Patagonia Puma Tracking - November

In the confines of the world’s end, a violent icy wind challenges us to stay upright while we breathe the purest air of our lives, and the landscape dazzles as far as the eye can reach. We are definitely in Patagonia.

Our gateway is the city of Punta Arenas, the land of great explorers, where our guests will meet and rest before the magnificent journey ahead.

The next day, we’ll leave Punta Arenas behind and head a little further north, towards the century-old Estancia Olga Teresa, home to the main colony of condors in the Americas. There we will have the chance to see and photograph the largest flying bird on the planet, which guards under its immense wings mysteries that have captivated the imagination of the local people for millennia.

At the end of the day, we will go further into Patagonia, towards the town of Cerro Castillo, our base for the Puma Tracking.

There will be four full days of Puma Tracking amidst the most stunning landscapes you’ve ever seen, immersed in the purest and wildest nature of the iconic Torres del Paine region.

Our tracking will have the support of experienced local naturalist guides and will explore the region in search of the legendary Puma, which is found in this Patagonian region to thrive and reign at the top of the food chain of one of the most challenging ecosystems in the world.

During the expedition, our guests will also count on excellent infrastructure in an itinerary carefully designed to provide each one with the photographic experience of a lifetime.

Tour Highlights

Enjoy extraordinary photographic encounters with wild Pumas, sometimes at close range
Walk along with Pumas in the vast wilderness of Chile’s Torres del Paine region and share their world – a fantastic privilege
Compose unique photographs with the stunning Paine mountain range in the background as well as reflections in the region’s lakes and ponds
Explore the diverse local flora and fauna
Count on the assistance of senior local naturalist guides who have vast experience with the Patagonian wildlife and photo tours

Suggested itinerary

DAY 1 - Punta Arenas (-, -, -)

Arrival in Punta Arenas. Transfer from the airport to the hotel for check-in and overnight. Punta Arenas is the southernmost city in Chile. It is located in the Strait of Magellan, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and is one of the main bases for explorations in the Antarctic continent.

DAY 2 - Punta Arenas - Estancia Olga Teresa - Cerro Castillo (B, -, -)

After breakfast, free time until departure for Estancia Olga Teresa, 1 hour north, where we will have lunch and do Condor sightings and photographs. Photographing the legendary condors is a unique opportunity, especially in this location, their largest colony in the Americas. The day promises incredible images of these giants of the sky in their most glamorous habitat.

We will continue to Cerro Castillo, the base for our Puma Tracking in the spectacular region of Torres del Paine. Arrival and check-in at Hotel El Ovejero. Overnight.

DAY 3, 4, 5 and 6 - Cerro Castillo and Puma Tracking (B, -, -)

A total of four full days to photograph Pumas, Guanacos, birds of prey, fantastic scenery, and much more.

Pumas tend to concentrate their hunting on the period from dawn until about two hours after sunrise and again from about two hours before sunset until dusk. We will inspect the puma hunting grounds located in a private Estancia. In the company of our guide and puma tracker, we will follow the pumas at a prudent distance with the help of binoculars and spotting scopes. Our trackers will be on the radio, letting us know the location of the region’s most elusive animal. We can also expect to visit caves and shelters where big cats sometimes rest after enjoying a meal.

While we travel around looking for Pumas, there will be plenty of opportunities to photograph Guanacos, other mammals, birds, and of course, the astounding scenery of Torres del Paine.

Get ready to live four memorable days in the company of the mighty pumas and their unique environment.

DAY 7 - Cerro Castillo - Punta Arenas - Departure

Breakfast and checkout. Transfer to Puntas Arenas airport according to the flight time.

Tour Price

Per person in sharing basis: USD 6,690 | Single supplement: USD 480

PAYMENT POLICY

30% deposit (wire transfer)
Balance due 60 days prior arrival

Accommodation

Punta Arenas: Hotel Diego de Almagro

Cerro Castillo: Hotel El Ovejero

Services

INCLUDED

6 nights accommodation
Breakfast
Group transfers in/out (please check our schedule)
All entrance fees and permits
4×4 vehicle transportation for the whole program (max 3 guests per vehicle)
Local senior naturalist guide/puma tracker
All tours as described in the itinerary above, including 4 full days of puma tracking

NOT INCLUDED

Any flights
Chilean visa, if necessary
Early check-in and late check-out at the hotels
Transfers in/out for other flight departure/arrival
Expenditure of a personal nature such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, tipping, etc.
Personal insurance (compulsory)
Single room supplement
Lunch and dinner

Gallery

More Information

The deposit of 30% will be requested to guarantee your spot in the group. It’s a guarantee of reservation and is not refunded in case of cancellation from your part for any reason. The deposit will only be refunded if we do not reach the minimum number of 4 participants to confirm the group.

The deadline to confirm the group is 60 days before the starting date but we always work to confirm it in advance.

The deposit amount will be deducted from the remainder of the payment.

This tour requires a minimum of 5 guests to be confirmed and can have up to a maximum of 6 guests.

Bookings on a shared basis will depend on another guest of the same gender registered in the same way. If the registrations are closed without another guest sharing the rooms, the single supplement will be charged and added to the travel balance.

The description of the itinerary is an idea of the activities that we will seek to do during the expedition and that can be changed according to weather conditions, recommendations from the naturalist guide or reasons of force majeure.

Trip Cancellation & Refund Policies

All cancellations requested up to 61 calendar days prior to departure have non-refundable security deposits unless SouthQuest is able to renegotiate the terms with the service providers. That is why it is important that cancellations are announced as early as possible.

Cancellations made with 60 calendar days or less prior to group starts are assessed a cancellation fee of 100% of the trip price, including domestic flights, extensions, and extra services such as hotel nights

All cancellations and trip change requests must be made in writing by mail or by email and received, and acknowledged by SouthQuest.

Patagonia Puma Tracking – November