What Our Clients Say

From the Field...

Recent testimonial on the recent Ornitholidays 'Birds & Wine' Tour

Enrique, thank you so much for such excellent guiding on the Ornitholidays tour. I had an excellent time, and loved Patagonia especially although every part that we saw was beautiful.
I look forward to travelling with you again in the future.

Sue Healey, UK | 3 December 2009

Recent testimonial on our Torres del Paine Explorer program!

Roberto,

Thank you so much for a great Torres del Paine adventure! Never have we seen so many new birds, in so few days, and we specially liked having the time to observe the bird behavior, really facinating.

You were a SUPER guide, superior knowledge of the birds, other wildlife and plants of the area. We specially appreciated your willingness to get up at such a crazy early hour to get us in position for sunrise photography. We will remember this trip as one of the highlights of our life!

Wishing you all the best,

Pat & Rich Jacobs, USA | 22 November 2009

Roberto Donoso with our guests Pat & Rich | Torres del Paine Explorer, Chile - 21 November 2009

We had a spectacular time with Claudio and I was honored to have the author of the best bird book for Patagonia as our guide.

Melinda Quiat - Denver CO, USA | Central Chile • 16-18 November 2009

Enrique Couve, founder director of Fantastico Sur Expeditions, together a good birding friend, Bob Hargis from Wyoming, USA. What a happy coincidence! Bob and his buddies bird with Enrique across Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego in 2006.

Bob Hargis & Enrique Couve, Valparaiso, 1 Nov 2009

Dear Rodrigo and Claudio,
 
We wanted, rather later than intended, to send you an e-mail to thank you for a fantastic Fantastico tour.
 
I guess Brian and Margaret will contact you, or may have already done so, as well. If not I can speak on behalf of our party of four.
 
Roberto is a brilliant tour leader and guide and added great value to our travels. Although there were only four of us there was still a lot of organising for him to do. He never failed us!
 
We got to flights on time, drivers and mini busses were waiting, we were whisked through check-in and in our rooms in minutes. Always the right room (ie twin for us and double for Brian and Margaret). Lunches appeared into the back of the van, fruit was arranged from somewhere and water always ready. He is on speaking terms with staff everywhere we went and conveyed to them the very odd needs of birdwatchers: early breakfast, early (for Chileans!!) dinner, negotiating menus, a good spot to do the bird list at the end of the day. You name it he sorted it.
 
Carlos set the standard for spotlessly clear minibuses with sparkling clean windows every single day. We never pulled into a petrol station but the tank was always full. Always ready to pick us back up again and joining into the bird spotting if we missed something. His choice for lunch on Christmas day was excellent.
 
Roberto has an in-depth knowledge of his birds, their patches, their habits and habitats, their likes and dislikes. Day after day he showed them to us. In the process we learned so much about the Chile and it natural environment.  He appears to have a well worked out logic to optimise the chances of getting good, long, close views of almost every bird on the ‘wish list’.  Always with a plan B (and C and D if needed).
 
Another mention should go to the staff at the Espana Hotel in Porvenir; they made us feel so welcome and took a personal interest in our well being and comfort. We will not forget the roast lamb lunch in a long time.
 
I know Roberto is now on a long tour but we will be ready with a personal e-mail for him (as soon as he gives us the detail) and I will get another e-mail to you soon with two post tour questions.
 
We appreciate all the planning and expertise that was lavished on our trip and are grateful to Roberto and Carlos (and their families) for sharing Christmas with us to create a memorable holiday.

With kind regards,

Giles and Renee Braithwaite, UK | Birding Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego, January 2009

Hi Claudio,

Thanks for your kind email.  I wanted to send you this photo that i took of my wife (Laura), Roberto, and Jorge at the docks in Punta Arenas.  It is another reminder to us of the great day that we had with them.

While it has been 2 months since we were in Punta Arenas and Puerto Montt, I still would like you to thank Roberto Donoso and his driver Jorge in Punta Arenas as well as Diego Nunez in Puerto Montt for two very enjoyable days of birding.  We really had a good time and they, especially Roberto, are very good guides. 

Laura & Wayne Wathen, USA | Day tours in Chilean Patagonia, March 2009

Hereby the victory photograph of the diademed sandpiper plover at El Yeso in the beginning of this year. We have such nice memories of that beautifull place. It was an unforgettable day for us: the birds, the amazing surrounding, the beautifull wheater, the wet shoes, the lunch and the companionship of Claudio. Victor, also many thanks for the tip of the possible place to find the magelhaen woodpecker in the south of Patagonia near Bulness. We indeed saw a pair of these woodpeckers at that place. It was a wonderfull sight.

At the airport at Santiago the Chile we have bought one of Claudio's books, that one about the pinguins. Next time when we are in Chile we will buy the other books.... and we will make use again of the services of Fantastico Sur. Thanks again and all the best for the both of you.

Siep Kromsigt and Marga van Meel, The Netherlands

"The team at 'Fantastico Sur' excel; enthusiasm shines through, whether it's sharing their avian specialities, introducing you to awe-inspiring landscapes or chatting about their countries historic magical araucaria forests and magellanic woodpecker, wind swept goas with kelp geese and magellanic plovers, stands of bamboo with skulking but stunning tapaculos. All experiences I'll never forget. I'd join a Fantastico Sur trip in the blink of an eye and would recommend anyone else to do the same."

Nigel Marven, Intrepid Film-maker, UK • Trips to Chile, Patagonia, Easter Island and the Falkland Islands

"Professional in all aspects from organization to superb guides, Fantastico Sur leads the pack for South American Travel".

Noble S. Proctor, USA • Three trips to Chile in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Just a note to say a big thank you for all your work to make our visit to Chile such a resounding success. I just wish that we could have had twice the time. Your arrangements for us went like clockwork. Your care in making sure that we all saw what we wanted to see was wonderful.

Dr S M Bignold, UK • Trip to Chile

Now that we have had time to reflect and look at photos, it has confirmed our lasting impressions that the trip was only so successful because of the meticulous attention to detail of every single arrangement which made it run like clockwork from beginning to end. This allowed us to see as much as we possibly could of your amazing country in the time we were there as well as the birds, animals and plants we had anticipated seeing.

S Kemp, UK • Trip to Chile

I really enjoyed Chile birding … and thank you so much for your excellent guide. See you again.

K Watanabe, Japan • Trip to Chile

During our travels around the world we have had five truly great days birding in various places and one of those days was with you. Thank you so much for looking after us old people so well - we greatly appreciated your kindness.

B Watts, UK • Trip to Chile

I write on behalf of Anne and myself to thank you for your part in creating a magnificent holiday, one of the best we have ever had. That really is high praise as we have been privileged to travel a great deal.

Prof P & A Grubb, UK • Trip to Chile

I just wanted to send a note and say many thanks for a great trip. The trip was all I had hoped it would be.

D Shirley, USA • Trip to Chile

Many thanks from both of us for an extremely well-organized trip to Torres del Paine National Park! We appreciated your superb organizational skills as you planned every logistical detail of our trip. Everything worked out according to plan, and we loved our visit to the area.

L Degernes, New Zealand • Trip to Patagonia

Dr Kenney really enjoyed being with Enrique and had a very nice trip – he took 6000 images and 6 different penguins!

K Johnson, USA • Trip to the Falkland Islands