South America and Chilean Fjords Extensions

[SJD117]

1 minute ago, millybess said:

Thanks very much.  We haven't totally made up our minds.  We were slow deciding -- very unlike us -- and much is sold out.

 

If the Galapagos opens up, we will consider that rather than the pre in Santiago.  Although Quito is at high altitude, we wouldn't be there for longer than an overnight.

 

The Patagonia post does include Torres del Paine National Park and that does look spectacular.

 

It won't take an intestinal bug for us to sample the wonderful Chilean wines.  😉

 

For a skiing reference, Quito is about the same altitude as Telluride, Colorado in the States. For Andean references, the city is about 1,500 feet higher than Machu Picchu and 1,500 feet lower than Cusco. Drink plenty of coca tea while you're in Quito if you feel the altitude -- but don't try to bring it home with you!

[millybess]

On 7/10/2024 at 12:23 PM, deec said:

If you can visit Iguaza Falls either on your own or with Viking they are truly worth seeing and the Hotel Melia is very nice and so convenient!

When you visited Iguazú Falls, did you also travel to Rio de Janeiro?  And did you visit both sides of the Falls?

[deec]

we did not go to Rio .  we did have a guide that showed us both sides of the falls.  He was great.  Our TA put an itinerary together for us with a agency in Argentina.  It was seamless and the falls were great.  The Melia Hotel was very nice.  we were there in January and it was hot!!!  We were on an Antarctica cruise and did a pre-extension called Parana Delta which was good too but no comparison to the Falls.

[millybess]

12 hours ago, deec said:

we did not go to Rio .  we did have a guide that showed us both sides of the falls.  He was great.  Our TA put an itinerary together for us with a agency in Argentina.  It was seamless and the falls were great.  The Melia Hotel was very nice.  we were there in January and it was hot!!!  We were on an Antarctica cruise and did a pre-extension called Parana Delta which was good too but no comparison to the Falls.

Thanks deec.  We are talking to our TA about putting something together for us.

[deec]

Really recommend a couple of days so you don't try and see both sides in one day.  Possible but tiring.  We did the boat ride and it was very wet but fun...lots of stairs to get down to the boat.  I think there were far less steps if you take the adventure from the Brazil side.  Nice to have a package put together so all transfers are included,  possible to do it yourself but so nice to have someone guide you through airport pitfalls.

[Moonlion]

A group of six of us traveled independently to Iguazu before our February '24 South America & Chilean Fjords cruise.  We used Iguassu Private Tours to handle transfers from airport and private tours of the Argentina and Brazilian sides, the Bird Park and boat ride on the Brazilian side. It was a fantastic experience.  We booked our own flights and hotel for 3 nights since we could get better prices through booking.com.  

[millybess]

4 hours ago, Moonlion said:

A group of six of us traveled independently to Iguazu before our February '24 South America & Chilean Fjords cruise.  We used Iguassu Private Tours to handle transfers from airport and private tours of the Argentina and Brazilian sides, the Bird Park and boat ride on the Brazilian side. It was a fantastic experience.  We booked our own flights and hotel for 3 nights since we could get better prices through booking.com.  

Thank you. We will look into this. 
 

Today we received a quote for the Galapagos. It’s a similar itinerary to Viking’s. It’s slightly less expensive. We will consider that also. 
 

The information that everyone here is providing is extremely helpful. Thank you all very much. 

[Australia08]

3 hours ago, millybess said:

Thank you. We will look into this. 
 

Today we received a quote for the Galapagos. It’s a similar itinerary to Viking’s. It’s slightly less expensive. We will consider that also. 
 

The information that everyone here is providing is extremely helpful. Thank you all very much. 

We enjoyed the Melia on the Argentinean side but loved the Belmond on the Brazilian side. We stayed on the Brazilian side 2 nights and wished we had stayed one more night in that hotel. The grounds were wonderful (inside the park). 

[deec]

Millybess, IMO Galapagos is a better experience from a small expedition ship. We did it many years ago with Celebrity it was a great adventure. Save it for another trip and you can add either the Sacred Valley in Peru or even Machu Pichu .

[millybess]

Today we were able to book the pre-extension to the Galapagos because of a cancellation and the post-extension to Patagonia.

 

Our plan is to fly Toronto - Miami - Quito - Santiago - Toronto.

 

We have never done a pre or post with Viking.  We weren't comfortable doing a DIY, although DH speaks Spanish, solo hablo un poco.

 

So if anyone wants to chime in about the Galapagos extension, the Patagonia extension and what to expect, any information would be appreciated.

