Last year we had the joy of going on our first trip to South America—an absolutely spectacular experience through Jordan and his team visiting Argentina, Chile, and Patagonia. This year, Jordan and Colin planned yet another perfect trip for us—this one to Peru in October. We had so much fun—what a fantastic time!

It was actually like three separate trips in one because we traveled to such distinct areas, each with its own landscape, culture, and activities: Lima, Paracas, and the Atacama Desert region on the coast, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley in the Andes Mountains, and finally, the Amazonian Rainforest. Each region brought its own amazing adventures. We truly loved it all and were very happy with the order and flow of the itinerary Jordan and Colin developed. They really listened to our ideas, patiently answered all of our questions, and worked diligently to incorporate facets that would make this an exceptional experience. The trip was structured in a way that helped us better understand and appreciate the Incan history and Peruvian culture, as well as help us acclimate to the altitude. We were very glad we visited the Amazon region at the end of our 16-day trip. The area is not for the faint of heart, and it definitely would have been too much for us to handle at the beginning.

Our guides and drivers were terrific. Each one provided us with excellent care and service, always looking out for our safety and enjoyment. They were very flexible and let us take as much time as we wanted with activities. Many of our tours and excursions were private, so we received a great amount of attention. We learned so much and were always made to feel incredibly special. Our accommodations were exceptional—each unique and interesting with its own distinctive qualities.

In Lima, we went on a restaurant tour and took a Peruvian cooking class, making our own ceviche and Lomo Saltado. We toured the Basilica and Convent of San Francisco and its unbelievable catacombs, as well as the Larco Museum with its vast collection of fascinating pre-Columbian art. We flew over the ancient Nazca Lines on a small Cessna plane, rode a dune buggy through the desert, and took a boat excursion to the Ballesta Islands where we saw beautiful wildlife, including an incredible colony of Humboldt penguins.

We explored Machu Picchu, which was breathtaking, as you might imagine, being one of the seven wonders of the modern world. We were so impressed with how resourceful, creative, and intelligent the Incan civilization was! We rode Peruvian Paso horses, trekked with llamas, and ventured up to 13K feet in the Andes to spend the day with a native Quechuan community, witnessing their amazing weaving and farming skills, learning about their culture, and participating in traditional music and dance.

Lastly, was the Amazon Jungle—an entirely unique and exotic adventure. We did so many cool things there that we felt like we were part of a National Geographic expedition. A big highlight was visiting a macaw lick. We had to meet our guide at 3:30 a.m. for our excursion, but it was definitely worth it. We saw so many absolutely gorgeous macaws and parrots of all different color combinations. We also went fishing for piranha, captured moths in jars at night as part of a “Wired Amazon” research project, and even set up a camera in the Amazon jungle to capture mammals that sauntered past. We actually caught a Jaguar and Puma on video—how amazing is that!

Jordan and his team not only create exceptional experiences for adventurous travelers, but they also make the whole process easy and fun from beginning to end. They truly love South America, and their passion makes the whole adventure even more exciting.

Our trip to Argentina-Uruguay was a fabulous experience and well planned by our travel planners Jordan, Krista, and Olivia. They were extremely attentive to our wishes and then executed a varied, fun, and educational experience.

There were so many highlights that is difficult to determine what to discuss. Our dinner at Casa Coupage was with two other couples. The owner and sommelier created a fun experience by having us taste the wines and then describing them prior to eating, and then eating with the foods that were matched to enhance their taste.

A WOW Moment was an unexpected treasure. We dined outdoors and had excellent food, but also our own waiter, chef, and musician. It was a wonderful intimate and romantic evening.

Iguazu Falls was a journey that should include both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides. At first we questioned going to Brazil, but it was a wonderful suggestion as we were able to see the immensity of the falls. Then we were off to Carmelo where we stayed at the Narbona Wine Lodge with its wonderful food and beautiful grounds. We visited two family wineries and had the chance to talk with them about their vineyards and their lives.

Our ferry rides to and from Argentina to Uruguay were enjoyable. On the trip back to Argentina, we experienced a wind storm. I was glad I had some Dramamine as plates and dishes crashed to the floor. Las Balsas in Bariloche was a beautiful property in a spectacular location. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history, culture and environment of the area. We had a private tai chi lesson, arranged by the staff at the hotel.

Last, our time in Mendoza was magical. The villa we stayed in was beautifully appointed and spacious. We had a special surprise as the hotel brought Champagne and snacks to our upper where we could watch the sunset.

All of our guides were excellent, and it was a pleasure to spend time with them. Our drivers were patient and attentive as our planes were frequently late. There are very few things I would change. I felt we needed more information on appropriate tipping. I also felt the Loi Suites was just OK. The grounds were beautiful, the rooms spare, and the food just adequate.

Thank you again to our wonderful planners, Krista and Olivia!

We just returned from an amazing trip to Chile. We had nothing but wonderful experiences. Jordan did a great job talking to us in the beginning to get a feel for what we wanted to do and see. He made suggestions, we discussed and we made a plan. It actually came together quickly since we contacted him less than 2 months prior to departure. Jordan made excellent suggestions for accommodations and restaurants. Everything went off smoothly. We really didn’t have any logistical hiccups and we were incredibly lucky with regard to the weather! We enjoyed 2 days in Santiago on arrival. Then went to Punta Arenas to experience the penguins!

From there we enjoyed 5 days near Torres del Paine National Park. We explored the park, rode horses and E-bikes, we hiked, we saw 3 pumas (!), and we learned about the culture and conservation efforts being made there. We even learned how to make a pisco sour the Estancia Cerro Guido way. We had the pleasure of being spoiled by a WOW Moment here too. On that day we went out with our private guide to explore the ranch, rode E-bikes to a delectable lunch, with lots of wine, under a tree, on a hill full of flowers and a view of the towers, while having servers at our fingertips. We rode our E-bikes back, and then went on a gorgeous horseback ride. Not only was everything executed perfectly, even the weather was perfect! WOW doesn’t describe how special this day really was! Thank you!

Our last stop was 2 nights in wine country, staying in the most incredible villa, with all the wine our hearts could desire, amazing food, and plenty of time for relaxation. It was the perfect ending.

Hiking the Inca trail was challenging. “We now know what ‘Peru flat’ really means.”

The executive summary—it was great. The flights to and from and in Peru were a breeze. Flight times changed a bit between our initial reservations and the travel dates, but our travel agent kept us updated. Knowing that we had backup in case of major changes was very reassuring. We really appreciated spending a little bit of extra money on premium Latam tickets (AKA first class.) While first-class airplane seating on the short flights between Lima and Cuzco was nothing special, skipping the very long lines at baggage check in the airport because we had premium tickets was extremely nice. That might not be something other travelers would know about and is worth sharing with them. The next time we travel, we will ask specifically about that perk. The travel advisors in Lima and Cuzco were also very helpful.

As we expected, Explora was great, and we feel that it was even better than the ones in Tores del Paine and Atacama. The food was outstanding, with the lone exception of the box “breakfast” they provided us on the morning of departure. In contrast to all of the other sumptuous food, we were surprised that it was a dry deli meat turkey sandwich. All of the staff were gracious, friendly, and very helpful. The explorations were fantastic, challenging, fun, and informative. We wish that Explora would open facilities in other locations around the world.

We really enjoyed our WOW experience—watching the sunset over the Andes Mountains on the Racchi highlands while enjoying gourmet appetizers and champagne, and then relaxing with a great massage at the Explora spa. The transition from Explora to private touring with Ruben was seamless. He contacted us the day before we left the hotel and reviewed all the arrangements executed exactly according to plan. Ruben was an excellent guide, knowledgeable about Peruvian history, and very good at explaining it all. We also felt very safe with him in charge.

The one-day hike on the Inca trail was challenging but well within our physical limits. We now know what “Peru flat” really means. We will share that Ruben was a bit like Speedy Gonzalez on the hike and often was far ahead of us on the trail, waiting up ahead, out of sight, for us to catch up. Perhaps he was giving us time to enjoy walking by ourselves, but it would have been nice to learn about the landscape and flora as we walked. We never felt unsafe or worried about getting lost. We will also share that he occasionally seemed to prefer sitting apart from us (e.g. during an hour-plus delay on the train from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo). That was not a problem but was a contrast to the Explora guides, who frequently seemed to seek out personal contact with us.

Our time in Cusco was excellent. We were not expecting to enjoy the city and the historical touring we did there. Ruben was an outstanding guide for the city and the nearby archeological sites we visited. He also had great suggestions for where to eat and drink near our hotel.

In regard to lodgings, Explora was, as expected, fantastic. Everything about it was great: the physical facilities, the people, and, as I mentioned, the food. Thanks to Jordan’s team, we also got a chance to enjoy the spa. The Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel in Aguas Calientes was nice but showed its age around the edges and was on the rustic side compared to our other lodgings. The staff was nice, and the food was well above average. We are not foodies, so we took advantage of the included breakfast and dinner and did not venture out to nearby restaurants. In Cusco, Casa Cartagena was excellent. It was elegant, quiet, and very conveniently located. And the staff went out of their way to be helpful, even going to a nearby restaurant to get us the menu when we couldn’t find it online. We highly recommend this hotel.

