Day 2: Venturing to Torres del Paine National Park

After breakfast, we depart via private vehicle to Torres del Paine National Park, the most iconic mountain range in Patagonia.

The drive provides plenty of photographic opportunities, and we will be sure to take advantage of them. We’ll be on the lookout for local species like guanaco, southern grey fox, swans, flamingoes, rhea, and Patagonian skunk among many others, all while enjoying our first views of the Southern beech forest. Our guides will provide geological origins of the rock and glacier features of the region.

Day 3 – 6: Tracking Pumas in the Wild

We have organized a very comprehensive schedule of outings scouting for pumas for four full days throughout the park. Each day, the group enjoys an early breakfast and departs in search of pumas on their hunting grounds on the eastern flank of the park and throughout the property of Estancia Laguna Amarga, where we have special granted access and an excellent relationship with the owners. The area comprised by the northern coast of Sarmiento Lake, Laguna Amarga and Laguna Azul, and is well known for holding one of the largest concentrations of pumas in the wild.

Before we arrive at our destination each day, our local guides will have coordinated with the puma trackers to determine where individual pumas are concentrating.

Our puma trackers patrol puma corridors by car and on foot, and, using this information, we will plan our 1 – 2 mile hikes inside the ranch, where we have flexibility and freedom to walk off-trail, scoping out the best vantage point to observe these cougars. These are moderate walks, so a minimum degree of fitness is required in order to be able to keep up with the group. You must be able to carry your own gear. The topography is not too demanding, but there might be differences in altitude of around 160-1,000ft sometimes, although, our group will walk at a slow and gentle pace. Our maximum elevation reached during this trip will be 1,000ft above sea level.

Pumas are normally quite active at night, early in the mornings, and late in the evenings. Our activities will gravitate around these preferred times by cats, when they are expected to be patrolling their territory, hunting guanacos and other prey, interacting with their offspring, or commuting from their hunting grounds to their dens. We will have two sessions each day, a morning session and an evening session. During the middle of the day, we will not search for pumas in order to avoid disturbance at a critical time, when they are resting, sleeping after a long night hunting. Normally, and depending on the light and condition of the day, we can continue photographing other wildlife in the park, or take some time to rest, charge batteries, download images, and get ready for the evening puma session.

Estancia Laguna Amarga’s model is very efficient in preventing overlapping among different groups of puma enthusiasts, as they limit the number of visitors on a daily basis. We will investigate our own designated areas of the ranch (which will shift every day) and concentrate on individual pumas.

Instructors and coordinators have packed lunches, snacks, and drinks for our field days. Later in the evening, the group will enjoy dinner back at our hotel or inside the park as we track the cougars.

To see a female puma and its cubs against this magnificent mountain backdrop and the big sky is one of the most magnificent wildlife spectacles in this part of the world. In the company of our local guides and puma trackers, we will follow pumas at a prudent distance with the help of binoculars and spotting scopes. The approach distance varies, but there is a 164ft rule. Sometimes, pumas are inquisitive and indulging, being very habituated to human presence. Those will be our stars, but we must respect their space; we must be prepared in advance and bring our longest lenses (minimum 400mm) in order to take advantage of our photographic opportunities.

Day 7: Exploring Patagonian Glaciers by Boat

On Day 7, we make our way in the early morning light to stunning Lake Grey. The group boards a private boat to explore colossal icebergs under the looming shadows of the surrounding mountains on our way to an astounding glacier 6 kilometers wide and 30 meters high. 

We spend our entire day experiencing the raw beauty of the landscape by boat before returning to our lodging.

Day 8: Witnessing Lake Pehoe and its Surrounding Views

On Day 8, we experience a change of scenery and head out early in the morning to Lake Pehoe to create stunning landscape images of the spectacular Torres del Paine massif. Clients will find a wide variety of subject matter to focus on here.

Our final evening in Torres del Paine National Park offers an optional sunset photo outing to capture the dramatic cloud formations and striking peaks of the region once more, or clients can opt to enjoy relaxation time at basecamp with one last Pisco sours and amazing conversation with our hosts.

Day 9: Marveling at Torres del Paine and Scouting Andean Condors

On Day 9, and our final full day together, we enjoy an early start once again and return to Lake Pehoe at first light. Clients can focus on the breathtaking Towers or the Horns in order to photograph the Towers or the Horns, and work on any final creative compositions of the trip.

Later, as we head back to Punta Arenas, we will visit the most accessible location in the world to spot and photograph the world’s heaviest flying creature: the famous and majestic Andean Condor.

The ranch we patron in Punta Arenas protects, researches, and showcases a population of 100 Andean Condors that soar, socialize, and sleep at a 20-meter-tall, vertical rock face that itself is embedded in a steep, 200-meter-high (700-foot-high) hill.

We’ll enjoy one final dinner together in Punta Arenas, with lasting memories and newfound friendships formed during our time together.

Day 10: Departure Home

On Day 10, after breakfast in Punta Arenas, guests transfer to the airport and make their way back home.