Erin Wiley

Wonderfully planned vacation. Excellent clearly planned details provided. Always available for help along the way!
Patagonia is amazing......hike to Grey and the base of Torres del Paine is a MUST!!!!!!
El Perito Moreno in Argentina is spectacular!!!!!!
We unfortunately were unable to do the kayaking to Glacier Grey because of high winds.....but I would still recommend doing it.

We loved our kimkim trip! Here are some details:
•El Calafate: Our first hotel, Cauquenes de Nimez, was clean and quiet although the breakfast lacked variety. The two excursions we went in this area were very good. The Mayo Spirit Trek had a wonderful guide and the activities were so fun. The trip to Estancia Cristina was very special. The boat captain made it easy to see and photograph the magnificent icebergs we saw on the way to the estancia. We learned so much history about the... read more

We loved our kimkim trip! Here are some details:
•El Calafate: Our first hotel, Cauquenes de Nimez, was clean and quiet although the breakfast lacked variety. The two excursions we went in this area were very good. The Mayo Spirit Trek had a wonderful guide and the activities were so fun. The trip to Estancia Cristina was very special. The boat captain made it easy to see and photograph the magnificent icebergs we saw on the way to the estancia. We learned so much history about the estancia when we were there. Lunch was so enjoyable on that excursion.
•El Chaltén: Our hotel, Lunajuim, was comfortable and had a nice lobby with a bar. The restaurant was good, too. We were unable to take the guided hike scheduled for our first day en El Chaltén since I wasn't feeling well and it was pouring rain. We really enjoyed our free days doing short hikes and being unscheduled.
•El Calafate: Our hotel, Kosten Aike, was very lovely and we were sorry that we were unable to stay there upon our first arrival in El Calafate. Our bus ride to Puerto Natales went quite smoothly.
•Puerto Natales: Our hotel, Vendaval, was really good. We especially enjoyed the rooftop bar and deck. We also had a view of the water from our room. 21 de Mayo neglected to inform Dittmar that our excursion would start an hour later than the 7AM scheduled time. We got up very early to stand around for an hour in the cold. The excursion was somewhat crowded and loud. We couldn't hear the guide on the boat. However, the glaciers were beautiful to see and the estancia lunch was good.
•Torres del Paine: Our guide, Andrés, and our driver, Mauricio, were right on time to take us to Torres del Paine. Both of them were wonderful, kind, thoughtful, and always looking for interesting things to show us. We thoroughly enjoyed our day with them. Hotel Lago Grey was the best! The view from our room was gorgeous. From our window, we even saw a condor eat a fish. The excursion to Glacier Grey was quite crowded making taking photos just about impossible. It was my least favorite excursion. Then we had another fantastic day with Andrés and Mauricio. We requested to have Mauricio for our driver and, thanks to Nara, he was our driver again and was our driver to take us to Punta Arenas the next day.
•Punta Arenas: The Hotel Albatros was my least favorite. Our view was a cement wall and breakfast, although good, was served too late at 8:30. Everyone had already left except us and we felt rushed since we were getting picked up at 9. Our driver to take us to the Magallanes National Reserve was right on time. Ademil was very kind and made sure we were registered before we went on our beautiful hike. When we returned, there was Ademil waiting for us. He also drove us to the airport later that night.
All of our transfers went well and everything on the trip went very smoothly. The trip was even better than I pictured it when Erin created the itinerary. It was fun to meet the Dittmar team in Puerto Natales. Throughout the entire process from planning the trip to its execution we had the support of that team. Responses to our requests and questions were always prompt. I felt supported the entire time. What a wonderful experience we had thanks to Erin and Nara!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

Kosten Aike is a really nice hotel with a great downtown location. The rooms are spacious and the bedding is very comfortable. The hotel has a charming look and feel, and the huge breakfast is a great way to start the day. We wished we could have stayed here longer.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Vendaval

Puerto Natales

Our hotel, Vendaval, was really good. We especially enjoyed the rooftop bar and deck. We also had a view of the water from our room. The connected restaurant was also a convenient feature.

