Embalse El Yeso Day Trip from Santiago

This was my favorite experience in Chile. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but our guide Josefa made a great impression from the start. The group was small, so the tour was very personalized, and despite being the only English speaking Americans on the tour, we felt very comfortable, and Josefa talked with us throughout the entire tour. The drive took a lot longer than I anticipated, but the amount of time we were given at each stop, made up for the time spent in the car. We first stopped in some small town where anyone who wanted to rent supplies could do so. I decided to not rent anything and just suck up the cold, but thankfully it warmed up in the afternoon. There actually isn't any walking through snow, the boots are only recommended because the path occasionally gets flooded, but regular hiking boots will do just fine. Next we stopped in San Jose del Maipo for breakfast not included in the price, before being given some history and 10 minutes free time in the city plaza. Next we continued for around an hour to Embalse el Yeso, stopping at a view point on the way. I was expecting us to drive all the way up to the dam, but this is actually not advised because of the road conditions. We had to hike about 30 minutes to the lake. Our tour was the only one that did this, and I was really glad as that is the whole reason I came on this tour. Later Josefa offered anyone who wanted to, an additional hike to another section of the lake. We spent a good two hours at the lake, and she pretty much gave everyone free reign and was open to additional ideas. I was expecting us to have a picnic at the lake, but Josefa actually took us to another area a few miles away. This actually turned out to be better as we had the place to ourselves, away from the hoards of noisy tourists and vehicle fumes. When dropping us back at our hotels, Josefa took the time to give all of us a proper good bye. Honestly, I don't care how great the reviews of the other guides are. If I had to do this tour again, I would do it with Josefa each time. She's laid back and has a genuine personality and was very knowledgeable of the places we were visiting, and pointed out a lot of interesting sites along the route that you wouldn't even know were important. I learned a lot about the local history and history of Chile. She's also very responsible and cares about her clients' well being. And you can tell she really loves her job and country, and is proud to share this part of Chile with others. My only regret is that I didn't book another tour with this company.

My husband and I have done a lot of trips around the world: Europe, Asia, Middle East and etc., but thanks to our guide Gonzalo, this was the most enjoyable and informative tour that we have ever done and it is the first time I was looking forward to leave a comment! He was supportive all the way, from the very beginning we stepped into the van. Throughout the trip his main concern was our safety and awareness, very welcoming and knowledgeable, making the trip memorable! We highly recommend any trip with a guide like Gonzalo! The tour itself includes amazing, spectacular scenery of the Andes, Glaciers and Lagoons of Cajon de Maipo. The organization was excellent regarding the lunch, including wine, cheese and appetizers.

This was a great way to see part of the Andes with amazing scenery, good company and a very welcoming and knowledeable guide. We visited a small rural village and then climbed into the Andes where there was spectacular scenery and a picnic lunch beside Embalse El Yeso. I highly recommend this tour.

THe drive was long over some unsealed roads. The vehicle was not comfortable on unsealed roads. The scenery from Maipo to the lake was boring.

beautiful. good guide.