Trekana Experience
Trekana Experience
4.5
Multi-day Tours • Cultural Tours • Eco Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Private Tours
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About
Meaningful Journeys means more than just visiting places… It means to connect with the environment, create profound ties with the place, its people and their culture, observe attentively and with respect, without leaving traces, in a Sustainable, Conscious way and with Local Identity.
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2023
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
54 reviews
Excellent
49
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Bridstow
Peterborough, UK861 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
Our tour of Chile was organised by Voyages Jules Verne. They arranged our private excursions in Atacama from our base in San Pedro over a five day period through Trekana Experience.
This included airport transfers and visits over a 3 day period to Moon Valley, Ckari Lookout, Highland Lagoons, Chaxa Lagoon (Atacama Salt Flat), Tatio Geysers, Machuca, Putana Wetlands and White Geyser (for breakfast).
During this time we had two guides both of whom were absolutely fantastic. They were extremely friendly, knowledgable, informative and professional. We were kept informed via a printed itinerary on arrival, our guide each day and text message updates the evening before noting any change to start times.
Trekana picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel each day, assisted with baggage, ensured we knew of any important recommendations E.g. clothing, altitude etc.
As some visits were at higher altitude where sickness may affect some they were especially attentive to ensure our well being.
Our daily tours were packed with amazing and varied scenery, wildlife / bird sightings and an amazing lunch after visiting the salt flats and breakfast at White Geyser after our very early start to see the sunrise in the mountains. That breakfast was in one of the most awesome settings, such peace, tranquility and stunning view.
Our guides brought the food and drink with them and set a table / bench and chairs up /- plenty of choice and very civilised.
Our only negative comment was that there were others in our very small the group who didn’t get these messages directly, as Trekana treated us as group leaders rather than equals and separate couples. That said, everything worked well for everyone. However our strong recommendation to improve things is that Trekana set up WhatsApp groups from the outset including all participants to make life easier for everyone; especially when those in groups are not connected in any other way than by being part of a tour group.
We appreciate Trekana guides’ experience and have many great memories that will remain with us forever.
We know there is a lot of choice of tour / excursion operators in San Pedro, Atacama but we would highly recommend Trekana Experience.
This included airport transfers and visits over a 3 day period to Moon Valley, Ckari Lookout, Highland Lagoons, Chaxa Lagoon (Atacama Salt Flat), Tatio Geysers, Machuca, Putana Wetlands and White Geyser (for breakfast).
During this time we had two guides both of whom were absolutely fantastic. They were extremely friendly, knowledgable, informative and professional. We were kept informed via a printed itinerary on arrival, our guide each day and text message updates the evening before noting any change to start times.
Trekana picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel each day, assisted with baggage, ensured we knew of any important recommendations E.g. clothing, altitude etc.
As some visits were at higher altitude where sickness may affect some they were especially attentive to ensure our well being.
Our daily tours were packed with amazing and varied scenery, wildlife / bird sightings and an amazing lunch after visiting the salt flats and breakfast at White Geyser after our very early start to see the sunrise in the mountains. That breakfast was in one of the most awesome settings, such peace, tranquility and stunning view.
Our guides brought the food and drink with them and set a table / bench and chairs up /- plenty of choice and very civilised.
Our only negative comment was that there were others in our very small the group who didn’t get these messages directly, as Trekana treated us as group leaders rather than equals and separate couples. That said, everything worked well for everyone. However our strong recommendation to improve things is that Trekana set up WhatsApp groups from the outset including all participants to make life easier for everyone; especially when those in groups are not connected in any other way than by being part of a tour group.
We appreciate Trekana guides’ experience and have many great memories that will remain with us forever.
We know there is a lot of choice of tour / excursion operators in San Pedro, Atacama but we would highly recommend Trekana Experience.
Written March 8, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jill_shield
Phnom Penh, Cambodia28 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We were picked up promptly by Sebastian from our hotel. The vehicle was clean and comfortable and water was waiting for us. Sebastian has the most excellent English and coped well with my hearing problem. He was thoughtful, informative and flexible as well as funny and charming. We felt safe as he was an excellent driver. Sebastian recognised that seeing llamas by the side of the road was amazing for us and parked close, but not too close so I could take lots of photos. We enjoyed his knowledge of the wildlife and vegetation.
