Such an amazing trip!
Chile | Mar 7 - Mar 24, 2024

Mike
Mike S.
Waterford, MI | Reviewed on Apr 02, 2024

Such an amazing trip! Lorena did an excellent job planning this trip for me. She ensured I made it to all of the cities that I had on my list and set up all the hotels and transportation to make this adventure possible. Valentina assisted me while I was in Chile. She kept everything running smoothly. If I ever had a question, she would respond promptly, and I had a lot of questions! I'm so thankful for her assistance when I got confused. Some of the stand out tours on this trip were: the Full Day Tour of Torres del Paine from Patagonia Planet, Rafting on the Petrohue River with Ko'Kayak, all of my tours on Rapa Nui with Nico from Maururu Travel, exploring the Atacama Salt Flats and Lagoons with Hugo, and finally the trip to the Tatio Geysers with the greatest tour guide of them all, Anita from Tourismo Chile Tours!

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Boutique La Yegua Loca
Punta Arenas

This hotel is very special. Each and every room is unique and beautiful. The food at the restaurant was exquisite.

Authenticity & Character
Every room is special! The restaurant was amazing and the views were spectacular.
Location
It's on a bit of a hill which could be a challenge to get to, but the views are astounding!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Taura'a
Hanga Roa

Edith is an amazing host! The location of this hotel is perfect, right off the main road and a short walk to everything. Simply a perfect place to stay on Rapa Nui.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás
San Pedro de Atacama

The rooms were very nice here. They have a water fountain for easy water bottle refills.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Costaustralis
Puerto Natales

This hotel is right on the water with amazing views. The rooms are comfortable and the staff is attentive. The restaurant and bar are quite nice. It is easy to walk anywhere in town from this hotel.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Bellavista
Puerto Varas

This hotel and restaurant are in a great location, just down from the main square and right on the waterfront. The rooms are slightly dated but don't let that deter you.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings
Full-Day Tour of Torres del Paine National Park & Surroundings
Patagonia

This is an amazing tour, you really get a chance to see all that Torres del Paine National Park has to offer. Hopefully the weather will be as nice for you as it was for us. The tour company did a great job of finding places for us to stop, stretch our legs, and take some wonderful photos.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Puritama Canyon Trek
Puritama Canyon Trek
San Pedro de Atacama

This trek was so much fun! It was special to go hiking in a place that is a favorite for the locals too.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The van was a bit dated
Stargazing Tour
Stargazing Tour
San Pedro de Atacama

This tour is so informative! You will get a chance to use one or more telescopes to see some incredible celestial bodies.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Tour of Tatio Geysers
Tour of Tatio Geysers
San Pedro de Atacama

This might have been my favorite tour of them all. Part of this was because we had Anita as our guide. She was amazing and wonderful. She knew everything about San Pedro, the Atacama, geysers, and the wildlife. She really made this trip extra memorable.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Anita was so amazing, I can't give her enough credit for being my favorite tour guide on this trip.
Transport
Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons
Explore the Atacama Salt Flats & Lagoons
San Pedro de Atacama

We had a fun day on this tour led by Hugo. It starts early but this means you get the chance to see so much! I loved beginning the tour with breakfast in the town square of Toconao. We even got a surprise stop at the Tropic of Capricorn!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Biking Tour of Puerto Natales
Biking Tour of Puerto Natales
Puerto Natales

I would recommend doing this tour early in your stay in Puerto Natales. It gives a great sense of the town and helps to understand a bit about where you are staying. The guide takes you everywhere in town so you have a sense of where you'd like to visit again during your visit.

Easter Island Highlights Tour
Easter Island Highlights Tour
Easter Island

Absolutely do this tour! You get a chance to visit so many historic places and get great explanations along the way. Rapa Nui is truly a special place. To finish the tour you will stop off at a beach and have a chance to go swimming with Moai directly on the shore. How cool is that?!

Guides, Drivers and Staff
Valley of the Moon Tour
Valley of the Moon Tour
San Pedro de Atacama

The Valley of the Moon is beautiful. It was nice to do a bit of hiking and it's good to plan this trip early in your stay in San Pedro. This is because the tour doesn't go to such a high elevation so you can work on acclimatizing to the altitude. Finishing the day watching the sunset over the Atacama is spectacular!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Hike in Torres del Paine National Park
Hike in Torres del Paine National Park
Patagonia

This was an amazing hike. I didn't have the stamina to complete the whole thing but the views that I did see were spectacular! I will come back one day so that I can get to the lagoon at Base Torres.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Rafting on the Petrohué River
Rafting on the Petrohué River
Chile

This was so much fun! Our guides were amazing and had our group smiling the whole time. This rafting trip is not too far from Puerto Varas. I would definitely go on another tour with Ko'Kayak!

Morning Tour to Orongo
Morning Tour to Orongo
Easter Island

This was a fun tour. It is easy to do before flying out in the afternoon, one last taste of Rapa Nui before departure.

Guides, Drivers and Staff
City Tour in Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas
City Tour in Puerto Montt & Puerto Varas
Puerto Varas

This tour was ok. It seemed somewhat rushed though and more of just a drive to the airport with a few explanations along the way. The stop at the market in Puerto Montt was very nice though!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Lorena Huidobro
Lorena
Lorena Huidobro
Local specialist in Houston, TX & Santiago, Chile | Replied on Apr 03, 2024

Thanks, Mike for taking the time to leave such a detailed review!! Your itinerary was packed with adventures and various stops all along Chile. We cannot wait to host you again so you can finish the famed hike to the Base of the Paine Towers!
Best always,
Lorena