Off to visit Grey Glacier and other local sights in the park. Couldn’t help but notice, the drivers had two tendencies, one, to drive on the left as long as there is no center line in the road (and no one coming), and two, to deal with potholes and washboard roads apparently on the thought that it’s better to drive as fast as possible to minimize the time spent in the bottom of each pothole or washboard dip. The left side driving preference was puzzling since Latin American countries have officially been driving on the right since 1945; these drivers were not old enough to have been driving before then!
The trip to Grey Glacier was via a small ship anchored near a little hotel and restaurant at the end of Laguna Grey. This little hamlet was at the opposite end of the lake from the glacier. The small ship apparently runs regular shuttles down the lake to pick up and drop off hikers who are doing one of the major treks in the park. The day was windy and rainy, apparently a common state of affairs, and clearly this boat's captain didn't have the Via Australis' concerns about loading and unloading passengers in inclement conditions. We put on our life jackets and off we went!
After about a half hour journey down the lake (passing a big blue iceberg on the way) we dropped off and picked up trekkers not far from the glacier itself, and then sailed along in front the glacier's edge. Amazing blue color, often striped, just didn’t seem real! Then on the way back down the lake, the crew came around with a tray and (guess what) Pisco Sours for all.
Back in the bus we headed back to make a stop at a waterfall (the Salto Grande, “big waterfall”). It was not so impressive for the view of the falls as it really wasn't very high, although it was dramatic for the quantity of water that was pounding down, but rather for the incredible amount of wind that was blowing by that time. Little mini-twisters of rain and mist could be seen forming all along the river and the lake and then dashing themselves into oblivion on the rocks. It was a challenge to keep walking upright, and I was very glad to be wearing full length raingear!
The agent had great response to questions and coordinated well to create an itinerary that met our expectations.
Bob Sunshine
1 day ago
Very responsive to all questions
Teresa Cardoso
2 days ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
2 days ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
3 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.