Pumas of Patagonia Photo Tour
November 14-25, 2024
Maximum Participants: 6 participants
This Patagonia Photo Tour features 4 full days of Puma photography on private reserves near Torres del Paine National Park. At this time of year the Pumas are teaching their young how to hunt Gunacos, it’s also the time period when birds are very active, so it’s a great time to visit Patagonia. We will also visit both Magellanic and King Penguin colonies during this tour as well as photograph Andean Condors, Black-necked Swans and many other birds. For the Puma photography we generally find them from our vehicles but then we will need to walk some to obtain the best photographs, so you need to be in reasonable shape to attend this tour. This area has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world and there will be amazing landscape photo opportunities in addition to great wildlife and bird photography.
Cost and Logistics
$8,950 per photographer with a $1,000 single supplement. Cost for a nonphotographer spouse/companion is $8,250. Fly into and out of Punta Arenas, Chile. The deposit is $2,500. Cost includes all lodging, meals, in country transportation, guiding, instruction, entrance fees and drinking water. Cost does not include flights to and from Chile, tips, drinks besides water and items of a personal nature.
ITINERARY
November 14th – Arrival to Punta Arenas, Chile. Transfer to a nice hotel and if time allows a bit of afternoon bird photography.
November 15th – This morning we will take a boat trip to visit a large Magellanic Penguin colony off of Punta Arenas, then we will return to our lodge, check out and have a scenic transfer to our comfortable lodge just outside of Torres del Paine National Park. If time allows we will do a bit of late afternoon bird and /or landscape photography.
November 16th – November 19th – We will have four full days of Puma photography on private ranches bordering Torres Del Paine National Park. We will be up quite early in the morning and have long days out in the field photographing Pumas. We will have good chances to see and photograph Pumas with their cubs which are growing fast at this point. While Pumas are our main target we will also be on the lookout for their main prey, Guanacos as well as birds such as Chilean Flamingos as well as photographing amazing landscapes. Each evening we will return to our nice lodge for dinner.
November 20th – Today we will have a full day inside Torres del Paine National Park. Known for its stunning landscapes, this time of year the bird life is quite active and we will be on the lookout for Black-necked Swans, Black-faced Ibis, Austral Pygmy Owl, Magellanic Woodpeckers and many other species. We will also look for wildlife such as both Culpeo and Southern Gray Foxes, Hog-nosed Skunks and Armadillos. We return to our lodge for dinner.
November21st – This morning we will check out and then visit a location where we can get eye level with one of the largest flying birds in the world, the magnificent Andean Condor, then we will transfer to our hotel in Punta Arenas, doing some bird photography there in the late afternoon. A nice hotel in Punta Arenas.
November 22nd – This morning we will do bird photography near Punta Arenas. Just outside of town along the coast we can find Dolphin Gulls, Flightless and Flying Steamer Ducks, Rock Cormorants and Magellanic Oystercatchers. We will then take the ferry across the strait to Tierra del Fuego. On this trip we have a good chance of seeing and photographing seabirds such as Black-browed Albatross and the Commerson’s Dolphin. In the afternoon we will photograph Ashy-headed and Upland Geese, Crested Ducks, Long-tailed Meadowlarks and the beautiful Grey-hooded Sierra Finches. We will also be on the lookout for more uncommon species such as Magellanic Plover and Tawny-throated Dotterel. We will stay in a comfortable lodge in Porvenir.
November 23rd – Today we will go south to visit the only accessible King Penguin colony near the South American mainland which is south of Porvenir. We will have both morning and afternoon sessions with them to hopefully photograph them in different lighting conditions and habitats. The birds are typically 30 to 50 yards away. We will also likely see and photograph a lot of Austral Negritos and Black-chinned Siskins in this area. Of course we will be on the lookout for other birds during our trip up and back including Southern Caracaras and the Magellanic race of Great Horned Owl. A comfortable lodge in Porvenir.
November 24th – We will check out this morning and head back to the mainland, with another chance for seabirds and dolphins on our ferry ride. We will then visit Pali Aike National Park which is an excellent to place to photograph Southern Gray Fox. Interesting birds here include the scarce Least Seedsnipe and the lakes are good for waterfowl such as Silver Teal and Red Shoveler. In the late afternoon we will return to Punta Arenas. A nice hotel in Punta Arenas.
November 25th – Transfer to the airport for your return trip home.
