Traveler Jeannie Mullen riding the trusty steed Indio on the beach in “unforgettable” Jose Ignacio.

Uruguay is a SLEEPER! … while it may fly under the radar with most Americans, in-the-know South Americans spend their vacations in this small country that packs a really big punch. Brazilians and Argentinians also apparently invest there because the Uruguayan economy is so strong. Paul and Lucinda planned an outstanding, diverse, and well-paced 12-day trip for me over the Christmas holidays, and coordinated a smooth transition with a separately planned cruise to Antarctica which followed immediately thereafter.

Universally described as “muy tranquilo”… Uruguay boasts fantastic family-owned wineries, distinctive restaurants with world-renowned chefs, unique and interesting hotels and resorts, beautiful boho chic beach towns, sprawling estancias with an authentic gaucho culture, rolling farm country, the second largest river on the continent, a penchant for all things vintage, and history, art and architecture. After spending time in Carmelo, historic Colonia del Sacramento, Montevideo, Punta del Este and the unforgettable Jose Ignacio, I’ve decided that if I ever decide to live outside the United States, I’m heading to Uruguay.

Many thanks to Lucinda for paying incredible attention to the many details of a holiday trip with a lot of moving parts, but most particularly for springing into action at the last minute to rearrange airport transfers in Buenos Aires in order to get me home before an historic snow storm hit Atlanta and the mountains in Highlands.

Bariloche in Patagonia: “Views that can barely even be imagined, incredible hikes of varying difficulty for all types of people.”

Argentina is magical. Having been there before over the winter holidays, we knew we wanted to focus on Buenos Aires for the first half and then Bariloche for the second half. What we did not anticipate was that Lucinda would introduce us to a hidden gem just a couple hours outside of Buenos Aires, Estancia La Madrugada Areco, that was truly the most perfect way to begin our two week Argentina adventure. We were thrilled with everything starting on day one.

Spending the first three nights at Estancia La Madrugada Areco was the perfect way to start the trip and I would recommend it to anyone looking to quickly ease into vacation mode or even to end there as a calming end to a trip if traveling extensively around the country. Within hours it felt that we had been there for days. The energy is calm, the land is stunning, and the farm house is lovely and comfortable. Having a private experience with just our family allowed us to get to know the staff and have an extremely personalized experience. We went out horseback riding each day and Cucho made me feel safe as an inexperienced rider and gave my daughter free reign to gallop through meadows as an experienced rider. We each got exactly what we needed. The food was excellent and we even had a cooking class with the chefs to learn to make empanadas. When we weren’t on horseback, there was plenty of space on the property to walk, play or read in the game room, or just sit by the pool. The horses walking around the property add a level of whimsy and fun. The time at the estancia was our most unique experience on this trip as we had an opportunity to learn about the gaucho culture and spend time with gauchos. One evening a lovely man from a famous gaucho family came to sing us folk songs around a fire and share stories with us. He only spoke Spanish, so some of us could understand, while others just listened, but it didn’t matter. He had so much passion and the music was so beautiful.

We went into the city of San Antonio de Areco, which was absolutely lovely! In addition to the outside market and gorgeous river, the streets are lined with beautiful boutiques for a fun day of shopping. Don’t miss the chocolate shop and the original gaucho bar that is over 200 years old! As a new destination within Argentina for us, I am grateful to have stayed there and highly recommend it. Additionally, Bariloche is my favorite city in Argentina, so I would highly encourage anyone visiting this beautiful country to make a trip to Bariloche in Patagonia. Views that can barely even be imagined, incredible hikes of varying difficulty for all types of people, and delicious restaurants. A new experience in Bariloche that was shockingly beautiful was our day swimming in the river at a glamping property near the Chilean border.

Lucinda was amazing from the start! Before the trip, she was an excellent communicator and offered us excellent options for activities and restaurants. Once in Argentina, Lucinda was still in touch regularly (as needed) and was able to help us any time we needed to make any changes, even last minute when we were running very late for a dinner reservation. I would recommend anyone use Lucinda for their Argentina adventure!

Our trip to Argentina from Dec. 21 to Jan 4 was fabulous from beginning to end! Paul and Lucinda were attentive from the planning stages all the way through the end of the trip. The recommendation to stay at Awasi in Iguazu Falls was perfect. If I could stay at an Awasi property whenever I travel in the future, I would. The service was like none I have ever experienced. It was luxurious, outdoorsy, peaceful, personal and comfortable all at once. I have to say the hugest thank you to the staff there. My husband unfortunately caught an infection in his eye on Christmas Eve which was significant enough that we thought we might have to cut our trip short. After calling the front desk for assistance in the middle of the night, they were able to have a doctor from a private hospital in our room by 8:30 Christmas morning. They then picked up a prescription for us within another hour. My husband was quickly better with the antibiotic and they literally saved out trip.

Other than that, the food, service, grounds and room with the private plunge pool were spectacular. We then went to Buenos Aires which was fabulous. Our guide, Gabriel, was incredible. He actually had coincidentally been my son’s guide during his study abroad summer a few months before, and they were so happy to be reunited. The Tango show us at the Faena hotel was another highlight. Our last stop in Bariloche was equally incredible. We joined up with my sister’s family for this section of the trip, and the plans expertly entertained all 9 of us, ages 11 on. Some highlights in Bariloche were the lovely picnic lunch on the beach at the end of one of the the hikes, and the challenging hike planned for my husband, nephew, and son.

