Patagonia Puma Photography Tour I
Join Daniel on a journey to the Torres del Paine region in southern Chile. Our renowned local guide and tracker know the area and cats and will guide us on a private estancia.
About this expedition
Best place for photographing pumas. – CNN Travel
Though pumas are well distributed from Canada to the southern Andes, they are seldom seen. These elusive cats, also known as mountain lions, cougars, panthers, or catamounts, are experts at avoiding people. Except here.
Join Daniel on a journey to the Torres del Paine region in southern Chile. Our renowned local guide and tracker know the area and cats and will guide us on a private estancia. Special permits are required, limited availability. Our 2025 puma tours were exceptional. Nobody could have imagined these cats could be so accessible and photographable.
Autumn is the perfect season to visit Patagonia, not only for the beautiful fall colors, snow-capped mountains, and less wind, but also for photographing pumas. Since the days are shorter, we will track the cats after breakfast throughout the day and return to our lodge at a comfortable hour for dinner. The cooler temps keep the cats more active throughout the day compared to long days of sleeping cats in the hot days of summer. Often, the cubs are at a playful age during this time of year, which is always a special sight. The pumas of Patagonia are comfortable with photographers nearby. They pay no attention to you, similar to cats in Africa. And like all our trips, we’ll stay in comfortable lodging and sample some local delicious cuisine. Come enjoy these spectacular cats in Patagonia!
Itinerary
Sunday, April 5 (L, D)
Arrive at Puerto Natales Airport today. Please book this flight to remain with the group for transfers:
Depart Santiago (SCL) at 9:00 am
Arrive Puerto Natales (PNT) at 1:16 pm
LATAM Flight LA 1 (3 hours, 16 minutes)
Our local guide will meet us at the airport, and we’ll have a group lunch in Puerto Natales. Our luggage will be taken to our lodge, Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, where we will stay for six nights. This afternoon, we will head straight to Torres del Paine National Park to explore before check-in.
Torres del Paine National Park was designated as a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 due to its magnificent natural beauty. The Park boasts breathtaking views of snow-capped mountain peaks, crystal-clear lakes, cascading waterfalls, and vibrant turquoise glaciers that blend seamlessly into stunning landscapes. Sunrises and sunsets create a beautiful mix of pink and orange hues, leaving an unforgettable impression and providing perfect opportunities for capturing vivid autumn landscapes.
We’ll gather for dinner and a briefing to be prepared for our upcoming adventure.
Monday, April 6 – Friday, April 10 (B, L, D)
Over the next five days, we will concentrate on puma photography, but you will also be taken in by the breathtaking mountain scenery of the Torres del Paine region.
Keep an eye out for South American gray foxes, guanacos, armadillos, and other wildlife. This schedule is more general and less detailed than most of our tours. We need flexibility to adjust our plans based on weather, recommendations from our local guide, and the findings from our Puma tracker.
Each morning, our expert tracker will be on the lookout for pumas to increase our sighting opportunities. We should be prepared for a variety of viewing possibilities. Every day will be different with activity levels. We may see a cat for only minutes before it’s on the move, and we will follow it by road or on foot. Other sightings might be more relaxed if the cats are taking a nap or possibly feeding on a carcass. We will be on the lookout for Mom and her playful cubs. Midday, we will have a picnic lunch in a nearby area where we can look for other wildlife and enjoy the scenic landscapes, and then return in the afternoon to the pumas. We will be in prime Puma territory.
This Estancia (private ranch) is full of rolling, grassy hills and sporadic rock outcroppings. The pumas like to rest among the rocks, and the surrounding scenery is beautiful.
We hope to have beautiful sunsets in the evenings at around 6:30 pm on our way back to the hotel, where we can take some time to relax, talk about our day together, have dinner, and get a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, April 11 (B, L)
After breakfast, we’ll check out and take a little time to explore areas of the Torres del Paine region that we haven’t seen yet, and then drive to Puerto Natales for lunch.
Depart Puerto Natales today; please book this flight to remain with the group for transfers:
Depart Puerto Natales (PNT) at 1:50 pm
Arrive Santiago (SCL) at 4:00 pm
LATAM Flight LA 2 (3 hours, 10 minutes)
Depart Santiago (SCL) at 7:00 pm or later for your flight home.
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