellent as our day guide - she was sharing interesting information about the landscapes, geology and the animals . Hotels were comfortable.
I will definitely recommend Erin & Dittmar as a travel agent for Patagonia.

When my wife and I had dreamed of going to Patagonia, but we weren't really sure where to begin. We had no knowledge of the region and what it would take to navigate around each town within Patagonia. After contacting KimKim, Erin quickly put together a detailed itinerary with great day to day activities. She was very responsive and easily made adjustments to customize it to make it our dream trip. She provided different options, and did all of the work to make the appropriate changes.

The... read more

When my wife and I had dreamed of going to Patagonia, but we weren't really sure where to begin. We had no knowledge of the region and what it would take to navigate around each town within Patagonia. After contacting KimKim, Erin quickly put together a detailed itinerary with great day to day activities. She was very responsive and easily made adjustments to customize it to make it our dream trip. She provided different options, and did all of the work to make the appropriate changes.

The pre-reading they gave us before our trip was also very helpful to know what to expect about the culture and what we needed to pack. Her itineraries were detailed and we knew exactly what was supposed to happen on a daily basis during the trip.

She kept us informed about the ongoing Covid situation for each country that we were planning to visit as things were rapidly changing. She took the time to call us to help us make informed decisions when we needed to make changes to our trip. This was so helpful because we would not have known each countries regulations without her and her team.

When we found out the week before our trip that the land border between Chile and Argentina was going to remain closed due to Covid, Erin and her team promptly informed us and wasted no time in finding alternative solutions that would still allow us to go on our trip.

Erin really went above and beyond to assure our trip was great. She rearranged our entire itinerary and accommodations in just a few days before we left. Despite all of the last minute changes, our entire trip still went off without a hitch. Transportation showed up as promised and hotels were as described. She was also able to recuperate most of the money we would have lost for canceling and changing everything last minute.

I would highly recommend KimKim and Erin to anyone looking to have a worry free trip. They really helped take the stress of planning everything and dealing with covid out of the picture. We felt very taken care of and that we were in good hands the whole way. This trip would not have been possible for us without them and we are very grateful and appreciative!

We had a great experience using KimKim. They helped us create the perfect itinerary. This was our first time using any sort of agency to plan a trip and we would definitely use them again. Highly recommend. Especially Erin and Laura - they were the best! read more

We had a great experience using KimKim. They helped us create the perfect itinerary. This was our first time using any sort of agency to plan a trip and we would definitely use them again. Highly recommend. Especially Erin and Laura - they were the best!

Hotel Review

Lunajuim

El Chalten

Overall Rating

Hotel Review

We loved our stay at Lunajuim! The staff was super friendly and helpful! We would absolutely stay here again if we ever return to El Chalten. Highly recommend

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Staff

Authenticity & Character

Activity Review

Kayak Lago del Desierto

El Chalten

Overall Rating

Transport

Guides, drivers and staff

Quality of Experience

Erin was wonderful to work with for this trip! She was extremely helpful with planning everything and making a trip that included what I was looking for and in the budget I was working with. She was very patient with me and answered all questions that I had along the way.
The times in Torres de Paine was amazing, with great weather and beautiful views. Perito Moreno glacier was also amazing!
I was thrilled with my trip. Thank you again to Erin for all your work in helping to make it happen!!

Thank you to Erin and Julia for planning a spectacular trip. The process was so smooth and problem free that we never had to reach out to the kimkim team once for help. Every time we went to our new destination, the drivers were always ready to pick us up, the hotels knew we were coming and the guides were ready to pick us up at the designated time without fail.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon kimkim via a random google search after our trip with another vendor fell through (they had a strict... read more

Thank you to Erin and Julia for planning a spectacular trip. The process was so smooth and problem free that we never had to reach out to the kimkim team once for help. Every time we went to our new destination, the drivers were always ready to pick us up, the hotels knew we were coming and the guides were ready to pick us up at the designated time without fail.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon kimkim via a random google search after our trip with another vendor fell through (they had a strict travel period). We could only do a specific date range and I loved that Erin was able to customize a trip just for us based on those dates with the requests I made. It couldn't be more personal which made this whole planning experience stress free. I would highly recommend using their service!

After finding myself en route to Santiago for work, a friend thought, "you should go to Patagonia and take some photos..." I hadn't thought about it until that moment... and with only 3 weeks out, I didn't think it remotely possible. That's when another friend passed along kimkim's info.
I truly didn't think it possible to put together such a well thought out, well planned adventure with so little time. But that's exactly what Erin was able to create... Essentially, pulling a rabbit out of a... read more

After finding myself en route to Santiago for work, a friend thought, "you should go to Patagonia and take some photos..." I hadn't thought about it until that moment... and with only 3 weeks out, I didn't think it remotely possible. That's when another friend passed along kimkim's info.
I truly didn't think it possible to put together such a well thought out, well planned adventure with so little time. But that's exactly what Erin was able to create... Essentially, pulling a rabbit out of a hat in a couple of weeks.
Given that my solo adventure was geared towards photography, my itinerary for 6 full days was tailored towards that experience. My journey took me from Estancia La Peninsula for a tour of an authentic Patagonian sheep farm, to portions of the W trek inside Torres Del Paines National Park including the French Valley and Mirador Las Torres hikes. From there, I was able to spend a couple nights in the Serrano River Valley outside the park, and mingle with the horses and herding pups at Pampa Lodge.
Finally, the culmination and the final day of my adventure was a private photography tour with an amazing guide, who took me to some of the great spots in Torres Del Paines as well as some hidden gems that only a true local would know about...
This experience was something that I will never forget. It was surreal and beautiful looking at the Andes Mountain range... meeting some amazing people in Refugias and along the trails... and it would never have happened without Erin and Julia. High fives to the two who made this whole thing so special and unforgettable.