A few notes of gratitude—booking us in priority travel on the internal flights turned out to be so helpful. We were able to bypass the huge holiday crowds at the local airports throughout Argentina and have seamless travel experiences. Also, Paul and his team were completely accessible and quick to answer any questions throughout the weeks we were there. They made a last minute change for us due to weather when we asked to change a kayaking experience, and we had a lovely hike instead. All of the guides were absolutely fabulous beginning to end. I really can not say enough positive things about this trip. It was all of the little touches that Paul helped to plan that made the trip so very special! My family of four (kids ages 17 and 20) loved it!

Travelers David and Sheila Cahnman hiking the “magnificent” Perito Moreno glacier in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.

We just completed a wonderful 14 day trip to Argentina planned by Paul & Lucinda. They suggested four different locales that represented Argentinian highlights where we could tour, hike, bike without being too strenuous, and also have time for my passion— sketching. The trip started with four nights in Buenos Aires including a private architecture tour and Jewish sites tour with very knowledgeable guides. I loved the Japanese garden and Rosedal in Palermo. We then went for a few days of sailing, hiking and biking in Bariloche which was very similar to the Bavarian Alps. Not a “must see,” but very pleasant. Next we headed to EOLO resort in El Calafate and the magnificent Perito Moreno glacier. Make sure to spend a full day hiking there!

Our last stop was Peninsula Valdes : Rincon Chico, the 8 bed lodge and conservation area, is a 3 hour drive from the Trelew airport. The 3 days we spent there were a cross between a safari and the Galapagos. We especially enjoyed when our hosts took us four couples to see 600,000 Magellanic penguins nesting on their private property.

Paul and Lucinda’s company communicates through their own app, which listed updates to our itinerary and also boarding passes etc. Two minor glitches in transportation arrival were handled through the app: in one case they negotiated a full refund for late arrival at a tango show, and in the other we received complementary massages. Also was impressed that all our flights throughout the country were direct and did not require a return to Buenos Aires like many other fellow travelers.

We (mom and 2 boys, 10 & 13) are just back from our wonderful trip to Argentina planned by Lucinda Paxton & Paul Irvine. We could have not asked for more, and the only “problem” we experienced on the trip was not agreeing on where we want to travel next with the support of a WOW List trip planner.

Lucinda & Paul put together a thoughtful, balanced itinerary with a not very detailed brief and just under 2 months of prep time. We visited Buenos Aires, the Ibera Wetlands, and San Antonio de Areco and stayed in lovely properties in each location.

This is my first time using such a service and while I enjoy planning my own travel, I simply could not have put together this trip and its details—like our light aircraft flight to Rincón del Socorro on Ibera—on my own.

We (my husband and I) went on our first ever trip to Brazil in June/July 2024, a three-week adventure, using the expert services of Paul and his team. Normally, I plan our trips, but when our destination is a bit “off the beaten path” and I am less confident about my abilities on logistics, I happily surrender the planning to the experts. This was such a destination and trip.

From the first contact, Paul added significant value. I had very particular ideas about what parts of the country we wanted to visit and how many of them to stack into our 3 weeks. Paul helped us choose locations that were “right” weather-wise for the time of year we were planning (Brazil’s winter), as well as ones that made sense logistically. He also suggested a couple of locations I hadn’t considered, and they were brilliant. Without Paul’s advice, we likely would have chosen to visit more places than made sense (with the resulting rushed and ultimately unsatisfying experience) as well as booking into some lodgings that, although are very highly “rated,” might not have met our needs and desires as well as the lodgings Paul chose for us, all of which were perfect. Along the way, we received welcome notes from Paul’s team, as well as a bottle of sparkling wine and fruit at our last stop.

We ran into a bit of a hiccup between our second to last and our last stops, resulting from weather preventing us from catching a couple of connecting flights. We received timely help from the team’s head of operations, who helped us to secure a last-minute hotel room at the São Paulo airport Marriott as well as replacement plane tickets for the flights we missed. This particular situation unfolded over the course of an entire day and into the night, and though it was stressful, it could have and would have been much more of a production had we not been working with Paul. His company also assisted us in collecting the documentation we needed to obtain reimbursement from our travel insurance. All of this was made much easier for us, especially given the language barrier (we do not speak Portuguese and many of the suppliers we were dealing with had Portuguese as their first, and in some cases only, language).

I also want to point out how important the wonderful guides and drivers were to the enjoyment of our trip. Each of them was fantastic and tailored to our stated interests. I would hire each and every one of them again if/when we return to their geographic area(s)—Rocco, who drove us from the São Paulo airport to Paraty, from Paraty to Rio, and helped to guide us on a rainforest hike in the Mata Atlantica; Ricardo, who took us on a fabulous “highlights of Rio” tour as well as a birding hike in the Tijuca forest; Stefan, who was our private guide for our 4 days in the Pantanal and introduced us to the fantastic bird (and other wild-) life there; Eduardo, who drove us back and forth between Porto Seguro and Trancoso, regaling us all the way with funny and interesting stories; and Maisa, who took good care of us in São Paulo and offered wonderful sightseeing tips even though she was only hired to drive us between the city and the airport.

I now have two experiences with Wendy Perrin WOW List experts and I am convinced that for that extra-special trip planning, this is the way to go!!

Anne Marie Seibel and family in the Brazilian Amazon.

We just returned from an incredible trip to Brazil planned by Paul. We had our children with us, ages 19 and 16. Paul helped us plan out a trip that balanced the wonders of the Amazon with the big cities of Rio and São Paulo. We also made a stop in Paraty.

