Trip Code: PAT 026 / Style: Adventure5 DAY TORRES DEL PAINE SHORT- W TREK

Tara Morris, USA (5 Day Torres del Paine Short – W Trek)

Arriving at Eco Camp was an experience I hope I never forget.  I was almost crying I was so happy.  I couldn't believe how perfect the location was or how amazing the domes, themselves, were. If I had my dream home, it would look like one of those domes.
The domes were AMAZING!!  Those are the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in!  The domes were cozy and the perfect size.  I loved listening to the rain and the wind outside as I lay perfectly dry and warm in my little nest.
The main eco domes/dining areas are truly out of this world.  The bar? The food? The COCKTAIL HOUR!?!?!?!  I could NOT have been more impressed with every little thing.  Again, the service was five star...and in that setting!?!?  Our servers worked as a team, having fun, but so super polite and helpful.
Torres Del Paine (or Torres Del Pan as I accidentally called it! ) was INSANE!!!  As a photographer, I was in heaven.  More than once, I would turn a corner or come over a ledge and I couldn't fight back the tears.  I have never imagined more beauty, more power, or more grandeur.  Truly the most beautiful place on earth. 
I have five new friends, the experience of a lifetime, and memories to last forever thanks to you all.  I have told EVERYONE about Cascada and EcoCamp, and I hope I'm sending you all lots of business. If you ever need anything...or maybe a solo female photographer to spend a few weeks documenting EcoCamp, just let me know!  I'm yours.  I'll do it all. 

muchas gracias, muchas gracias, muchas gracias! 
lots of love.  thank you so much again.
tara morris

13-01-2010

Andrew Deutsch, USA (5 Day Torres del Paine Short – W Trek)

The ecocamp experience was nothing short of amazing and incredible.  The camp was beautiful, the domes super-cozy.  The hikes were also incredible.... with a huge variety of sites to see. The staff at the eco-camp was great. So helpful and friendly.  Our guides were also wonderful.  They took extra time to explain to us every type of plant or animal that we saw, etc... they were just great.  Can't say enough good things about the staff at the Ecocamp.
The selling process was great - you guys at Cascada were VERY helpful.
Much appreciated. It truly was an amazing trip.
Happy New Year!
Lauren & Andy

27-12-2009

Michelle Le Vyhn, USA (5 Day Torres del Paine Short-W Trek)

The 5 day Torres del Paine trip from the beginning to the end was wonderful! Cascada has been patient, prompt and helpful in making all of the arrangements. The guides, Hernan and Juan Luis were so helpful, personable and kind. The Ecocamp was quaint and comfortable as well as environmentally friendly. The food was delicious and abundant. Lastly, the hikes exposed us to all aspects of Patagonia. We will recommend your outfit to our families and friends.

Michelle Le Vynh

16-12-2009

5D Torres del Paine Trek (Johan Lundin)

Hey, it has now been a couple of weeks without updates. The reason is that I've spent some time off the bike hiking in Torres del Paine national park and also met up with my friend Simon. We went down to the very end of South America where the pan American highway ends in Ushuaia. It is known as Fin del Mundo or The End Of The World. I'm currently back in Buenos Aires servicing my bike, the website and myself. Latest episode is now published at here!

09-04-2008

Bennett Adams

View his comment here

01-02-2008

5 day Torres del Paine Trek (Etsuko Sawada)

Our 5 days eco camp trip was wonderful. We really enjoyed it. Our guide Mickael was grate. We also had good group. The exprience at the eco camp was fantastic. People are so nice and food was all good. I appricate all of your help. We would like to visit again! Muchas Gracias Etsuko

30-01-2008

5 day Torres del Paine Trek (Sebastian Rau)

As my american colleagues would say, "the trip was awsome, dude";-) .. I had a really good time, got to know new friends and have experienced an great landscape. I did not expect to have so much fun during the trip. I will recommend this trip to my friends back in germany
Thanks a lot. Seb

09-01-2008

5d Torres del Paine Trek (David Callahan)

