PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Jan 2010
Travelling on two wheels is a great way to meet the locals and slow down to smell the coffee.

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Sebastian Hansen
"I was very impressed with this young man. He was personable, insiteful and helpful. He was aware of what was going on and some of our personal issues without being intrusive. He often had solutions to issues before we made him aware of problems. He was aware of our physical capabilites and provided a safe enviornment at all times."
Ian Davis (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) Dec 2009 Condor
News Clips and Reviews
Patagonia - Day One
by Dan Cooperman

Just got back to my room from dinner after my first full day of the Condor tour. It was a lot of driving as we had to make our way from Punta Arenas, which is where I flew in to from Santiago, to Puerto Natales, the launching spot (well almost) for our W hike, a four day/three night, 70 km hike deep into Torres del Paine National Park. Dating back 12 million years, Torres is a hiker's delight located deep in Patagonia. Millions of years ago magma (insert Dr. Evil saying “liquid hot MAGMA”) intrusions failed to make their way to the earth's surface, cooling underground into resistant granite. In the interim, water, ice and snow eroded the softer surrounding terrain to liberate the massive spires for which the park is known. Read more...

Hiking in Patagonia
"The favorite part for the kids was seeing the animals, especially the wild tortoises, and sea lions and birds too. I was surprised to find that the snorkeling was my favorite part because we saw sharks, turtles, etc."

Lesley Caslin (Hamilton, Bermuda) Jul 2009 Tortuga

El Calafate, Patagonia

Explore Los Glaciares National Park from El Calafate, Argentina.

It seems that every town in South America wants to be the capital of something, and El Calafate's tag line is that it's the self-proclaimed Capital of Glaciers. Located on the southern shore of Lago Argentino on the edge of Los Glaciares National Park, El Calafate is a small village surrounded by intensely beautiful wilderness that is indeed a perfect base for exploring the nearby glaciers. With a population of about 7,000, El Calafate is the nearest town to the popular Perito Moreno Glacier and features all the creature comforts travellers expect, including a small airport. For those of us not happy just to gaze at the stunning views from a café, there are hot air balloon trips, horseback riding, quad bikes, fishing, and of course hiking available.

This incredible outdoor adventure town got its name from one of Patagonia's most famous plants, the calafate, which is a bush with exquisite little yellow flowers and wood said to have considerable medicinal properties.

You'll have plenty of time to explore El Calafate when you spend 3 nights in this charming town on the Condor, a 14-day Patagonia adventure.

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