What an adventure! Erin and Julia were amazing working through all of the details to plan out a perfect trip for us to Patagonia. Everything from choosing our hotels to booking our daily adventures, it all went flawlessly. Timing couldn't have been more perfect each day. Erin figured out our needs early on in the planning, and was right on target with everything that we did. We did get extremely lucky with the weather the week we were there - No rain, winds or extremely cold weather made... read more

What an adventure! Erin and Julia were amazing working through all of the details to plan out a perfect trip for us to Patagonia. Everything from choosing our hotels to booking our daily adventures, it all went flawlessly. Timing couldn't have been more perfect each day. Erin figured out our needs early on in the planning, and was right on target with everything that we did. We did get extremely lucky with the weather the week we were there - No rain, winds or extremely cold weather made each day picture perfect. The hotels were quaint and clean and in nice locations, although now that we've seen other places we could've stayed, we probably would have wanted to upgrade a notch.
Felipe, our guide in Santiago and Cajon de Maipo started our trip off in a great way. We couldn't have imagined how much we would enjoy our time with him. His knowledge of Chilean history and culture was outstanding and his easy going demeanor was perfect on our road trip to Cajon de Maipo for hiking and and beautiful landscapes.
We flew to Punta Arenas and the 2-hour transfer to Puerto Natales was easy, although flying directly to Puerto Natales would have been great. We loved going to Estancia La Peninsula and our guide Nico from the estancia was excellent! Horseback riding, jeep tours, sheep shearing - one thing was better than the next. Highly recommend! Transferring to Torres del Paines was easy and Tomas, our guide, was THE BEST! He helped us with taking amazing pictures and showed us beautiful spots around the national park trying his best to stay away from the crowds. Gorgeous national park! Stayed overnight at Hotel Lago Grey - loved staying in the park for the night!
Our drive from Torres del Paines to El Calafate was long, but well timed, crossing the border into Argentina. Our driver, Daniel, was on top of everything including getting us ahead of a huge bus load of people also crossing at the same time. He saved us at least an hour of long lines in Chile and Argentina!
We loved El Calafate and Perito Moreno! The group tour to the glacier was fine. We had enough time to do everything we wanted to do and got amazing pictures and videos of the glacier and calving. Beautiful place!
Ended our adventure in Buenos Aires, where we planned our own time there since KimKim couldn't help us there.
Amazing, once in a lifetime adventure. Erin did an awesome job!

This whole experience has been wonderful, start to finish. Everyone involved in the trip planning portion (Erin & Julie) were very attentive, informative and prompt. I would just like to say that I work in marketing for a tourism DMO and have been in the hospitality industry for 10+ years - Cote was one of the best guides I have ever encountered. She was organized, genuine, hospitable, knowledgeable and she intuitively knew what our group needed at all aspects of the trip. I cannot stress... read more

This whole experience has been wonderful, start to finish. Everyone involved in the trip planning portion (Erin & Julie) were very attentive, informative and prompt. I would just like to say that I work in marketing for a tourism DMO and have been in the hospitality industry for 10+ years - Cote was one of the best guides I have ever encountered. She was organized, genuine, hospitable, knowledgeable and she intuitively knew what our group needed at all aspects of the trip. I cannot stress enough what a unique and authentic person she is, she truly made the trek all the better.

Also, the staff at all the lodges (in particular our third stay at a Fantistico Sur) were so warm & welcoming. I’ll be spreading the word about this experience!

Cote our guide was fantastic! She set a great pace and made our time very enjoyable even through the more demanding parts of the trek. Most memorable is the lookout on grey glacier, French valley, and the secret lookout Cote took us for the towers, not busy at all which made it really great. 10/10 would recommend to family or friends that are interested!

Planning and booking our trip on kimkim was so easy and convenient. Visiting Patagonia can be complicated and you should ideally book everything months in advance since the campsites and refugios fill up. Since we didn't book far in advance, kimkim was super helpful in securing everything we needed. We did the 5-day W Hike and came home with lifelong memories. Having a guide show us the ins and outs of the park was great and super helpful when buses didn't show up when they were supposed to... read more

Planning and booking our trip on kimkim was so easy and convenient. Visiting Patagonia can be complicated and you should ideally book everything months in advance since the campsites and refugios fill up. Since we didn't book far in advance, kimkim was super helpful in securing everything we needed. We did the 5-day W Hike and came home with lifelong memories. Having a guide show us the ins and outs of the park was great and super helpful when buses didn't show up when they were supposed to or ferries decided to leave early! We didn't have to worry about planning out our days or cooking our own meals, that was all done for us. Highly recommend. We can't wait to book our next trip!

