An amazing Ecuador and Galapagos adventure, combining peaceful horse riding in the Andes with incredible wildlife, twice-daily snorkelling, beautiful hikes and a fantastic small-ship cruise.
What an amazing holiday I had in Ecuador and the Galapagos. Everything ran so smoothly from flights, to pickup transfers, to hotels.
Casona de la Ronda was characterful. La Jimenita was lovely with its own nature trail.
Hacienda Alegria was absolutely fantastic. Only person staying there, and the owner Gabriel made me feel like one of the family. Wonderful horseriding every day in the foothills of the Andes. So peaceful.
Galapagos cruise (Solaris) was also fantastic. Snorkelling twice a day off the pangas. Wildlife everywhere – a feast for the eyes. Sea lions, Galapagos penguins, turtles, iguanas, small sharks, octopus, manta rays and so many different fish. Great group and just the right number (16).
El Monte Sustainable Lodge was lovely and so peaceful. Had a great trek to some lovely waterfalls with a guide and saw lots of birds.
Throughout the holiday, all food freshly cooked. Thank you so much for organising this trip.
A fantastic family adventure through Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia, with spectacular trekking, unforgettable views at Laguna de los Tres and an incredible kayaking experience at Perito Moreno Glacier.
The highlight was the El Chalten Full-Day Trek with family to Laguna de los Tres. It was a very strenuous day trek, but the beautiful views up to Fritz Roy and the iconic shot of the two lagunas at the top made the trek totally worth it.
We wanted to visit Patagonia and found Andean Trails with options from easy to difficult, covering both Argentina and Chile. The family had a blast with both the day hikes.
Overall organization was impressive, and we really liked the Perito Glacier kayaking. The vegetarian lunch options were excellent, with plenty of protein.
A wonderfully smooth trip with exceptional guides and drivers, incredible stays and unforgettable experiences, with Iguazu Falls providing the standout highlight.
Hi Alan –
Yes, home safe and sound and a wonderful trip. Feel greatly relaxed and looking forward to planning another trip sometime in the near future.
And now for some feedback……
– What was the highlight of your holiday? Was there a low point?
- The highlight was definitely the Iguazu Falls and generally the service everywhere was exceptional and staff were overly helpful. The low but not so low point was the Hotel Loi Suites – great lobby and the rooms were great but the bar was in the pool room and full of kids and the restaurant wasn’t great. Equally, the Time Suites in Santiago were definitely past their prime and in need of a bathroom upgrade.
– How would you rate accommodation/ food/ guides/ overall organisation?
- Everything worked extremely smoothly. All pickups happened and all the guides and drivers were knowledgeable, friendly and willing to go out of their way to give us a good time.
- In Mendoza, the hotel offered us a better rate than the company that organised our transfers
- And its possible that the other 5* hotel (Frank will give you the name) was nicer than the Hotel Casa de Uco – but this hotel was very nice too.
- Hotel Terra Atacama was amazing and although expensive was definitely worth the money. I hadn’t realised that all food, drink and tours were included so that was a lovely surprise. All staff and tour guides were amazing and the food was delicious. Would definitely recommend to others.
– Did you feel you benefitted the local communities?
- Not sure – only in the sense that tourism brings in money.
– What would you like to do differently next time?
- Enjoyed it all
– Out of interest why did you choose the places you visited and why Andean Trails to organise your trip?
- Recommended by a friend.
An unforgettable Ecuador trekking adventure with stunning birdlife, expert guiding, and breathtaking heights on Chimborazo.
We had a great time. I saw the magnificent Condor which I hoped for as a keen birder (among 50 other never before seen birds).
The food and accommodation were really excellent, probably even better than expected. Guide (Pablo) absolutely exceptional- incredible knowledge. The highlight was probably going to high camp (5300) on Chimborazo.
We tried to benefit local people by buying things.
We wanted to go to the Andes and when we searched options, we thought Andean Trails had the best options and seemed to specialise in the Andes.
An inspiring self-guided trekking journey through Chile’s Torres del Paine, filled with breathtaking views, challenge, and wonder.
As an older non Spanish speaking couple hailing from Australia, booking our 5 day solo Torres del Paine W trek with Andean Trails was the perfect start to realise our adventure.