Our thanks to everyone at Jordan’s company for crafting another bucket list adventure. We will return to South America again (perhaps Brazil to see Iguazu Falls, or to Ecuador, or Bolivia) and will definitely reach out to you for that.

We were very pleased with the planning done by Jordan Harvey and his associates. We wanted to visit the Atacama Desert and they suggested pairing it with Easter Island…so we visited the most remote inhabited place in the world and the driest…a great combination. They also suggested going during off season, which was wonderful…the weather was a bit cool, but not a problem; and, the number of tourists was small.

We enjoyed the trip very much, though we were exhausted when we returned home. We were very pleased with Jordan and team’s choice of Casa Real, a winery & boutique hotel outside of Santiago…and though we are not big wine drinkers, we did enjoy the tasting and actually bought some wine. A highlight there was the helpfulness, friendliness, and kindness of the desk staff. We were delighted to have a tour of the hotel’s grounds and to learn about the history of the complex. One of the desk staff added to that by giving us a tour of the hotel and added many other historical notes.

Both of the Explora hotels were great. On Easter Island, we happened to be touring with two employees of Explora…with one of whom we shared quite a few of the excursions. As we left to go to Atacama and said our good-byes to them, they told us they had a surprise for us in the desert. When we arrived there, we had been upgraded to a junior suite…certainly a surprise and a beautiful, spacious accommodation.

Again, in both hotels, we thoroughly enjoyed the excursions…seeing beautiful, unique sites; learning about the history and the culture of the two regions; and, above all, interacting with the well-informed and personable young men and women who served as our guides, as well as meeting and interacting with fellow travelers from various parts of the world.

On several of our excursions, what we had seen on the planned journey was reinforced by some examples in the community. For example, in the desert we visited a site with cardones cacti from which the locals got wood for building, then in San Pedro, we got to see the church (an added bonus, an unplanned “wow” moment) which has a ceiling and front gate made from the wood of that cactus. On another trip, we were told about the volcanic mountain who was “seen” as the protector of the people and symbolized with a triangle; on the way back to the hotel, the guide pointed out the triangles on the walls around some of the house compounds. I could go on and on…these added cultural notes are really important for us to learn in any area to which we travel.

We are Cindy and Roger Cagle and are very experienced travelers. We had been planning a trip to Chile before the Covid scare shut down the world. Chile was the only major wine-producing country that we had not visited. We visited from April 10th to the 28th, so timed because April is Cindy’s “birthday month.” It seems some of us have birthdays and some lucky ones have birthday months. :)

Our delayed visit had two main objectives—to make Cindy’s milestone birthday memorable and to visit the best wineries and hopefully taste the best wine that Chile had to offer. Although we are experienced travelers, we have typically planned our entire trips ourselves and only used travel specialists to handle transfers, local connections, etc. We chose Jordan’s office because they were recommended as Chile experts on Wendy’s WOW List. We had an excellent experience choosing from this List for a Peru/Argentina trip we took several years ago assisted by Marisol Mosquera.

To be fair, we had much less input into the overall planning and execution of this trip than on all but one previous trips—a two+ week visit to China (where we had been several times) that went spectacularly. Also with the post pandemic daily stories of road rage and flight disturbances and disruptions, it seemed as if all travelers were likely signing up for “extreme adventure” travel. Thus we put this trip in its entirety in the hands of our specialists.

Their remit was simple, as expressed in our two main objectives for this trip. Lots of gaps to fill in though. Had it not been for Jordan’s team, we likely would not have found our way to Rapa Nui, where we spent three of the most unique days of any travel. Many places that you point to with anticipation often let you down when you experience them. Two in particular have not only met but exceeded our expectations—Machu Picchu and Rapa Nui. Ironically both trips were hosted by specialists from The WOW List.

Had it not been for Jordan and team, we certainly would not have ventured to the northern part of the Lakes District. Our three days at Vira Vira were awesome. Could not have been at a better venue than here for Cindy’s actual birthday. We strolled down the darkened lane leading up to the lodge until we caught a spectacular view of the Villarrica Volcano displaying its pyrotechnics on an awesome cloudless nighttime sky. Put your candles on birthday cakes, we’ll take volcanoes thank you.

Accommodations at Vira Vira are great and we also had a fantastic guide at Vira Vira. We took every excursion with him. We had plenty of moderate hikes (moderate takes on a new meaning at altitude), but he also came up with unique side trips that were very entertaining.

So, without question, we ticked the box that was the most important reason for the trip, a memorable birthday. We also had a great stay at the beautiful Clos Apalta. This was our favorite stay of the whole trip. First-class wines as well and an awesome sommelier at the lodge. But otherwise, we felt as if we had not seen the best wineries nor sampled the best wines that Chile had to offer.

We think Jordan’s office did an admirable job of crafting a unique tailor-made experience for us. We think we could have improved the wine experience by being more interactive. But we certainly would not have been able to surpass the experience that Jordan and team provided us.

A chef and sommelier guided the Shapiros through their WOW Moment dinner in a private restaurant. Photo: Traveler Andy Shapiro

Shortly after finalizing plans for our 2-week trip, 7 nights in Argentina and 7 nights in Chile, combining Patagonia and their respective wine countries, we received an email from Wendy Perrin (“WP”) informing us that our trip was selected as one of the “10 Top Dream Trips for 2024” per WP’s 1/24/24 newsletter. We remember thinking “Hmmm… We’ll see.” Well, we just returned and this trip was nothing short of spectacular from start to finish! Our WOW expert Jordan provided a master class in planning, some on-the-fly problem solving and exemplary execution! We’ve worked with many WOW experts on numerous trips all over the world throughout the years and if there was a “WOW Mount Rushmore” Jordan would be on it!

This trip was just us, husband and wife, both 61 years old. We’re especially passionate about nature and wines and this adventure had been on the bucket list for quite some time! We’ve gotten so many great ideas for travel from the WP reviews so ours tend to be lengthy so some fellow traveler(s) like us may benefit. Our first day we arrived in Buenos Aires from NYC in the early evening and after checking into the Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau we were driven to a penthouse apartment to “experience” our WOW Moment that we had earned for 2 previous WP WOW trips. There, with a private gourmet Chef and a Sommelier, with the backdrop of a beautiful Buenos Aires night skyline, we delighted in a 7-course-with-Argentinian-wine-pairings gastronomic experience! The sommelier provided a valuable introductory education about Argentinian wines using maps, which we loved and appreciated. This was not a WOW Moment but rather a WOW Experience! AMAZING!

The next day we flew to Mendoza for 3 nights in wine country. We stayed at the Relais & Chateaux Cavas Wine Lodge which was gorgeously nestled into the vineyards. Somehow, our guess through Jordan but still a mystery, we were upgraded to a Vineyard Villa, which offered a rooftop deck with panoramic views of the vineyards and mountains, where we made sure to enjoy the beautiful sunrises, sunsets and evening stars. The food, accommodations, service, staff, maintenance, housekeeping, turn down, etc. as we have always found with the Relais & Chateaux properties we have stayed at throughout the world, were outstanding! Highly recommend the Cavas Wine Lodge.

Our two full days visiting Mendoza wineries with our private guide and driver were fantastic! The wine tours and/or incredible lunches with wine pairings at a combination of Argentina’s legendary wine estates and smaller boutique producers including but not limited to Catena Zapata, Viña Cobos, Durigutti, Alta Vista were the realization of a wine (and food and life) lover’s dream! Fun and awesome stuff!

Next was El Calafate… Argentina’s Patagonia where we were staying for 3 nights. If you’ve travelled long enough you will experience some problems. It’s when confronted with adversity that you really learn about the people you are working with that are on your Team. We had same-day flight connections from Mendoza to Buenos Aires to El Calafate. Unfortunately there were terrible storms in Buenos Aires that day, causing significant delays. We were in constant contact with Jordan and his Team, who were providing several back-up flight options if we missed any of our connections. We ultimately made it to the small El Calafate airport six hours late, arriving at 10 pm rather than 4 pm. Exhausted and wiped out, we’re waiting for our bags to arrive and as everyone around you is getting their bags you have that awful feeling that your bags did not make it, which of course was the case with us. Even at that late evening hour, Jordan and his absolutely amazing associate Carmen were in constant contact and assured us that our bags will eventually arrive, our Lodge would provide and we’d have whatever clothes and shoes were necessary for our activities planned, etc. We were upset, exhausted, frustrated, concerned and Jordan and Carmen were total poise under pressure and constantly reassuring. When we finally arrived at EOLO, our accommodations, at 11:15 pm, we were stunned to see a gourmet dinner waiting for us with a delicious bottle of Malbec arranged by Jordan, Carmen and EOLO! Wow! Made a brutal day end on a very happy positive note ALL thanks to Jordan and Team!

