South America in January

Who did you use for your private excursions? I'm looking to book and need contact info.

Valparaiso: Patatour Chile

Punta Arenas: Solo Expediciones

Ushuaia: Patagonia Adventure Explorer

Falklands: Patrick Watts

Buenos Aires: Buenos Tours

You can google the websites of the tour companies. Patrick Watts can be reached by email: pwatts@horizon.co.fk

Hey Reina del Mar,

 

We too are booked on the Emerald Princess sailing out of Valparasio on Jan 17, 2018, If you are looking for any privately oragnized tours, there are some already some that have been started. Check out the Jan 17,2018 Emerald Princess roll call for more information, if Jan 17 is your sailing date.

Louise

Hello if you need privately organized tour sailing out of Valparaiso on Jan 17 , 2018 on Emerald Princess you could contact privatedriversantiago@hotmail.com to made the arrangements with them to visit Santiago City, some winery at Casablanca Valley and Valparaiso and Viña del Mar Cities....have a nice trip and cruise,,,,best regards

JKLong, I can enthusiastically recommend the private tour companies we used in Buenos Aires and the Falklands:

https://www.buenostours.com/ (all-day walking tour)

pwatts@horizon.co.fk (email for Patrick Watts Adventure Falklands Tour to Volunteer Point )

We did the ship's tour to Magdalena Island in Punta Arenas, which was booked through Solo Expediciones.

In Ushuaia, we booked a taxi at the Visitor's Center (short walk from the port) for a tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park and toured the town on our own.

 

I hope this helps with your planning!

Mary

Travel Blog: www.themodernpostcard.com

Thank you Mary! Very helpful!

We just did that cruise and took a private tour in Punta Arenas to an Esttancia - a sheep ranch in Patagonia. It was wonderful, and very authentic. We even saw gauchos! We booked it through Maritza Alvarado, nfo@patagoniaadventure.cl . She was amazing and we could tell that she is very well-respected in that area of the world. We were a group of 6 but, got more people for our van through Cruise Critic. Reach out to her!

Do you remember what the cost for your Punta Arenas excursion was?

Yes. It was $1080 no matter how many people and we went from 6 to 11 people so it was less per person. that price includes a buffet lunch at the estancia, all transportation, guides etc. Maritza was really a marvel.

What private tour did you use for the Falklands?

When we went to the Falklands in February a couple of years ago and the weather was great, just needed a light jacket.

We took on a bus that was waiting at the visitor terminal to Gypsy Cove and back and then walked about town visiting the cathedral, the museum etc. We had lunch in a nice pub and enjoyed walking about town looking in people's gardens. One of my favourite stops around the Horn.

That is EXACTLY what we did. We couldn’t stand right next to the pemgiuns like others could do who had arranged tours ahead of time, but it was a great day. The wind almost knocked me over and it was quite chilly. I’ve never been in wind like that.

When we went to the Falklands in February a couple of years ago and the weather was great, just needed a light jacket.

We took on a bus that was waiting at the visitor terminal to Gypsy Cove and back and then walked about town visiting the cathedral, the museum etc. We had lunch in a nice pub and enjoyed walking about town looking in people's gardens. One of my favourite stops around the Horn.

Are you saying you were able to do this trip without booking it ? What was length of trip and how much did it cost please ?

Thanks.

Are you saying you were able to do this trip without booking it ? What was length of trip and how much did it cost please ?

 

Thanks.

We didn't book, there are a number of shuttle buses and they just fill up and go back and forth. I believe it was $10.00 for a return ticket. Some people walked but it is about four miles away. Parts of the Falklands are still out of bounds due to mines from the war and you cannot get close to the penguins at Gypsy Cove but there were quite a few on the beach when we were there. Apparently they weigh too little to set the mines off.

We probably took about an hour and a half to go out, walk about, wait for the shuttle back but you can stay as long or short as you wish.

We didn't book, there are a number of shuttle buses and they just fill up and go back and forth. I believe it was $10.00 for a return ticket. Some people walked but it is about four miles away. Parts of the Falklands are still out of bounds due to mines from the war and you cannot get close to the penguins at Gypsy Cove but there were quite a few on the beach when we were there. Apparently they weigh too little to set the mines off.

We probably took about an hour and a half to go out, walk about, wait for the shuttle back but you can stay as long or short as you wish.

Thank you, that sounds great. We are not ships' shore excursion sort of people...dislike the price and having to wait for people to return to coach etc. We think to take hop on/ off bus in Santiago and Buenos Aires and intend to walk around the local town area in other ports. Or perhaps take a taxi tour. Do you have any other recommendations please ? Our ports are Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Montevideo, Ushuaia, Puerto Madryn, Stanley.

Others have suggested hiring a car if wanting to visit independently but We think that might be too much hassle for day visits. We don't really want to book anything and be committed to a tour but just want to jump onto a shuttle/ taxi if we feel like it on the day.

Thanks again.

We did tours in Puerto Montt and Ushuaia, in Puerto Madryn we joined another couple who had booked a car and driver and went out to Peninsula Valdez about 75 Km away.

In Montevideo you can easily just walk off the ship and walk around. There is a small carnival Museum and a Port Market nearby as well as an Abitab to change money into various currencies if needed. The rates are posted outside. There was a recent article in the local newspaper about cruise passengers. https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/ciudad-ojos-extranjeros.html

In Punta Arenas we walked about and came across the Palacio Sara Braun which is free to visit and worth seeing and a regional museum near a plaza where a number of craftspeople had stalls.

Have a great trip!

We did tours in Puerto Montt and Ushuaia, in Puerto Madryn we joined another couple who had booked a car and driver and went out to Peninsula Valdez about 75 Km away.

 

In Montevideo you can easily just walk off the ship and walk around. There is a small carnival Museum and a Port Market nearby as well as an Abitab to change money into various currencies if needed. The rates are posted outside. There was a recent article in the local newspaper about cruise passengers. https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/ciudad-ojos-extranjeros.html

 

In Punta Arenas we walked about and came across the Palacio Sara Braun which is free to visit and worth seeing and a regional museum near a plaza where a number of craftspeople had stalls.

 

Have a great trip!

Thank you so much for your helpful suggestions.

WE took a private tour in Ushuaia and Puerto Montt. In Ushuaia, (Edgar - transportetrasandino@gmail.com) here were the choices: