Patagonia Pumas 2

At Natures Images, we are always keeping an open mind for new destinations and subjects that can materialise and we pride ourselves on finding those perfect opportunities to make them work for a trip and then tweaking them as we go along to make the very best out of the species or location. A few years ago, pumas were becoming more approachable and accessible for photographers and film makers to get close enough too for getting images of this elusive cat. Throughout its range in North and South America, Pumas or as their other common name of Mountain Lions are virtually impossible to see in the wild, but not at this fantastic location. We started to run trips to this corner of Patagonia over ten years ago and it has been amazing to see how quickly these elusive cats have transformed and are now much more reliable and approachable they have become. Patagonia is simply a dream location to experience the real wildness and offer some dramatic wildlife photography. Our focus for this trip is very much on the resident puma population of a private estancia that borders Torres del Paine National Park. We will be working with some of the best local trackers that have been involved in the recent BBC coverage of these magnificent animals here. Our sole aim for this trip is the pumas and without doubt the best place to see and photograph them is on a private estancia that borders the national park. Most of our competitors only spend a couple of days here as it is expensive as they limit the number of people that can visit each day and then spend the rest of the time in the national park where it is extremely difficult to see this majestic cat. We have secured access here for the full duration of this trip and the population of pumas here are amazingly tolerant to people and so close encounters whilst we are on foot are a very real possibility. You can see pumas all year round here, but we are deliberately early in the season for the opportunity to photograph them in the snow.

This is a truly fantastic opportunity to experience this wonderful cat with such close encounters in this dramatic corner of South America. Without doubt one of the best trips that we do.

Day 1: Flights will leave Europe in the evening for our long journey to Santiago in Chile. Full flight details/recommendations will be advised nearer the time.

Day 2: After an early arrival in Santiago, we will then spend the day in a local airport hotel to relax and in the evening, we will have dinner and discuss the plans for the trip ahead.

Day 3: After an early breakfast at the airport hotel, we will then head to the airport to take a domestic flight to Punta Arenas the southernmost city in Chile. On arrival we will be met by our local guides to transfer us to Puerto Natales, this drive will take around 3 hours with a stop along the way. The drive is a scenic one, taking us into the Southern Andes, with fertile valleys and perennial snow-covered peaks. In Puerto Natales we will check into a local hotel and have an evening dinner at a local restaurant.

Days 4 – 10: After an early breakfast we will then head to the private estancia that borders the Torres del Paine National Park. This will take around an hour’s drive. With a packed lunch for the day, we will arrive before sunrise to look for signs of puma activity as these beautiful cats will be our main target throughout our stay here and we will follow this pattern over each of these seven full days to really maximise our chances of not just encounters, but special ones too. We will be exploring the Estancia in 4×4 vehicles, trying to spot pumas along the way sometimes they will be close to the tracks but other times at a distance where we have to approach on foot, in different parts of the estancia but utilising the services of our local trackers who work with pumas throughout the year so our chances are good and once we have discovered an individual or family it will be possible to try for a close encounter. We will need to be quiet and sensible in our approach here, but puma’s can be remarkably confiding mammals especially early in the season as we will be. Each day will almost certainly throw up other photographic opportunities in terms of dramatic landscapes that will be always around us and the chance of encounters with guanaco, Patagonia grey fox as well as dramatic landscapes around every corner. Seven full days is the perfect amount of time to work with the pumas, and we will look at what we have achieved throughout the trip and work towards a varied portfolio.

Day 11: We begin our long journey home today and after a leisurely breakfast we will head back to Punta Arenas for our domestic flight back to Santiago. We will again spend the night in the airport hotel and enjoy our last evening dinner.

Day 12: We will have stayed near the airport in Santiago and so be on hand for the overnight flight back to our destinations.

Day 13: Arrive back in UK/Europe.