When we woke up the following morning in our panoramic corner room (only 2 of 17 at EOLO) we got our first glimpse of the Patagonia landscape with the majestic Andes Mountains and beautiful Lake Argentina, the largest lake in Argentina. Pictures, at least ours, lol, unfortunately do not do it justice. Descriptors such as stunning, spectacular, surreal, rugged, raw, otherworldly, transcendent, mystical, help but Patagonia really must be seen and felt to be believed, understood and appreciated. As promised, EOLO provided the necessary clothes until our bags finally arrived around 5 pm that day. We spent that entire first day “experiencing” the Perito Moreno Glacier, arguably the most accessible glacier in the world, by kayak (one of our BEST nature experiences ever and we’ve been to Antarctica, the Arctic, Africa, etc.), walkway and boat. Mind blowing! You can’t not be in awe! The next day we hiked around the 10,000-acre EOLO property enjoying the Mountains, Lake views, etc. MESMERIZING!

Some thoughts/tips on EOLO and the next lodge we stayed at in Chile’s Patagonia, Awasi. We’ve been reading the WP reviews for many years and knowing we would one day do a Patagonia trip, they were part of our rotation. There were several reviews where the clients just raved about both EOLO and Awasi and with some additional research it was just non-negotiable that we must stay at both of these places. We originally wanted to book our trip for February rather than March but BACKROADS had already booked EOLO for the entire month of February so we literally changed our travel plans to March so we could stay at both EOLO and Awasi. And we can unequivocally say “It was worth it!” WOW, did we love these places! They are both small lodges, similar to what you would stay at in Africa, with 17 and 14 rooms or Villas for Awasi. All-inclusive, delicious food, excellent sommeliers serving high-quality wines, amazing service, extremely comfortable accommodations, beautiful common areas, mind boggling views from everywhere, etc. etc. When you go to Patagonia, if at all possible stay at EOLO and Awasi, you’ll be very happy you did!

The next day we embarked on our six-hour relaxed ride with driver to cross over into Chile’s Patagonia, near Torres del Paine National Park, and arrive at Awasi for the next four nights. We had to process papers to depart Argentina and go through customs to arrive in Chile. Our driver took care of everything and made the process seamless and a pleasure. Similar to EOLO, all-inclusive, everything at Awasi was amazing, especially the private and very spacious villas! Each night after an exhilarating day of hiking (i.e. we were lucky to get several clear views of The Towers!) and a delicious meal with fantastic wines we’d come back to our villa and find the fireplace lit and waiting for us to sit on the comfy couch and chairs to just relax and process the incredible day we had. With our assigned guide we did various hikes each day that again offered some of the most stunning scenery we’ve seen anywhere on the planet. Patagonia stirs your soul. It’s a palpable feeling that is still with us. Similar to Antarctica you can only visit Patagonia ideally 4 to 5 months of the year because of the extreme weather. We visited at the end of their summer and beginning of fall and within minutes it could be snowing, raining, incredibly windy, sunshine or freezing. Crazy! Because of its proximity many travelers will stop in Patagonia after visiting Antarctica. We asked a group who was at Awasi how does the weather compare in Antarctica vs. Patagonia? They replied “Antarctica is warmer and less volatile than Patagonia!” Lol! It all makes for an awesome, unique and unforgettable experience!

We then embarked on a one-night stopover in Santiago, where the next morning we saw the city highlights with a great guide before heading to our final destination, Clos Apalta in the Colchagua Valley, part of Chile’s wine country. On the way we had an amazing winery visit, lunch and tasting at Villard Winery with the owner Charles Villard. What a treat to have this type of experience and spend such quality time with the winery owner and fellow wine lover! Fascinating and so much fun! Later that afternoon we arrived at Clos Apalta. Clos Apalta is one of the great wine estates in the world and is our favorite Chilean wine. During our trip-planning stages Jordan informed us that Clos Apalta had 14 casitas on the property where guests could stay. We also learned Clos Apalta was a Relais & Chateaux property. Little did we know we would be saving the best for last! The casitas at Clos Apalta were not only the nicest wine country property we’ve ever stayed and we’ve been to a lot all over the world, but we could make an argument it’s the nicest accommodation we’ve stayed anywhere! INCREDIBLE!!! The views (you feel like the vineyards are in your room!), the flow, the spaciousness, the humanness, the indoor and outdoor sitting areas, his and her closet space, bathroom, shower, etc. etc. We can’t say enough AMAZING things about these facilities. Moreover, the beautiful property, common areas, restaurant, food selections, maintenance, housekeeping, turn down service, etc. were all fantastic! High-quality wines were always served, very generous, diverse, thought out, smart! The Manager, Joaquin, who we became friendly with because we were so blown away by this Clos Apalta experience, is one of the best managers we’ve ever come across at a Lodge or Hotel anywhere. Joaquin, knowing our love for wine, on our last day arranged for us to have an extraordinary wine tasting with one of the on-site Clos Apalta oenologists. It was one of the three best wine experiences we’ve ever had (i.e touring and tasting with Gianfranco Soldera at his estate in Brunello di Montalcino was one and the same with Olivier Humbrecht at his Domaine Zind-Humbrecht estate in Alsace was the other. Lol)! LOVED IT!!!

This was a trip of a lifetime! A HUGE THANKS to Jordan, Carmen and everyone else on the Team who made this remarkable travel adventure so incredibly amazing from start to finish! It truly was a Top Dream Trip! We will forever be grateful! Muchas Gracias and BRAVO!

We picked Chile to celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday. We loved our previous South American trips to Peru and Galapagos, so we decided to head to Chile instead of crowded and expensive Europe. Jordan put together a 1-week trip involving wine tasting and relaxation at Clos Alpalta Residence followed by 4 days of outdoor explorations in the Atacama Desert. We had no idea we were in for such a treat at Clos Apalta! The food is delicious and fresh. Staff is very attentive and meticulous, leaving no details to chance. The accommodation is gorgeous with a view to die for, overlooking the winery. Visiting the on-site wine cellar was the cherry on top for our stay! We also got a chance to visit other wineries in the same area. Everything was arranged perfectly by the staff at Clos Apalta.

Our 4-day stay in San Pedro de Atacama was at Explora Atacama. Visiting the driest place on Earth was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that excited us. Maybe we were just happy to get out of the Midwest winter. The landscape was beautiful. Hiking through the canyons and walking though the salt flats reminded us how little of this world we have seen in our lifetime so far. My favorite part was seeing all the flamingos that live in the salt flats as well as all the wildlife like the vicunas and vizcachas that thrive in the highlands. The Explora resort had its own telescope for stargazing at night. What a fun experience that was! The food was also well made and tasty.

We were sad to leave Chile, but we plan on coming back to visit Easter Island and Torres del Paine in the future. And probably more wine tasting. We will task Jordan and his team with planning that trip when the time comes. We are so glad we had Jordan and his team plan this amazing trip for us. Their deep knowledge of this region is why we chose them.

A Mashpi glass frog clings to a traveler’s glasses frame. Photo: Traveler Robin Madden

We just returned from a 10-day trip to Ecuador, with our two adult sons and one of their partners, and unlike most, we did not include the Galapagos in the itinerary. We chose to visit the Amazon and stay at Napo Wildlife Center (NWC) and Mashpi in the cloud forest. These two places were chosen due to their commitment to the local communities and preservation of the incredibly biologically diverse ecosystems in which they are each set. Jordan Harvey is listed on The WOW List for Chile, Argentina and Patagonia, but looking at his company’s website, we found just the type of trip we wanted in their Ecuador listings. We worked with Carmen, with some input from Jordan, who put together a seamless experience. We began in Quito, with a daylong visit to some churches, the equator, chocolate and agave tastings, and a fabulous restaurant set in the caldera of an old volcano. Despite the recent unrest, we felt comfortable, and heeded the advice to not go out without a taxi at night.

Getting to Napo and the NWC included a short flight, a two-hour speed boat ride and another 1.5 hours by paddled canoe. Though remote, the lodge is both elegant and comfortable. Our experience included a dedicated and very knowledgeable guide, Juan, as well as a local guide from the indigenous community, and an additional paddler for the canoe. The food and drink was very good, and Edison the bartender was everywhere making everyone feel welcome. It is owned and operated by the local community—a rarity in luxury lodges. Mornings started early, 5:30, but oh, the payoff! We saw multiple species of monkeys, more than 40 different birds, caimen, river otters, and a sloth, as well as various snakes and insects. The food was good, and accommodations very comfortable despite no air conditioning. We even had a jacuzzi on the deck of one our suites! Our WOW Moment occurred while being paddled on the lake at sunset, when chilled wine was served along with gifts of handmade jewelry and a gorgeous bowl made by the local women. Then upon arriving back at the dock, there was a sumptuous spread of food and more wine! Enough to share with many others.

At Mashpi there were also extraordinarily knowledgeable guides. Fernando (Anderson) was our guide, and he is the “frog whisperer.” He found them and many other species everywhere. He is a biologist who did research there prior to becoming a guide and identified a new species, the “Mashpi glass frog,” which he found for us on a night walk. We had the extraordinary luck of witnessing a battle between a wasp and a tarantula. The wasp won, killing the tarantula and depositing her eggs inside to hatch in about 10 days. Fernando videotaped the whole encounter. It was like watching a National Geographic special, but it was right there in front of us. The most surprising thing was the food at Mashpi. We knew the lodge would be luxurious and visually striking, and had great guides, but did not expect the world-class cuisine that was constantly delivered at every meal with great service. Would highly recommend Jordan’s team, and hope they get added as Ecuador specialists on The WOW List.