Patagonia was a once in a lifetime trip for me & my wife for our honeymoon. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. Erin helped to meticulously plan the trip throughout with her fantastic knowledge of the local areas and activities.
There were so many highlights including: wine tasting in the Casablanca valley, trekking to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine, horseback riding in Puerto Natales, white water rafting in El Chalten and an amazing zodiac boat trip down the... read more

Patagonia was a once in a lifetime trip for me & my wife for our honeymoon. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. Erin helped to meticulously plan the trip throughout with her fantastic knowledge of the local areas and activities.
There were so many highlights including: wine tasting in the Casablanca valley, trekking to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine, horseback riding in Puerto Natales, white water rafting in El Chalten and an amazing zodiac boat trip down the Magellan Strait.
However, of particular note was Patagonia Camp. This place was an absolute treat for us staying in a luxury yurt in the middle of the Patagonian wilderness. I would highly recommend it.
Overall the trip was very well organised. There were a couple of instances where some of the timings for pickups were slightly out (so worth double checking timings!) but this was quickly and easily resolved during our travels with no effect on our enjoyment of the trip.

Thank you very much, Erin and Julia, for making this amazing trip a reality. Hard to believe but all the complex arrangements you made worked out flawlessly. Our private guides, Marco (Chile) and Juan (Argentina) were terrific during our trips. We lucked out with the weather, too so no complaints except for the long delays at the borders (but that's not you fault).

Erin was awesome. I felt like I was talking to a friend in the planning process. She really listened to what I wanted in my experience and that I had experience with. She definitely had a huge impact on my dream trip. I couldn’t have done it without her!

Working with Erin and kimkim was absolutely the best decision we made for our trip Patagonia. Erin was able to answer all of our questions leading up to the trip and help us create the perfect itinerary. The support only continued while we were there when she helped us reorganize our initial plans after a flight delay. We are beyond grateful and would recommend kimkim to anyone!

The local tour guides were fantastic. They took a personal interest in each of us and our needs. That being said, the transportation to and from the airports at some locations was lacking. I felt that Kim Kim should have arranged the various flights from each of the locations. In a country where you don't speak the language it is difficult and frustrating sometime. Some of the locations where we stayed were hostel. We had clean private rooms with private bathrooms. We should have been... read more

The local tour guides were fantastic. They took a personal interest in each of us and our needs. That being said, the transportation to and from the airports at some locations was lacking. I felt that Kim Kim should have arranged the various flights from each of the locations. In a country where you don't speak the language it is difficult and frustrating sometime. Some of the locations where we stayed were hostel. We had clean private rooms with private bathrooms. We should have been given the opportunity to stay in hotels. Many of these places were either cold or extremely hot and uncomfortable. The internet was almost non existent. Part of our itinerary we did not receive until three weeks before the trip even though it was book almost 9 months prior. This would have given us an opportunity to discuss our logging.

I've been in touch with Erin and Julia, and they both were very professional, helpful and nice! Patagonia was a blast: the place is incredible and, if you love being out in the wild, Torres del Paine is definitely the place to be. If I could do this again, I would probably spend 80% of the time there. It's worth every penny!

I was very impressed with the kimkim platform and Dittmar Adventures! Erin was extremely helpful from the very first moment that I requested information, responded quickly, and worked with me to build a customized trip that fit into my budget and schedule. Not having to manage the logistics on my own made the planning so much easier.

Highly recommend the guided tours of Torre Del Paine, Perito Mereno Glacier, the Estancia and the guided hikes via Walk Patagonia (Pablo was great). All of... read more

I was very impressed with the kimkim platform and Dittmar Adventures! Erin was extremely helpful from the very first moment that I requested information, responded quickly, and worked with me to build a customized trip that fit into my budget and schedule. Not having to manage the logistics on my own made the planning so much easier.

Highly recommend the guided tours of Torre Del Paine, Perito Mereno Glacier, the Estancia and the guided hikes via Walk Patagonia (Pablo was great). All of these tours were very well run, and the guides provided very interesting information.

The one suggestion I have for the future- unfortunately, due to weather our Penguin tour in Punta Arenas via Solo Expediciones was cancelled. It is very important to have a plan B for this ahead of time, because it seems that the penguin tour is frequently canceled for weather and the “alternate Condor Tour” offered by Solo Expediciones was extremely disappointing.

Thank you to Erin and Julia for your responsiveness and for setting us up with a great trip!

The planning and itinerary was nicely planned. It was a good balance of adventure and rest/recovery considering our 36hour flight from Singapore. The transfer instructions were clear and easy to follow and we didn’t face any issues in getting to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales.

It would be better if it had been specifically brought to our attention that we had to book the internal flights within Chile. (Even though it was indicated in the comments of the trip instructions that such flight... read more

The planning and itinerary was nicely planned. It was a good balance of adventure and rest/recovery considering our 36hour flight from Singapore. The transfer instructions were clear and easy to follow and we didn’t face any issues in getting to Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales.

It would be better if it had been specifically brought to our attention that we had to book the internal flights within Chile. (Even though it was indicated in the comments of the trip instructions that such flight arrangements had to be made on our own, we would have sorted this out earlier if it was expressly made known to us in a clear manner upon confirmation of our trip i.e. things to do.

Nonetheless we had a great time and enjoyed the tours with our guides (Felipe and Jaime).