Our guide in São Paulo, Maissa, picked us up at the airport after our overnight flight from Atlanta and conducted a tour crafted to our interests. We stopped at a local market, saw the famous murals, found a shop to buy organically grown coffee, visited a street where only musical instruments were sold, and checked off key historic monuments. She also saved the day the next morning when our flight time changed to an earlier time and she helped us all the way until security to be sure we made it.

The Cristalino Lodge in the Amazon was nothing short of magical. Our guide Rafael was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the animals and plant life all around us. He skillfully guided us, along with our boat driver who knew the river like the back of his hand. The 50-meter towers were both highlights and challenges for those of us scared of heights. But, being above the top of the rainforest canopy to watch the rainforest wake up was worth it. Food and facilities at the lodge were excellent and we left with a deep appreciation for the work being done to preserve the Amazon.

In Rio, our guide, Ricardo helped navigate cloudy weather to adjust our two-day plan on the fly. He received a call as soon as Christ the Redeemer was out of clouds and we beat the crowds up to the top. The weather held out for our WOW Moment of flying by helicopter over the city. Rain disrupted a planned hike, but we replaced it with two tours that were a hit — the Maracanã soccer stadium and Carnival World. Both ended up being a welcome opportunity to get a feel for culture in Rio and we thoroughly enjoyed them.

Our highlight in Paraty was an in-home cooking lesson by Yara Castro and Richard Roberts. They welcomed us into their home with lessons on history and food. We stayed at the beautiful Pousada Literária de Paraty.

We were thankful that Paul’s team made wonderful hotel and restaurant selections in each location and their app was easy to use.

Wonderful trip to Brazil. In Rio, we stayed at the Fasano, which was a great boutique hotel on Ipanema beach which is a nicer, less crowded, cleaner beach than the Copacabana area. Breakfast was excellent as was dinner in their Italian restaurant, Giro. Our Rio guide, Raoul, was very personable with excellent English. A nice part was a speedboat tour of Rio to see everything from the water. Giuseppe Grill was a great steakhouse with a nice wine list and about a five-minute Uber from the Fasano.

A four-day side trip to remote Pará state to see some family, then six nights on Fernando Noronha island, 200 miles off the NE coast of Brazil, scenery a hypothetical blend of Bora Bora and Big Sur. Beautiful honey-colored beaches with translucent waters. Great snorkeling and diving: spinner dolphins, sharks, stingrays, turtles. Stayed at Pousada Maravilha, a 10-room inn with spectacular views, infinity pool, incredibly warm staff (although pretty slow on the delivery time). Rented a Jeep although there are plentiful taxis and it only takes 15 minutes to drive from one end to the other. Restaurants are good, not excellent, all open-air and more on the rustic side. A really relaxing place and 5-7 days is perfect.

I would definitely use Paul Irvine again.

We made a last-minute decision to plan a 3-week trip to the Bahia region of Brazil right in the middle of Carnival, & were so lucky to work with Paul’s colleague Thomas Robinson.

Not only did Thomas respond quickly to all our inquiries & was not phased by our short lead time, his detailed & straight-shooting information helped us plan a relaxing & memorable trip during one of Brazil’s busiest tourist seasons.

We began in Salvador for 3 days of the Carnival experience, staying in a small boutique hotel (Aram Yami) on the edge of its historic centre. This is not the time to visit Salvador if you want to explore its museums & galleries as many are closed, but if you want to witness a million+ people dancing & singing in the streets, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Very, very different from Carnival in Rio which we also loved, but in our opinion, not to be missed.

After the intense & sometimes frantic energy of Carnival in Salvador, we then spent another 2 weeks exploring the Bahia coastline, staying in little boutique hotels Thomas recommended in idyllic beach settings.

We loved the remote island of Boipeba, which we accessed by a combination of car, ferry & speedboat (although didn’t love the hotel we stayed in there), & also loved Itacare (Hotel Barracuda) & Trancoso (Hotel Uxua). We were travelling in early to mid Feb & this year was cloudier & wetter than many. But when the clouds cleared, the coastline & beach setting was extraordinarily beautiful! We would recommend Thomas & Paul’s company highly if you’re thinking of exploring Brazil! We love the energy & beauty of Brazil… This was our 5th trip…& we’ll definitely go again!

We had a fantastic time in Chile, on a trip planned for us by Paul Irvine and his team. We worked with Paul two years ago for a trip to Brazil, and he remembered our preferences and expectations, which made the planning for this trip exceptionally easy. We wanted to explore some of the wine country in central Chile for several days before boarding a cruise, and we knew we didn’t want to spend too much of our time in transit. Paul outlined an itinerary for us that was perfect — interesting wines and not too much time in the car. The hotels he suggested were spot-on for our tastes, which he knew from our previous conversations. The logistics of booking all these arrangements were handled with efficiency and care. One of the most important aspects of using Paul was his ability to select a responsible and safe driver for us. Hernan was careful, punctual, and extremely personable. We enjoyed our time traveling with him.