Our family of 7 spent the Christmas holiday in Patagonia. Jordan’s team planned an amazing trip that included stops in Buenos Aires and Santiago, then adventures in Patagonia that included kayaking the Perito Moreno glacier and 4 days in the amazing Cerro Guida Estancia. This place was magical! We wrapped it up in Easter Island for New Year’s—it was a wonderful holiday and Jordan’s team was super attentive and awesome to work with—we can’t wait to go back!!

Anne and Paul Freitas in front of the Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate, in Argentina’s Patagonia region.

My husband and I were extremely blessed to be able to take a magnificent trip in October to Chile, Argentina, and Patagonia. What beautiful countries and amazing people! Jordan Harvey and his team planned the perfect trip for us. We used their partner, Exito Travel, to book all of our flights and we were very glad we did. Igor and his team at Exito did a fabulous job handling everything, including revisions, communicating continually and resolving situations expediently. We always knew we were in good hands. Although we encountered a slight problem when no one was there to meet us when we first arrived at the airport in Buenos Aires, it was very quickly rectified by Jordan’s team and their regional partner. They went above and beyond to ensure our guide and driver arrived within 10 minutes. No harm done at all and it was good to know that we could reach out if there was a problem or question and immediately get assistance.

In Buenos Aires, we got a tour of the vibrant city that included visits to the famous Teatro de Colon and Recoleta Cemetery, the burial place of Evita Peron. Our guide, Natalia, was not only friendly and knowledgeable, but a fantastic ambassador who brought Argentina to life for us and filled us with excitement for the rest of our trip. During our first night in Buenos Aires, we enjoyed a fabulous, private 7-course dinner with blind wine tastings at the gorgeous home of a wine sommelier. We learned all about the grapes and wine regions of Argentina and got to learn more about what makes Argentina so special. On our second night we had a tango lesson. Our instructor, Martin, was not only very skilled, but amazingly patient and good-humored with us, because we really needed 1000 hours of lessons as opposed to the hour that we had with him. And he still managed to teach us the basics pretty well. He was then brave enough to take us dancing at a traditional milonga club that had a live band. What a special evening!

The next day we flew to the Southern Patagonian town of El Calafate. Our local guide, another Natalia, brought us to our glacier-trekking excursion, enlightening us about the area and filling us with anticipation for our adventure. After a ferry ride, we met our mountain guides, who led us on a hike to Perito Moreno Glacier, where we strapped on crampons for our 90-minute glacier trek, filled with breathtaking views of the gorgeous blue ice, and followed by a special glass of whisky (served with glacier ice) to enjoy with our fellow trekkers. Just when we thought the day couldn’t get any better, Natalia met us and took us hiking to get different views of the glacier, sharing her perspective on life in Patagonia and her wisdom around glacier evolution. We called her our “Glacier Whisperer” because she could tell us exactly when pieces of ice would break off and fall into the water. She was just so much fun! We ended the day with a trip to the glaciarium ice museum and enjoyed drinks at its Ice Bar.

The next day we took various forms of transportation, including a zodiac boat, to get to remote glacier areas with more magnificent views. Our 8-mile hike was pretty tough and there were many areas where I needed extra help to climb. Our guide was truly amazing! He was not only extremely skilled but was just an angel. He held my hand more times than I could count and always made sure I was safe, comfortable, and able to complete the hike.

In Chile, we stayed at an authentic Patagonian estancia and wildlife conservation area, saw native guanacos (part of the camel family), and rode horses with gauchos. We visited nearby Torres del Paine National Park with its amazing turquoise lakes and experienced the powerful Patagonian winds (75-100 mph). Estancia Cerro Guido was truly an amazing highlight of our trip. We received incredibly special attention. We were there 4 days and nights and easily could have stayed months — just beautiful grounds and lodging, fabulous food, and truly special staff.
We then flew to Punta Arenas on the Strait of Magellan — literally at the end of the world. Although our trip to see the penguins on Isla Magdalena was cancelled due to the high winds and weather, Jordan’s staff immediately arranged for us to have a city tour instead, which we thoroughly enjoyed, even in the cold and rain. Our tour guide was so enthusiastic and made what could have been a disappointing day one that was very enjoyable.

Our trip ended with 2 days to relax and enjoy the grounds at Casa Real at the Santa Rita vineyards outside of Santiago. What a beautiful place! Again, the staff was especially attentive and went out of their way to accommodate us when our flight back to the United States was delayed. They called the local airport for us, allowed us to keep our rooms well past our check-out time, and even made us a special dinner before we left.

This was truly a trip of a lifetime!!!

Brad and Sherry Upshaw pose beside the Tongariki moai on Easter Island.

You know how lucky you feel when you find the right plumber or mechanic or roofer? It is even more important to find the right travel professional when you are dealing with an even greater budget. This is the second time we have asked WOW Lister Jordan Harvey’s team to craft a South American trip for us. The first trip in Feb/Mar 2022 had to pivot several times to adjust to the fluid pandemic situation. Their communication and problem-solving was proficient. It was an easy decision to ask them to create a second bespoke vacation for us in Nov/Dec 2023.

We worked with Renee again because we knew she understood when to suggest and recommend possible itineraries as well as listen to our specific requests. Her expertise balanced our half-day tours with free time to explore on our own. She also knew the best timing for our complicated 23-day trip. They used fantastic local guides, planned amazing activities, selected perfect accommodations, and every airport transfer was seamless. We had 10 flights which we coordinated through Exito. Their collaboration was essential as several flight times changed along the way. All of our anxiety was eliminated knowing how well everything was prepared and handled for us.

Our holiday included chaotic Buenos Aires, “Fin del Mundo” Ushuaia, Chocolate Capital Bariloche, an Andes Lakes Crossing, river rafting in Puerto Varas, a peaceful retreat outside Santiago, and the unique Rapa Nui — Easter Island. It was another adventure of a lifetime thanks to Jordan’s office and Wendy’s WOW List.

We traveled to Argentina in April 2023 on our second trip with Jordan’s office (first was to Chile in 2018) and once again, the company provided a trip that surpassed our expectations! All the accommodations, activities and food recommendations were top-notch. In 2012, we traveled on our own to Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls, so we were eager to use the company’s expertise to explore other parts of the country. We chose Bariloche and the Salta region to see a wide range of landscapes as well as to have exposure to indigenous culture in the NW. Both were wise selections for our interests. We stayed 4 nights in Bariloche and enjoyed terrific hiking and a variety of lake views. We loved staying at The Aldebaran, away from town and in a beautiful setting. Flying north to Salta for 11 nights, we stayed in four different communities (Purmamarca in Jujuy province and Salta, Cachi and Cafayate in Salta Province). Although the trip involved some long drives, the scenery was unbelievably gorgeous and the landscapes totally engaging. Our guide in the NW made a few wonderful itinerary changes, in consultation with Jordan’s office, based on weather conditions and assessing our interests. We had a fabulous evening in Salta enjoying a local peña (not a typical tourist show); visited three different weavers (including a very special visit at Tejedores Andinos); indulged in three lunches at different vineyards; had other amazing meals and wines in beautiful settings; and visited three museums that are among the most unique we’ve ever seen. We were treated to 2 wonderful WOW Moments that were great surprises. Working with Jordan’s team is an absolute pleasure: Krista (and Jordan) were always responsive to our interests when planning and adjusting the itinerary. They have fabulous local contacts and each of our two guides greatly enhanced our understanding of Argentina as well as making certain we were always comfortable and pleased with our activities. We’re grateful that Jordan’s office made this trip happen after having to postpone it in 2020 and 2021 — we highly recommend the company for any trip to South America!

We initially booked our Chile travel organized by Jordan Harvey for April 2020, and then rebooked for April 2021. Neither happened, of course. While Jordan tried to move our trip to 2022, it was not possible, so Jordan provided a credit for the entire amount we had paid, good for a year. When travel restrictions began to loosen, we decided to revisit our Chile trip and contacted Jordan in June 2022. We knew our credit had expired, but to our surprise and delight, Jordan was able to provide us credit for 2/3s of what we had paid for the 2020 trip. It was much appreciated.

We worked with Jordan and completely revised our itinerary, removing Easter Island and the Atacama Desert segments and replacing them with more time in the wine country and a 5-night stay at Tierra Chiloe, in the Chiloe archipelago. This halved the internal flights and avoided the still-present Covid-related travel requirements for Easter Island. While the travel to and from Tierra Chiloe consumed two days of our trip, it was a beautiful place, which, despite the long rides for our hiking and biking excursions, was most definitely worth the journey.