Hola. Mucho gracias. It was stunning, beyond my expectations. Your company is beyond belief. I love you. Your driver met me at the airport - a nicer person I have not seen. Then the trek - wow!!!!!!!!! We had a GREAT GROUP - Eduardo (leader) was phenomenal. The food..super - I gained 10 kg's. I have now set foot on all the continents this world offers (my trip included Antarctica) .......Chile and Patagonia are special. I am a bit of a ass - I photograph...for a 1 month visit I took 8000 yes 8000 slides (not digital I shoot slides - 40 kg of camera stuff).....I shot over 1000 frames in 1 day at Torres. Gracias David Yes you can use this for promotion.....please, please, please DO NOT CHANGE A THING...it is perfect all was perfect safe and home in Canada Gracias ...... wow I love Chile David

02-01-2008

5d Torres del Paine Trek (Ravi Shankar)

I had a great time on the 5-day trek at Torres Del Paine! The guides were excellent, the weather was perfect... I really enjoyed the EcoCamp and the food and drink. The selling process was fairly easy as well. Very satisfied with the whole experience! Best regards, Ravi

02-01-2008

5d Torres del Paine Trek + 7d Fitzroy Trek (Jo Boatright)

This trip was one of the best experiences I've ever had! Keith and I loved the treks, especially the Torres del Paine part (and that may have been partially due to the weather over which no one has any control). I was completely "blown away", as we say, by the Eco-Camp. I have a lot of information on it and I'm hoping to at least inform our Forest Services and other outdoor groups on what you are doing. As we say in the music world--BRAVO! We really enjoyed Eduardo and Lorenzo. They are terrific and, actually, more informed than other similar guides I've had in the past. I was, of course, at the tail end of the trekking group most, not all, of the time. The way it was guided didn't make me feel "inferior"--only made me realize how much older I was than the rest of the group. I liked the mixed ages and mixed nationalities that we were with on the Chilean side. The Fitzroy was also very good but not as much fun as the Torres del Paine and that was, as I said earlier, mostly due to the weather. Keith and I actually didn't do the second day as it was as rainy, windy and unpleasant as the day before and I couldn't face it on "vacation". Instead we enjoyed getting to know El Chalten. Our guide, Diego, was very pleasant and everything you advertised but, I don't, quite frankly, think he is as informed or enthusiastic as Eduardo. The third day's trek was more fun as the weather was superb and we enjoyed that day a lot with Diego. Monica was a great guide for the Perito Moreno glacier, which was unbelievably spectacular. All of the drivers were experienced with outgoing personalities. All in all the whole trip was super well organized with everyone prompt and ready to help us--even anticipating our need of help! I will highly recommend this experience with your company at every opportunity. I'll be sending Eduardo and you some information on the Colorado Mountain Club as they have numerous world-wide treks that are set up by individuals active in the club. If possible I'll send email addresses of other hiking organizations in the USA. Again, thanks for all you did Cecilia to make this a memorable, once in a lifetime experience for us. Sincerely, Jo Boatright

02-01-2008

5 day Torres del Paine Trek (Richardson x 2)

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. Busy busy!! We had a wonderful trip. The Ecocamp was divine [we absolutely loved our tickly bed]. Isobel our guide was perfect. You were very clever to team us up with the Cherrytree family. We were a very jolly group – and we helped each other along when the going got tough. 10 out of 10! We loved it and will certainly recommend you to our friends. Many thanks Katy

19-12-2007

5d Torres del Paine Trek + Serrano Navigation (Andrew Dickson)

We arrived home in Santiago last night, tired by happy. The trip was fantastic, a once in a lifetime experience! All three of us were extremely pleased with how it turned out. The Eco Camp was terrific and the staff were exceptional. Our guides Eduardo and Roberto were friendly, knowledgable and proffessional and the other camp staff were also friendly and efficient. I think we were reasonably lucky with the weather; there were no days when we could not see anything of the sights we walked so long to find. Some other groups were not so lucky... I would also like to thank you for your help with the planning of our trip. Your informative and prompt responses made the whole process much easier and the pre-trip guide you provided was invaluable. In fact, a number of other people who were in our group also said that it was your efforts that made choosing Cascada and the Eco Camp an easy decision. I am also very glad that we chose to stay within the park; travelling that far each day would have made some of the treks very difficult to achieve in one day.......... Thanks again Cecilia. Regards, Andrew

