by Betsy McGee, 4-time traveler, Larkspur, CA
My husband decided to take a short break from traveling, but I’ve long wanted to explore South America. So I decided to take O.A.T.’s The Wilderness Beyond: Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & the Chilean Fjords with friends—and I’m so glad I did!
My experience on all O.A.T. trips has been very positive; it's easy to connect with other travelers on the trip, solo or otherwise. The small group size make this so easy. Plus, O.A.T. has the best prices (and no upcharge for solo travelers) along with busy and interesting itineraries filled with "learning and discovery."
I wasn't completely "solo" on this trip, since three other friends came along. I am lucky to have many friends who enjoy traveling, and we love sharing the experience together. In fact, my good pal, Nancy, and I hope to take other O.A.T. trips as "solo" travelers. But even if I didn’t have friends to travel with, I wouldn’t hesitate to go by myself: It's easy to connect with other travelers on O.A.T. trips, solo or otherwise. The groups are small and everyone gets to know each other quickly. We become a "family" for our time together.
Our trip to Argentina and Chile had it all. We witnessed the beauty of Patagonia’s golden steppe landscape and got up close to Perito Moreno glacier (wow!). We saw wildlife (eagles, condors, rheas, and guanacos), and learned much about the history and culture of the region in Torres del Paine National Park. On another morning we touched our toes into glacial meltwater on the way to a lovely lookout at the mountains. During our cruise of the Chilean fjords, I was enthralled by the beautiful glaciers that greeted us before dawn of our first morning at sea. This was truly a wonderful adventure!
Throughout our Patagonia travels we were accompanied by outstanding local guides who taught us much about the region’s human and natural history. I also want to say how lucky we were to be accompanied by Carlos Segura, our Trip Experience Leader. A veteran O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader, Carlos was everything you could ask for: attentive, thoughtful, friendly and fun! He made sure our diverse group of 24 travelers had everything we needed, from special meals, a little extra care on hikes, the right rooms at our hotels, and plenty of bathroom stops!
I highly recommend this trip. You’ll enjoy the adventure and be awestruck by this beautiful and remote region of our planet.