We landed in Santiago early in the morning from our overnight flight, where we were greeted by Hernan. After a quick stop for some coffee, he drove us to the Colchagua Valley, where we stayed for 3 days/2 nights. Our lodging was at the Clos Apalta Residences, and truly, this is now high on our list of the most beautiful places we have ever stayed. The main house where we had our meals is the former residence of the owners, and everything about it is warm and welcoming. We felt like we were visiting friends (who just happened to own a fabulous winery!). This year several new casitas have been added along the hillside, which is where we slept. The architecture is absolutely stunning — floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the vineyard, individual plunge pool on the private terrace, separate sitting area with a desk, and a free-standing tub in the magnificent bathroom. All our meals were included in the rate. The food was exceptional, and each course was paired with the amazing wines from their cellars. The winery can be toured even if you are not a guest at the Residences, and I would highly recommend touring it. The design is fascinating, and the science behind the architecture is incredible. There are many things to do in the valley as well. We did another wine tasting nearby at Viu Manent, had a cocktail class for Pisco Sours, and we also had a lovely horseback ride through the vineyard, which Paul took the time to arrange for us. We could have stayed at Clos Apalta for a week!

Our driver Hernan returned for us on Friday, and we headed towards the coast to La Casona at Vina Matetic. This was a delightful spot, very friendly and with beautiful gardens. There are only 10 rooms in the lodge, which is in the Spanish-Colonial style with thick walls and carved wooden doors. We enjoyed both the tasting and the meals with paired wines.

On Saturday Hernan came to drive us to Valparaiso. But wait! We had more wine tasting scheduled before that! Our first stop was at Emiliana vineyard in the Casablanca Valley. Like the other wineries we visited, they also use organic and bio-diversity practices in their vineyards and winemaking. Our guide was delightful and informative, and we enjoyed walking in the vines and seeing the wildlife before heading to the tasting. Then Hernan drove us to Casas del Bosque for lunch with paired wine selections. It was delicious, and the restaurant is beautiful.

We arrived in Valparaiso in the early afternoon, and Hernan gave us a tour by car. It was a great introduction to the city. We drove through many of the neighborhoods spread out on the different hills. We saw the historic plazas and government buildings, and we stopped to walk along the sidewalks above the harbor while Hernan explained about the history and architecture. Valparaiso is a fun city — it is messy, colorful, run-down and untidy but very exciting. Street art is everywhere, with fantastic murals that explode in colors and styles on whatever space is available. Our hotel — Hotel Cas Higueras — is in the Monte Alegre neighborhood, in an old mansion from the 1920’s. It is perched at the top, with lovely suites and their private terraces stair-stepping down the hillside towards the slender pool and garden. The view to the working harbor was fabulous. After a long stroll through the neighborhood with the shops, galleries, and cafes, we returned to the hotel for dinner on their terrace and listened to live jazz while the full moon shone in the sky above the hills. After dinner we went out again, and ended up in a tavern called CinZano, which has been in operation since 1896. It was a great spot, with a multi-generational crowd and lots of singing along with the musician onstage. At the end of the evening, we took a quick taxi ride back up the hill to our hotel.

And on Sunday, Hernan returned once more to drive us to the pier for our cruise. He knew exactly where to go, because he had made a visual check on where the ship was docked before coming to get us at our hotel.

This was a short visit to the wine region, but so well arranged by Paul that we felt we saw quite a lot. We would highly recommend the places he selected for us, and we are extremely pleased with his services.

We booked a Seabourn cruise this year from Buenos Aires to Miami in February and March. We reached out to Paul Irvine for help with our daily excursions in Brazil. Although it’s not the usual type of trip for him, Paul was very accommodating and helped us plan many day excursions throughout the cruise. He also booked our hotel in Buenos Aires prior to the cruise. We were amazed when we arrived at the Four Seasons and got a complimentary upgrade to a larger suite because of Paul. The guides he provided were excellent and really listened to our requests. We managed to combine their knowledge with our specific interests and had fabulous days in each port. Thanks so much to Paul for helping us make this cruise extra special.

My wife and I had traveled extensively through North America, Europe and the Caribbean, so we decided that we had to expand and try another continent. We booked a two-week trip to Brazil using Wendy’s recommendation of Paul Irvine, and he came through big time.

The best tour guide we’ve ever had, Lais, met us at the airport on arrival and transported us to the beautiful Hotel Fasano right on Ipanema Beach. We were able to spend two full days on the beach where we really got a feel for the local culture. Later, Lais gave us the grand tour of Rio de Janeiro including the iconic Christ the Redeemer. We visited the unique, quirky Convent Stairway.

My wife had wanted to see the dancers at Carnivale, but we didn’t arrive in Rio until it was over. Somehow Lais pulled off a miracle and found a group that was meeting in a public park and recreating their Carnivale performance. It was called a Samba Hangover Dance. Since they’d bought the outfits and practiced so hard they figured they should perform the dance one more time. We were able to hang out with the locals for a few hours and able to see the performance up close. Afterwards we stopped at a popular, crowded neighborhood diner and feasted on huge plates of crab meat for a very reasonable price.

Then we went to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, where we were met by a master craftsman who taught us how to make the best Caipirinhas we had on the entire trip.

While in Rio we were able to eat at Garota de Ipanema, the cafe where Vinicius de Moraes originally saw the famous “girl from Ipanema” go by before writing the lyrics to the song.

On Paul’s advice we also went to eat at Aprazivel Restaurant in the hills above Rio for a delicious meal in a beautiful restaurant with an amazing view of the city below.

Next, we boarded a plane to Iguassu Falls on the other side of Brazil and at the border of Argentina. We stayed at the Hotel des Cataratas in the national park and only 100 yards from the falls. The hotel is the only one in the park and you often had the viewing areas to yourself. The hotel was beautiful and perfectly located. Our guide took us on a tour the next day of both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides of these gigantic, 2 1/2-mile-wide falls. Seeing them was awe inspiring, but taking a boat ride under them was exhilarating and an experience not to be missed. At Niagara Falls you get misted when taking the boat ride, at Iguassu you actually go under the falls. It was safe and great fun.

