Details
6 DAYS FROM 7000 PP
Best time to go
January 2025
An exclusive small-group puma tracking safari with Torres del Paine as a majestic backdrop. Track these big cats during Patagonian spring-summer, the best time to see them in the Chilean wilderness, while staying in comfortable accommodation. Based in the unique geodesic domes of EcoCamp Patagonia, and with breath-taking scenery on your doorstep, even if the puma eludes us, there is still plenty to see in this impressive part of Patagonia.
Expect to leave camp each day to enjoy sunrise from a different view point, with a warm drink and breakfast on the go. Take in the incredible spectacle that is Torres del Paine as the sun comes up. Meanwhile, the tracking team are hard at work and in radio communication with your guide about possible puma whereabouts.
Throughout the day you'll be using exciting and responsible tracking methods to find the majestic puma, while observing the jaw-dropping landscapes of the region. You can expect to be out in the field between 8 and 10 hours per day depending on the conditions, returning to camp for lunch and some rest in between excursions.
Day 1, 22 Jan - Arrive Punta Arenas - Torres del Paine
On arrival into Punta Arenas airport, you will be met by your guide and driver and transfer to Puerto Natales, where you will meet the tracking team. Admire the Patagonian steppe with its guanacos and snow-peaked horizon on the road to Ecocamp through Laguna Amarga.
Days 2 - 4, 23 - 24 Jan - Puma Tracking
Your puma safari begins! The next 3 days are dedicated to photographing the wildlife and wilderness of Torres del Paine National Park. The end goal is to photograph the Andean puma, and a dedicated tracking team sets off before you rise each morning in search of this majestic yet elusive creature. The trackers keep us informed of any sightings by radio. Meanwhile, you enjoy photographing the sunrise while enjoying breakfast and hot coffee on the go.
You will spend approximately 5 hours in the morning viewing and photographing the native wildlife of the park. You are likely to observe culpeo foxes, the mighty Andean condor, guanacos, and hopefully the puma and the endangered huemul (South Andean deer).
In the afternoons, after the peak sunlight hours and little wildlife activity, you may head to the western parts of the park. Here you have the opportunity to capture some of the more iconic landmarks such as Grey’s Glacier and The Horns while waiting for news from the trackers. Watch the sun setting over the Paine massif before returning to camp for complimentary wine and a delicious meal in the Community Dome. Please note the exact itinerary each day depends on puma activity, so it’s important to come with an open mind! Photography tips and advice are offered by your expert guide and professional photographer while you are out in the field.
Day 5, 26 Jan - Torres del Paine Exploration
Today will be focused on other inhabitants of the Park with a chance to witness the companions of the puma in this ecosystem - if you haven’t yet seen an Austral Pygmy Owl or an Andean Fox, your guide will make an extra effort to find these for you!
Day 6, 27 Jan - Torres del Paine – Punta Arenas
Start the day at sunrise with some incredible photo opportunities in the Laguna Azul and Cascada Paine sector, before returning to camp for breakfast. It’ll then be time to travel back south to Punta Arenas in time to connect with your onward travel plans.
EcoCamp prides itself in being Chile’s first fully sustainable accommodation, complete with green technology. The camp comprises a network of geodesic domes all of which are connected; there are 33 accommodation domes as well as two main communal domes where breakfast and dinner is usually served as well as an extra yoga dome which offers yoga lessons most days of the week.
Key Information and Notes:
Group Size: Maximum 6 Guests
Please Note: Due to regulations, puma tracking doesn’t occur within the limits of Torres del Paine National Park, but on the surrounding private lands (Laguna Amarga).
Please be in Punta Arenas by 9:30am on Day 1 and don’t book any onward travel on Day 6 before 8:00pm. If pre-post arrangements are required, please inquire.