Authenticity & Character

The view of the port from the window was nice and the rooftop bar was the highlight.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

Hotel Lago Grey was the best! The view from our room was gorgeous. From our window, we even saw a condor eat a fish. Lago Grey is an amazing hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing mountain views. The dinners were excellent we ate here all three nights and the breakfast had a large spread. We loved our stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Albatros

Punta Arenas

This was not our favorite hotel, if you would like a room with a view I would make sure to request it! The location was great, very close to restaurants.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

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

El Calafate

The Mayo Spirit Trek had a wonderful guide and the activities were so fun. It was a perfect distance with a great guide who was knowledgeable and very friendly.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak at Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

The kayaking experience at Perito Moreno Glacier was fantastic - Dan absolutely loved it.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Upsala Glacier & Estancia Cristina [Discovery Program]

El Calafate

The trip to Estancia Cristina was very special. The boat captain made it easy to see and photograph the magnificent icebergs we saw. Despite the windy conditions, this tour was wonderful The captain even showed us a flipped iceberg and drove slowly for everyone to see. The lunch was amazing. The restaurant was very quiet and comfortable and wine included!

Quality of Experience

Food

Very quite and comfortable restaurant, wine included)

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

It was fun to meet the Dittmar team in Puerto Natales. Throughout the entire process from planning the trip to its execution, we had the support of that team. Responses to our requests and questions were always prompt. I felt supported the entire time. What a wonderful experience we had thanks to Erin and Nara!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boat Tour to Bernardo O Higgins National Park, Serrano & Balmaceda Glaciers

Puerto Natales

The tour started an hour later than expected, but the free whiskey shots were a hit. The included lunch was nice and the tour allowed us to roam around on our own. The glacier was beautiful and had a huge lake to view.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

Met the Dittmar team, in this town, and everyone was so fun and caring looking out for the exciting stuff and making sure we stopped for everything. Really good photographs from that trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Grey Glacier Boat Tour

Chile

The weather was not great for this tour, it was a bit rainy but the glaciers were beautiful.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Photography Tour in Torres del Paine National Park

Torres del Paine

The guides asked what we wanted to do and we said to take good photographs as my husband is a photographer so they took us to all the best photography spots! Best box lunches - lamb and beef sandwiches which were the best on the trip. Mauricio the driver was the best too! We personally asked for him again because he was great!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Magallanes Nature Reserve

Punta Arenas

Our driver to take us to the Magallanes National Reserve was right on time. Ademil was very kind and made sure we were registered before we went on our beautiful hike. When we returned, there was Ademil waiting for us. He also drove us to the airport later that night. Magallanes was beautiful with the fall colors and a perfect way to end our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We began in El Calafate with a quiet afternoon. We took a boat excursion to Perito Moreno recommended by our kimkim agent, Erin. It was perfect! My first site of this glacier brought tears to my eyes. The next day we returned to kayak in front of the glacier. Perfect! An iceberg turned over right in front of us and moments later, a whole side of ice came down off the wall. We went on a multi day horse ride with Niebepo Aike and rode through rain, fall colours, snow and brilliant sunshine. Our... read more

We began in El Calafate with a quiet afternoon. We took a boat excursion to Perito Moreno recommended by our kimkim agent, Erin. It was perfect! My first site of this glacier brought tears to my eyes. The next day we returned to kayak in front of the glacier. Perfect! An iceberg turned over right in front of us and moments later, a whole side of ice came down off the wall. We went on a multi day horse ride with Niebepo Aike and rode through rain, fall colours, snow and brilliant sunshine. Our guide, Juan was amazing! The program also included a hike to the Hidden Glaciers. All breathtaking views. Thank-you to Erin for helping us plan such a wonderful holiday. Unforgettable! I only wish Kimkim would also include flight bookings as part of the service.

Hotel Reviews

Estancia Nibepo Aike

Colonia Francisco Perito Moreno

We took the multi day horse riding program. The Estancia is very comfortable and the outposts we rode to were rustic as advertised. An amazing experience.

Authenticity & Character

The outposts were authentic

Location

The views are incredible

Staff

Our guide Juan attended to us with such care!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The second outpost was a little more comfortable

Hotel Amado

El Calafate

A very well-located hotel right in the middle of town. The room was clean and comfortable and the staff was great. A simple breakfast is included, but nothing was fresh and it was bad.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Central location

Staff

Very helpful staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The first room had a better bed

Activity Reviews

El Calafate to Estancia Nibepo Aike [Multi-day Horseback Riding Day 1]

El Calafate

The first day started at 5 pm and was just transport to the Estancia and dinner

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Juan....our ride guide!