We ended our trip with a stay in the colonial town of Paraty. We’d seen the big city while in Rio, the jungle in Iguassu, and now a peaceful, historical small town in the center of the country. Our stay at Casa Turquesa was magical. It’s a 9-room inn with a beautiful pool and lovely rooms. We enjoyed navigating the original rocky streets while visiting the shops in town. Paul had arranged a day trip on a schooner where we visited several bays and beaches and had lunch at a place that was only accessible by boat. It was a perfect, relaxing way to end our trip.

Everything had been well planned and executed by Paul and his team. Great guides, great hotels and memorable experiences.

A final note about safety. In the United States we’d read traveler warnings and received a notice to beware of dengue fever from our government. Some friends were wary of us going to Brazil. In response I’d like to note that we never felt uncomfortable or unsafe for even a minute during our trip. Are there places in the city of Rio that you shouldn’t visit? Of course, just like in New York City. So don’t go there. Your guides will help you with that. I’ve told friends that Rio is like NYC, but with a better view. Even though we’d taken mosquito repellent to avoid getting dengue fever we only used it once the whole trip and I never saw a mosquito the whole time. So, of course, take precautions, but we found Brazil to be a very safe place to visit.

Karen and Paul Birnbaum, Julia Greenstein and Paul Bleicher at Iguazu Falls.

My husband Paul and I went with our friends to Brazil this past February, planned by Paul Irvine and his staff. It was amazing! We were there for 17 days and each destination was unique and everyday was a different adventure. We went from Sao Paulo, to the Amazon Rain Forest, to Iguazu Falls, Rio and then Paraty. We enjoyed each of our destinations…

In the Amazon Rain Forest we stayed at the Cristalino Lodge, a lovely eco-lodge on a private river. Everyday, our guides, big Bruno and little Bruno (little Bruno was in training) took us out on an adventure, either on our own boat on the river, bird and monkey watching, or hiking in the jungle looking for snakes and jaguars. From there we flew to Iguazu Falls. The falls have to be one of the top wonders of the world. With our guide, Tadeu, we toured the falls from both the Argentinean side one day, taking a powerboat ride into the falls, and then the Brazil side (even more beautiful). We stay at the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas which had to be one of the nicest hotels we have every stayed in. Did not want to leave.

From there we went to Rio and stayed in a lovely hotel on Ipanema Beach where we saw Christ the Redeemer and gorgeous views from Sugarloaf Mountain. Beautiful! On to Paraty, an old town on a beautiful bay that was used for sugar export in the colonial days. We did a lovely hike one day and a speedboat ride another day, visiting all the little islands with beautiful beaches surrounding the port. So fun! Paul and his team were a text away. Had a couple of airplane hiccups and they were able to reroute us within minutes so we didn’t miss a day…very impressive! We were VERY happy with our trip!

Our thanks to Paul Irvine for his careful and complete planning of our amazing southern Brazil excursion!

When we docked in Rio at the conclusion of a two-week cruise, Patricia met us at the terminal and we immediately began two intensive days getting acquainted with the city and its surroundings. She adapted the tour to our interests and covered the must-see features of Rio along with delightful morsels that most visitors probably don’t experience — hidden vistas overlooking the city, a walk through one of the favelas, and much more.

We moved on to Paraty for a complete change of pace, beginning with a private tour of Paraty Bay on a converted fishing boat. We relaxed on the boat as we visited many of the beautiful small bays and islands. We made a stop to swim in the warm Atlantic water and another to enjoy lunch at a great restaurant where all the patrons arrived by boat.

Also near Paraty, we enjoyed a forest hike with Rodrigo and Felipe with a restful stop at a waterfall. After the hike we enjoyed an excellent lunch at Fazenda Bananal prepared from ingredients grown on the farm where it is located. A highlight was a demonstration of produce grown on the farm including the various uses and how some of the exotic fruits and vegetables are opened and eaten.

We finished with our bucket-list item — a visit to Iguazu Falls! What an incredible place! Unfortunately, the only sun we saw there was as we were leaving our hotel for the airport at the conclusion of our visit. But our guide showed us both the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the falls and we thoroughly enjoyed hiking the walkways that brought us to amazing views, despite the need for umbrellas. On our last morning, because our stay at the Belmond Hotel offered us early-morning access to the Brazil-side walkways before the influx of visitors, our guide took us on a hike when almost no one else was on the walkways, all the way down until we stood only a few feet above the crest of one of the nearly 300 individual waterfalls that make up this complex — followed by an elevator ride up to where our driver waited for us.

The entire excursion was a wonderful experience! Our Zoom conference with Paul kicked off the planning and we exchanged emails as the details came together. The resulting plan with the hotel and transportation facilities it included couldn’t have been better crafted. Paul and his staff were available throughout the tour to support us, including messages to greet us at each hotel, having boarding passes for our flights delivered to us at the hotel, and assisting us with airport check-ins since we didn’t speak the local language.

My wife and I have recently returned from a trip to South America. We were gone from October 5th till October 19th. Paul and his team did an excellent job in planning our trip to Brazil and Argentina. Paul developed an itinerary that fit into our flights we had to and from South America. When we had to make a change to the itinerary for our first night, Paul was able to make the adjustment immediately. Paul listened to our requests, such as keeping our tours to no more than four hours a day to give us time each afternoon to relax.

The guides that Paul was able to arrange for us in each location (São Paulo, Paraty, Rio, Iguaçu Falls and Buenos Aires) were all excellent. They were all top-notch and we enjoyed learning about each location from them. Getting to know them and their personal stories was very interesting.

One of the highlights was the fact that Paul arranged for us to stay in Iguaçu Falls at the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, which was located in the national park overlooking the falls. Based on our guide’s advice I was able to see the falls early in the morning before the park opened and after 5PM when the park closed to the public. Seeing the falls without the crowds was truly special.

We had an outstanding trip and would highly recommend Paul and his team to anyone looking to visit South America.

Desert, city, jungle, beach, and pampas all in one fantastic itinerary. My husband and I spent a month sampling the wonders of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Paul organized a great itinerary with activities, free days and travel days that went seamlessly. Plus, we had a surprise WOW Moment/anniversary boat trip to one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil. Paul took great care of us, including checking us in for our flights and having the hotels print our boarding passes. He made restaurant recommendations and reservations for us. His hotel choices met all the needs we requested. The activities were varied, interesting, enjoyable and perfect for two people in their 70s.

Paul Irvine planned a whirlwind tour of Brazil in December for me and my husband. This was my 2nd time trusting a Wendy Perrin travel partner with my vacation; Paul Irvine and his team did not disappoint. Paul was extremely patient and responsive throughout the entire process from planning, last-minute changes, to quick assistance during the trip when we had weather issues, both in Brazil and back home in Texas. Paul picked perfectly appointed hotels at every destination, and we really enjoyed all of our English-speaking guides and drivers throughout the trip. In Rio, we had Lais for two days of the city and art. She was one of the best, and most likable tour guides we’ve ever had — truly great, full of fun facts, history, culture and just a super interesting person. On to Paraty. It was a long (4+hour drive) to get to Paraty. We had an excellent driver who filled the time with great stories, info about Brazil etc,

While we found Paraty to be a quaint little village and our boutique accommodations at Casa Turquesa were seriously AMAZING; the tiny town itself wasn’t the highlight, not quite for us. The weather was cold and rainy, so unfortunately our tours were canceled. But, our driver picked us up early from Paraty and we squeezed in a day in São Paulo, which more than made up for the downtime in Paraty. My husband got to see a few art galleries on his list, and we did a fabulous neighborhood tour full of murals from local artists. We loved São Paulo! Unfortunately a bad freeze came through in Texas and the U.S. while we were traveling; my husband opted to go home early to winterize our home, while I continued on to Trancoso solo. Paul’s team helped us tremendously with these last-minute changes — they were flexible, accommodating and professional. The AXUS app Paul’s office uses was an invaluable tool to have. My time in Trancoso was nice, it’s a cute place and the tours, accommodation and food were great. No complaints at all, just a huge thank you to Paul and his team for all the help. We ended up being a high-maintenance client given our unforeseen issues. Thanks again to Paul, his team, and Wendy Perrin!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We had a fantastic month-long trip to Brazil which we planned with Paul Irvine. Working with Paul was great – he listened very carefully to how we like to travel, and what activities we enjoy doing, and then he blended all of that into a wonderful itinerary. His choices were perfect – the hotels were amazing, the guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic, our drivers were safe and professional, and the locations were delightful. Paul and I worked on the specifics of the plans for several months until it was precisely what I wanted. Before departure, we downloaded the app that he and his team use to send messages, keep us informed about the plans, to view our boarding passes, and any updates or notices. That was an extremely useful feature for our travels.

The first three weeks of our trip was just my husband and me, and it was a combination of vacation and working remotely. Paul was careful to book us in places with reliable wi-fi and a desk in the room. We stayed in each location for 3-4 days, which allowed us the opportunity to better understand the area before we moved on. Paul arranged guided tours in each place for the first day or two, and then the remaining days in that location we spent exploring (or remotely working) using the suggestions and information that Paul provided to maximize our time.

The third week of our trip was a family wedding – our nephew was getting married to a lovely young woman who was born in Brazil. The American family members flew to Brazil from all over the United States to help celebrate. And after those festivities, my husband and I, my sister and her husband – and all of our grown children! – stayed on for another 10 days of travel in two different locations. Paul arranged that portion of the trip as well, coordinating hotel rooms, transportation between locations, activities, guides, and drivers for all 10 of us. It was a very complicated task, and Paul handled it beautifully.

The added value of using Paul and his team is incalculable. At each hotel, we were greeted with notes from both Paul and the hotel staff, and welcome gifts in our room. I am convinced that we were upgraded to the best room in the hotel everywhere we stayed. Our room rates always included breakfast, teatimes, and other amenities not offered with regular bookings. Our guides and driver were always on time, the details of attraction tickets and lines and logistics were seamlessly attended to in advance so we never had to wait for anything. The pre-planning allowed us to maximize our time, and it reduced the stress of traveling for such a long period of time and with such a large group. We had a wonderful experience, and it is because of the superior work done by Paul and his team.

RE COVID: Most of the places we traveled in Brazil were very off the beaten path, and much of our exploring was outdoors, in smaller venues, and done privately. All of us were double vaccinated and we all had our booster shots — plus several of us had actually gotten very mild cases of COVID in the winter. We were not nervous about COVID exposure.

