A driver and guide pick us up for our flight to Ushuaia. On the way, the guide says Buenos Aires has started raising the tolls during the hours when the city is most crowded, a sort of energy tax to persuade residents to take public transportation. A green behavior shaper! Unfortunately, he says, they don’t have much of a bus/train system for people to take as an alternative. Oops.
The plane trip is long, soaring over empty land. When we arrive in Ushuaia, it is drizzly and foggy – just what we expected at the end of the world! A cute young guide whisks us to his favorite lookout over the town. The fog lifts and we can see the dark mountains towering over a rustic collection of houses and businesses lining the harbor. A flotilla of sailboats rocks in the wind – the Ushuaia Yacht Club! That’d be a great t-shirt to wear at our marina in Rhode Island. Then we’re dropped off at the city museum, which was once the prison that Argentina established here to populate this part of the world. Museum shows the bleak life prisoners endured, but is interestingly folksy.
We stroll down Ushuaia’s main street on our way to our expedition ship, the Mare Australis, docked a few blocks away. Ushuaia has a curiously Alpine feel to it, very quaint. Lupine flowers are blooming everywhere, the biggest, most robust ones I’ve ever seen (maybe Miss Rumphius was here, remember that kids’ book?) Why didn’t we come a day earlier and hang out? Bad planning on our part. By 6, we board the ship, which is quite cushy for an expedition vessel. Shortly, we are heading out into the Beagle Channel and the islands of Tierra del Fuego.
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
2 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
4 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
5 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.