Tierra Chiloe is in an isolated but absolutely beautiful location. Jordan recommended a visit to the Chiloe archipelago (and Tierra Chiloe in particular), as it would provide an introduction to indigenous peoples of Chile and offer opportunities for hiking and biking. He was right. We loved it. Our room at Tierra Chiloe was very comfortable, with a great view of the wetlands and the migratory birds. The food and drink were very good, with the dinner menu changing daily. There are magnificent views from the dining and adjacent lounging area, and each area has fireplaces that kept the area very comfortable, even when the wind and rain were lashing the building. The staff were all pleasant and helpful. The grounds of Tierra Chiloe include a “backyard trail” that is not to be missed. Weather is temperamental on Chiloe but adds much to the charm. Our first excursion, the day after a heavy rain, was a 5-mile difficult hike through the woods, over streams, up and down sand dunes, and on a beach. We had light rain, mud, and wind. We passed close by cows and steers. The guide took time to identify trees, plants, flowers, and birds. The hike was one of the highlights of our trip. Our companions on the hike were native Chileans from Santiago. We loved meeting them, and we had many enjoyable conversations with them while we were at the resort. The other highlight in Chiloe was meeting Sandria. This occurred during an excursion to another island in the archipelago that required a short ferry ride. Our lunch that day was at Sandria’s farm. Sandria’s story is amazing. She is a single woman who, after working 20 years in the salmon-farming industry, bought 7 hectares of land (about 14 acres) and started an organic vegetable farm. She has been recognized as one of the best organic farmers in Chile by the Chilean government. She works the farm by herself – building fences and greenhouses, planting a multitude of vegetables (including the giant garlic that is her top income generator), raising chickens, sheep, and pigs, and picking fruit and making jellies and jams. In the winter, she keeps busy not only with maintenance chores, but by using the wool from her sheep to make socks that she sells to venders. Just an amazing and inspirational woman.

Backing up, we started our Chilean journey with a 3-night stay at Jordan’s recommendation — the Matetic Vineyards. It was a beautiful and quiet setting. We enjoyed guided morning bike rides around the property (it is quite a large property) of 26 and 31 kilometers, and an afternoon hike. Our guide for each of these adventures was a pleasant and engaging young man who shared much about life in Chile, from the educational system to the job market. Our journeys took us past not only vineyards and fields of organic blueberries, but also fields where cows, sheep, and alpaca were grazing. We saw the original, no-longer-used winery on the property, and ovens where charcoal was produced. Our room was very comfortable. The food was very good, with a different menu every night for dinner. The wine was excellent. All the staff and guides were pleasant and helpful. We could have stayed longer.

We then ventured to Santiago for two nights at Jordan’s recommended lodging — the Hotel Magnolia – a very nice boutique hotel in a restored palace. We ate dinner at the hotel’s rooftop terrace restaurant. The food and service were very good. In response to our desire to learn about Chilean history, Jordan arranged a tour of the city that included a visit to the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, a tour of the downtown area, a visit to the park, and rides on the funicular and cable car. The museum provided an in-depth look at the Pinochet years. On our second day in Santiago, we went to the Aconcagua Valley for wine tasting. Our itinerary called for a visit to two wineries, with lunch. We visited only one of those wineries in the itinerary, with two others being visited instead of the historic winery listed. We did not know about the change in advance. One of the substituted wineries was a great experience – Flaherty. The wines were excellent, including a wonderful Tempranillo which the Flahertys grow on in their tiny vineyard. We very much enjoyed seeing and learning about their winemaking process. This visit was another highlight of the trip.

We ended our Chilean journey in Valparaiso. Quite an impressive city on the coast with a working waterfront, lots of hills, funiculars to assist with getting up the hills, and, as Jordan told us, amazing street art. We enjoyed our walking tour of the city, during which our hunger for history was fed. The hotel Jordan recommended — Casa Higueras – was small and tucked away at the end of a street. Our room with a balcony had a marvelous view of the working waterfront. The room was comfortable and the views spectacular. We ate dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, sitting outside on the balcony with its wonderful views.

Addressing our desire to learn about Chilean wine, Jordan planned another day of visiting wineries while we were located in Valparaiso. We went to three wineries in the Casablanca Valley. We did not know the names of the wineries in advance and there was some confusion, as our guide did not have the specifics of what was happening at each winery, but our experience at the second winery – Kingston — was another highlight of the trip. We were given a private tour of the winemaking process with the winemaker, as well as for a wine tasting. Andy explained his philosophy of winemaking (every winemaker has one!). He had us dipping into the plastic vats of fermenting grapes and tasting the juice from 1, 2, and 4 days of fermenting for both pinot noir grapes for their top wines and the Chardonnay grapes for their sparkling wine. We got to see, and hear, the fermenting up close! This was one of our best wine experiences in 20 years.

Our driver for the trip, excluding Chiloe, was fantastic. He was not only an excellent driver but a wonderful person. His English was about the level of our Spanish, but we were always able to understand each other. We enjoyed the guide Jordan arranged, who was with us except in Chiloe and the city tour of Valparaiso. He was friendly and helpful. We appreciated his willingness to talk about life under Pinochet and what is going on in Chile from a political standpoint – again allowing us, as we had expressed to Jordan we wanted, to learn some history and understand the country better.

Jordan provided a local contact in Chile for emergency situations. We had to call them in connection with flight issues. First to let them know our international flight was delayed leaving the U.S. (4-hour delay) so the driver and guide picking us up could be alerted. Second was to alert them and obtain assistance in regards to our delayed and then diverted flight from Castro to Santiago. The two individuals we spoke with were competent, understanding, and helpful.

Jordan provided great recommendations and put together a wonderful itinerary. In hindsight, I realize we should have been a bit more specific with respect to what we wanted in connection with wine, but our experiences at the Flaherty and Kingston wineries were top-notch and we would recommend those wineries to all who have a lot of experience with private wine tours. They put Chile into the countries with our top private wine exploration experiences.

Chile is a large, varied and wonderful country! It takes effort to explore a lot of it, but it’s well worth it. We visited the wine country area in the Maipo valley, spent a lot of time hiking in Patagonia, and saw the Magellanic penguins down near Punta Arenas. All were wonderful, especially the time in Patagonia at the Explora resorts, and based on this trip it won’t be our last adventure in Chile/Argentina!

We are 2 couples who wanted to see parts of Chile and Argentina, and other tour companies did not cover all of the places we wanted to see. On Wendy’s site we found Jordan’s team. They designed an itinerary for the places that we wanted to see, which included Torres del Paine (Chilean Patagonia), El Calafate and Perito Moreno glacier in Argentine Patagonia, Buenos Aires, Iguazú Falls on the border with Brazil, and colonial northwest Argentina (Salta, Purmamarca, and environs). Originally planned before COVID to include stops in Santiago, Valparaiso, and Easter Island, Carmen and company (in Jordan’s office) stayed in touch, allowing us to reschedule our trip without difficulty. When things reopened, they helped redesign the trip without Easter Island, as it did not reopen. They arranged air, transfers, guides, and hotels, working with our preferences and budget. They listened to us and truly were great planning partners. All went superbly and all lodgings were excellent, except for the one in El Calafate. Throughout the trip Jordan’s team left nice touches—bottles of wine in a couple of rooms, chocolates, and a few others. We highly recommend flying premium economy in South America, as often the seats are similar to U.S. first class, but more importantly, the check-in for premium economy is much faster and has shorter lines than coach. Communication with Jordan’s office was excellent, especially as we rescheduled and made changes as places reopened. The pleasant surprise was that all of this detail and quality, for two couples, was only a little more expensive than booking with one of the larger tour companies that has larger group trips. We would certainly use Jordan again if we traveled to South America.

Patagonia, specifically Torres del Paine, has been a bucket-list destination for as long as I can remember. So there was a bit of pressure to get everything just right for our trip to the end of the Earth. Wendy Perrin directed us to Jordan Harvey and his team (especially Krista Erdahl). During the initial planning phase, Jordan listened carefully and helped us narrow our options for how to explore the area’s beauty. After careful consideration and with his and Krista’s guidance, we expanded our trip to include the Atacama Desert to see more of Chile’s beauty. Additional conversations led us to pick Explora for our lodgings, which worked perfectly for us. Explora was the perfect mix of luxurious and laid-back with a friendly vibe that led us to meet with other travelers, which added to our experience. The hikes led by the Explora staff were challenging and rewarding. We saw and learned new things that helped us realize a lifelong dream of visiting a place we’d only read about in travel magazines. Krista also helped us enjoy our brief stay in Santiago with personal recommendations for where to stay, eat, and enjoy the best pisco sours.

Krista was always just a phone call or email away and answered all of our questions, no matter how small, with first-hand knowledge right up to the week before our departure. In the immediate post-COVID era of travel, they kept us up to date on all the frequently changing Chilean entry requirements. It was so nice to leave all the travel logistics to the team so that we could really enjoy Patagonia and Atacama without worry. We were also happy to have the help of Karina at Exito Travel (as suggested by Jordan’s office). She found us a great flight deal and solved a late flight change to keep our trip on schedule and within budget.

Thanks to Jordan and team, our bucket-list trip was everything we hoped it would be. For anyone who has ever considered seeing the beauty of Chile, we say “just go,” and go with Jordan.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Wendy, Thank you for another amazing referral!

Have just returned from a 17 day trip to Chile planned by Jordan Harvey and his team. Thanks to Jordan and Krista Erdahl for a trip we will never forget. Originally planned pre-COVID and then rescheduled 2 times due to Chile’s travel restrictions, Jordan’s team stayed on top of everything and made the required changes as smooth as possible. I am very detail oriented and do a lot of research prior to traveling. They really listened to what I wanted and came up with fantastic options to choose from for each stop during our trip, in addition to suggesting some not on my radar.