Paul also arranged for us to have the required departure COVID tests privately done by lab professionals who came to our hotel rooms. As it turned out, the requirement to test before returning to the USA was dropped the weekend we flew home, so it wasn’t necessary. But we certainly appreciated the effort.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Re: COVID. This trip was pretty similar to one that we would have taken pre-pandemic. The trip planner did suggest appropriate experiences that attended to our COVID concerns, specifically having private tours and hotels with good COVID policies that felt safe/generally outdoor dining etc. Also, we had private taxis to and from airports although the drivers did not mask, which would have been more comfortable if they had been told to do so. Being from NY, we have been hit hard by COVID and are more cautious than most.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My wife and I just returned from a trip to Uruguay and Argentina. The entire trip was arranged by Paul Irvine. Paul did an exceptional job. He arranged for drivers and guides to meet us at both ports and airports. The guides were exceptional. I initially wanted to stay in Montevideo, but since our time in Uruguay was short, Paul encouraged us to stay in Jose Ignacio, a delightful beach town about 2 hours from there. He arranged our accommodations, dinners and tours. Paul followed up regularly to make sure everything was going to plan. He also arranged for our Covid tests at our hotels, which was a real convenience. I would recommend Paul Irvine without any reservation.

I had Pneumonia when I went to Paraty from São Paolo, though I didn’t really know it. An angelic driver picked me up from my hotel and drove me the four hours to Paraty. He was so good I fell asleep immediately. The hotel Paul had picked out for me Casa Turquesa was beautiful, luxurious and immaculate. A small hotel, just friendly enough so I never felt lonely. Paul arranged for a trip on a schooner with a charming captain. I also took a tour of the city. In spite of the fact that I was sick, it was the best medicine I ever had. I rested when I had to, was pampered, and it was a perfect trip.

We worked with Paul’s team to plan a family trip with our adult children to Bolivia and Peru over Christmas and New Years 2018-19. Tom Robinson arranged great guides for us in La Paz, Uyuni and Cuzco-Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu and beautiful hotels for us to stay in in those locations and Lake Titicaca and Lima (where we did not use guides). We particularly love our guide in La Paz , Nicki, and in Cuzco-Sacred Valley -Machu Picchu, Johan.

Tom was also helpful re-arranging our plans when we lost our first day because of travel delays and missed connections.
We had a wonderful trip.

Paul Irvine and his team did an excellent job in helping us plan a very diverse 2 weeks in Argentina and Chile — and in dealing with the kinds of unexpected twists that can pop up along the way. We went into the process with a range of interests and he did a good job in helping us focus the list on what would prove to be the most memorable elements, with the right amounts of time to do them properly.

The hotels were terrific choices and we have nothing but good things to say about the many transfers at each stage of our holiday. Of particular note, the real test (from my point of view) is always what happens when something goes off the rails. In our case, Paul quickly adjusted our timetable to take into account a missed connection due to weather that meant losing a day at the front end and needing to reshuffle the lineup a little. That led to one scheduling mixup that he resolved as soon as it popped up (and then arranged a nice way to make up for what was a fairly minor issue in real life).

When arranging travel in a part of the world you haven’t been to and dealing with the full range language, culture and legal matters than can arise in crossing borders, it really pays to have someone who can be that “fixer.” Paul is all that and more and we’ve already recommended Wendy and Paul’s services to friends who want a great a vacation as we had.

Paul was easy to work with, informative and his planning turned out to be spot-on. His suggestions (Paraty, restaurants, where to watch the Sambadromo) were excellent. The samba instructor Carla was so much fun!! And my husband’s 2 birding guides were excellent. Cafe Turquesa in Paraty (and especially the owner Tete) was the perfect end to a great trip.

Paul is outstanding from first contact to final post-trip communication. Rarely have we had less need to revise what an agent proposed for our travel. Paul listened carefully to what my wife and I enjoy in travel, and planned the perfect blend of big city (BA), including two outstanding guides, wine country with two guided private bodega experiences, private terrace dinners in the shadows of the Andes mountains, then complete relaxation in eastern Uruguay with its endless beaches, world-class gastronomy, private winery tour with the head sommelier, dinners at the top locations… Paul updated our itinerary for some dinner enhancements, communicated every step of our trip, answered various questions en route (tipping protocol, e.g.), and really made our entire experience exceptional. NOTHING was missed. Paul is the consummate pro. We will return to South America many more times, but only if and where Paul can provide his comprehensive service.

Paul Irvine and his agency were on top of everything. From the planning, organizing the itinerary, laying out suggestions to following up on the day-to-day activities, Paul and his agency were thoroughly involved. I know he contacted our hotels, guides and drivers to make sure they knew our limitations, e.g. Anne is allergic to shellfish. He monitored each and every activity to make sure all was going according to plan.

Throughout the journey, I had some minor questions and he had a response to me often within hours regardless of the day of the week.

For this blue-collar kid from Brooklyn, such luxury, care, and professionalism were beyond compare. It was like having someone remotely looking over your shoulder to make sure all was kosher.

We loved everything about the trip and what Paul was able to organize for us.

We have just returned from a trip to Iguazu Falls organized by Paul Irvine. Every detail of the trip was perfect. The hotels Paul selected were gorgeous; he booked us at the only hotel in the Brazilian side of Iguazu National Park where, after 6 p.m., only guests of the hotel were allowed to remain in the park. We spent one full day in the park with our guide and then two days at a secluded ecolodge, Puerto Bemberg, in the middle of the rainforest. On our final day, a driver picked us up from the local airport in Buenos Aires and took us to a restaurant Paul had selected for our last meal before leaving for the U.S.–a lovely riverside place with great food. Paul was always responsive during the trip to smooth over any little bumps (and there were very few). I recommend him highly for anyone travelling to Argentina or Brazil.

