Unbeaten Path of Antarctica Trip: Weddell Sea & Falklands

We had a marvelous, unforgettable trip overall, including visits to Santiago, the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Easter Island, Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile, and finally Antarctica. We experienced a great variety of Chile's vast geography and ecology, from the beautiful central valleys, to the northern desert, to the tropical Polynesian island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), to the forests and mountains of Patagonia. The lodges and excursions they provided in each destination were well organized, with knowledgeable, English-speaking guides. We visited Antarctica and it was spectacular. The tour operator offers expedition travel for people who want to experience the polar regions firsthand. Our expedition, 14 days that went below the Antarctica Circle, featured expert guides who enjoyed sharing their considerable knowledge of geology, glaciers and ice (!), mammals, birds, and plants, to name just a portion, and excursions twice daily on zodiacs to sail among glaciers and whales and seals and walk among penguins and skuas. It was not a leisure cruise, but an expedition for folks who want to experience and appreciate the Antarctica up close. That said, the ship was extremely comfortable, with a remarkably hospitable staff and delicious, copious food.

Our travel company was excellent in helping us to conceptualize, plan, and organize our trip. They offered many useful suggestions about where to go, how much time to spend in each destination, and which options to consider for hotels/lodges and the Antarctica expedition. We greatly appreciated their advice and assistance in putting together our trip. All of the hotel and transit reservations were made, and that part of the trip went smoothly.

However, there was a persistent problem with our air travel in Chile that was unnecessary, and which caused us needless aggravation. For our internal flights (to/from Calama/Atacama, and to Puerto Natales), our travel company purchased the cheapest LAN tickets that did not include baggage allowance. I discovered this a month before we were set to travel, when I was carefully reviewing the reservations (and about 5 months after they purchased the tickets). When I informed the travel company in early January 2018, I said we of course had baggage (especially cold weather gear for Antarctica) and needed the 23 kg allowance. After I informed them of the problem, they did work to correct the problem, telling us they had purchased baggage allowances for those flights that didn't originally have them. We got a receipt from them for baggage for one of those flights (to Puerto Natales), and were told it was resolved for the Calama flights but LAN couldn't provide a receipt. When we did check in for those flights, the baggage allowance was covered, but our concern before each flight could have been avoided if they had bought the correct tickets. 

This problem became more apparent, and more aggravating when we were checking in to fly from Atacama to Santiago, and then on to Easter Island. We were told we could not check our bags all the way through to Easter Island because our tickets for the two flights that day were not on the same record. (This was due to the fact that two different priced tickets had been purchased. The Easter Island tickets were regular, economy tickets.) So we had to check in our bags to Santiago, retrieve them from baggage claim at Santiago Airport, and then return to the Departures area of the airport and check them in for the flight to Easter Island. Santiago Airport is a huge, crowded, messy airport, and this process of literally running around the airport took us 1.5 hours (of what was a 2 hour layover). We arrived at our gate for Easter Island just as people were boarding. This was not what we planned for or expected—and it could and should have been avoided if the travel company had bought the proper air tickets from the start.

Alejandro from our travel company helped us arrange a trip for my 78-year-old father and my 2 sons to Argentina, Antarctica and the Falkland Islands. It perfectly met their desires, calendars and budget. Lots of pre-travel forms and doctors' approvals were needed by the excursion cruise line. Alejandro helped guide us through making the cruise arrangements and getting the paperwork correctly submitted on time. He was extremely responsive to all our needs and did an outstanding job at everything we would expect of a high-quality travel agent.

But that was just the beginning. Many great travel agents can help plan a wonderful trip, but the very special ones are able to help when things go wrong or opportunities present themselves, and quickly make adjustments. Things started going wrong after the first leg of the trip. The connection in Dallas was delayed overnight so my Dad and sons were not able to check in with the cruise line’s travel agent in Buenos Aires the day before the cruise ship left from the southern tip of South America. Instead of having a day to tour Buenos Aires and follow the lead of the cruise line's travel agent to get to their charter flight, their flight from Dallas didn't arrive in Buenos Aires until after 1 a.m. the next day; exactly when Argentina’s World Cup Championship team arrived to a million fans swarming the airport and all roads to it.

Alejandro anticipated the problem and arranged to have our guide meet our flight to ensure that my family got through airport construction and to the terminal where their charter was to depart from. My family didn’t know which of 2 airlines their charter was with or when it was leaving. Alejandro had tracked down and coordinated with the person in charge of getting cruise passengers from the city and onto the charter flights, so our guide could get my family checked in ahead of the others. The travel agent responsible for the other passengers for the cruise was stuck in traffic with them and was hours late getting to the airport. By the time they arrived, we had been checked in and were ready to go. My father is a very experienced traveler, but readily admitted he could not have found out where they needed to be and gotten there or found the cruise line’s travel agent without the assistance Alejandro arranged.  Alejandro's anticipation of the problem enabled my family to avoid massive stress and possibly to miss the connection to their once in a lifetime expedition.