As our departure date finally arrived, and Rapa Nui remained closed to tourism, a last minute destination change was made and our time at Awasi Atacama ended up being a highlight of the trip! Patagonia, Santiago along with Central Chile were all amazing, each area with its own charm/beauty.

Jordan’s local guides/drivers were fantastic. Hotel recommendations were perfect and fit our travel personality perfectly. Communication was timely, informative and always personable!

We look forward to planning another trip with Jordan in South America!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  I can’t imagine any South America-focused travel service being better than Jordan and his team! Jordan worked with us through multiple trip rescheduling due to the pandemic. Along the way we felt he had our personal safety and financial investment well protected. Given pandemic related constraints he advised us to select one of the two countries and avoid problematic border crossings. We chose Chile – our trip to Patagonia was AMAZING! We felt completely COVID safe. Jordan’s contacts in Chile were wonderful service providers and they too spoke highly of working with Jordan as an ethical business man. We wish Jordan specialized in other parts of the world but will refer to The WOW List for future trips!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We are just back from three and half glorious weeks in Chile, a trip brilliantly planned by Jordan Harvey and his crew. We are long-time and savvy world travelers, so are careful in choosing our trip planners. As this was our second trip to Chile and we wanted to visit some lesser known and remote regions, I zeroed in on Jordan (with Wendy’s help) for his deep experience in and passion for Chile and knowledge of how to match an adventure to a client. And indeed, every detail of the trip was well considered and went smoothly; every guide was outstanding; every outdoor adventure was unforgettable, every hotel incredibly comfortable and sensitive to the landscape and sustainability concerns. Superb from beginning to end.

As we are adventurous travelers, we often make some switches to our itinerary as we go, in the moment, which we did this time. Jordan and his team were right there, instantly, making sure the tweaks were seamless. They are an absolutely first-rate team.

If you are interested in Chile, do consider going beyond the bucket-list areas of Torres del Paine and Atacama, which are close to being overwhelmed by tourists. The new national parks are beyond stunning without the crowds or development. Simply magical.

We had a phenomenal experience with Nikki and Jena on Jordan’s team. Patagonia has been on our bucket list for years and originally where we wanted to honeymoon – I was due to be in Chile on business for a few weeks in January and once we could book flights on points for my wife to join me, we decided to plan a 7-10 day trip at the end of that. This was all done about a month in advance and around the holiday season. Despite that, they were able to secure a room at the Awasi Patagonia which was our dream hotel and which we heard usually reserves up almost a year early. It was a complicated itinerary since I had to build in some flexibility for work meetings during our time in Santiago since the schedule was only due to be finalized at the end. They were able to accommodate everything and fully understood our needs. We received candid advice at the beginning on whether to visit Patagonia or the Lake District or the Atacama desert. We never felt pushed, they were always very informative and knowledgeable.

Throughout the process we always received quick replies to our emails or calls. The guides were all excellent – they tried to manage it so we had the same driver for our multiple transfers which was great too. We were a bit nervous booking the trip considering the social unrest in November – they explained all the ways they manage around this, including recommendations on areas to go, avoiding downtown Santiago on Fridays when the protests are still ongoing, etc. I appreciated all of this even more when hearing from a colleague who had recently been to Chile and all the issues they had encountered.

Our final itinerary was really perfect and stress-free. We started a little earlier than we would’ve liked but appreciated the full days and ended up napping in the car on the daily drives back to the hotel. The Awasi hotel was truly incredible and a once in a lifetime experience.

I would definitely work with Jordan’s team again.

Highlights of Southern Patagonia – trip of a lifetime!

I’m a detail person and planner by nature and have always planned my own vacations, and some have been quite complicated. I don’t mind pouring over websites and figuring out all the options. Therefore, this was a big step for me to use a travel specialist – mainly because I’ve read Wendy’s work for years and really wanted to give it a try. So for sure, the big question is… “was it worth it to use a travel specialist, and potentially pay more money?”. The answer is “Yes!”.

We chose to go to Argentina and Chile over this past Christmas. Wendy recommended Jordan, and we started with him and then worked all details out until departure with Amanda. It was an excellent trip and we had the best time. Everything went smoothly and we had no issues. Our itinerary was Buenos Aries for 2 nights, Ushuaia for 2 nights, Australis Stella explorer cruise for 4 nights, Patagonia for 4 nights, Santiago 1 night, Easter Island 4 nights, Santiago 1 night.

The benefits of this travel specialist:
-to start, I don’t think I would have found/known about Australis and I don’t know if I would have figured out an itinerary to also get Easter Island in
-I had friends who were in BA last May and there was an airport rotating strike, and I knew going through a Travel Specialist, who hooked me up with Exito for air, would totally be on it, if something like that happened to us – the peace of mind over the holidays knowing we would be taken care of, is priceless
-we had a lot of flights, and moving, and knowing that at each airport/arrival would be a sign with our names to ensure we got to the next spot – no figuring out taxis on our own
-I feel like because of their relationships, we were secured the best rooms in our categories, everywhere we went
-it was our honeymoon #3 (we got married in February) and everyone knew and presented us with a token, including a bottle of wine and personalized note on Jordan’s company letter head at Easter Island
-due to the ongoing “unrest” in Santiago, they pre empted any possible situation and moved us from a potential hot bed area to the Ritz Carlton Santiago, club floor (we shared this with other travelers, who had used travel agencies, but none of those took care of their people in this manner as ours had)
-overall, we felt special, and taken care of and relaxed and isn’t that how everyone wants to feel on vacation!

Special shout out to:
1. Australis Stella, Ushuaia to Puerto Natales
-we loved this mini cruise, and the zodiac excursions, and seeing the glaciers, and getting to go to Cape Horn (a bucket list item for my husband), and penquins
-the staff were excellent, the excursions great, and the food and wine REALLY good
-Christmas dates are not full, and we were only 120 on a ship that could do 180, so it felt very personal and intimate
2. Patagonia Camp
-although we were not looking forward to a 5 hour drive transfer, it really was only 4 hours each way, with a bathroom stop, and went by really fast, we also were picked up where the cruise docked, immediately and did not have to wait, it turned out to be a private transfer as we were the only ones
-the food and wine were outstanding
-Jordan had really stressed getting a yurt with the jacuzzi and he was so right, it was awesome, and not all of them have, and other people were sad they had not booked one
3. Easter Island
-we cannot rave enough about the ceviche on this island, during our stay it was tuna, huge, glorious chunks of tuna! overall, the food was very good on island, all the restaurants were good, who knew?
-seeing the Moai was also a bucket list
4. Los Cauqueness Resort, Ushuaia
-we loved it here, our room, 101 was awesome, the large picture window with the full on ocean view was unbelievable, we even had an amazing sunrise from our bed
-the dinner in their restaurant was our favorite meal from our entire trip
-we loved their sheep skin throws over the chairs décor, that we bought 4 from their gift shop and managed to squeeze into our luggage
-we also enjoyed their outdoor jacuzzies in their spa and would have had massages had we had time
5. Ritz Carlton Santiago – Club Floor
-we didn’t really care about going to BA or Santiago, we just had to for the flights, BUT this hotel’s club floor is fabulous! We spent a lot of time and really enjoyed ourselves – wine, beer, full breakfast, full lunch, appies – even ordered room service dinner to be delivered there on our late arrival night and they gave us a late checkout complimentary

Notes to just know:
-Jordan had suggested a twin bed cabin on Australis in a certain category (versus the 1 bed) as it cost less but the same great location (mid ship, 3rd deck) – he was right
-Australis is very international, out of 120ppl there were 19 countries represented, we were the only Canadians
-Patagonia Camp is majority US travelers, with us Canadians and some British
-Santiago airport is a bit disjointed, for business class to Easter Island there is a separate check-in on the 4th floor, tucked away, and then you join everyone else for security
-BA, Palermo area felt very safe to walk around
-people poo pood Ushuaia, but we really liked it there, in their own right – great scenery and excursions and good food, we did a little bit of trinket/souvenir shopping but didn’t have much time
-the weather in Southern Patagonia and Easter Island were everything every day – windy, sunny, rainy, grey, humid – the saying was “if you don’t like the weather right now, wait 20 minutes and it will change” and all the advice for layered clothing is true
-Patagonia camp, you are hiking every day that you are there, and you need to decide on your way back from your current hike, what you are going to hike the next day, as you need two yurts to want the same hike, so you may not always get the hike/excursion you want
-friends had said take US, Amanda said take local currency… Amanda was more right, although we did have to dip into US for our Easter Island tipping as we had run out of Chilean
-speaking of tipping, it’s still my biggest pain when travelling – it’s the sneaky “service charge” that is sometimes on a bill that sometimes goes to the server and sometimes not, I felt that we way over tipped sometimes and unfortunately under when I tried to figure out the exchange of Canadian to US to their currency :-(
-Eastern Island basically has 3 tours that all tour companies offer, 2 x 1/2 days and 1 full day, the only thing they didn’t seem to cover was sunrise / sunset and nighttime, which you can get with a separate company (we did not do), BUT we did pay a taxi 40,000 Chilean (around $70 Canadian) to take us to the 15 moai for sunrise one morning – unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and it was too cloudy to get the amazing photo we’ve all seen, so we recommend trying the first morning you are there and keep going until you get – it was also very easy to rent a car for the day if you preferred, we were just lazy
-it wasn’t an inexpensive trip, and the destinations were on par with Vancouver Canada (where we live) pricing, which was surprising for me as I thought it would be less, BUT we are doing touristy things, so they get you ;-)

Many thanks to Wendy,Jordan and Amanda! PS the lovely touch of sending our final itinerary with luggage tags and lip balm was great and we used and thank you for the matcha tea set!

