Lodging

First of all, there is no camping. The hotels we use on our hosted overland tours vary between 3 and 5-star, and are as gay-friendly as possible. Since these tours will take us through some pretty remote locations, the level of accomodations obviously depends on the destination, but we usually stay in the nicest place in the area. Just like you, we also want a hot shower and a comfortable bed at the end of an adventurous day!

Following are the current hotels and lodges we use on our Gay-Exclusive Patagonian Odyssey tour:

Comfortable transportation

Beginning from the moment we pick you up at the airport in our departure city (either Puerto Montt or Punta Arenas) you will ride in a modern Mercedes Benz Sprinter van, designed for only 8 passengers (we like to keep a couple seats free so we can all spread out a little). Most of these vans are configured for 14-16 people, so you can imagine how much more space you will have.

The van has separate, reclining seats with armrests, air conditioning, plenty of legroom and extra large windows. We travel with a cooler to keep food and drinks, and since our groups are so small, we have plenty of time to stop, walk around, take pictures, and generally enjoy the beautiful surroundings. We never forget that you are on vacation, and our goal is to give you the best travel experience possible.

Here are some pictures of our transportation:

Meals & Snacks

As mentioned, all of your meals are included on these tours. Before you arrive, we will send you a form requesting additional information about food preferences, allergies, etc. Here is an example of typical foods you can expect:

Snacks

Soft-adventure activities

Each day during your overland tour we will have a specific activity, depending on our route and the day's destination. All of these activities are easy and require only that you be in generally good physical condition to be able to enjoy them fully.

None of the activities are mandatory, and alternative activities will nearly always be available. If you do not want to participate in a given activity, one of us will stay behind with you and we'll do something else.

Without giving away all the surprises, here is a short list of the things you can expect for the Overland:

•  Walking tours through cities and towns, experiencing the local culture,
•  Chairlift ride up a mountain for a 360º view of the Lakes District,
•  Museum visits for a perspective into the daily lives of Patagonia's original inhabitants and early settlers,
•  Exploring Chile's dense temperate rain forest along the Carretera Austral, or Southern Road,
•  Boat ride across Glacier Sound to a secluded resort on an island in the middle of the forest,
•  Hiking to a hanging glacier in Queulat National Park,
•  Boat ride to visit several natural Marble Caves on South America's second-largest lake,
•  Horseback ride or hike up to a fossil-filled land overlooking the Northern Ice Field,
•  Patagonian photo safari through a valley connecting Chile and Argentina, home to guanacos, rheas and birds,
•  Visit to a typical estancia (ranch) on the steppes,
•  Trekking through a forest to a glacier and lake inside Argentina's Glacier National Park,
•  Nature walk through a bird reserve near El Calafate,
•  Navigation in front of the Perito Moreno glacier, followed by self-exploration on foot to witness this growing giant,
•  2 hiking trails (our favorites!) in Chile's Torres del Paine National Park.