Transport

The transport is at the convenience of the outfit, not the customer. The first day was not really any kind of activity day other than dinner and the last day, we felt rushed to meet the shuttle schedule.

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

El Calafate

Great choice of boat company....not too large a group. The guide was very good.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak at Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

Well equipped and lots of fun. I felt safe even when a nearby iceberg turned over right in front of us. Don't get too close to the icebergs!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Estancia Nibepo Aike to Puesto Rosada [Multi-day Horseback Riding Day 2]

El Calafate

We rode about 6 hours to an outpost. It was very rustic. We had all weather and an incredible experience. Be prepared for weather changes as always when in the mountains. It was just my husband and I and the guide.

Quality of Experience

Food

Juan was a great cook!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Amazing horses and comfortable saddles with huge pieces of foam for added comfort

Transport

The horses!

Puesto Rosada to Laguna 3 de Abril [Multi-day Horseback Riding Day 3]

El Calafate

Another great day that began in snow and ended in sunshine

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the "Glacier Balcony" [Multi-day Horseback Riding Day 4]

El Calafate

We were expecting to ride, but the horses were only used to meet the boat. This was an unexpected 5 hour hike, but it was beautiful just the same

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Southern Face of Lago Argentino, Return to El Calafate [Multi-day Horseback Riding Day 5]

El Calafate

Beautiful ride back to the Estancia followed by a tasty BBQ. Felt rushed off the ranch to meet shuttle schedule

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Shuttle schedule

Erin helped us plan a great itinerary for our 19 day trip to southern Patagonia. She knows the area very well and made helpful suggestions on things to do and see and how to plan the logistics for what we could accomplish in a given day, especially where to stay the night before to be properly positioned to make full use of the following day. She arranged all the transfers, hotels and guided excursions, and each provider communicated with us the day before about what to expect. Our trip... read more

Erin helped us plan a great itinerary for our 19 day trip to southern Patagonia. She knows the area very well and made helpful suggestions on things to do and see and how to plan the logistics for what we could accomplish in a given day, especially where to stay the night before to be properly positioned to make full use of the following day. She arranged all the transfers, hotels and guided excursions, and each provider communicated with us the day before about what to expect. Our trip had a lot of "moving parts" in it, so when something inevitably changed during the planning process, Erin was quick to help us with a recovery plan to work around the change. Our trip had the feeling of independent travel, but without all the hassles of planning every detail. For anyone wanting to visit Patagonia in Chile and/or Argentina, I highly recommend working with Erin to plan your trip.

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... read more

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).

We really appreciate the role that Erin and Nara had in helping us to put together a personalize adventure in Patagonia at a reasonable cost. The hotels were great, especially the Hotel Lago Grey in Torres del Paine and Kosten Aike in El Calafate. Everywhere the hotel staff were very professional, helpful and friendly. All the daily activities and pick ups happened on time as per the program. The guides were outstanding with detailed knowledge and experienced especially Chri in Torres del... read more

We really appreciate the role that Erin and Nara had in helping us to put together a personalize adventure in Patagonia at a reasonable cost. The hotels were great, especially the Hotel Lago Grey in Torres del Paine and Kosten Aike in El Calafate. Everywhere the hotel staff were very professional, helpful and friendly. All the daily activities and pick ups happened on time as per the program. The guides were outstanding with detailed knowledge and experienced especially Chri in Torres del Paine, Leila in El Chalten and the drivers were very safe and personable especially Kevin in Torres del Paine and driving us to El Calafate. The weather is a very significant part of a visit to Patagonia and we experienced the full range of weather from snow, rain, clouds and wind. I mean real wind. We also had some sun but it was on rare occasions. The weather adds to the unique Patagonian atmosphere that reminds one they are in a wild, unique and remote part of the world. We also saw many Andean condors, many guanacos and several pumas that was a real thrill. The trek with Paul into the wet clay canyon to see petrified trees and strange rock formations was a unique experience though we were sliding around on the wet clay. The sun emerged for our visit to the Perito Morena glacier which we saw up close by boat and on the view points in front of the glacier, a breathtaking experience. The walk with our guide Liila to the lookout above El Chalten was fun while she provided many details about the area. The boat trip on the Lago del Desierto was amazing with the hanging glaciers and snow capped mountains. The hike up to the lagoon Huemel and glacier through the forest and rain was beautiful. More warning about the challenging last portion of the trail should have been provided. Our final trip to the airport was a bit uncomfortable because the vehicle was too small for the amount of excess luggage we had but we were able to manage.
Just a few suggestions, we found that information in the trip plan a bit scant about the daily activities and could be improved. You may make visitors aware of the constantly changing weather is an essential part of the trip and sunny days ca be a rare treat.
Overall a great trip for us. It was unfortunate that some of our party developed colds during the trip but otherwise, it was great, a real trip of a lifetime.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Aquaterra