Having all our accommodation, transfers, inclusive meals and comprehensive pack list sorted to suit our itinerary by such knowledgeable, professional and amenable travel experts meant we could focus our efforts entirely on the trek.
We were blessed by great weather – a considerable bonus given we took a few hours longer to complete each daily walk as some of the trails were challenging too but the stunning views that unfolded along the trails provided impetus for us to persevere. We also found our walking poles were essential for ascents and descents on steeper slopes. Our last night was a fixed tent camping spot – comfortable enough and allowed for unreal Milky Way stargazing in the wee small hours.
Our 3 nights in Refugios were good – took a bit of getting used to sharing space with 4 other bunk bed mates and it helped being organised the night before when setting off for a pre-dawn start with head torches.
The food provided was fine and portions adequate to needs and the Chilean staff were all friendly and helpful.
In summary whilst we have physically come down from the mountain tops we are still on an emotional high! Our entire Patagonian trip was nourishment for the heart and soul and a truly awesome experience to be immersed in such an incredible, diverse and unique natural environment – the sound of roaring rivers, the thunder of shifting glaciers , the winds through the forest and high peaks further complimented our sensory experience. There are many options for trekkers to explore in terms of walks and destinations within this mighty National Park to suit fitness and/or time constraints.
Our advice would be take your time considering what you feel comfortable with challenging yourself (I was certainly apprehensive about my ability to complete the full 70km circuit and we ended up doing less kms towards the end which felt just fine and meant we we could have more time sitting on a rock admiring Grey glacier from a greater distance) and then make it happen, one beautiful step at a time – you might even glimpse a Puma along the way!
An unforgettable photography and trekking adventure through Chile and Bolivia’s breathtaking deserts, salt flats, and high-altitude wonders.
C. Cooper, UK. Photography Tour, Chile and Bolivia, April 2025
We had a truly amazing experience. Chile and Bolivia are stunning.
Our guides were professional, knowledgeable and friendly. All of the guides said we had a very well planned itinerary that gave us the best chance of acclimatising to the altitude properly (the hike in Atacama and the trek to the Hot Springs before departing for Bolivia).
Our driver in Bolivia was fantastic. He was professional and very competent. Despite the condition of the roads and the amount of time we spent travelling we always felt completely safe.
The hotels in Bolivia were basic but charming. Some of the facilities were a bit more rustic than we had expected (no heating and/ or no hot water in the mornings) but we managed. Food was simple but good.
Overall, it was a very special trip and has given us a lot of amazing memories. If someone asks what the best part was, I couldn’t decide because there were so many best bits….Moon Valley, the flooded Solar de Uyuni, The Milky Way, Sunsets & Sunrises, the Flamingos at Laguna Colorado.
It was exhausting and unforgettable – just how we like it
I will eventually get to reviewing my photos and will send you some.
Many thanks for your help in organising everything.
A captivating trekking and cultural journey through Peru’s Inca Trail, filled with history, nature, and unforgettable experiences.
Food was awesome, at our Cusco hotel and on the Inca trail.
There were so many highlights: the way our guide explained in great detail about all the birds, plants (especially all the different orchids), in addition to his knowledge on all the ancient historical sites was quite amazing. It made the trail more like an adventure, instead of a hike.
All of the people at the hotel in Cusco were very helpful, especially Kevin, who brought oxygen to my room Saturday morning when I was still having issues adjusting to the high altitude in Cusco. The other tour guides, Eddie on the walking tour of Cusco, and Mateo, who did the Sacred Valley tour were good.
Andean Trails was recommended by Responsible Travel, my first contact for this adventure.
A joyful family wildlife and cultural adventure through Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, filled with warmth, discovery, and unforgettable encounters.
D. Joselow and family, USA. Land-based Galapagos holiday, April 2025
The accommodations were great – clean, comfortable, and well located. The food was good, especially the farm lunches. We also really enjoyed the meals on the boats.
The overall organization of the trip was terrific. We were a big group and everything ran as expected. We could not have felt better taken care of. Everyone was very kind and very gracious.
Honestly, the entire trip was exceptional. We definitely loved the wild life, on land and on/in the water. Learning the history was also great. The Interpretation Center on St Cristóbal was small but very informative. We also loved our boat trips – Kicker Rock, Española,Tuneles.