4/5 stars for this trip! :)

Erin was super helpful in getting us all that we needed for our trip to Patagonia. She put together a completely customized itinerary to suit our needs. Everyone who was scheduled to pick us up and bring us somewhere was on time, was very pleasant, and the transfers went smoothly, with one exception, upon our leaving Torres del Paine National Park. In that case it was the other company that had some confusion in their paperwork and was expecting to pick up other people. The tour guide,... read more

Erin was super helpful in getting us all that we needed for our trip to Patagonia. She put together a completely customized itinerary to suit our needs. Everyone who was scheduled to pick us up and bring us somewhere was on time, was very pleasant, and the transfers went smoothly, with one exception, upon our leaving Torres del Paine National Park. In that case it was the other company that had some confusion in their paperwork and was expecting to pick up other people. The tour guide, Simon, for that portion, was informative and entertaining and spoke great English, and the transfers throughout Glacier National Park were smooth as well. Scenery was amazing.
One tip: don't accept the first room offered by hotel reception staff upon check-in. We traveled at a very slow time of the year and in each case were assigned teeny rooms with no views -- despite the low occupancy rates at that time -- until we spoke up. This was not KimKim's fault at all, but thought they should know. In each case we did succeed in getting much nicer rooms. Squeaky wheels . . . .
I do recommend this company highly and don't know how much time I would have wasted trying to do all the research on my own.

1. We lost 2 hours from exploring Perito Merino because the company Erin
contracted us with forgot to pick us up. When we brought our concern to her attention, she didn’t seem to care about the anxiety I had to go through not knowing if I’ll ever see the glaciers that
I came for from far? And the little to no Spanish we spoke trying to figure out what happened? Thanks to a personal connection our hotel owner had with
the local companies, they figured out that we were forgotten and were able... read more

1. We lost 2 hours from exploring Perito Merino because the company Erin
contracted us with forgot to pick us up. When we brought our concern to her attention, she didn’t seem to care about the anxiety I had to go through not knowing if I’ll ever see the glaciers that
I came for from far? And the little to no Spanish we spoke trying to figure out what happened? Thanks to a personal connection our hotel owner had with
the local companies, they figured out that we were forgotten and were able to get a hold of the company. Once the company showed up, the tour guide rushed us in the park so we don’t miss the last running boat in the
afternoon. When I called Laura via emergency line, she promised a full
refund for that day because of what we had to go through.

2. I hired KimKim to make sure my religious dietary restrictions were
respected and not to have us starve with the 22km hike to Torres Base Camp.

3. In Paine Grande, they didn’t have running water. So we weren't even able
to brush out teeth or take a shower during our stay. They told us
maintenance is working on the water. They charged us each 5 pesos for the
towel. They promised us warm warmer the morning after, which never
happened. How can you run a business with no running water? Or warm water
even in winter?

4. On our way to ElChalten, Walk Patagonia left us hanging yesterday in the
van in-front of the airport for over an hour waiting for passengers to
board. We were freezing in the car. Someone should have let us know about
this.

5. We missed our meals yesterday because we had red meat in our meal and we
were not sure if it was pork or not. The hotel tried to call Walk Patagonia
to check but no one was answering the call. We had no idea what time we
were supposed to be picked up. The hotel told us 8:30am, however it was not
until 9am that a car came to pick us up.

6. Walk Patagonia sent us a bottle of wine to apologize about their poor
service. I told the hotel receptionist that I have let you (Erin) know that
we don’t drink alcohol. I let her have it. However, she contacted the
company to let them know about the bottle of wine. They sent me a box of
sweet today.

Thanks!

KimKim was the easiest travel experience I have ever had! All I had to do was give a rough idea and BOOM! out came a perfectly planned vacation. Not only was all the heavy lifting done by KimKim and Erin, but it was our most affordable option with all the companies we looked at. They were so accommodating to changes and provided excellent documentation prior to traveling.

Patagonia was my first experience with KimKim, but I can assure you it will not be my last. Highly recommend and thank you to the KimKim team for a great experience!

It was a very planned trip and the transfers were seamless. The kayaking guides Carlos and Polina were outstanding, affable and provided great service and kept us safe. Well done team!

The trip was very well planned and all the complicated connections came off as smooth as a babies butt. Hosteleria Cuernos tent situation was the only bummer of the whole trip. They put us in a tent immediately adjacent to the large tent housing the staff for this site. The staff stayed up until one in the morning laughing loudly singing talking and keeping the exhausted travelers up. Someone needs to let them know that we are supporting their livelihood and their behavior is extremely rude and uncaring for their guests.

Erin was a delight to work with. She was very prompt in responding to our questions, took our feedback on board and managed to put together our ideal itinerary. We had fairly limited time and quite a few things to fit in, but Erin managed it! Everything worked super well, all transfers on time and comfortable and the local partners she put us in touch with for the hiking equipment, lunches etc were also super lovely and helpful.
As 2 friends with very busy and quite stressful jobs in big... read more

Erin was a delight to work with. She was very prompt in responding to our questions, took our feedback on board and managed to put together our ideal itinerary. We had fairly limited time and quite a few things to fit in, but Erin managed it! Everything worked super well, all transfers on time and comfortable and the local partners she put us in touch with for the hiking equipment, lunches etc were also super lovely and helpful.
As 2 friends with very busy and quite stressful jobs in big cities, we just didn't have the time and mental energy to figure out this itinerary by ourselves. Having Erin take care of things so well for us was amazing and meant we could just relax and enjoy with full peace of mind that we were in expert hands. Thank you Erin & team!