What an experience.

Jordan and his team Krista did excellent job for us. Krista did the day to day planning and she’s the star. We did almost 3 weeks trip to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro to spend the new year’s eve, back to Buenos Aires, El Calafate, Torres del Paine, and Santiago.

Exito also did a great job to book us the internal flights, so we saved a lot of time on this trip, specially we could get the flight from Torres del Paine from Puerto Natales to Santiago, which is not available all year round.

Hotels choices were great within great locations in every city. We requested to include few days in Rio in this itinerary (which we know they are Patagonia specialist) and turns out they arranged it very well too. They provide a nice guide who took care of us well. We got the room we wanted at Belmond Copacabana Palace where we can see the fireworks perfectly. The also advised us on few other hotel options with vary pricing, but at the end it was our decision.

For the Argentina and Chile side, no doubt they gave us excellent enthusiastic guides for us. They were all experienced guides and drivers. They booked us at the restaurants in Some cities (including the Tango show).

Since we stay at Awasi Patagonia, a private car and guide were provided for us and it was great. The activities are carefully chosen depending on our interests and physical conditions. We had 3 days of excursions and we explore Patagonia in different ways on each day. First, by hiking to see some of the great viewpoints. Second, by boat to explore the national park that was arranged perfectly just for us (no one else around). And third, we explore the area by horseback riding with the local gaucho.

In Santiago, they kept monitoring the situation in the city due to the protests. For safety reason, one week before our departure, they informed us that they need to relocate us to another hotel in the safer area to avoid any unpleasant experience. They moved us to Ritz Carlton Santiago, which is a nice hotel in Las Condes area. The guide in Santiago managed to bring us around to see the situation in the capital, brought us to explore Valparaiso and had a late lunch in the vineyard at Casablanca Valley, where we did the wine tasting and had excellent wine pairing lunch.

Overall, they did a great job for us and would like to thank Jordan and team, specially Krista who made our trip exceptional.

We just got back from our 14 day trip to Argentina and Chile and Jordan and his team at Knowmad, including Krista and Grettel at Exito knocked it out of the park. We had an incredible time and were amazed that our very busy trip, with 6 domestic flights and several ground transfers, went flawlessly. That never happens right? And it all came together on a fluke because as usual, we were late to the planning party. When I called Jordan at Knowmad, we got lucky and they had a cancellation at the place we wanted to stay at in Torres del Paine. They built our trip around that and it was awesome. We were as far north as Iguazu Falls (both Brazilian and Argentinian sides) and as far South as El Calafate, Chile. We wanted to see the Perito Moreno Glacier and they arranged a Kayak trip. Incredible way to experience the calving. Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine was unique and wonderful. We ended with 3 days of wine tasting, cooking and horseback riding in Mendoza, at a beautiful hotel. Our guides were wonderful and every transfer was flawless.

I was going to end with that I was really concerned that maybe we had bitten off too much on this trip and in order to see what we wanted in 14 days, we had to fly on 6 domestic flights. There were numerous transfers etc. But it was planned flawlessly and every transfer and flight worked out and we never felt overwhelmed. We could not have planned this trip on our own and totally relied on and appreciated the effort that Knowmad put into it. It was a trip to be remembered. We will use them again and do recommend them to anyone. Great experience!

Argentina and Chile (Buenos Aires, Iguazu, Mendoza, El Calafate, Torres del Paine and Santiago)
14 day trip for a family of 4

Jordan’s team is very knowledgeable about the area which was very helpful in planning the trip. Many of their recommendations for activities, hotels and guides were also good. There were a few issues that came up. First, they are not available to help you during your trip and you have to rely on the local in country guides they set you up with. This was really disappointing as we traveled during the Christmas Holidays when many of their customers book trips but yet no one from the organization was available to help us when the inevitable questions come up during the trip. The level of service from those in country providers is hit or miss. Also, one of the hotels was not nearly up to standard we expected and paid for as a five star hotel.

Jordan and his team arranged an amazing trip for us, Oct 21-Nov 6 ,2019. From Buenos Aries, El Calafate, Tierres del Paine, and finally Mendoza, our experiences were wonderful. Never a glitch, topnotch guides and drivers were the norm. Highlights were Tierra Patagonia, a serene ecoresort that was superb on every level. Jordan knew this was a perfect fit for us. Also the horseback ride in the Andean foothills outside Mendoza was a beautiful day. And his team was quietly keeping track of us the whole time – thoughtful and reassuring. Jordan is so invested in his clients’ experience, and this committment makes him and his team members really stand out!

My daughter and I had a great trip to Chile, planned by Jordan and his team. They planned everything in a seamless way and all of the connections worked perfectly. I don’t believe that we could have planned that on our own. We especially loved Patagonia, where we stayed in a wonderful lodge, Awasi, where we had a private guide and driver. Also great was the Awasi lodge in the Atacama desert, but the Patagonia lodge was our favorite because it was a huge room with a gorgeous view of snow-capped peaks. We also experienced a wonderful WOW moment in the Chilean wine country. We were able to have a wine tasting with a wine maker, who had a lot of interesting things to say, and afterwards ate a delicious lunch on the terrace of the winery, where the chef came out and explained each dish to us.

Our only problem with the trip was that it took two whole days to get from the Atacama desert to Patagonia, and a whole day to get back to Santiago. If we had waited until November for the trip we could have explored flying to and from a more convenient airport. The more convenient airport is not available in October, as I understand it.

This fabulous and memorable Patagonia adventure for about three weeks would not be possible without Jordan’s knowledgeable guidance and expertise of the region. We loved our six days at Explora (inside Torres del Paine NP) fully immersed and engaged with plethora of fun activities and adventures. It was my first time horseback riding! With legendary views and encouragement support from our guide and gauchos – it was a success! Tequila – my horse – was kind to me.

Jordan’s recommended curated activities were a smashing hit. All our private guides were exceptional and highly personable. Same with all transfers except for one (20 mins. late in Bariloche).

Thank you Jordan and Kayli for a truly meaningful and engaging Patagonia adventure. We loved the grand majestic peaks of TdP, the impossibly bluest hues of Perito Moreno to the imposing snow capped volcanoes and stunning glacial lakes surrounding the Lake Districts of Puerto Varas and San Carlos de Bariloche. Perfect trip and memories of a lifetime…!

Jordan and his team did a great job planning our trip to Chile with less than 90 days leeway. I told him where we wanted to go (Valparaiso, Lake District, and Atacama), how much time we had, and what our budget was, and he made it happen. His hotel recommendations were great and lived up to the advance billing, the tours he set up for us in and around Valparaiso were fun and rewarding, and he set our trip up where we had little to do but pack our bags and enjoy. Just as we literally were leaving to the airport in NY he emailed that our hotel in Atacama had been shut down by record rains/flooding but not to worry, he had found a comparable replacement — and he was right. Explora Atacama was great and we never missed a bit. Jordan was knowledgeable about everything we needed to know and having his affiliated agency book all our flights made our trip so seamless and worry-free that we truly could escape and relax on our vacation. Jordan and his associates were responsive to all of my questions and requests and made our trip most memorable. I would not hesitate to refer anyone wishing a fabulous vacation in Chile to Jordan and his agency.

I contacted Jordan in mid- November 2018 to organize a surprise birthday trip for my husband to Chile with a focus on Easter Island and stop overs at a Casablanca Valley vineyard and a night in Valparaiso. Since it was rather last minute with the birthday in early December, I was concerned that what I was asking for would not be possible because of availability. However, Krista, my point person, was brilliant: she gave me lots of great options, took me through all of them in detail and ensured that this was an incredibly easy and stress-free trip to organize. She was professional, fun to work with and very responsive and I always got off the phone with her with a smile on my face and confident that I was in good hands. The trip was hugely successful and my husband was both surprised and delighted. Highlights of the trip were meeting the people who looked after us – all very warm, friendly and knowledgeable, the unexpected surprise experiences along the way, like the graffiti lesson in Valparaiso and Wendy’s fabulous WOW moment on our trip to Easter Island. It began with a private guided walk through fields, caves and coastline and ended with music, pisco sours, delicious bites, a presentation of a book on Rapa Nui, birthday cake and a sunset overlooking the moais and the ocean. It could not have been more perfect! Thank you for this unforgettable moment and we were wowed.

Jordan’s staff was a pleasure to work with — both during the planning of the trip as well as during the trip itself. They were responsive, courteous and on the ball. The trip was a smashing success. We loved Chile and every aspect of our trip was well conceived.