Natales

Great Location, nice design with several sitting rooms, very helpful staff. Room are a bit small but adequate.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms are a bit small

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

Helpful staff, amazing views, spacious rooms

Authenticity & Character

Location

The view of Lake Grey, the mountains and the glacier

Staff

very helpful and professional

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kosten Aike

El Calafate

iGreat location in the town, beautiful interiors of wood and traditional motifs, great staff

Authenticity & Character

the building is a masterpiece

Location

2 blocks from the main street

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lunajuim

El Chalten

Great staff and good location, spacious bar and sitting room

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Perito Moreno Boat & Walking Tour

El Calafate

Great experience, with the boat and walking to the view points, fantastic with the good weather we had

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Explore the La Leona Petrified Forest, Transfer to El Chalten

Argentina

Very interesting to see the petrified trees and geological formations but it was wet and slippery the day we went

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guided Hike to Mirador Los Condores and Mirador Las Aguilas

El Chaltén

Nice hike and not too difficult, saw condors and good views, Laila was a great guide

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The trip was overall great! Thanks for everything! read more

The trip was overall great! Thanks for everything!

Activity Review

Visit Estancia Mercedes

Chile

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! read more

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! read more

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. read more

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... read more

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... read more

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.

Trip to Chile

We had one of our best vacations ever thanks to Erin and her team at Kimkim.
Everyone of our airport transfers were waiting for us when we cleared customs and baggage claim and drove us to our destinations giving us good information regarding that region of Chile.
The hotels Erin selected were excellent with nice rooms, good locations for exploring the cities, and great breakfasts.
The activities that were scheduled for us were both challenging and interesting (kayaking,... read more

Trip to Chile

We had one of our best vacations ever thanks to Erin and her team at Kimkim.
Everyone of our airport transfers were waiting for us when we cleared customs and baggage claim and drove us to our destinations giving us good information regarding that region of Chile.
The hotels Erin selected were excellent with nice rooms, good locations for exploring the cities, and great breakfasts.
The activities that were scheduled for us were both challenging and interesting (kayaking, hiking in a temperate rain forrest, fishing, and penguin viewing. )
The restaurants in each city that were recommended were all excellent with local seafood, fresh vegetables, and fine wine.

We particularly enjoyed staying at the Matetic La Casona Hotel with its' beautiful rooms, garden areas, excellent restaurant and, of course, the fine wines. It was nice to get out of Santiago with its' warm temperatures and smoke from the recent fires.
We spent a day touring Valparaiso which was quite entertaining with its' fish market, murals, funiculars, and views.
The San Francisco of Chile.

We enjoyed staying in Puerto Varas with the beautiful beach setting, lake, and volcanoes in the background.
Jass was a perfect host with pickup at the airport and kayaking on a fjord. Learning about the fjord, salmon and mussel farms was interesting but the river was so wide and big the actual kayaking was not much fun. Would have preferred a smaller river to learn about the trees, birds, and animals.

The trekking trip to Alerce Andino National Park was interesting but not a high point. Good for training to climb a mountain with all the stairs you have to negotiate. Our guide Marcella has a spider phobia she pontificated on that was the most entertaining part of the hike.

The fishing trip I took with Matthew (?) was the best day of the trip for me. Rowing me down a quiet, beautiful river with large brown trout hungry to grab my lure, identifying multiple water birds, and cooking me a riverside lunch was perfect.
June enjoyed her penguin trip as well.

We dined at the Casa Varas and Brasas restaurants in the evening and found them both excellent.
The frozen piscos and ceviche at Casa Varas and the king crab and baked Alaska dessert at Brasas were highlights.