THE BEST
* Advance planning with Erin was very good and was personalized. Enjoyed working with her
*Ohmar was very good and was an excellent guide with excellent park history and knowledge.
Enjoyed being with him.
*The two transfer drivers were good. Carlos was particularly helpful in getting us to an earlier bus
departure back to Punta Arenas. He was very pleasant.
*The Aquaterra accommodations were good.
*The Grey Glacier Hotel and later glacier boat tour were both very good.
*The... read more

THE BEST
* Advance planning with Erin was very good and was personalized. Enjoyed working with her
*Ohmar was very good and was an excellent guide with excellent park history and knowledge.
Enjoyed being with him.
*The two transfer drivers were good. Carlos was particularly helpful in getting us to an earlier bus
departure back to Punta Arenas. He was very pleasant.
*The Aquaterra accommodations were good.
*The Grey Glacier Hotel and later glacier boat tour were both very good.
*The day tour of the park was very good.
*The Refugio Torre Central was a good staging point for the long hike, but there were some other
lodging options one might have considered to shorten hike a little.
*Even though we only had one clear and one partially clear day of the three, the views were
spectacular and what we came to see.
THE OTHER
*Two boat rides are unnecessary; the Grey Glacier tour was much better.
*The two options provided because of the last minute zodiac cancellation wee not good; like take a
chance on another company which may not go, or take an all day boat ride for a 1 hour walk. A
better option would have been to go head and do park tour or have a extra day in the park. Still
had to pay for transfer even though luggage would have been transferred under original plans.
*During the tour day, the hike was a pretty serious climb, considering the long hike to next day.
Might have considered another hike considering our ages and experience.
*For someone my age, a stay at the refugio 2/3 of the way up the Torres Base hike would have
been better. Also provides a weather option.
*The Patagonia B&B was very basic and would not be recommended.
*Lodging in Punta Arenas could have been nearer the penguin boat dock and airport. It was a 50
minute ride from town and back plus long boat ride for 1 hour with penguins at the end of the
season.
*Other than the lost day with the boat ride, the trip was a success.

Patagonia was a trip of a lifetime!
Argentina experience:
The Perito Moreno Glacier ice trek was a truly unbelievably experience. I have never seen anything like it, definitely a trip highlight. Our time spent in El Chalten/Fitzroy was magical. The hotel was very nice and accommodating. Oscar the bartender/ server/ host was our favorite. The scheduled hikes were perfect, tough but perfect. It was the perfect amount of time to spend there.
Chile experience:
The glacier cruise out of... read more

Patagonia was a trip of a lifetime!
Argentina experience:
The Perito Moreno Glacier ice trek was a truly unbelievably experience. I have never seen anything like it, definitely a trip highlight. Our time spent in El Chalten/Fitzroy was magical. The hotel was very nice and accommodating. Oscar the bartender/ server/ host was our favorite. The scheduled hikes were perfect, tough but perfect. It was the perfect amount of time to spend there.
Chile experience:
The glacier cruise out of Puerto Natales was canceled due to wind and we weren't sure what to do. The people at Ditmarr/kimkim helped us quickly change our plans. We had a guided trip to explore the caves. Juan was our guide and we thoroughly enjoyed him and the cave experience.
The "W" hike was outstanding! Patagonia is so vast and diverse. The hiking is challenging with a lot of bouldering. We hiked in the perfect direction, I wouldn't do it the opposite way. Torres del Paine was full of people but the rest of the hike was less so. The refugios were a bit rough with the exception of the domes in Frances which we LOVED! You will get tired of bread, I suggest bringing some protein supplements along. Bring earplugs you will need them to sleep. The "staff" at Refugio Chileno were up until 2:30 AM playing loud music and partying...plus tired snoring hikers can happen. Hot showers are hard to come by so bring wipes etc, also suggest to bring a towel. The weather is unpredictable so bring layers for hot and cold. If you don't want to carry a really big pack you can rent sleeping bags. I would recommend that option. I can't remember if we were offered that. They do give you pillows. All the bus arrangements etc went smoothly.
We loved our trip!!! Patagonia is awesome. Kimkim and Dittmar were great to work with.

Everything was well organized. Erin always responded quickly with answers to our questions. The hotel staff at El Chatan and Portas Natales were exceptional. I learned a few things 1. Pack as light as possible for "W" hike. 2. I have a little difficulty sleeping in small dark places. 2 of the Refugios were very small. Hiking in Patagonia is amazing and challenging. Its beauty unmatched, it is wild and rugged. The lakes and streams every color of blue, greens and greys. So happy i completed this bucket list dream.

These guys, and gals, are great. It was our first time using a tour company, Patagonia has so much to do and see that I needed some help connecting the dots. Erin was super easy to work with and got back to me promptly whenever I had a question. It was a treat not to have to figure out the hotel/hostel piece as well as the bus schedule, they did it all. The tours were great, my favorite tour was the Estancia La Peninsula, an incredible day spent on the Estancia. Paula, our guide in Torres,... read more

These guys, and gals, are great. It was our first time using a tour company, Patagonia has so much to do and see that I needed some help connecting the dots. Erin was super easy to work with and got back to me promptly whenever I had a question. It was a treat not to have to figure out the hotel/hostel piece as well as the bus schedule, they did it all. The tours were great, my favorite tour was the Estancia La Peninsula, an incredible day spent on the Estancia. Paula, our guide in Torres, was top notch too, she was a wealth of information and I felt that getting the full scope of the park was really valuable. Emily also lent a hand with final logistics. The entire crew was knowledgeable and easy to work with , the entire trip was way beyond our expectations and I highly recommend Dittmar Adventures if you are planning a trip to Patagonia. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Hassle-free setup and really responsive support from Emily and Erin. If we were to replay the experience, I would have built in more downtime to the itinerary, as well as taking time for stuff in between the iconic sights and stops that Patagonia offers (which are, to be fair, spectacular). The guides that we had for all the trips and excursions were really great: personable, enthusiastic, knowledgeable.