Guide Maritza is a treasure. She has great energy and a clear passion for the place. She was patient and good humored, exceptionally hard working and incredibly knowledgeable. We were told she was a last minute substitute. We sure got lucky. We didn’t know we were going to have our own private guide for the entire time. That actually made the trip and I would recommend this to anyone traveling to Galapagos.
The boat crews on St Cristóbal and Isabela were kind and funny and thoughtful. We had a blast spotting dolphins and whales and other creatures. The crew members were always looking out for us and doing everything they could to make us comfortable.
Everything felt very local – the farms and ceviche evening and brewery were all about our hosts. But the boats and buses and hotels and restaurants felt the same. The kids rented surf boards and had a great time talking surf with the owner. We found warmth and kindness everywhere so hopefully we did no harm and showed appropriate respect and appreciation.
Honestly we can’t imagine a better trip. We would absolutely recommend the itinerary – and Andean Trails – to anyone.
We chose Andean Trails because someone we know used the organization to tour the Galapagos and had a great trip. We wanted to do a land-based trip and couldn’t find another organizer who seemed to have the expertise and offered various land options. This was a pretty unusual trip for us, our first time out of the U.S as a family. We didn’t closely examine other Andean Trails offerings but would certainly recommend them to others.
I have to close by thanking you for all your help. We had lots of different questions and lots of different needs in throughout the planning. You were very patient on all of it. That made us very confident that the trip itself was going to be as wonderful as you were. It was. Thanks so, so much. This was a bucket list adventure. I am not sure how any future trip can compare.
An extraordinary trekking and cultural adventure from Peru’s Inca Trail to Bolivia’s breathtaking landscapes, rich in history and heart.
Everything exceptional! Food on all trips was varied and plentiful. Guides were superb!
The highlight was the Inca Trail & Machu Picchu, which was an amazing experience!
We wouldn’t change anything. We came away understanding local cultures much more, which we loved.
We wanted to visit Machu Pichu as been long-time dream! Bolivia added as close by to Peru. Chose Andean Trails due to their expertise in this area of booking and they did not disappoint.
A luxurious Galapagos cruise filled with extraordinary wildlife encounters, seamless travel, and unforgettable friendships.
A huge thank you. This trip was one of the best I’ve ever had!
Letty was very comfortable – food and guide and staff exceptional. Access to wildlife extraordinary.
All the transfers, tours and hotels were great.
Thanks again – lots of memories and a handful of new friends I will hang on to.
You made it very easy and very smooth. Thank you.
An action-packed journey through Peru and Bolivia, blending Amazon wildlife, rich culture, and breathtaking landscapes.
C. Pace-Bonello, UK. Peru and Bolivia, March 2025
Wonderful action packed trip across Peru and Bolivia giving us a real taste of both countries and their people. Among the many highlights very visiting the Amazon rainforest, Machu Pichu, the Floating Island on Lake Titicaca and the island homestay and the ethereal Unuyi salt flats.
The organization by Andean trails from Kat and Kathy in the UK office to all the local guides was excellent.
A magical Galapagos cruise blending luxury, wildlife encounters, and local culture amid Ecuador’s awe-inspiring islands.
The highlight of my holiday was snorkelling with large shoals of fish while looking up at lava ridges full of blue-footed boobies, then watching them dive to take the fish from the water. Magical!
No real low point as I enjoyed the rough seas on the second night (although not everyone did!).
The boat was excellent, lovely rooms and upper deck was fantastic. Food was great.
Superb organisation made the trip. Tight schedule but everyone worked extremely hard to make it work. Whole team was excellent.
Our guide was very knowledgeable about wildlife but also the wider picture of local issues. All crew were from Galapagos and local issues were highlighted where local people benefit from tourism. Happy that we were supporting local people.
I would have liked to go to cloud forest, otherwise would keep rest of the trip the same!
I liked Andean Trails because they are local.
A remarkable self-guided trekking adventure through Chile’s full Paine Circuit, combining wilderness, comfort, and unforgettable camaraderie.
