WILD Pumas of Patagonia (Note: Price subject to change due to currency fluctuation)

Patagonia is a large region encompassing the vast southernmost tip of South America. It is shared by Argentina and Chile with the Andes creating the dividing line. The Argentine side contains arid steppes, grasslands and deserts while the Chilean side has glacial fjords, emerald lakes and dramatic peaks. The remote wind-whipped Chilean Patagonia is the best place in the world to track South America’s second largest cat, the puma. Pumas are distributed over 9 million square kilometers (3.5 million square miles) from Punta Arenas, Chile all the way north to the southern border of Alaska. This is the greatest latitudinal range of any terrestrial mammal on earth. Yet with this extensive distribution, the best place in the world to track and photograph this stunning cat is in Patagonian Chile.

The puma (also known as mountain lion or cougar) is a large secretive cat and is known to reach sizes larger than some “big cat” species (leopards as an example). Adult males can reach 8 ft (2.4 m) from nose to tip of tail with a body weight between 120 to 220 lbs (52 to 100 kgs). The majority of pumas are primarily found in the mountains of North and South America in rocky crags and pastures lower than the slopes of grazing herbivores. However, with the expansion of human settlements and broad land clearance, the cats are being pushed into smaller, more hostile areas. Fortunately, they are highly adaptable which will allow them to avoid disappearing from the wild forever.

Like other species of cats, members live solitarily with the exception of the time cubs spend with their mothers.

Our 10 day trip will offer a “Puma Extreme” experience where we will be walking on foot over rolling hills and uneven grassy terrain in search of these elusive cats. Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia ALMOST guarantees daily sightings of these cats thanks to years of protection from hunting combined with a high density of their favorite prey, guanacos. Of course, we cannot guaranty seeing cats every day because nature is unpredictable, but we will have several days to achieve a highly successful trip.

All though our main focus for this trip is pumas, there are other animals that we may encounter such as:

• Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
• Guanaco
• Black-Chested Eagle
• Huemul deer (critically endangered and a rare sighting)
• Culpeo (red fox)
• Chilla or Pampa fox (grey fox)
• Pichi (dwarf armadillo)
• Geoffroy’s cat
• Darwin’s rhea
• Chimango caracara

As on all of our wildlife photography trips, it is important to manage expectations. Time and patience are important components for all wildlife photographers. Please expect to spend considerable time hiking to locations (in beautiful landscapes)  with the help of our expert tracking team.  Clouds, sun, wind, rain and snow could potentially be factors for which we must prepare. Of course, inclement weather adds creative drama to our photography and is always artistically welcomed if we are adequately prepared.

Photographing wild animals involves dedication and patience. Please keep in mind that extended periods of time will be spent “waiting” in order to capture stunning imagery of wildlife action which is our goal for this trip.