Then, the night before the return flight from Tierra Del Fuego to Buenos Aires, my family found out that their charter flight would leave much earlier than expected. My Dad and sons would have an 8-hour layover at the Buenos Aires Airport. Alejandro was able to arrange for our guide to take them on a tour of the city during their layover and get them back to the airport on time. Thus, through Alejandro’s great effort, my family got to see Buenos Aires which they missed doing earlier in their trip because of their flight delay in Dallas. 

The bottom line is that my Dad and sons avoided stressful disasters and had the trip of a lifetime together thanks to Alejandro’s skill and determination to make it happen. 

My wife and I booked our honeymoon in Chile and Argentina through Zicasso, which matched us with the local travel agent. Our trip included stops in Santiago, Chile, Punta Arenas to see the Penguins, an upscale all inclusive hotel just outside of Torres Del Paine national park, a glacier tour in El Calafate, and ended with two nights in Buenos Aires before returning home. 

As you can imagine, the above required a great deal of coordination and our trip/honeymoon was absolutely fabulous. Every travel arrangement, transfer, hotel, and excursion was wonderful. All of our drivers/tour guides were on time, knowledgeable, and knew our travel itinerary exactly. We felt safe and confident that we would be well cared for the entire trip which allowed us to relax and enjoy our honeymoon.

This agency clearly has excellent relationships with outstanding local tour guides, and this allows them to execute seamless trips. We have no reservations in providing them with an outstanding 5 star review. 

I am thrilled that in my internet search when I decided to visit Chile that I found your company.  You matched me with this travel company and my personal agent.  The service your company provides is excellent.  I would change nothing and have no suggestion for doing things better.

I worked on my trip with the help of this agent for a few months.  I am an experienced traveler and know what I want to accomplish on a journey.  I did some research and talked with friends who traveled in Chile, one is particular on a cruise.  

My trip was multi-faceted

So would I change anything. Absolutely not.  Helped to know generally what I wanted to do and was involved in the planning process. Also very important was the materials the travel company provided outlining my itinerary and the continual emails with in country flight boarding passes and pickup times.  All worked like clock work. 

in that it began with a cooking class in Santiago with a tour of the markets.  Cooking is my hobby and I really enjoyed the class which my agent arranged.  I traveled to Puertos Arenas and Nataly and was on a cruise to the glaciers and fiords for three nights.  Personal guide from Arenas, also excellent,  chosen by my agent was perfect for me.  We toured to a nearby volcano and amazing waterfall, I met his wife, we went to the island of Chloe, I met his father in law and saw his farm, and spent a night in Castro, also fun.  Stayed at a bnb on stilts outside of town.

Next portion was a self drive at the Carratera Austra.  This guide knows the area and arranged for lodging at a wonderful place near a beautiful river.  What was not planned was picking up a young couple from Argentina, musicians who play on streets for support.  I adopted them for two nights.  We had a great time together.  Even the rental vehicle was an SUV which I needed on the travel roads and space to pick up hitch hikers.

My trip ended in Santiago where I relaxed at my wonderful hotel also chosen by my agent, and saw parts of the city including the Barrio Italia.  My trip concluded with a tour of Valparaiso with another excellent guide and our driver.  (I suggested that my driver be sent to a English as a second language school as he is excellent and would be good for him and clients).

With each of my guides we discussed the history of Chile, the current issues and politics, social issues through which I really learned about Chile in my two week stay.  

My last activity was to visit the Museum of Memory to learn more about the Allende years and the military coup and its aftermath.

There are not enough words to describe how magical this trip was. It was 26 days and every day was an adventure filled with unexpected surprises. This trip touched the highlights of Argentina and just a tiny portion of Antarctica. Even though I was not able to see the whole of Argentina and the whole of Antarctica, the experience remained beautiful, all thanks to Zicasso's travel agent and his team, who made this trip very much a magical adventure. Yes, it was aggressive, as I covered many different parts. However, my agent and his team made it possible for me to feel comfortable and enjoy my experience. He and I worked together from March 2024 to October 2024 on customizing this trip. We talked about the budget and certain modifications. The result was a trip I will never ever forget.

Buenos Aires: I was there for one night and got a great overview of the history of Argentina from my guide. In the six hours I had on the tour, I understood I needed to stay in Buenos Aires longer to appreciate the city. There are many districts and each has its own history and, in a way, its own culture. I have to return to explore Buenos Aires a little bit more because six hours is not enough to explore this beautiful city. I was amazed at how green this city is. I appreciated the guide for giving me an overview of the history of Argentina. However, I know I need to come back to really get an in-depth education of the history of Argentina, especially the history of Buenos Aires.

