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Jenny Pettit-Woodis

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Felipe is an incredible guide! The best! His experience, love of the land, knowledge of geography and geology, safety certifications, and passion for what he does makes him a remarkable guide. We spent 4 days in Patagonia with Felipe as our guide in 2016, and he truly made our trip. We left our experience each day energized and empowered for what we accomplished hiking. He can bring together a group of strangers with different levels of hiking ability and truly gauge a group so that everyone succeeds and has a great time doing so. From his leadership and sharing his love of hiking he inspired us to continue vacations centered around hiking and since then we have gone to western Canada and Faroe Islands...each time hiring a guide and yet always saying to each other "this is nothing like Felipe". He sets the bar to the highest level.

Grace Margaret

Palm Beach, Queensland, Australia

My partner and I were lucky enough to have Felipe as our guide in Torres Del Paine over 4 days. We have done a lot of trekking and have never had a guide more passionate.
Felipe has such an incredible amount of knowledge of the land, and such a deep love for adventure. Every single day we were with him was great, we laughed and chatted the whole time and learnt so much.
We still talk about our time in Patagonia as the best part of our year long time and that is hugely due to the fact that Felipe was our guide and ensured we had the most incredible time.
He still keeps in touch and we have sent all our friends who travel there in his direction.
We cannot wait to go back and have him as our guide again. 

Maj Capps

Silver Springs, Maryland, USA

Ha! Just when you thought you were tapped, Felipe is right there, literally, coaching your weary steps into energized pace. He is one of the guides I refer to as the benchmark. You've been to fine dining? He is the ultimate in customer service of hiking. Great knowledge of the area, and as we are all Mostly geeks that go to these incredible places on earth, he is also eager to learn, and easy to tell you he does not know about the specific thing you ask, but will have the answer the next time you see him. I only have 2 skilled professional Patagonia guides that I will ever travel with, Felipe is one.

Ben Schilling

Los Angeles, California, USA

I had the pleasure of hiking the W circuit with Felipe and Claire in June 2018. They were incredibly knowledgeable about the park, they were passionate about sharing the park with others, and they provided excellent guiding advice throughout the trek with regards to our pace, icy sections, when to put on crampons, etc. It was a great experience because we were still able to backpack, carry our stuff, and set up our own tents but we didn't have to worry about getting lost and Felipe and Claire were able to show us all the best spots along the trails to stop for breaks, take pictures, and spot wildlife. I would highly recommend!

Anne Mellino

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Felipe was our guide for our stay in Torres del Paine National Park. And he was wonderful! Not only does he have extensive knowledge of the natural landscape, he also is a very experienced hiker/mountain climber. He made sure we were aware of changing conditions, advising us to adjust our clothing and gear as necessary - so that we were never too warm, never got cold (even when it snowed!) - and telling us how to brace ourselves against the Patagonian winds. He worked well with the other guides who looked after our group, making sure that everyone was able to hike at the pace that suited them (including allowing four of us to hike ahead when the conditions were suitable). 
Felipe's passion for his environment, the stunning Torres del Paine National Park, is evident in the beautiful photographs he takes and the way he describes what he sees. This is an extraordinary part of the world and made all the better experiencing it with Felipe's caring guiding.

Nilanjana Bose

Singapore, Singapore

My husband and I visited Patagonia in December and we stayed at the Eco Camp. While my husband is an enthusiastic trekker , I'm barely into trekking or hiking. We were extremely fortunate to have Felipe as our guide. What is most unique and fascinating about this young man is his ability to transform even a person such as me into a sure footed , confident hiker with ease. You trust him because he is quick to become your confidante, one who truly understands your weaknesses and shortfalls and inspires you to overcome fears and enjoy the vast and incredibly beautiful landscapes with his knowledge and experience. His passion and ability to create unique and much cherished memories for each of his clients is indeed commendable.There isn't a better way to explore Torres del Paine's soaring mountains, cascading waterfalls and magical glaciers than with Felipe. Thanks for being a great coach, a wild life enthusiast and a Friend. With Felipe everything is possible even the impossible.

Patricia Maeso

Houston, Texas, USA

I had an amazing time when I visited Torres del Paine this past April... Felipe and Claire were both fantastic guides. Their enthusiasm, responsibility, and thirst for knowledge was unparalleled. I would definitely join them on any trip in the future!!! I wish them both the best of luck in their new endeavors!!! They truly deserve all the success in the world!

Sara Gregson

Munster, Indiana, USA

I did the French Valley hike in Torres del Paine with Felipe. He was not only an amazing guide but a passionate and inspiring person. His love for nature and the beauty of the world is infectious and genuine. He has a deep appreciation for the natural beauty of the world, and he is gifted at sharing that appreciation with those around him. He is kind, capable, and trustworthy. Anyone would be lucky to share an adventure with him!

Fredella Weil

Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Claire and Felipe are two wonderful, honest and caring people with a wonderful sense of adventure. I had the pleasure of spending two trek days with Felipe, the most memorable being a hike up Cerro Paine. What is really great about Felipe is his desire to share new places, off the beaten track with visitors. The day we had planned to hike up Cerro Paine we woke up to a fresh coat of snow in late September. We assumed our hike would be rescheduled, but Felipe assured us that if we were up to it we could still go. We were so excited for the adventure. Felipe helped ensure that I had the right gear and made it possible for me to still make the hike.

