Photograph wild pumas during this all-inclusive Pumas & Peaks of Patagonia Photo Tour ~ 2024. We’ll also train our lenses on the gorgeous landscapes of the dramatic Torres del Paine National Park.
This is the experience I wrote about in the April 2018 issue of Outdoor Photographer.
We photograph WILD, free-ranging animals — not captive cats, not game farm animals; the real deal thriving in their own world.
We will spend much of our time tracking the cats in their natural habitat on private property situated against the breathtaking backdrop of rugged snow-capped mountains.
Photographing these incredible mountain lions while witnessing their behaviors in the wild is an experience like no other. We’ll get to watch them cleaning one another, playing, stalking, eating, and chillin’.
Few other visitors come this time of year and the fact that we’ll be on private land also makes for no crowds. The setting, the beauty, the open terrain all combine in a way that guarantees that you’ll not just make great images — you’ll make unique memories.
Limited to six (6) photographers! ~ SOLD OUT! ~ Please email me to be on the waitlist.
You can go your whole life in puma country and never even see one of these cats. In this location we are able to not only see, but have long photo opportunities with several different cats. I have never photographed less than 6 different individuals with multiple sightings while leading a tour here.
We also visit another private ranch where we visit a Andean condor roost. We’ll aim for shots of the birds flying at or just above eye level.
We utilize the private lands of ranches sharing fence lines with Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. This is a spectacular photographic destination in its own right. Most of our puma tracking will be on nearly 20,000 acres of private reserves.
The pumas are the main focus, but it’s also fun to photograph guanacos, rheas, flamingos, and the near-threatened Andean condor — and whatever other wildlife shows up.
Landscapes or wildlife — we do not rush from location to location during this tour. We’ll remain at each shot spot until everyone has had a chance to create the images he/she wants.
Our days will consist of heading out before dawn to look for pumas or other photo opportunities, back to our lodging area for lunch and back in the field from about 3PM until dark. The last day will feature a special visit to an Andean condor roost on our way back to Punta Arenas.
Stretching after the afternoon cat nap. I love being here and watching the pumas’ behavior in the animal’s natural habitat.
ITINERARY:
PLEASE NOTE: This is an estimated schedule and we’ll do our best to stick to this itinerary, but certain conditions may necessitate changes. Good photographic experiences and plenty of chances to view wildlife will be our goals at all times.
Saturday, March 23:
Arrive Punta Arenas. Welcome Dinner and overnight in a hotel in town.
Sunday, March 24:
Depart after breakfast for Torres del Paine. Lunch enroute. Begin prowling for pumas in the afternoon.
March 25 ~ 29:
Daily photo excursions for pumas, guanacos, rheas, flamingos, dramatic landscapes and other photo ops.
Saturday, March 30:
Depart Torres del Paine. Stop for an afternoon of Andean Condor photography at another private ranch. The goal is to photograph the birds from their flight level. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Punta Arenas.
Sunday, March 31:
Breakfast. Head home.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Double-occupancy accommodations (8 nights). Meals from dinner March 23rd through dinner on March 30th. Ground transportation. Park entrance fees. Local guides & puma trackers. My guidance, instruction, image review.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Lodging that’s not included in the itinerary. Airfare, travel insurance, tips, alcoholic beverages (other than at dinner), bottled drinks (including soda & bottled water – water will be provided, but typically not as bottled water), medical expenses, laundry service, phone calls, and any other personal items
LOGISTICS, EQUIPMENT & SUCH:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
This tour is more physical than my other offerings. We will be primarily following pumas on foot. To get the most from your experience you should be capable of walking two to four miles per day carrying your equipment. One to two in the morning and again in the evening. Not every outing will be that long and we may even be able to photograph from the vehicle at times. You can walk slowly, 2-3 MPH.EQUIPMENT:
As our departure date grows closer, you’ll receive a detailed dossier with info about our destination, the wildlife there, the currency, a packing list, an equipment checklist, and more. In the meantime, if you’re wondering what type of photography equipment you’d need/want to bring along on a photo adventure such as this here’s that EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST (PDF) for your convenience.You’ll want to bring your longest lens (a 400mm at the least; a 600mm is best, but admittedly heavy to tote.)
LensRentals.com is a great place to rent one if you don’t yet own one). If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
If you plan to arrive a day before the tour begins, please let me know and I can give you information about where we plan to lodge the first night of the tour so you can book there if you’d like.
ARRIVAL:
You’ll fly into the airport in Punta Arenas (Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport / Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Presidente Carlos Ibáñez). The airport code is PUQ. Typically, this necessitates a change of flights in Santiago, Chile.Your total flight time, obviously, depends upon where you begin your journey, but from Houston it takes me around 9 1/2 hours to get to Santiago and then typically another 3 1/2 hour flight to Punta Arenas from there.
I strongly suggest arriving a day before the tour begins as you will be tired from your long journey. We will stay the first and last nights of the tour at Diego de Almagro hotel if you would like to book a night there before the tour actually begins. Let us know if you’re planning to do that as we can often get you the extra night at a discounted rate.
We’ll arrange for you to be picked up from the airport & transported to the hotel in Punta Arenas. All ground transportation is included in your tour.
FOOD & LODGING:
Meals are included in your tour from the Welcome Dinner the night of March 23rd through dinner the night of March 30th.
Lodging (double-occupancy) is also included. Singles are available for an additional $1200. If you’re interested in a single, please email me to make sure we still have some left.
VISA:
Chile does not require a visa for U.S. or Canadian citizens.GENERAL INFO / SIGN UP:
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- DURATION: 7 days & 8 nights
- DATES: Saturday, March 23 — Sunday, March 31, 2024
- PRICE: $8,975 ~ ALL-INCLUSIVE (double-occupancy; limited singles an additional $1200)
- SPACE FOR: SIX (6) travelers ~ SOLD OUT ~Email me for waitlist
- PAYMENT DUE DATES: A total of half the cost of the tour due 6-months before departure. Remaining balance due 90-days prior to start date of tour.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Please read our Cancellation Policy before purchasing.(Follow the provided link or go to link under “MORE” on sidebar to the right.) Thanks!
LIABILITY WAIVER:
At the start of each event, we’ll ask you to sign this liability waiver. We encourage you to review it before signing up.
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