My 27 year old son and I had an amazing trip to Patagonia. Erin and Emily planned it beautifully. Every place we stayed, every connection and each experience was just what we wanted and more. Even when the weather was uncooperative we were able to make the most of an activity. We especially enjoyed staying at the all inclusive Hotel Rio Serrano right outside of the park. The accommodations were luxurious and the guides and daily excursions gave us a terrific understanding of the area and... read more

My 27 year old son and I had an amazing trip to Patagonia. Erin and Emily planned it beautifully. Every place we stayed, every connection and each experience was just what we wanted and more. Even when the weather was uncooperative we were able to make the most of an activity. We especially enjoyed staying at the all inclusive Hotel Rio Serrano right outside of the park. The accommodations were luxurious and the guides and daily excursions gave us a terrific understanding of the area and wonderful memories. Erin and Emily were always available to help with questions and get us through a missed flight connection. and any other hiccup along the way. They gave us a sense of security while traveling down at the bottom of the world. I will recommend Dittmar Adventure to any friend planning a trip to southern Chile and Kimkim for anywhere in the world.

The Dittmar team went above and beyond for our adventure. Erin really took the time to understand the type of trip we were seeking from the very beginning. She brought to the table amazing suggestions on how to incorporate both the Cerro Castillo trail with Fitz Roy and a classic road trip. They made logistics easy as pie for our small group. Even when we blew two car tires on the classic Carrera Austral, their team jumped in with support immediately. The four day through hike for Cerro... read more

The Dittmar team went above and beyond for our adventure. Erin really took the time to understand the type of trip we were seeking from the very beginning. She brought to the table amazing suggestions on how to incorporate both the Cerro Castillo trail with Fitz Roy and a classic road trip. They made logistics easy as pie for our small group. Even when we blew two car tires on the classic Carrera Austral, their team jumped in with support immediately. The four day through hike for Cerro Castillo was my favorite trail to date. It lived up to all of the expectations that the Dittmar team provided. I'd highly recommend using their team if you are looking for a laid back, self-guided adventure through Patagonia!

Everything was fantastic, we did the W trek, it went flawlessly. Would highly recommend this service.

How do I even begin to review our 21 day Patagonia trip? It was incredible. After trying and failing to figure out the logistics of what we wanted to do, we found Ditmar Adventures and worked with Erin via KimKim. After the intro phone call, we felt like Erin had a really solid idea of what we were looking for and had nothing but faith that her and her team would put together something that we would be pleased with. That was an understatement. She worked with our group in the planning phases... read more

How do I even begin to review our 21 day Patagonia trip? It was incredible. After trying and failing to figure out the logistics of what we wanted to do, we found Ditmar Adventures and worked with Erin via KimKim. After the intro phone call, we felt like Erin had a really solid idea of what we were looking for and had nothing but faith that her and her team would put together something that we would be pleased with. That was an understatement. She worked with our group in the planning phases and was able to make the trip everything we were looking for and within our price point despite varying numbers on participants. Ahead of the trip, she was super helpful in our preparation and packing (bringing our own food and snacks was a lifesaver).

Once we arrived in Chile, everything was handled - a luxury that we have never experienced. All of the lodging selections were wonderful and fit perfectly with what we were looking for in the way of being affordable without doing the hostel thing. Each destination that we stayed at was exceptional in its own way and Erin anticipated the amount of time that we needed in each location very well. While trekking the Cerro Castillo circuit was something that we added in ourselves, it proved to be an amazing addition to the trip and the Ditmar team's support of that sub-trip was excellent. David meeting us in person before we embarked was also a treat. He had so much insight to share on where to eat and things to see along the route. The tips in the itinerary on where to get gas and money along the route were invaluable as well.

Overall, everything we had asked for, all of the activities that we wanted to take in as a group were accounted for. We saw craggy peaks and hiked a lot, drove through some of the prettiest (and ugliest) landscapes I've seen, saw the marble caves, rock climbed, fished, drank all the red wine, ate all of the delicious food, sat on front porches and watched sunsets, stood in wide valleys with snow kissing our cheeks, sat in hot tubs with mountains of bubbles, and savored every moment of it. While the hours saved in planning such an adventure were worth every penny, the most vital element of their service was that it afforded us all the opportunity to be free and present in the moment, something we all desperately needed and are very much grateful for. Aside from a few flat tires (which as Clayton mentioned were a blessing in disguise), everything exceeded any expectation I could have had. I can't recommend this route enough for adventure-loving folks and Ditmar enough for making it possible. Cheers!

Hi Erin

We have recently returned from our travels, which included our W trek co-ordinated by your team from 31 December – 5th January 2019.

Overall – we thoroughly enjoyed our opportunity to experience Patagonia and the wonderful places we visited during our time in Puerta Natales and Torres Del Paine National Park.

We would particularly like to give mention our guide Sophia. She was simply outstanding. Her experience, and the knowledge she could share with us ensured that we... read more

Hi Erin

We have recently returned from our travels, which included our W trek co-ordinated by your team from 31 December – 5th January 2019.

Overall – we thoroughly enjoyed our opportunity to experience Patagonia and the wonderful places we visited during our time in Puerta Natales and Torres Del Paine National Park.