He explained that we couldn’t visit the village of Rio Grande because of a dangerous road after recent heavy rain but made up for this by showing us some ancient carvings and a wonderful viewpoint instead. The Rainbow Valley visit was memorable. The colours are every bit as wonderful as the adverts show and Sebastian explained about how they were formed. We went later in the afternoon and it was very quiet. We only met two people during our walk. What impressed me was that Sebastian understood me when I said I liked to feel dwarfed by nature and drove us a little further into the valley to some amazing rock passages.
We finished at Death Valley to watch the sunset. A great spot as the views were amazing. Sebastian was an excellent host and we enjoyed the wine and goodies he’d brought with him. A wonderful day and a wonderful guide. Many thanks Sebastian. Jill and Brian Shield
He explained that we couldn’t visit the village of Rio Grande because of a dangerous road after recent heavy rain but made up for this by showing us some ancient carvings and a wonderful viewpoint instead. The Rainbow Valley visit was memorable. The colours are every bit as wonderful as the adverts show and Sebastian explained about how they were formed. We went later in the afternoon and it was very quiet. We only met two people during our walk. What impressed me was that Sebastian understood me when I said I liked to feel dwarfed by nature and drove us a little further into the valley to some amazing rock passages.
We finished at Death Valley to watch the sunset. A great spot as the views were amazing. Sebastian was an excellent host and we enjoyed the wine and goodies he’d brought with him. A wonderful day and a wonderful guide. Many thanks Sebastian. Jill and Brian Shield
Written February 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
philip s
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
I was in San Pedro for 5 days with my 14 year old son. I deliberately chose a somewhat more expensive tour agency in order to have smaller group sizes or private trips. It was absolutely worth it! We had four full days in San Pedro and had wonderful guides, Mauricio, Rodrigo, and Marcella. They are "classic" outdoor guides/educators who are warm and friendly, have infectious "positive energy" and obviously love what they do. They have deep respect for their environment and want to share it with others. On our last day we did the Cerro Toco climb to a summit of 18,000'; we had never been at this high altitude and were worried about how we would do. Rodrigo the "head guide" for our trip gave incredibly good instructions on how to breath and move in this environment, and if you follow his instructions exactly, you have the best chance of avoiding altitude sickness. He also has insightful philosophical observations about how high altitude experiences can change your life, and for my 14 year old i'm sure he is correct. Our other excursions included Lago Baltanache with a swim in the very salty lake, Tatio Geysers with a dip in the hot springs, and a hike on the beautiful Guatín cactus trail where you can also have dip in the mountain stream. On the Geyser trip, Mauricio prepared an amazingly good breakfast spread to enjoy at a lovely spot near the Geysers. The tours all exceeded expectations and we will never forget the amazing week. If you do the Guatín trail, you should definitely have hiking boots, use the trekking poles they provide, and have some prior experience in hiking rocky trails. There were some challenging areas such as stream crossings requiring good balance, but Mauricio and Marcella gave great support and helping hands when needed. The Trekana administration was very organized with clear instructions. I cant think of anything they could improve.
Written August 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alessandro
Oahu, HI3 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
On my first tour with them they arrived 20 minutes late at the hotel. And it wasn’t even them! It was another agency! From what I gathered they probably overbooked and since I was a solo traveler they pushed me off to a cheaper agency.
The next day I had a private tour with them. They had a so-so guide drive me to the Vale de la Lua. The planning they made was completely off. I had to rush through the park and miss a lot of locations so that we could make it to the sunset spot before it was closed.
The astronomical group tour was a nice surprise. Campfire with wine and a telescope. The two guides Rod and Francisco were very friendly and knowledgeable.
The next morning I went on the group tour to Lagunas Altiplanicas with them. The guide Marcos was great. Very friendly and informative. The location was great and the lunch was fantastic.
The next day I had a private tour with them. They had a so-so guide drive me to the Vale de la Lua. The planning they made was completely off. I had to rush through the park and miss a lot of locations so that we could make it to the sunset spot before it was closed.
The astronomical group tour was a nice surprise. Campfire with wine and a telescope. The two guides Rod and Francisco were very friendly and knowledgeable.