Puerto Natales was the gateway to Torres del Paine National Park and a perfect base to launch our different activities.
Our hotel Remota was hip and cooly designed and built using local wood and resources.
It was a long walk from town and we usually took a taxi.
It could use a better sauvignon blanc in the wine list.

Our private tour of Torres del Paine National Park was quite nice hitting all the major waterfalls and mountain views.
Saw lots of wildlife including condors, Darwin Rhea, caracara, black eagles, flamingos. and guanacos.

The Hotel Grey located in Torres del Paine was also quite nice and we enjoyed a hike to the Chorrillo Los Samones with Pablo and Jorge as our guides. Multiple plants, trees, and birds were identified on the hike along the Pingo River.
The best and most comfortable views of the glacier and the iceberg were in the hotel bar. :)

Erin worked easily with us on our itinerary changing several activities to match our interests. She was up front about the costs and provided detailed information and photos on each of the hotels, destinations, and activities.

I hardily recommend Erin and Kimkim to anyone considering a trip to Chile. You will be rewarded with a trip of a lifetime.

Joe and June Spann
Austin, Texas

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lago Grey

Torres del Paine

great location with good restaurant and bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Casona at Matetic Vineyards

Lagunillas

Beautiful, relaxing setting with lap pool, gardens, and on-site restaurant. Great wine!!

Authenticity & Character

Location

quiet, calming setting after a long flight.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Solace Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas

Great breakfast, view from our room of the lake and volcanoes, and great location to access the town.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Accidentally left my electrical conversion equipment in my room at check-out and the house cleaner immediately recognized it and caught me before I checked out of the hotel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Remota Patagonia Lodge

Puerto Natales

Cool, hip hotel with its' design and materials. Long walk from town. Needs a better sauvignon blanc wine on the menu.

Authenticity & Character

Location

long walk from town

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Stay at La Casona inside of Matetic Winery

Casablanca Valley

wine tasting with Pablo Took a day trip to Valparaiso...very entertaining. Strongly recommend.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trekking in Alerce Andino National Park

Puerto Varas

Too many stairs and guide fixated on spiders.

Kayaking on the Reloncaví Fjord

Puerto Varas

Jass was great but fjord but was wide and large and did not feel very intimate for a kayaking trip.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All-inclusive at Hotel Remota

Puerto Natales

Presented with a menu of possible activities the first evening, We chose the most difficult hike up to the base of the three towers of Torres del Paine. It was a 14 mile round trip hike with sunshine and warmth on the hike up with the last mile picking our way up over giant boulders and the last two hours in a cold rain with driving wind. One of the most difficult hikes I have ever done especially at age 71 but we were rewarded with some magnificent views, incredible scenery, and a sense of accomplishment at the end. It was 10 hours of hiking interrupted with a half-hour lunch. Nicholas was our young guide at 24 years of age and I think he worried we were going to collapse. So did we. :) The next day we took a tour of Puerto Natales downtown and enjoyed visiting the museum and shopping for souvenirs.

Quality of Experience

Food

Snacks, salad, and a warm beer were waiting for us at the end.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Nicholas was young and energetic but at the end I think he was frustrated with the old people (us) He would get about 10-20 meters ahead of us and only look back to make sure we hadn't fallen or gotten lost.

Transport

Fly fishing on the Rio Maullín

Puerto Varas

Best day of the trip for me with phenomenal trout fishing, beautiful serene setting, and abundant wildlife. The guide was especially skilled and helpful. Would recommend highly to all those interested in one of the greatest fishing trips of their life. I used a spinning rod and reel since I am not especially skilled at fly fishing.

Quality of Experience

Food

riverside steak dinner with beer!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

My wife took this trip and enjoyed it.

Explore Chiloé Island & Puñihuil Penguins National Reserve

Puerto Varas

Wife took this trip and enjoyed it.

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

We checked all the boxes on waterfalls, mountain views, and wildlife.

Half Day Hiking in the Pingo Valley

Torres del Paine

Enjoyed taking this informative hike with Pablo and Jorge in a visitor restricted area.