I am so grateful for Wendy’s recommendation of Paul Irvine at Dehouche! He planned an excellent and customized trip for me, my daughter & son-in-law & my 11 year old grandson. The trip to Lima, the Amazon, Iguazu Falls, Rio for Carnivale & Paraty was the grandson’s “special” trip (other siblings had been to Galapagos & Bostwana…so the expectations were quite high!
Unfortunately, in the middle of planning, my husband suddenly passed away. Paul was kind and patient and when I was ready to resume the planning – albeit slightly revised – he was reassuring to me, now leading this trip on my own.
Beyond this caring service, he planned an excellent trip that we all enjoyed. The service, logistics and accommodations were spot on.. A slight glitch in taxi arrival was MORE than made up for by VIP seats at Carnivale.. Even though I had been very involved with the planning and asked a million questions and googled until my fingers were numb…I never ceased to be wonderfully surprised at how terrific everything was. As my daughter said: There was something magical every day!!
I would not hesitate to recommend Paul to anyone.

THANK YOU THANK YOU, Wendy, for guiding me and my family to Paul!!

Paul responded to our travel request for special requirements for senior citizens by ensuring all accommodations were suitable for our abilities. In the case of one inn that proved to be unsuitable because of stairs that were too steep he allowed for us to change to a more appropriate hotel at the cost of the agency. He was on the spot and available to help make the decision to change properties immediately. I would most like to commend the efficiency and capabilities of all the drivers who attended to and really made our journey effortless. All were never one minute late, all were courteous and helpful, all were delightful people to know. I would particularly like to recommend Sen. Celso Pereira who was above and beyond in his ability to achieve important transports on this trip. Putting together this group of drivers is an important consideration as a recommendation of your company. I would also like to recommend Luiz Cruz in Tiradentes who was an incredible tour guide full of history and knowledge of the area. All hotels were lovely and personally accommodating to our needs and comfort with gracious staffs. I would particularly recommend Oratório Pousada Boutique, Casa Turquesa Maison D´Hôtes, and Villas de Trancoso Hotel e Pousada.

I looked for an agent to handle aspects of our trip to Brazil because I don’t speak Portugese. I don’t know the country, and the reputation of Brazil as a dangerous place swayed me to organize our trip so that we would always have help near our family or around us if we needed anyone for any reason, at any time. In general, I do not use travel agents and prefer to book hotels and flights and activities on my own. I find it ends up being less expensive and more spontaneous, and I don’t feel disappointed at the end of a trip. Having said that, I have found that the two trips I have booked using Wendy Perrin’s Trusted Travel Experts have both been very positive experiences.
I had a short but useful Skype conversation with Paul Irvine, during which we laid out what I hoped for during our trip, and he also suggested an extra destination, but agreed sounded very much like something my group would enjoy. We paid up, received our schedule, and on the appointed day and time, made our way to Rio. The most important thing for me and for my husband was that the people on the ground were there for us, and they were. There was never anyone who was late, or absent. Even our first guide, who had a personal matter which kept him from picking us up at the airport when we arrived, sent his brother-in-law to get us. This was the most important thing to us and it was flawlessly executed. I also found the enclosed information on restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and useful Portuguese words very valuable and used this throughout our stay.
My only issue was that there was not very much communication between the travel agency and us. Since I rarely use agencies, and had never heard of Dehouche except from this website, I was nervous about saying goodbye to a large chunk of money for services not yet rendered — especially in a tanking economy such as Brazil unfortunately suffers at the moment. I did have a few times where I tried to make contact and could not reach anyone from the agency for a while, which I honestly consider not so great if you are running a business. However, my husband is of the opinion that the company carried out their mission to the fullest degree: be there for the client where it counts, on the ground when you need them most.
Verdict: Yes, definitely when we go back we will use Dehouche again and

We spent 2 weeks in Brazil and took 10 flights during our 2 week stay. Every connection and transfer was on time and very accommodating. Every hotel was first class. I would recommend Paul Irvine from Dehouche to anyone.

We just returned from a six-day trip to Brazil, expertly planned by Paul. My partner and I are usually very independent travelers, so the whole process of using an expert was entirely new to us.

Paul delivered a truly wonderful itinerary within our budget and it only exceeded our expectations once on the ground.

We spent three days in Rio de Janeiro and three days in Paraty. Our driver/guide was fantastic and we loved having the same driver throughout. Every hotel we stayed in was phenomenal, especially our last night at the Hotel Santa Teresa. Paul booked us at hotels that I didn’t think were in our budget otherwise, and we enjoyed wonderful excursions such as a private trip on a schooner touring the islands near Paraty.

We fell in love with Brazil and will certainly use Paul’s expertise for our next trip.

Knowledgeable and efficient. Did an excellent job of tailoring our trip to our interests and needs. His recommendations on hotels and local guides were all excellent. We do not often work with a travel agent, but I would definitely recommend Paul to anyone heading to Brazil.

Paul did an excellent job organizing our visit to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The itinerary he suggested reflected our areas of interest as outlined to him. He responded quickly to questions and offered several very helpful suggestions. His pre-trip package of information was extensive and useful. Our guides were very knowledgable about their respective cities and showed us areas that we would never have discovered on our own. Should we return to Brazil, we would definitely recontact him.