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Torres del
Paine with a camera |
Chile's Patagonia offers
unparalleled photo opportunities for people who are
interested in the photography of landscapes and
wildlife. The Torres del Paine National Park is one of
the most extraordinary places in Patagonia for the
photography of fauna, flora and landscape.
We offer our photo safari
departures during two stunning seasons in the Torres del
Paine National Park. During either departure you’ll have
the opportunity for shooting magnificent vistas and an
up close visit to the Glacier Grey part of the southern
Patagonian ice field. Chances are we’ll view a brilliant
display of ice calving from the glacier. Other
highlights include the majestic Andean Condor with its
wing span of up to ten feet or a Chilean flamingo, a
contrast in this harsh landscape. We keep the group
small, maximum 6 people to insure a quality of guide to
client service. We lodge at the Hosteria Pehoe, the most
centrally located hotel in the park and with spectacular
views of the Paine massif just a walk outside your
bedroom door. |
Unique things about each departure & itinerary:
December “Wildlife” departure: Spring in Patagonia offers
long days of sunlight, vast landscapes of steepe (pampa) and
a world of native flowers and plants springing alive. This
is the time when the young are born of the wildlife unique
to the area, guanacos (Llama family), foxes, hares, ñandu
(ostrich family) and pumas (mountain lions) in addition to
many more varieties of birds.
April “Landscapes” departure: Patagonia in the fall is a
unique opportunity to capture the explosion of colors as the
leaves on the native Nothofagus trees change to bright red
against the back drop of the snow capped peaks of the Paine
Massif. It’s a time to take advantage of the sunlight that
has softened and changed angles since the summer, creating
magnificent shadows over the pampas and the rolling hills.
Day 1
We recommend you take the
early flight from Santiago to Punta Arenas (4 hours); ask
for a window seat on the left aisle and make sure to bring
your camera with plenty of film or memory storage space. If
the skies are clear, you will enjoy amazing views of the
Andes Mountain range, the Patagonian fjords and forests, the
Southern Ice Fields and the Pacific Ocean. Upon your arrival
at Punta Arenas, the most southerly city of the continent, a
private transfer will take you to your hotel in the center
of town. After we settle in, we’ll have a welcome dinner
with the Chile Nativo guide regarding the program.
(20 minutes by private transfer) (D) (Night at Hotel Isla
Rey Jorge)
Day 2
As we leave Punta Arenas we
will be able to see the Strait of Magellan and the island
Tierra del Fuego. Shortly after leaving the airport, we will
stop at the Magellan penguin colony on Otway Sound. Our
3-hour drive will take us through open pampas and huge
ranches (estancias) and chances are we will be able to
observe one of the most typical animals in this area, the
ñandu, (similar to ostrich). We arrive to Puerto Natales,
located on the Sound of Last Hope, a typical fishing town
surrounded by mountains. From here we will follow an unpaved
road to Torres Del Paine National Park.
(6 hours by transfer) (B-L-D) (Night at Hosteria Pehoe)
Day 3
Sunrise shoot of the Torres
Del Paine from the hotel location. After breakfast in the
hotel we will head to Grey Lake so we can sail up to the
Grey Glacier. In order to reach the boat we must walk
through a mature beech forest where we might see
woodpeckers. We will sail for about an hour amongst the
icebergs and up to Grey Glacier, where we will stay for a
while in front of the glacier in the hope of seeing icebergs
calve (break off). Our return journey offers great views of
Paine Grande with its impressive ice mushroom (icy
peaks/plateaus). We will have a picnic lunch before
continuing with a walk along the beach to observe the
stranded icebergs.
(B-BL-D) (Night at Hosteria Pehoe)
Day 4
Sunrise shoot from our hotel
of the western face of the Torres Del Paine. After breakfast
in the hotel we will head towards Sarmiento Lake, with its
incredible dark blue waters and strange, calcareous (lime)
formations. This sector provides excellent opportunities to
see guanacos, grey foxes and the Andean Condor. On the way
back to the hotel we will stop at the Salto Grande
waterfall, one of the best areas for photographing flowers,
where depending on the season, we may see orchids,
calceolarias, and neneos. After a picnic lunch we will
return to the Hostería for a siesta. In the late afternoon
(5-6PM) we will head east to film guanacos.
(B-BL-D) (Night at Hosteria Pehoe)
Day 5
Early in the morning we will
drive to the eastern side of the park so we can take
pictures of the sunrise with the famous Torres (Towers) in
the backround. Since we need to leave before sunrise there
is the possibility of glimpsing a puma (Mountain lion).
After we photograph the sunrise we will drive to Laguna Azul,
a lovely lake bordering the park. This area is ideal for
observing different kinds of ducks, swans, coots and even
woodpeckers, as well as having an incredible view of the
Torres. We will picnic in front of the lake and then spend
the rest of the afternoon taking photographs of flowers, the
wildlife and the wonderful views.
(B-BL-D) (Night spent at Hosteria Pehoe)
Day 6
Early morning, before sunrise,
we will drive to the administration area in order to
photograph the legendary cowboys of Patagonia; the Gauchos.
We can set up our cameras in an open area in front of the
Cuernos (Horns), and we will be able to photograph the
gauchos leading a herd of horses across the pampas, with the
Torres Del Paine mountain range as our backdrop. We will
have an opportunity to take the portraits of these legendary
cowboys whilst they are working close to their corrals. With
luck we will be invited to try the herbal tea called mate!
Right after the gaucho shoot we will look around the
administration area for birdlife such as the Upland Goose,
Pygmy Owl and Southern Lapwing and Magellanic Oystercatcher.
In the afternoon we will return to the hotel for a siesta,
before heading out to photograph guanacos against a backdrop
of the Torres del Paine Mountains. We will have a late
evening shoot of the mountains from one of the many lookouts
before returning to the hotel for dinner.
(B-BL-D) (Night at Hosteria Pehoe)
Day 7
Today will provide the second
chance for a sunrise shoot with the Towers in the
background. Once again this time of day offers the best
chance of seeing a puma. As this is our last day we will try
to take pictures of all the animals found in this area;
guanacos, rheas, foxes and condors. This area, in
particular, is a good place to photograph the guanacos,
silhouetted against the mountains.
We will have an early brunch before returning to the hotel
where you will have some afternoon free time. This evening
will provide the last opportunity to take the ultimate
sunset shoot before we enjoy our farewell dinner together in
front of the Paine massif.
(B-BL-D) (Night at Hosteria Pehoe)
Day 8
Private transfer to Punta
Arenas, stopping for breakfast on route to Puerto Natales.
(5 hours by private transfer) (B)
REGARDING THE SCHEDULE The schedules indicated above are
subject to change due to weather conditions or unexpected
circumstances beyond our control, but we will try our best
to keep them unaltered.
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Chile
Private Tours
