This was our first unhurried morning, and after a leisurely breakfast overlooking the lake, we met our guide, Gary, and travel companions, Nita and Larry in Santiago. To get into town, we were treated to our first tuk-tuk ride. These three-wheel glorified motorcycles were a most convenient and inexpensive mode of transport. Our driver, who appeared to be considerably under the drinking age, seemed to have NASCAR ambitions, and the drive was quite exciting. At first glance, Santiago seemed to have not much to offer beyond the usual tourist kitsch. However, the ever-inquisitive and exuberant Gary made the day quite an adventure. He seemed to know almost everyone, as many enthusiastic greetings were exchanged. We went into a number of unique shops, in each case talking with the owners. At one point, Gary had a young girl demonstrate the traditional headdress; at another stop, he asked an elderly woman to demonstrate the back strap loom. We also stopped at a woman's cooperative where stunning weavings and clothing were displayed. The rather horrific history of the civil war was not glossed over, as we discussed this in the plaza in front of the Parroquial Santiago Apostol church. We also discussed medical care in the country, and visited the local hospital, even speaking with a young physician. And of course, we hunted out Maximun, and discussed the various Catholic brotherhoods. The evening was spent at the Posada, sharing a lovely meal and wine with our travel companions who joined us from their hotel.
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
1 day 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
2 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.
Jennifer Howard Schroeder
3 days ago
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week