My friend & I recently did the 8 day O Trek self guided which was organized by Andean Trails. We are so pleased we paid the extra to have all the camps set up & food included rather than carrying all our camping equipment & food. The camps were run by two different companies. One company looked after Seron, Frances & Central where we had tents on stilts. These came with a very comfortable mattress that filled the whole tent, sleeping bags & pillows. The other company looked after Dickson, Los Perros, Gray & Paine Grande where the tents were on the ground with individual mattresses & sleeping bags. I was very impressed with the tents on stilts & found them to be more comfortable & spacious.
The included food was very good & sometimes excellent! We appreciated having a welcome drink which we had before our three course dinner, either a glass of wine or a pisco sour! Very civilized especially as we were in the mountains.
We received plenty of information from Kathy at Andean Trails before the trek began & we received all our vouchers for the transfers into & out of the park & the camps. It was all very well organized.
We also received a welcome pack at the bus station in Puerto Natales which included a sleeping sheet liner, a large travel towel & a water bottle. I had brought my own but I need not have done although it was handy having two water bottles. I filled one with water & one with a fruit tea.
I have wanted to go trekking in Torres del Paine for many years & choose to do it as part of my 60th birthday celebration whilst I’m still fit & able! We are very pleased we choose the O Trek rather than the W Trek as we explored the whole circuit & the first four days from Central to Gray were much quieter & we made friends with some lovely people from all around the world. It was very special. The trek from Gray to Paine Grande was the busiest day on the trail as many people doing the W Trek were doing a day walk there & back. We were also there during peak time. We started the trek on 26th January.
We were very lucky with the weather. We only had one day of rain although it was on the longest day when we trekked over the John Gardner Pass from Los Perros to Gray. We were able to dry our wet clothes by pegging them up in the back porch of our tent & they dried overnight thanks to the wind!
My friend & I enjoyed taking our time every day except on the longest day as we had to be at El Paso ranger hut by 14.00 plus it was raining! We took our time to enjoy the scenery, take photos & we made our packed lunches last most of the day!
We also appreciated having a hot shower every evening except at Los Perros camp which is the most basic camp. Originally we were advised there would be no food provided there but we were offered a simple dinner which consisted of rehydrated food. It was better than nothing!!
It would have been good to have had an extra night at Frances then we could have had a more leisurely trek up to the Mirador Britanico although it would have been backtracking but it was less than 2kms to the Valle del Frances.
The last trek up to Mirador Base Torres was quite emotional. We saw many of the friends we had made on the O Trek plus it was goodbye to an Amazing Memorable Adventure. Thank you Andean Trails for your organization. We have been recommending you to all our friends!
A seamless, tailor-made Patagonia adventure filled with glacier summits, local charm, and lifelong memories.
Deb O. and Lisa B., USA, Self-guided Tailormade Patagonia, Feb 2025.
There were so many highlights! The summits and glacier excursions were magnificent. We were blessed with great weather most of the time. Having our own guide in Chalten was great and our guide was fantastic!
There were a lot of details to this trip and they all came together nicely. The accommodations were very good. Very clean -no complaints. Guides were wonderful. Food was amazing -everything homemade.
I think we benefited the local people. We acknowledged their services with appropriate tips and we patronized many local establishments while there.
I can’t think of anything right now that I would do differently!
Patagonia has been a “bucket list” trip for me. I will turn 60 and retire this year so it was my treat to myself. It was everything I hoped it would be. I hope it doesn’t change with the ever increasing tourism. It’s such a special place. They are very proud of their heritage and it deserves to be preserved.
We found Andean Trails online and the e reviews were good and prices reasonable. It was a leap of faith that paid off. Thank you so much for bringing this experience to me.
An unforgettable Ecuador adventure blending volcano summits, rich culture, and off-the-beaten exploration.
C. Valentine, USA, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, Mindo, Feb 2025
A highlight was staying at the Reserva Ecologica Santa Rita and hiking the valley between all the volcanoes. It was a smart custom trip plan that felt off-the-beaten trails and was very intimate in the valley of Cotopaxi. This trip pattern framed the Cotopaxi summit nicely as the ultimate trip goal. I was surprised by how lovely the trout was in Ecuador too!
I really liked our guide Pablo and I think our group did too. We learned so much from him. After we left Pablo behind, my learning of the Ecuadorian culture and people tapered.