My family and I just returned from 2 weeks in Chile which we booked with Jordan Harvey. We spent half the time in the Atacama Desert and the other half in Chilean Patagonia, two of the most amazing and diverse places on earth. Jordan and Kayli were so wonderful, taking into consideration the wishes of our family (we traveled with 3 adult kids), being that the kids wanted some technical hiking and climbing, while we wanted trails where we could walk and enjoy the wildlife and awesome scenery (we even saw a puma in Patagonia!!) Jordan suggested Tierra hotels, which I can’t say enough great things about-from the accommodations (esp the otherworldly blend-into-the-scenery hotel Tierra Patagonia), to the guides who were great fun and knowledgeable, to the food, to the absolutely phenomenal service in each place. One of my sons is gluten free and we all agreed that the staff in the hotels were 100% attentive to his diet, more than anywhere we have seen before! During the Patagonian portion of our trip, we had an opportunity to see the Explora hotels—since Jordan and I had had a few discussions about the hotels, I had to agree Tierra was the best choice for us as Jordan advised. He also suggested staying in the Larrastia neighborhood in Santiago which he was 100% correct about since it was full of life and great wine bars. All our transportation, from in-country flights to private vans were on time and attentive. Both Jordan and Kayli were immediately responsive when an unusual amount of rain had closed some of the attractions in Atacama the week before our trip, and were in touch with people on the ground in Chile. They were also very helpful as well when it came to packing the right clothing-especially important since the weather in Atacama was hot, and that in Patagonia was windy and much colder. Can’t say enough good things about Jordan and Kayli- thanks for a trip our family won’t ever forget and thanks to Wendy’s WOW list!

We just returned from a fabulous trip put together by Jordan and Kayli to Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia. Everything they arranged for us there was six stars. The accommodations they recommended were in secluded and dramatic settings, with superb food and incredible personalized service. The scenery was breathtaking and the guides selected by them for us made sure that we saw it all. Each guide, as I had requested, was also a photographer who helped me tremendously in improving my skills as to what pictures to take and how to take them. I also note that we planned this trip late for us to get into the places that Jordan had suggested, but somehow Jordan (surprising even himself) was able to get it all to work. I highly recommend Jordan and his team.

Jordan and his colleague Amanda were both easy to work with and accommodating of my wishes. The proposed itinerary worked well in practice and contributed immensely to our overall enjoyment of the trip. The suggested hotels worked perfectly for our needs, smaller, boutique establishments with character. The guides he arranged in Santiago, Easter Island and particularly in Mendoza were all excellent. We particularly enjoyed the company of Anna in Mendoza.

Amanda was particularly helpful at the detail level, while Jordan looked more at the big picture. As it should be and as I expected. We would be delighted to have Jordan and his team organize any future visit the region.

My wife and I are back from our first trip to South America, visiting Chile and Argentina. We worked with Jordan and his team to put together a trip that mixed hiking, wine tasting, and big city tours. They did a flawless job organizing the somewhat complex itinerary and provided outstanding guides and drivers in every venue ( which is always critical on these trips). As expected the high-end hotels were excellent but the “boutique” hotels they selected also were great and interesting to visit. For sure, anyone visiting this area should stay at Awasi, even though pricey. The wine tastings that were arranged in Mendoza were well done and our boutique hotel at a vineyard there (Finca Adalgisa) was fun with good wine and a great cooking class. All around a great trip with a good mix of outdoor adventure and luxury touches.

I’m happy to note that our 17-day South American trip planned by Jordan Harvey and his staff (Chile’s Pucón and Puerto Varas followed by Argentina’s Bariloche, Mendoza, and Buenos Aires) was delightful. This is the latest of several trips (at least New Zealand, Hawaii, British Columbia and Eastern Europe) organized for us by your recommended experts.  Wendy, you may recall that you helped us switch early on in our South America planning from Maita to Jordan.

Like a lot of professionals who have led or run organizations, we have high expectations and are detail oriented. At the same time, we think that travel should be great fun, we love meeting people, and have established persisting relationships through travel over the decades with people around the world.

Here are some of the things I’d note about Jordan and his team:

— MOST IMPORTANT: RELIABLE JUDGEMENT: Jordan and I initially had a long conversation discussing our style, hopes and (some physical) limitations, and those ideas were beautifully realized in the selection of locations, lodging, activities, and guides. Although such discussions are pretty typical when planning a trip, sometimes details aren’t noticed, are misinterpreted, or aren’t weighted properly by travel planners. Jordan’s choices were pretty much exactly what we were after given our taste, range of experience and budget. In my opinion, this ability to accurately “read” clients is arguably the most important characteristic of a travel planner.

— RESPONSIVENESS: Jordan and Krista, his administrative assistant, were immediately on top of things that we perceived as problems during planning or that arose during the trip itself. For example, we had difficulty scheduling a meal for New Year’s Day in Mendoza for a variety of reasons: because most places were closed for the holiday; the fact that establishments in that region tend to take a very casual attitude toward longer-term (like six weeks…) planning; and the (bordering on comic) expense of being transported on New Year’s. Krista made numerous contacts over months to arrange what became a lovely cooking demonstration and meal at a vineyard, with transportation at about one-third the originally quoted price. We also have relatives whom we wanted to visit spread through Buenos Aires and she was able to arrange private transportation that was punctual, convenient and cost less than the standard taxi services.

— INTERACTIVE EASE: I found Jordan and Krista very easy to relate to verbally and digitally. They always seemed to easily grasp what I wanted and were timely in addressing all issues.

— QUALITY OF GUIDES/TRANSPORTATION: We have traveled extensively and have cultivated, formally and otherwise, a good bit of historical, artistic and cultural experience/knowledge. Because I love expanding my knowledge base, it bothers me when I feel that I may know more about his/her subject than a guide or when he/she is repeatedly unable to address topical questions. The guides arranged by Knowmad were top-notch in terms of both professionalism and scholarship, and very consistent with our style, and the character of the associated transportation and the drivers’ ability to work well with the guides was exactly what I expect from a quality planner. Example: We were usually short of cash because the banks that we visited, especially in Argentina, limited the amount that could be withdrawn from an ATM daily and per visit (apparently related to older currency stabilization laws/regulations that had never been modified). The guides/drivers were both aware of the withdrawal rules and had a circuit of ATMs that they’d weave into the plans for adventure activities.

In sum, we were delighted with Jordan and Krista and would engage them again for South American travel without hesitation.

Jordan Harvey and his team organized our holiday trip to Chile and Patagonia for our family. He asked all the right questions beforehand and custom designed the perfect vacation for our very active family. We missed our connection on the way home and his team member Krista bent over backward. She helped find flight alternatives, furnished us with hotel options, helped plan the following day’s activities and kept in constant contact. She’s a true gem. I would not hesitate to recommend Jordan and his team to anyone planning travel to Chile & Patagonia.

I knew I could work on planning a trip with Jordan after our first phone conversation. He listened to my interests and then provided some suggestions. I truly felt he knew the area we wanted to travel and could provide a great deal of feedback on hotels, itineraries, etc. What I don’t want when planning a trip is a “cookie-cutter” itinerary…Jordan didn’t do that. We had a fabulous ten day trip to Chile and everything went smoothly. His drivers, guides, etc. were all great. I definitely would recommend Jordan and his team for travel in South America.

Great trip. We loved Jordan’s choice of the Explora lodges at both Easter Island and the Atacama Desert. It fit our description of a “land cruise” – the ability for us to spend time together as a family and yet allow different family members to choose different activities during the day depending on our preferences and energy levels. For example in Atacama, one day I went along with a guide for a walking historical tour of San Pedro, my husband and daughter took a bike ride through a beautiful valley and our son hiked with a guide to a mountain top at 18,000 feet!

Jordan of Knowmad Travel was charming, responsive and creative in planning our trip to Chile in February of this year. We were a group of four people with varying degrees of physical ability and diverse interests that ranged from hiking to culture, to meeting local people, appreciating the environment and satisfying our appetite for good food and wine.

Jordan, with much of our input, organized our stays at remarkable resorts in both Chiloe and at Vira Vira in Pucon. The experiences at those places combined all our interests and provided us with extraordinary guides, memorable activities, and excellent food and wine. We got to see the Pablo Neruda houses in Santiago and Valparaiso and were impressed with the guides who accompanied us, some of whom became friends. In addition, when one of our group had her purse taken (with her passport) on the first day in Santiago, Jordan’s team and our guides made sure that we could continue our trip; got in touch with the embassy; took our passportless friend to the embassy before we left for home and got her a temporary passport in an hour. They were totally supportive and helpful.

They should go to the top of your WOW list. Thank you for introducing us to Jordan.

A small group of us just returned from a two-week vacation in Chile (late January to mid-February 2017) arranged by Jordan Harvey and his staff. It was one of the best vacations I’ve ever taken, thanks in large part to the careful planning and attentive service of the Jordan and his staff. We traveled to southern Chile, Chiloe, and then returned to central Chile to visit Valparaiso and the wine country. All of our destinations and hotels were first-rate, as were the guide services. On top of that, I lost my passport while traveling and Jordan’s staff was very supportive, helping me through the process of getting a replacement. I would definitely use him again on any future vacation to South America.