28-11-2007

5d Torres del Paine Trek ( Alice Hom)

Greetings from Puerto Varas! Kelly and I had a fantastic time, everything was first calss all the way. Everything was a good or better than we expected. Even the weather was excellent for us throughout the trip, only a few instances of rain, and very little wind........, mil gracias to you! Alice

28-11-2007

5d Torres del Paine Trek (Cassie Boggs)

Our trip to Torres del Paine was fantastic and worked out much better than I was expecting. We were amazed that we were able to put the whole trip together in less than 2 weeks -- your very prompt assistance in making that happen was very much appreciated. The application and reservation process was very good. The arrangements also went off without a hitch. We particularly enjoyed having Kenneth be our guide. He was very knowledgeable and was very good at taking care of us. He was good at assessing our hiking abilities and making adjustments as needed. He is a pleasure to spend time with and a very good spokesman and representative of Cascada. I was worried when we first traveled to the camp as the weather was windy and cold. But we found our beds quite comfortable and warm (we really liked the hot water bottle in the bed idea!)..... ......We found the food to be excellent--the pisco sours and appetizers before dinner are a lovely treat and each day the dinners were top quality--some of the best food we had in Chile and can compete with the best restaurants in Santiago. The barbequed lamb on the last night was particularly special. We found the staff helpful, knowledgeable and entertaining and everyone had excellent English skills, which was much appreciated. (Kenneth was good in letting Barb and me practice our Spanish too!) The 5 day trip was perfect for us--the hikes were challenging and different, and I think 7 days would have been too much for us. We were lucky enough to have good weather and seemed to have just the right clothes--your suggestion list of items to bring was very helpful in that regard. I really liked the idea of the Eco camp and seems like that should be the only way to see Patagonia. (I can't believe the Leonardo DiCapprio stayed at Explora! What kind of environmentalist is he?!!). The trip worked out very well for us and was just what we were looking for. We are looking forward to returning and I will tell my friends both in North America and Chile about Cascada and our great trip. Best regards, Cassie

27-10-2007

5d Torres del Paine Trek ( Andreas Baumgartner)

Thanks a lot for your email - and sorry for responding that late. We continued travelling for a while after the Torres experience (without checking emails...) and now that Denise and I are both back at work, our inboxes have become quite massive... But let us assure you that our Ecocamp/Torres del Paine was among the absolute highlights, if not THE highlight, of our honeymoon. We had a truly great time, and it was an incredible experience. Thinking back now while at work, I would love to leave my desk straight away and head back to Torres del Paine! These are the key elements that made our experience so special: (1) Availibility of online information; booking process; pre-departure information We found all the information we needed online (we actually came across Ecocamp via Google); the remaining questions and the actual booking were swiftly dealt with; plus the pre-departure pdf document was comprehensive and very specific (2) Accomodation Not much needs to be said about Ecocamp - this is a unique place in a unique setting. And despite it being a tent camp, everything was very comfortable, clean and in perfect working order (and the showers were genuinely warm...). Special bonus point: the very comfortable beds - we found it hard to leave them in the morning... The one night at the Refugio was not up to those standards, but we were well aware of that in advance, and it catered for the purpose - definitely not a bad place either, given its purpose (3) Catering Another big bonus point of Ecocamp. The food was excellent, and prepared with very fresh ingredients. Denise in particular enjoyed the lamb sausages on the last evening. Plus the dining dome had a lot of atmosphere - starting a meal with a great Pisco Sour and some pre-dinner snacks after a long day of walking feels simply great. (4) Hikes/Guide Denise and I have already travelled a lot, but we have been genuinely impressed by our guide (Eduardo). He did an excellent job - not only in guiding us, but in also providing a lot of extra information, and also in motivating us, and in adjusting to our speed. Eduardo really made a difference! (5) Transfers Worked out totally smoothly (including the port pick-up in Punta Arenas); van used was comfortable and clean (6) "Little personal extras" All the staff gave our stay those "little personal extras" that made us feel really, really welcome - from the "honeymoon bottle" of wine in our dome to the friendly faces every morning to the belly warmers in the evening to... - just great! In other words: 10 out of 10 points, a great experience - we will certainly recommend Ecocamp to our friends! Yours, Andreas