We would particularly like to give mention our guide Sophia. She was simply outstanding. Her experience, and the knowledge she could share with us ensured that we had the best possible time on the trek. She is clearly very well-known and respected by her peers that we met along the way as well, and certainly we cannot recommend her highly enough for her skills, humour, practical sensibilities and care she took to ensure we had the best possible time. Sophia was also not advised that one of our group had a Cheese allergy.

We experienced many different weather scenarios along the way – snow on the walk to the towers and blazing sun on our way to Frances. Wind in the French Valley and gale force 80+kmh gusts heading to Glacier Grey. Throughout our entire time we felt confident that Sophia had our back and put our safety first.

On day 4 – we were meant to walk to Refugio Grey and catch the boat to go to the Glacier before return to the bus pick up point. This could not occur due to the fierce wind on that day, and indeed we watched the ferry turnaround as it was unable to continue on the lake in the extreme weather that was in play that day. As such, we returned to Paine Grande and caught the ferry across Lake Pehoe to pick up the bus transfer there. We assume as a result there is a refund due to us for the Grey Glacier boat tour that we unfortunately could not enjoy. Can you please advise details on the likely refund for this portion of our travels.

On a more serious note, we also need to provide feedback on the planning and execution of our trek. What we had discussed with us prior to departing NZ, and also during our briefing with Emily in Puerta Natales was not the trek experience we had and as such we planned poorly for some aspects of our trip which could have mitigated had the correct information been provided. As travellers, we are all very experienced and well rounded people who can manage what is required through careful research and planning. We are not a group of people who try to wing-it. We like to be sure we are careful and well informed on what we need to have with us to ensure our safety.

During our time corresponding with you, we started out with a plan to stay in the Refugios during our time on the trek. As there was limited space available – you suggested an alternative itinerary which saw us camping – the first night out of the park, an hours bus ride away at a camping site, then camping Frances on night 2, camping at Paine Grande night 3. We had expectations that this indeed was our itinerary until we received our paperwork and itinerary from Emily late Nov/Early December before we departed NZ. This shows that instead we were back on track with the original plan – that we would be in refugios, we would be staying at Los Torres on night one, Cuerno on night two, and Paine Grande night three. We queried this as we wanted to be sure we packed appropriately for camping versus refugios, and it was confirmed that we would have beds as per the itinerary. We met with Emily and had a detailed briefing with her upon arrival in Puerta Natales on Dec 30th – again querying our accommodation details, and having it confirmed that we were in Refugio accommodation as per the itinerary. So no need for camping style preparations, we would be in the refugios.

The morning of departure we met Sophia, and embarked on our journey in the bus. She mentioned our camping arrangements prior to departure, and we met Daniel our lovely driver as he would be driving us to the offsite location etc. You can imagine we were all quite shocked to hear that now we are back to the Camping plan as per our previous correspondence with you. Mentally and indeed from a gear perspective – we had all prepared for our time in refugios. During the first hour of our journey to the national park, we all took time to reflect on this new development, and indeed at our coffee stop – we sat Sophia down and explained that we are quite taken aback by the news that we are camping as only 36 hours prior – we had sat with Emily, in the Dittmar offices, and confirmed a completely different itinerary. Sophia could see we were all a little concerned about what we were doing, so took the time and went through step by step with us, the camping plan, the fact Rodriguez would be cooking for us on the first two nights and breakfast mornings, and ensured we had all the details about what were actually booked for.

Our first day was particularly long, in part due to the snow and cold, and the fact we were prepared for a day of around 18km, when in fact it was more like 23km. We arrived at our camping site on night one, and there were no tents for us. It was 10:30pm, we were freezing cold, the shower block had no power, and potentially we had no bed. With no power, we showered in the dark, in the hope we would warm up a little. Thankfully Sophia clearly managed to call in some favours for us and was able to get two domes for us to sleep in, and we squeezed our party of 7 into domes designed for 2 people each and through exhaustion all slept fitfully on night one. The team at this camping site found some sleeping bags, but due to their thin-ness, also rustled up some blankets and cushions as make shift pillows, and found some sleeping matts for the extra bodies that needed to camp on the floor. It wasn’t a great start to our trip, as we are sure you can appreicted. But at his point we realised how invaluable having our guide Sophia would be. Night 2 and 3 – tents were ready for us when we arrived so that was reassuring to us all.

As a group of travellers, we are resilient and we will roll with the punches. Indeed this is what we did during our time. We had to make the best of our situation. And we did, and so did Sophia.

However as far as the organisational skills that went in to preparing us for this guided tour experience, we would like to express our abject disappointment. We were not prepared for the trek as well as we should have been. We paid well for a guided all-inclusive experience, as we wanted to do our best to have no surprises (within all reasonableness). The team at Dittmar let us down by being ill prepared with the wrong itinerary. It was potentially dangerous as we did not necessarily pack the right level of clothing and accessories for the camping accommodation we ended up with.

As such we feel that it’s very important that we bring this to your attention, to try and eliminate this kind of error for your future travellers. We would be interested to hear about Dittmar’s willingness for some compensation for the group as well, as I am sure you can appreciate where we are coming from around what we felt we paid for versus what we ended up being delivered.