Overall 10/10 on the food!
Oh my gosh, Mindo was so cool. Loved El Monte lodge. I will return!
A flexible Patagonia adventure of scenic drives, glacier views, and unforgettable self-guided treks.
Hotel las Torres is a nice place, rooms lovely, staff terrific, food very good, and guides excellent.
Lots of options for excursions, half and full day. Could stay 4-5 days.
Easy process getting hire car in El Calafate and the drive to Perito Moreno glacier is good. Recommend boat trip and walk around all balconies. Hotel in El Calafate excellent huge clean rooms, comfortable beds, staff friendly, good dining room, and breakfast.
Having a car in El Chalten meant you could drive to trail heads so cut out couple of kms of walking. We did walks without guides, all very well marked.
A breathtaking, tailor-made odyssey through Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina, uniting mountains, wildlife, and unforgettable landscapes.
“During our extended trip in South America from September to November, my husband Kevin and I explored the breathtaking landscapes and cultures of Ecuador, Argentina, and Chile.”
“In Ecuador, we climbed volcanoes over 4000 meters high, explored the Amazon and cloud forests, and snorkelled with penguins in the Galapagos Islands.”
“We visited Ushuaia, the southernmost city on Earth, the Chilean fjords and hiked through the iconic peaks and lakes of Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. Finally, we enjoyed the remarkable landscapes of the Atacama Desert.”
“This unforgettable journey was amazingly and professionally organized by Kathy and team from Andean Trails, who took the time to understand our needs and requirements. After extensive discussions, they tailored the trip to ensure it was everything we hoped for and more. We would highly recommend them for anyone planning a similar adventure. The experience enriched us both, leaving us with lifelong memories”
A flawlessly organized South American journey blending Patagonia’s treks with the magic of Easter Island.
“Everything went together seamlessly. The accommodations that I had were very nice, clean, and good locations.
“Transfers worked great. Argentina worked out fine and found people to hike with.
“Chile was perfect as well, but the guide was the one who made the trip. And, of course, Easter Island again was fantastic.
“Thank you for all your hard work. It paid off. I am a very happy customer.”
An inspiring Argentina adventure combining tango, trekking, and breathtaking Patagonia landscapes with flawless organization.
We loved being able to explore on our own but also appreciated the support and security of Andean Trails’ local contacts.
We were well looked after, which allowed us to enjoy everything to the max, knowing the logistics were all sorted and organised.
It was a great trip; we were never stressed, the guides were excellent, and it all worked well.
There was fantastic support and planning throughout. The highlights were Iguazu, dancing tango at a milonga in Buenos Aires, the Paine W, and a viewpoint over Chalten from behind the town.
A joyful biking adventure through Chile’s beautiful lake region, filled with scenic rides and unforgettable hospitality.
We had a wonderful time, I personally loved the two places that we stayed Zapato Amarillo and the hostal in Pucón
The guides were wonderful. In terms of day trips, the first day was the most incredible. Thank you for everything!!!
We would love to come back and the do the W route. We had a wonderful trip
Thank you so very very much.
A flawlessly organized Patagonia journey combining the W Trek and Fitz Roy’s grandeur for the ultimate trekking adventure.
Hi Kathy
My trip was incredible!!
I’ve been meaning to message you to say a massive thankyou. Everything organised by Andean Trails ran extremely smoothly with no issues. I wasn’t sure where to pick up one of my bus tickets and contacted your local staff directly on WhatsApp and they dropped the bus ticket off directly to my hotel!
All the hotels you selected and the day tours were of a high standard. I actually met a guy in Santiago who had also used Andean Trails to organise some of his trip and he was also impressed.
If I had to choose any highlights it was the Perito Moreno Glacier trip and W trek both of which you organised.
I would rate everything highly and wouldn’t do anything different next time. I chose the places I did because they were places I wanted to visit following my first trip to South America in 2002. And I chose Andean Trails because I wanted to organise everything in advance with a UK company, given I had time pressures for my trip. After contacting 3 different companies, you were the one that was the most reasonably priced with availability for the W trek on the dates I wanted. Also when you called you were friendly and communicative throughout the planning process.
I would use Andean Trails again if I ever return to South America.
I’ll send through a couple of photos!
Thankyou.