10-10-2007

5d Torres del Paine Trek (Marie Dommange, France)

Estamos ahora in Francia llorando su pais ! Nos viaje a Torres del Paine fue super ! I swicth to English which is easier for me. We have been very pleased with Ecocamp : the concept of respecting the environment, and having the sensation of a private camp was excellent. The two guides Isabel and Maïcha have been so nice, interesting and careful for us. they got along with our son as well as with us. The level of the treck, I am speaking for me, was well described.The lanscape is so magnificent that it was a joy to discover a new spot every day. we really enjoyed our 5 days and it has been a perfect way to finish our discovery of the country. If I have something to say, it is that this prestation of high quality, concerning the ecology and the sport spirit, is expensive. I am happy to have been able to afford it but I regret that it cannot be accessible for more people because when you add the airplane from Europe and in Chili, this is really an expensive trip. This will be the only reason which prevents me to recommend it to some of our friends who are visiting Chile. . Thank you for everything ! You have a great country with great people. Sincerely Marie Dommange

10-01-2007

Patagonia Trek (Emma Dunne, UK)

Our trip was wonderful. We were very impressed by cascada from start to finish and would not heistate to recommend you. You, personally, have been very helpful and quick to respond to our emails which made our last minute planning go very smoothly. Our guide was very professional and friendly and all the staff were so, so kind and thoughtful. We were so surprised and delighted to find champagne in our tent- it was a really lovely treat for our honeymoon. When alastair was ill, the staff bought him tea and a hot water bottle- very very kind. The camp was great, the food was impressive and the party fun. My only regret- I wish we were still there. Today is my first day back at work and I am coping only by looking at our photos of Torres Del Paine. With Best wishes for the New Year and with many thanks specially to you, Emma

01-01-2007

5d Torres del Paine Trek (Alastair Hosie, UK)

Sorry not to get back to you sooner. We had a wonderful time at the EcoCamp, it was everything we hoped for and more. The setting was beautiful, the guide (Rodrigo) and staff very good fun (espacially Fabi). The food was splendid and I enjoyed the pisco sours each night. I thought the route plans for the 5 day tour was perfect, each day was just the right length and I thought we saw everything we could hope to in the time available. We were particularly grateful for the chapagne that was waiting for us in out tent. Thank you so much for that, it was very kind. We both think our visit to the EcoCamp was a highlight of our honeymoon and I don't think we will forget it

22-12-2006

Patagonia (Peter Bentham, UK)

I have been back in Cairo a few weeks after returning from my trip to South America. I just wanted to take a short moment to thank you for all of your help in arranging my trip. Your help was appreciated and all of the arrangements were perfect. My transfers to Calafate went well and the time spent in Torres Del Paine was amazing. In particular, I wanted to ask you to pass on my thanks to Christian (guide) an all of the staff at the Eco-Camp. The service they provide is truly excellent. I hope to return there again, perhaps with a group of friends to trek the full circuit. Once again - Thank you! Peter Bentham

22-03-2006

Patagonia (Betsy Campbell, UK)

We had a great time with the Cascada team. Mauricio was terrific with the kids and a pleasure to be with all around. Pedro did a great job orienting us as to what to expect from each walk and making everyone in our diverse little group comfortable with their own pace. The eco camp is terrific. We were very comfortable there. I wish we'd had better weather, especially for the first couple of days...but what can you do. We will certainly recommend Cascada for future travelers. Betsy Campbell (UK)

19-03-2006