While Felipe is an experienced hiker and could likely hike the mountain in record time, he is a patient guide and makes sure that we keep a pace that we all can keep up and would encourage us to ask for breaks when ever we needed. He is an amazing teacher and guide, proper hiking takes certain skills, and a certain amount of patience if non-experienced hikers are to make it up such a challenging trek. Through it all I knew I could trust Felipe with my life and I loved every minute of the adventure, at least in hind-sight. That evening we had dinner together and shared some hilarious stories.

These two are smart and care about the nature around them. You can feel it in the way they talk about Chile and the wilderness they bring you to. If you are looking for something different and spiritually cleansing, I highly recommend booking some adventure with Madre Roca Patagonia.

Lauren & Tien Sng

San Diego, California, USA

Felipe Sunkel (aka Chaura) was the first guide we met on arriving in Torres del Paine. He is a huge guy, nice to look at and is immediately warm and engaging. "Bigger than life" comes to mind. Chaura is knowledgeable about the locale and no question was dumb or inconsequential. A geologist by training he is well-versed in landscape formation, as well as micro-weather patterns, flora, fauna, local history, food and drink. Chaura has been guiding since he could hold down a job and relays information with pride in his surroundings. His certification as a Wilderness First Responder added to the safety I felt while with him.

Chaura's respect and admiration for all things Earth is evident in the way he lives. During days off from guiding in Chile he spent a week building a trail in French Valley. On a tour of U.S. national parks with us he picked up bits of trash and, at trails' end he'd properly dispose of cig butts, paper, plastic stickers, hang tags and candy wrappers from his pocket. I have also seen him with animals where he projects trustworthiness to acquire seemingly inhuman proximity. At a state park he came within feet of desert big horn sheep. Later he got our notoriously shy senior cat to eat from his hand, a first for a stranger with her. Children take to Chaura right away, and he is skilled at imparting knowledge without child-speak.

Chaura's constant good-nature, sense of humor and spiritedness are a pleasure to be with for extended periods. We feel fortunate to know him and we highly recommend Chaura as a guide and travel companion. We are already talking about our next expedition together. Chaura is a badass mountain man to the core.

Go, Chaura!

Ryan Fox

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Felipe is the most knowledgeable and entertaining guide, geologist, and all around nature lover we've ever met! He made our stay in Patagonia unforgettable.

A year after Patagonia, we asked him where we should go hiking in Norway. He proposed the Lofoten islands, which we agreed to without hesitation. Thanks to Felipe, Patagonia and Lofoten were the two best hiking experiences of our lives!

1st rule of planning a hiking trip: Ask Felipe.

Vivienne Smith

Whakatane, New Zealand

Were in Patagonia March/April 2018 and had many amazing adventures. Our 3 days in Torres del Paine were a very memorable part of our 4 week holiday thanks to Felipe and Claire.
Felipe and Claire are very professional and skilled tour guides, passionate about
Patagonia and the environment. They are both dedicated to making your time with them special.
Felipe and Claire will make sure you have a remarkable experience and age doesn't matter.

David Ulinder

San Diego, California, USA

I had the pleasure of meeting and spending quality adventure travel with Felipe and Claire. When I came to Patagonia/Torres Del Paine, I didn't know anyone, but Claire and Felipe made me feel like an instant friend.


First, Claire took me to a rock and mineral dealer in Puerto Natales, simply because I told her of my passion for gem stones. She went beyond what a normal guide service would do to make me feel welcome.


I spent five unforgettable days with my wonderful Madre Roca guides. Every boot-step of the way, Claire and Felipe made sure all my needs and more were met. The last night I was in Torres Del Paine, I spent the evening with them, and on my way back to bed, under a starlit Patagonia sky, I had an amazing wildlife experience. A mother kit fox and her babies followed me back to bed, and she treated me with the "Call of the Wild." As long as I live, I will never forget that magical night under the shadow of the Southern Cross. Moreover, I will never forget the smiles of my friends from Madre Roca!

Sofía MacGregor

Victoria, Seychelles

I had the pleasure of having both Felipe and Claire as guides and I had such an incredible trip as a result.

One of my first excursions was the hike up to the French Valley. The weather had turned that morning, so all the other hikers had decided to switch to less demanding/shorter trails. After checking that I still wanted to proceed and providing a breakdown of what to expect, Felipe guided me through the hike and it was the best! Great pace, with amazing details of the terrain/geography throughout, and fun conversation. The weather didn't even end up being much of an issue. To top it off, on the way back to camp we saw a whole family of pumas! 
With Claire I got to go hiking to this beautiful isolated farm, such a serene location with bird spotting along the way, and at the end we got to warm up around a spectacular fire to have a Chilean bbq and drink amazing wine. It was snowing lightly at the same time, which the trio of us visitors (from Aus & Brazil) were very excited about - It was such an idyllic moment for me. 
And the cherry on top has to be the trip to the Grey glacier, which is an awe-inspiring view, and as we were sipping some Pisco sours on the boat back, with clear blue skies above, it started hailing out of nowhere...so we tried to catch the small bits of ice in our glasses and had a great laugh with the (surprised) boat's captain. 
I had so many fun and unique moments like that one on my trip because of them, that I would go back for another visit in a heart beat!
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