Finally, we would like to reiterate that Sophia made our time on the W trek, special and memorable for us all – and for that we are eternally grateful to her. She was the consummate professional always and it is a credit to her for her ability to assess and manage every day and we absolutely enjoyed the scenic splendour. Our thanks to Rodriguez too for looking after our cooking for us(very tasty and muchly needed!), and to Daniel for looking after our transportation.

We look forward to hearing back from you with you feedback.

Kind regards

Gabrielle Satherley and friends

CBF. It was an amazing trip.

Overall great trip. Would have eliminated Punta Arenas. Loved El Calafare and would have liked to stay there two nights. although the location was great, the hotel in El Calafate was awful. Not clean. Hotels in El Chalten and Ushuaia were great. Enjoyed trekking on the glacier the best. Also enjoyed Ushuaia. Overall very nice trip and well organized and coordinated

Laura

Emily and Erin were SO helpful throughout the entire process. It was a trip of a lifetime, and we couldn’t have done it without them. Highly recommend this trip and KimKim to anyone looking for adventure!

Erin is excellent. She was incredibly helpful while planning our time in Patagonia, and was always available to answer any questions. While in our trip, she went above and beyond to make sure we were set (we forgot our immigration papers while in a national park, and she coordinated getting them to us). You couldn't be in better hands.

Erin and Emily were very knowledgeable, skilled, and helpful. We booked a 4 day W-Trek in Torres del Paine and we received help with booking or good recommendations about every aspect of the trip. On top of this both ladies are very pleasant and friendly, making it easy to ask questions. We had one miscommunication, which was taken care of immediately (on Christmas eve no less). Alexandra was 27 months pregnant, so we had a lot of questions. Erin took the time during a phone conversation to... read more

Erin and Emily were very knowledgeable, skilled, and helpful. We booked a 4 day W-Trek in Torres del Paine and we received help with booking or good recommendations about every aspect of the trip. On top of this both ladies are very pleasant and friendly, making it easy to ask questions. We had one miscommunication, which was taken care of immediately (on Christmas eve no less). Alexandra was 27 months pregnant, so we had a lot of questions. Erin took the time during a phone conversation to describe the trek to us in such detail that it made us feel comfortable with undertaking the endeavor. All in all stellar service!

Loved every part of it. Erin and team saved our holiday and made our trip to Patagonia unforgettable. THANK YOU!!!

Amazing day with Juancho and Andres in Torre del Pine. Juancho is very knowledgeable and is happy to share his knowledge. Fantastic views and opportunities to take photographs of wild life. Totally recommended.

Another amazing day with Claudia, Christian and Pedro from Kayak Agua Fresca. Memorable moments watching the dolfins playing near our zodiac. Watching the sea lions and so many different birds. Claudia is an amazing guide who speaks very good English and Christian is a very experienced sailor. Totally recommended

I worked with Emily and Erin in planning my solo hike through Patagonia. It was ane ady process and they were happy to answer all my questions. They even put my mind at ease when I voiced my concerns about my readiness to do this experience, having never hiked before and feeling a bit apprehensive about doing it self-guided. They were right though, it was amazing and I'm so glad I did it. Highly recommend Dittmar and the ladies for the care and professional service.

Erin and Emily from Dittmar adventures put together a superb and well-organised itinerary for us. Every day was memorable, from our trip to Estancia La Peninsula, to the W trek, to kayaking down the Serrano River and at the foot of a glacier. We will be sure to use KimKim again, and would particularly recommend the wonderful local specialists.

I can't say enough about how effective and awesome Erin was -- and everyone I interacted with at the local guiding company Dittmar Adventures. Erin was very fastidious with her correspondence, always answering quickly and thoroughly, from our very first exchanges, when I was outlining what we wanted to do, and what our budget was. She tweaked the itinerary to suit our, quite unique, needs. Because our situation was pretty unusual -- in that I was traveling with a 3-year-old and a... read more

I can't say enough about how effective and awesome Erin was -- and everyone I interacted with at the local guiding company Dittmar Adventures. Erin was very fastidious with her correspondence, always answering quickly and thoroughly, from our very first exchanges, when I was outlining what we wanted to do, and what our budget was. She tweaked the itinerary to suit our, quite unique, needs. Because our situation was pretty unusual -- in that I was traveling with a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old alone while my husband hiked the "W" trek in Torres del Paine -- Erin really had to think hard about what would work for me and two small children to do that would be manageable. Her itinerary worked so well. It was a combo of two days of group tours (one to an estancia, Estancia La Peninsula, which was INCREDIBLE, and the other a boat tour aboard the Agunsa to the Bernardo O'Higgins national park to see glaciers) and one day of a privately guided tour to Torres del Paine national park, with a guide (Victor, also amazing, who Dittmar uses with some regularity). Everything Erin chose was awesome, including the days off for the kids and I to recuperate from long days of activity! We thoroughly enjoyed the inn she chose for us, the Amerindia, and the staff there were so helpful and friendly, particularly with my boisterous children. The owner of Dittmar, Laura, even lent me two carseats to use for the children on the day-trip to Torres del Paine. All I can say is that Erin, and all others from Dittmar I associated with, were so personal, so interested in us having a good time, and so available to help when needed. We ended up needed some help because a member of our party had her hiking backpack lost by LATAM, and Erin coordinated with Laura and another Dittmar employee (the amazing Emily) to be sure our traveling companion could rent everything she needed the night before their trek began. All I can say is that my whole experience with KimKim, and then with Erin and Dittmar, was excellent. Erin is so generous with her time and all the information she shares. I highly, highly recommend working with her!