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... read more

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

Hotel Aquaterra

Natales

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

El Chileno Refugio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Cuernos Refugio

Torres del Paine - W trek Circuit Reserva Cerro Paine

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

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

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... read more

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

Chile

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

Chile

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)

Chile

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... read more

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

Horseback Riding on Estancia Cristina

El Calafate

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

Chile

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

Chile

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

Argentina

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

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... read more

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 Hotel

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

Cabin 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

Chile

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

Chile

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

Chile

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

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... read more

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!

The overall experience of KimKim was great. I have to admit, when it started it out, it was very slow at first. My assigned specialist wasn't very responsive. But then, Erin took over, and she was excellent in terms of her timliness and her knowledge. Then, she referred me to an even more localized specialist, Nara, who also was great. I was very happy with their organization and their efforts!

The overall trip to Patagonia was wonderful. The highlights for us were the hikes on both the... read more

The overall experience of KimKim was great. I have to admit, when it started it out, it was very slow at first. My assigned specialist wasn't very responsive. But then, Erin took over, and she was excellent in terms of her timliness and her knowledge. Then, she referred me to an even more localized specialist, Nara, who also was great. I was very happy with their organization and their efforts!

The overall trip to Patagonia was wonderful. The highlights for us were the hikes on both the Argentina side and the Chile side. The Perito Moreno glacier hiking tour was also very memorable. We loved our Santiago city tour guide as well.

The only thing that wasn't so great for us was the hotel accommodations. I understand some of the regular partners that Kim Kim uses were booked up for the times we were going, so that is understandable. But our accomodations in Buenos Aires and Chile were less than ideal considering availability and pricing during the time. All other parts of this trip were amazing, and I would not hestitate to use KimKim again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Intersur Recoleta

Recoleta, Buenos Aires

Overall hotel location was pretty good. But the rooms and bathrooms were very dated and not what I would consider normal for a four star accommodation.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathrooms very dated, rooms very small

Lunajuim

El Chalten

This was more of a hostel experience as I believe KimKim's normal partners were booked up. The rooms were fine. The breakfast was okay. The staff was very friendly. Location was great. For a hostel experience, I think this was good, though we usually prefer staying in nicer places. I think "luxury" is not something that is in abundance when you are in remote Patagonia though, so this was fine for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hostería Schilling

El Calafate

This was more of a hostel experience as I believe KimKim's normal partners were booked up. The rooms were fine. Heat was not working properly the first night, was better the second night. The breakfast was okay - did like that they cooked fresh eggs if you wanted it. The bathrooms were very barebones. The staff was very friendly. Location was great. For a hostel experience, I think this was good, though we usually prefer staying in nicer places. I think "luxury" is not something that is in abundance when you are in remote Patagonia though, so this was fine for us.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Establo B&B

Puerto Natales

We typically like to stay in hotels, but all typical partners of KimKim were booked up. However, we loved this charming little bed and breakfast. The host was great - so friendly, so helpful, made great breakfasts every morning at the time we wanted. The rooms were cute - everything we needed was in there. Location was a bit far walking from the town square, but it was fine. Would 100% recommend anyone to stay here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Ismael

Santiago

Heat was not working. Not only could we not control it from our rooms, we had to call the reception any time we wanted it to be warmer or cooler - they said rooms do not have the ability to make temperature changes, only the front desk could. We waited 30 minutes to check in. There was only one person ahead of us - there was no issue, they were just extraordinarily slow. The rooms were tiny, but the bathrooms and sleeping arrangments were fine. The breakfast was a good one - but they ran out of eggs (one hour before breakfast shut down), and there was a line to get a table at 9am. I ended up having to stand and eat my breakfast. There was one staff member - Fernando - who was extraordinarily patient and friendly despite all of the frustrated guests. Kudos to him. With all of the other accommodation options in Santiago, please don't have anyone stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Fernando was great. The rest were very slow and overly willing to help with the issues that kept arising.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Buenos Aires Bicycle Tour (South Sector)

Buenos Aires

Tour guide was 45 minutes late - but we gave him a pass. Traffic was crazy because of the World Cup win. Great bike ride around the city. However - it's dangerous for kids. You often ride in the street, right next to cars and buses. Please know this if you are booking with children.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Had to get there on our own, which was fine.