El Calafate: This is a relatively new city in Santa Cruz province. Let me tell you, it is absolutely gorgeous. It has a different, country-style feeling. One of the biggest attractions of El Calafate is definitely Lago Argentino, with branches of its glacier river surrounding the city. The Perito Moreno Glacier was absolutely magnificent. I can't believe I was able to trek on top of the glacier. The guides were awesome. They helped me a lot while I was struggling to trek on this glacier. They made me feel comfortable and gave me the courage to trek on just a small part of the glacier. 

The next day, I visited El Chaltén. My guide was awesome. She made me comfortable during the three-hour ride and told me lots of interesting facts. She was very patient when I was hiking up to Laguna Capri. The hike, which is four kilometers from the base, was very challenging, but I was able to do it. On the ride back, I was able to see the cloudless peaks of Mount Fitzroy. That was really a lucky day … it reminded me that life can be very unpredictable, with many twists and turns.

Ushuaia: I cannot believe I came to the southernmost city in the world! I hiked eight kilometers in the Tierra del Fuego National Park and paddled in the Lapataia river. This was definitely a very challenging excursion, but my guide made me feel very comfortable and helped me all along this challenging trek. Everybody in my trekking group made me feel comfortable as I was struggling to hike along the steep path. However challenging this trek was, I still loved it and enjoyed it, and was able to inhale the beauty of this pristine forest. 

The next day I did a five-kilometer hike into Laguna Esmeralda, which was again breathtaking. Even though this track was not as challenging as the previous day, it was still challenging because of the muddy path. My guide was very patient with me and made us all feel very, very comfortable. This hike was worth it, as after five kilometers hiking, I was able to see Laguna Esmeralda. This beautiful green glacier lagoon was breathtaking; again not enough words to describe its beauty. I was very appreciative of my guide and all the group members who helped me as I was struggling to hike.

Antarctica: What can I say? I visited the coldest, driest, windiest place on our planet. Even though it was not fun journeying through the Drake Passage for 48 hours, going in and coming back, it was definitely worth the experience and risk-taking. After all, adventures are known for their challenges. The expedition team was excellent. They were highly and made sure everyone on the ship had a great experience. Every one of the crew cared about us. Again, there are not enough words to explain how beautiful this continent is. I have never loved winter, snow, or even ice, but it taught me how to fall in love with ice. There were so many beautiful icebergs. And I fell in love with the penguins. I can definitely see myself sitting down in a place and just watching penguins all day. I even did the polar plunge. This trip taught me that I have the capacity to do a lot of things I did not expect to be able to do.

Mendoza: Usually, people come to Mendoza for wine. I came to Mendoza for something else besides wine. I can't believe I was able to see Mount Aconcagua, the highest mountain peak in all of the Americas. It was Mount Aconcagua that was my inspiration to come to Argentina. I saw Mount Aconcagua and learned about the different mountain ranges. I even enjoyed the beautiful ride along the mountain ranges through tunnels. I learned about the oasis and the irrigation system. I was very, very impressed with the irrigation system and how they divert the glacier river to feed the town and water the trees in the cities. I even visited an olive oil and balsamic vinegar factory. It was amazing to learn how olive oil was made before newer technologies came into place. I finally was able to taste different types of olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, which I fell in love with. This was all thanks to my guide, who was wonderful throughout the trip. She was what made the trip so memorable. I definitely had a great time interacting with her and learning from her. I cannot believe that during my short stay in Mendoza, I was able to see many things and learn many things.

Salta/Jujuy: Again, my words come up short in describing how much I enjoyed these two beautiful provinces. They reminded me of Peru, having once been part of the Incan civilization. There is so much history and countless natural beauty within these two provinces. It was my guide who made this trip unforgettable. He made this trip very educational and fun at the same time. I visited some small towns, both colonial and pre-colonial. I visited many breathtaking areas, such as Quebrada de Las Flechas, Cafayate, Cachi, and Humahuaca. It was unbelievable how the topography changed on different points of my journey. I am so happy that he was my guy, as I learned so much from him, especially about geology. I sincerely do not have enough words to describe how grateful I am to have learned from him.

Iguazú: One word, spectacular! I cannot believe I saw the Iguazú Falls from the Argentine and Brazilian sides. It was hands down one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen. I even did a boat ride to get a river-level perspective of these falls. I'm glad to have had a guide who was so excited and enthusiastic in showing me different parts of the waterfalls along the different trails in the national park. He was excited to show me the national bird reserve in Brazil on my last day. I could feel myself coming back to Iguazú Falls and just standing there and enjoying the beautiful, spectacular view of this magnificent group of water bodies.

Once again, I thank my travel agent from the bottom of my heart for arranging this beautiful and majestic adventure for me. I learned so much history and geology. I also learned that I had the capacity to undertake difficult, challenging trekking that I didn't think I was able to. I came out of this trip feeling like a stronger person. I cannot wait to work with him again for another adventure!