 

There were many choices: Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu, etc.  But we've finally come to a decision and we can now start planning.

[janetcbl]

The Galapagos are fascinating! Unlike anything I had (have) ever experienced, Took many photos of Blue Footed Boobies….discovered they all look alike in photos!

[loafin]

We booked Lima (Machu Picchu) and Iguazu Falls. Would be interested in hearing any comments about these, as well.Thanks!

[millybess]

23 hours ago, janetcbl said:

The Galapagos are fascinating! Unlike anything I had (have) ever experienced, Took many photos of Blue Footed Boobies….discovered they all look alike in photos!

Thanks @janetcbl  Did you do your trip to the Galapagos with Viking?

 

 

[scotchbonnet]

Loafin, I don't know where you will be staying when you visit Machu Picchu, but some years ago when we were living in Buenos Aires, we stayed at the hotel which was the only one right next to the Machu Picchu site. I believe it is now called the Sanctuary Lodge. Staying there meant that when all the other tourists had to return to Aguas Calientes we had the whole place to ourselves. Also we were able to get into the site early in the morning to see the sun rise - our only company a llama or two. It was a truly magical moment.  Iguazu is also amazing. Try and see it from the Brazilian as well as the Argentine side.A word of warning, if you are spending  any time in Lima, do be careful. Enjoy your visit. I'm jealous. I would do it all again in a heartbeat if I could.

 

[aungrl]

2 hours ago, scotchbonnet said:

Loafin, I don't know where you will be staying when you visit Machu Picchu, but some years ago when we were living in Buenos Aires, we stayed at the hotel which was the only one right next to the Machu Picchu site. I believe it is now called the Sanctuary Lodge. Staying there meant that when all the other tourists had to return to Aguas Calientes we had the whole place to ourselves. Also we were able to get into the site early in the morning to see the sun rise - our only company a llama or two. It was a truly magical moment.  Iguazu is also amazing. Try and see it from the Brazilian as well as the Argentine side.A word of warning, if you are spending  any time in Lima, do be careful. Enjoy your visit. I'm jealous. I would do it all again in a heartbeat if I could.

 

We did something similar a few years ago, and the hotel on the site, which was called Sanctuary Lodge when we were there, is an experience unto itself.  Everything @scotchbonnet says in terms of early and late access, being able to walk up to the top before sunrise and catch it as it comes up, etc., but then also the quality of the hotel itself is 5-star plus.  

[janetcbl]

3 hours ago, millybess said:

Thanks @janetcbl  Did you do your trip to the Galapagos with Viking?

 

 

No, we did it with another company. We did a combination of ship for about a week sailing among the Galapagos Isands - 2 or 3 land excursions/day, then flight to the mainland, train to Cusco (base) and bus to Machu Picchu (stayed at Sanctuary Lodge) for a few days. Flight back to the US from Lima.

[SJD117]

6 hours ago, loafin said:

We booked Lima (Machu Picchu) and Iguazu Falls. Would be interested in hearing any comments about these, as well.Thanks!

 

We visited Iguazu Falls in 2000 near the end of our six-week DIY trip around South America. It was very easy to make flight arrangements from Buenos Aires. We stayed on the Argentine side, did our touring on that side of the falls, and then crossed the border to check out the Brazilian side. (Visit both!) We then flew on to Rio.

 

Then in 2005 we did another DIY trip to Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. No problem with any of the travel arrangements. Make sure to drink coca tea to alleviate altitude problems, and don't drink too much Chilean wine at 11,000 feet!

[loafin]

6 hours ago, scotchbonnet said:

Loafin, I don't know where you will be staying when you visit Machu Picchu, but some years ago when we were living in Buenos Aires, we stayed at the hotel which was the only one right next to the Machu Picchu site. I believe it is now called the Sanctuary Lodge. Staying there meant that when all the other tourists had to return to Aguas Calientes we had the whole place to ourselves. Also we were able to get into the site early in the morning to see the sun rise - our only company a llama or two. It was a truly magical moment.  Iguazu is also amazing. Try and see it from the Brazilian as well as the Argentine side.A word of warning, if you are spending  any time in Lima, do be careful. Enjoy your visit. I'm jealous. I would do it all again in a heartbeat if I could.

 

 

[deec]

Machu Picchu and Iguaza Falls were both very memorable adventures and certainly bucket worthy destinations!  Highly recommend Grand Melia Hotel at the Falls.  We only had one day at Machu Picchu so did not get sunrise/sunset and would have really liked another day.

Edited September 4 by deec