Traditional Tango Show with Dinner

Buenos Aires

Wish we could have done the tango without the dinner. Not worth it for vegetarians. Also - if you have kids - the show starts after 10pm and ends after midnight. Still, the show was great, and a very cool experience for us all. Hated that they picked up five other guests along the way - it took us more than 45 min before we even got to dinner, even though the location was so close to our hotel. Would have rathered saved on the transport expense and uber'ed ourselves

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Kayak Lago del Desierto

El Chaltén

In theory, this is a great experience. Our weather was not great, so it was hard to kayak against the wind. Totally not the fault of our company. All that being said - the gear was great, and they provided most of it. Wish they would have explained a bit more about what to wear and not wear. What our tour operator told us was not accurate. Of the five kayaks on our trip, two were not perfect - the end of one kept sinking, and another had no backs to the seats. The guide was nice and enthusiastic. Loved the raft to help our kids along. However - the guide never sent us any pictures as he promised after. That's a big problem when he tells us not to take our phones on the kayaks.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike to Laguna de los Tres

El Chaltén

This was an amazing hike. Not sure we needed a private guide. But all was great about it. A must do. It's tough - be warned!

Quality of Experience

Food

Packed lunch - hard to make it better.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Minitrekking Ice Hike on Perito Moreno Glacier

El Calafate

What an incredible day and site! It's VERY commercialized, but despite that, we thoroughly enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Wish we didnt spend 45 min plus picking up others - we were almost always the first to be picked up on all of these tours. And when they are early mornings, 45 extra min is huge.

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Not sure how needed this was as it was the end of our trip. But it was great to meet Nara in person.

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

This was a great way to see the park. Our tour guide (Vincenze?) was so friendly and fun. But he was chatty with almost every other guide he came across, so we would have to wait for him at every stop to finish talking with others before we could move on. We also didnt get a chance to see the eastern part of the park. We were told it was too windy. But we met others who were on private tours and they all got to go to that side of the park, so we felt let down by that. Too much time spent at Hotel Lago Grey - we didnt need a snack, we would have liked to take that time and seen another site.

Quality of Experience

Food

Packed lunch - was okay.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided hike to Las Torres lookout [Central - Base - Central]

Chile

We were hesitant about the group tour. But it worked out well. Guide made us keep on pace, and we had an incredible view at the end

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Santiago City Tour

Chile

Nice guide, nice tour, great to learn about the city.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crissy and I had an amazing time in Patagonia. This trip was a long time coming, delayed several times for COVID, and ended turning into our Honeymoon.

Erin and the KimKim crew were fantastic during the changes and final prep. Very knowledgeable, offering up timely responses, and extremely flexible.

We really enjoyed the Penguin Island, Torres Base Hike, and the Serrano River Kayak. Weather was absolutely perfect. Hotels were decent, with the Hosteria Pehoe being the most... read more

Crissy and I had an amazing time in Patagonia. This trip was a long time coming, delayed several times for COVID, and ended turning into our Honeymoon.

Erin and the KimKim crew were fantastic during the changes and final prep. Very knowledgeable, offering up timely responses, and extremely flexible.

We really enjoyed the Penguin Island, Torres Base Hike, and the Serrano River Kayak. Weather was absolutely perfect. Hotels were decent, with the Hosteria Pehoe being the most memorable.

All the drivers and guides were superb. Daniel was always a bit early and drove us safely to where we needed to be. Devi was super fun to hang with during the Torres del Paine tour and took us to some cool hiking spots, waterfalls, and scenic overlooks. Charlie was a great kayak guide and campsite host. He worked hard to make sure we had an incredible experience.

Activity Reviews

Paddle from Pueblo Serrano to Puerto Toro [Kayak Expedition Day 1]

Chile

Charlie, from Tutravesia, worked hard to ensure a very enjoyable. experience. Views were breath taking.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Serrano Glacier & Estancia Perales [Kayak Expedition Day 2]

Chile

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit the Isla Magdalena Penguin Colony

Punta Arenas

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Trip Briefing at Dittmar Adventures

Puerto Natales

Nara provided all the details for the trip and stayed in touch with weather updates for the kayak excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Torres del Paine Full Day Private Tour

Chile

Devi was an amazing guide. She has a trail scale of 14/10 and our marriage is stronger having spent the day with her. She was solely responsible for the perfect weather and all the functioning planks on the waterfall boardwalk. If we were not laughing so hard maybe we would have seen a puma.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport