Name: Active Ecuador - A Multisport Adventure
Brand: ROW Adventures
SKU: N/A
Price: 3750 USD
Availability: LimitedAvailability
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

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We experienced Tanzania through Discover Corps. Our trip included service &amp; safari. It was a trip of a lifetime. It was beyond meaningful. Taking this trip through Discover Corps was one of the best things we’ve ever done as a family AND for our family.

Discover Corps

Tanzania: Safari & Service

Exodus Adventure Travels

Qwerty Travel Argentina

ROW Adventures

Moser Active

MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek)

Spirit of the West Adventures

Large Minority

ROW Sea Kayak Adventures

Eastland Adventures

Best Single Travel

Scenic Trails Safaris

An amazing trip. We were blessed with excellent weather which made it all the 
more special. The hikes were incredible with stunning scenery. The food and 
wine weren’t bad either!
The three hikes:
Torres del Paine
Laguna de los Tres
Lomo del Pliegue

Seeing the Milky Way from the hotel in Torres del Paine.

The glacier boat trip.


Xavier was great. Dependable and knowledgable.


There are some long driving days as per trip notes. Also the hikes are not 
gentle. Most are uphill most of the way and moderately difficult in areas.

If you’re keen on ice climbing on the glacier book we’ll in advance.

Currency: a mix of US dollars and pesos is best as not all places accept 
dollars. Get pesos out of cash machine but there is a charge.

A few of us did a scenic flight in Ushuaia as the weather was so good. 
Reasonably priced and worthwhile. Book ahead.

Suggest having a few days in Buenos Aires at the end to unwind and see the 
city in a relaxed pace. Even better - Xavier can organise kayaking trips in 
the Tigre delta which is a great way to get away from the hussle and bustle.

When you arrive in Pueto Natales you’ll be wiped out and won’t want a 
fancy meal... ask about the pizza bar/restaurant along the road. Pizzas were 
amazing - and big. The beer is good too. Left overs served a great 
mid-morning snack the next day.

Patagonian Highlights

A fabulous trip to Patagonia. A great group, super guide and fabulous scenery 
every day. My sister recommended that I take this trip as it was one of her 
favourites and I agree with her. It will stay in my memories for a long time.
There were many candidates but the day walk to the Torres del Paine just 
about wins the prize. The views were spectacular and we were exceptionally 
lucky with the weather so could see the towers very clearly.


We were very lucky to have such an experienced guide as Xavier. He ensured 
that everything about the trip went smoothly and always focussed on our 
needs.


Get fit beforehand as the treks are hard but we’ll worth the effort,

This has been a successful trip in every sense. We are well travelled with 
Exodus and this ranks high in our experiences.
It is hard to choose one but high up on the list of memorable things:
* walking in spectacular mountain scenery - Mount Fitzroy, Torre, Torres del 
Paine (great weather helped no doubt);
* standing close to the Perito Merino glacier listening to the cracks and 
groans of the ice as lumps fell away;
* seeing the local wild life - many birds, guanaco, fox, hare armadillo, 
penguins, seals and even a puma!;

* experiencing the Patagonian wind en route to Torres del Paine. For location 
certainly one of the most memorable hotels we have stayed.

* the coach drives which gave a clear picture of the vastness of the 
grasslands in this part of the world.


Xavier was a star! His local knowledge of all aspects of Argentina and Chile 
is extensive. He shared this willingly with the group at large or with 
individuals. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he went out of his way 
to make sure that things went well and that the group was having a good time.

He was always ready with recommendations for an optional visit, for somewhere 
to eat, for what we would need for any part of our trip.

He also wanted to know about us as individuals and told us about himself (not 
always the case with Exodus leaders in my experience)


There are a couple of things:
* layers of clothes are the order of he day. The weather is changeable (we 
had snow, rain and sunshine all in one day!) and it can be very cold.
* "water for the coach drives as well as something to nibble on@ was helpful 
advice we were given.
* for photographers don't forget a spare battery and extra cards - the 
scenery is spectacular.

* for those who are not used to eating red meat, don't worry. We had plenty 
of options when it came to choosing what to eat. On the other hand don't miss 
out on the steaks - they are seriously large but delicious.

Full-on trip taking in Buenos Aires and both the Chilean and Argentinian 
regions of Patagonia. We had an outstanding tour leader, Pepe, whose 
enthusiasm, organisation skills, high energy and can-do attitude made for a 
tiring but memorable trip. Walking in the Chilean Torres del Paine was 
particularly memorable as was visiting the penguins near Ushuaia in their 
natural habitat on the Isla Martillo (well worth the additional cost to do 
this excursion). The weather was very kind to us throughout and we were 
granted glorious views of both the Chilean and Argentinian peaks on our 
full-day walks. Even in the early summer at the start of December Ushuaia was 
cool and windy - you’ve been warned! Don’t hesitate to go now as 
Patagonia is becoming increasingly popular and despite its vastness a lot of 
land is privately owned and not easily accessible to walkers. The walks you 
can do such as Fitzroy and Torres del Paine can therefore appear surprisingly 
busy considering how remote they are.
Visiting the penguins in their natural habitat during the optional excursion 
to Isla Martillo near Ushuaia. Only 20 people are allowed on their island at 
any one time, together with a local guide/warden, so you feel really 
privileged to be there.


Outstanding. Pepe was first class in the way he led the group and went out of 
his way to try and ensure everyone had the holiday they wanted. Pepe never 
waiverd in doing his best to ensure everyone had a great time and knew what 
was happening everyday.


Yes, the final 1 hour of the long walks to see the Torres del Paine and 
Fitzroy peaks is in my opinion a level 4, rather than the moderate level 3 
rating. Both are short but sharp inclines over uneven terrain so you need to 
be agile in picking your way along the rocky paths. Both are well worth it 
if, like us, you get lucky and are afforded blue sky’s and no rain!


Go now!

From the vast, isolated Patagonian Steppe to the gorgeous Andes mountains, 
delicious steaks and empanadas, challenging but rewarding hikes, weather 
prone to dramatic changes within 15 minutes, glaciers, penguins, pumas, and 
guanacos galore.... this trip has it all. Upon returning home, we pulled out 
our roadmap of the region (thanks again for giving us yours, Xavier!!!) and 
talked about what else we’ll see when we come back one day.
For me it was completing the first hike. Not only did we have perfect skies 
and weather for our views of Mt. Fitz Roy and glaciers off in the distance 
during this hike, but as a new hiker I definitely had a sense of 
accomplishment that I could actually do this in the first place. My husband 
would say the hike in Torres del Paine was most rewarding, as he thought the 
trail and views were better (I didn’t partake unfortunately, but was 
instead treated to a more private tour of the park with two other members of 
the group who also weren’t up for the arduous trek that day).

We also booked an extra excursion during our free day in El Calafate to hike 
on Perito Moreno Glacier that we both agree ranked as another favorite part 
of the trip. We missed our way more fun Exodus group, but still had a blast 
drinking from glacial streams, hopping over crevasses, and silently eating 
lunch on the middle of the glacier while listening for distant avalanches.

Pictures don’t do Patagonia justice — it’s unbelievably beautiful, and 
every viewpoint was in its own way an inspiration.


Xavier was amazing! I had been hoping to have him as a guide as previous 
reviews really raved about him and we were not disappointed one bit. From 
being very open with us, to having all the best advice of what to eat, to 
saving us at the last minute in the little ways (like giving us a copy of the 
roadmap that we missed out on, or arranging for some trekking poles for us on 
a moment’s notice) to the bigger stuff (taking one in our group to the 
doctor to make sure everything was all right after a bad fall, or frantically 
making sure we were all checked in on our flight to Buenos Aires after an 
airline strike the day before) he really worked hard to make sure everyone 
had an enjoyable experience. This is only our second Exodus trip but we can 
tell Xavier is a high-caliber guide.


A few things:
1) The full-day hikes really are tough. Poles are a must if you don’t want 
to feel completely wiped out. Also, just as an FYI, they are both around 14 
miles with 3000 to 4000ft of elevation gain (starting from a fairly low 
elevation though) with a lot of that gain being in some rather steep, shorter 
sections. I wish I had trained ahead of time so that I could have 
participated in all the hikes, including the free day one the *entire* group 
went on in El Chalten except for us.
2) Breakfast in most places is going to be toast with a few small pieces of 
ham &amp; cheese that you might be really sick of by the end of the trip. Pack 
extra snacks if this is a concern!
3) Cash only in most places, no joke. Especially with the fluctuations in the 
Argentinian economy these days, your cards are mostly unwelcome. There’s a 
bank in the EZE airport right by the customs doors (before or after — we 
went after) that has a very fair exchange rate and, if I remember correctly, 
takes GBP as well as USD. In Chile, cards are accepted everywhere except the 
middle-of-nowhere toilet stops you’ll desperately need, so you only need a 
small amount of Chilean pesos.
4) If your heart is set on a glacier walk in El Calafate or a penguin walk in 
Ushuaia, these things sell out early. Let your guide know days in advance 
you’d like to book these (with the hopes of getting a spot), or book them 
yourself ahead of time. Note that the penguin walk may make you miss out on 
the morning walk in Tierra del Fuego though, so choose wisely!
5) A lot of times in restaurants, Xavier was nice enough to give us a taste 
of what he’d ordered. You’d think after a couple times we’d realize he 
was routinely ordering the best dish and copy him but alas we did not. So my 
advice to you is — if he’s your guide — ask what he’s having before 
you order. The man knows what to pick!


Not really — just have fun if you choose to go on this trip! Accept that 
the bus rides can be a bit long and uneventful, and that you’ll need plenty 
of cash on this trip, and then roll with any inconveniences that might arise. 
You’re in the middle of nowhere a lot of the time and it’s amazing how 
well orchestrated the trip actually is considering that.

Our guide Xavier really brought to life for us the quirks and beauty of 
Buenos Aires and the Patagonia region.  Everyone in the group was having a 
great time.  The region is full of stunning scenery and interesting history 
and Exodus organised this in such a way as to allow us full enjoyment without 
any accompanying hassle.  Food and accommodations were of a good standard 
although the plumbing in the Cyan Rocaleta was unreliable and Exodus may want 
to feed back to the hotel on that (shower unavailable on first stay because 
the switch between bath and shower not working, and water temperature could 
not be reduced on the second stay and we had to wait 1/2 hour for maintenance 
to come and fix it).  However, this was a tiny, tiny glitch in a wonderful 
holiday that fully met and exceeded our expectations.
First steak in Buenos Aires....seeing birds and animals in the 
wild...fighting the wind on the fossil walk...seeing the Milky Way...hand 
print from 6,500 years ago on cave wall...


The best!  Xavier is warm, direct, likeable, entertaining, thoughtful and a 
true professional.  He obviously loves the region and his work.  We couldn't 
have wished for a better tour guide.


Keep a journal otherwise the whole trip will be a blur and you will lose many 
memories.  Binoculars would have been useful.

Places Disappearing Due to Climate Change Budget Nature Tours & Packages Tour & Trip Reviews

It was a trip of a lifetime.