The next morning I went on the group tour to Lagunas Altiplanicas with them. The guide Marcos was great. Very friendly and informative. The location was great and the lunch was fantastic.
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
XZ & KZ
2 contributions
May 2023
We booked the half day Indigenous Experience. We walked Llamas for an hour or so and learnt about the story of the Indigenous shepherds, then we did the walk through the Oasis in Toconao for an hour or so. We had no issue with the experience themselves, however US$260 for the Llama walk and an additional US$80 for a walk through an Oasis is ridiculously overpriced for this experience, prob 2-3x of what it should have been
Written May 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rahul
1 contribution
Nov 2022
Avoid Trekana at all costs for Atacama tours! They will promise you tours and availability but then they are extremely slow to respond, and when they do, the tours will no longer be available, even after you try to make a deposit and respond quickly to them. Their customer service is horrible and were the least pleasant compared to several other tour companies. In addition, they are also almost 2x the price of others. We took one tour with them and about four tours with other companies, and Trekana was by far the worst.
Written November 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wistfuldays
Erie, PA45 contributions
Mar 2020
My husband and I did 4 different tours with Trekana while in the Atacama and enjoyed each one. Certainly the scenery is fabulous, but the guides were made the tours great. The were all so knowledgeable and their love of the country and region was obvious. It made the experiences so much better. Sebastian and Antel were wonderful.
Written March 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
32amh
Walton, UK73 contributions
Jun 2022
Bitterly bitterly cold but we were well warned of this. driven to the stargazing place by a friendly team, who soon got us talking (even though there were some linguistic barriers between the two sets of clients).
Camp fire and nibbles and drinks, and explanation of the cultural importance of where we were and what we would see. I have to admit I wanted to get to the star gazing itself but the framework was really worthwhile and interesting.
Very knowledgeable and clear explanation - which has stayed with me - of what we were seeing through the (awesome) telescope, and great care taken to ensure we could see what was being described, by adjustments made to suit each individual if required. And I am sure we ran over time but were never rushed.
We were a group of 5 - perfect. But very very cold!
Camp fire and nibbles and drinks, and explanation of the cultural importance of where we were and what we would see. I have to admit I wanted to get to the star gazing itself but the framework was really worthwhile and interesting.
Very knowledgeable and clear explanation - which has stayed with me - of what we were seeing through the (awesome) telescope, and great care taken to ensure we could see what was being described, by adjustments made to suit each individual if required. And I am sure we ran over time but were never rushed.
We were a group of 5 - perfect. But very very cold!
Written June 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jan Roberts
Seattle, WA6 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Dear Trekana,
I wish to express my sincere thank you for providing outstanding guides for our 3 tours with you. We were totally amazed the caliber of knowledge and professionalism they delivered. We come away from our experiences with them, rich in the culture, history and natural beauty of the magnificence of Atacama. We will savor this time forever. Jan and John Roberts
I wish to express my sincere thank you for providing outstanding guides for our 3 tours with you. We were totally amazed the caliber of knowledge and professionalism they delivered. We come away from our experiences with them, rich in the culture, history and natural beauty of the magnificence of Atacama. We will savor this time forever. Jan and John Roberts
Written January 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ebethv81
Davenport, IA20 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Had a wonderful tour of the geysers with Sebastian. He is one of the best tour guides we’ve had! He is so knowledgeable and excited to share his knowledge with others. He made the experience memorable and enjoyable. The sites are beautiful. The colors around the geysers are amazing. Thank you.
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hugo Canastra
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Bom dia amigos como vai ?
Meu nome é Hugo e estarei no Atacama entre os dias 06/04 á 09/04, e gostaria de realizar alguns passeios, por tanto venho através deste email solicitar os preços dos possíveis passeios que darão para realizar nesta data.
Grato, tenha um ótimo dia :D
TREKANA EXPERIENCE
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile5 contributions
Hola Hugo, muchas gracias por tu mensaje, te agradecería si nos puedes dar tu email para enviarte directamente una propuesta de itinerario. Buen día!
Trekana Experience - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Trekana Experience Information
Excellent Reviews | 49 |
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Very Good Reviews | 1 |
Trekana Experience Photos | 96 |