Wildlife Adventures from Paine to Tierra del Fuego
Patagonia: Tracking Pumas and Cruising the Fjords
Overview
On our wildlife odyssey with Argentine naturalist and long-time WT Trip Leader Karen Lund Petersen, we'll make a four-day expedition cruise through Tierra del Fuego, entering a realm of soaring fjords, ice floes, glaciers, and marvelous Fuegian wildlife. We then explore a completely different environment in Chile's renowned Paine National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a surreal landscape of iconic granite towers carved by ice. Here we'll track pumas, the “ghost of the Andes,” with expert local trackers (Paine holds a higher concentration of pumas than anywhere else on Earth) and keep an eye out for guanacos, armadillos, flamingos, soaring condors, and more. Join us for the natural history trip of a lifetime!
Arrive: Ushuaia, Argentina
Depart: Punta Arenas, Chile
Highlights
- Track pumas with expert tracker-guides in Chile's spectacular Paine National Park
- Cruise the icy fjords of Tierra del Fuego aboard a comfortable expedition ship, explore coves by Zodiac, hike along glacial lagoons
- See Magellanic penguins, guanacos, condors, foxes, and rheas
- Stay on a heritage estancia (ranch) in the iconic landscape of Paine National Park
Itinerary
After exploring Ushuaia, capital of Tierra del Fuego, we board the Ventus Australis on Day 3 and set out for an exciting 4-day expedition cruise with explorations by Zodiac. We'll voyage south along the Beagle Channel to Cape Horn National Park, the legendary setting where the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meet, then visit Wulaia Bay, with its Yagan archaeological site. Entering Pia Fjord, where the spectacular Pia Glacier cascades to water's edge, we'll navigate by Zodiac in “Glacier Alley.”
We disembark in Punta Arenas, Chile, and head across the pampas to Paine National Park, whose famed peaks are known as “The Towers” for their vertical spires. We'll explore the park, then join our puma trackers, who have a deep knowledge of the park's puma population. Throughout our tracking, there will be dramatic views of Paine's landscapes and plenty of other wildlife, from foxes and guanacos to armadillos, condors, and rheas. Our accommodation is the historic Estancia Cerro Guido, a working sheep ranch on the eastern edge of the park. Depart on Day 12 via Punta Arenas, Chile.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
The trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip grading system, with vehicle-based exploration and day hikes, hotel and lodge accommodations plus four nights aboard an expedition cruise ship. While this is not a hiking trip, it is an active adventure, and the shape you're in is an important factor in your enjoyment of your trip Please note that your Trip Leader may make adjustments to the itinerary and hiking routes, depending on local weather and trail conditions.
The walking and hiking will be over relatively easy terrain, and during the 2.5 days of puma tracking when we find a puma we will remain in one area for some time to observe it. However, given that we will be outdoors in Patagonia and walking for many hours at a time, it can feel physically demanding, so you should be in good shape and have some endurance.
We time our trips for Patagonia's ideal weather, which is from late November through March, when we can enjoy the mildest temperatures and 16 hours of daylight. November (spring) is blessed with wildflowers and March (fall) offers the start of spectacular fall foliage. With its deep southern latitude, you might expect Patagonia's weather to be more "polar" than it really is. In fact, the austral summer temperatures are relatively moderate. During Patagonia's summer months (November through March in the Southern Hemisphere), the thermometer rarely drops below 40°F and will usually reach into the high 60s°F and even low 70s°F during the day. Nevertheless, the weather is radically changeable. Rain, sleet, and snow can occur at any time—perhaps just a few hours before or after sunny skies and 70°F temperatures.
The enormous, unbroken stretches of ocean to the west and south of the tip of South America leave the Patagonian Andes exposed to strong and persistent winds. Winds circling the globe between latitudes of 40s°F and 60s°F have little obstruction when they reach the tip of South America. Experiencing these winds is almost inevitable on any Patagonian journey. For most part, you can expect winds of 9 to 13 miles per hour, but they can occasionally gust much higher, quickly "cooling down" an otherwise pleasant day.
There's a saying that in Patagonia that you can experience all four seasons in one day, so be prepared for quickly changing weather. The best defense is proper clothing and layering, and our Pre-Departure Booklet has a detailed list of recommendations for layering.
Four nights are on a 210-guest expedition ship, either the Ventus Australis or her identical sister ship, the Stella Australis. These vessels, specifically designed for Tierra del Fuego, let us explore in comfort amid the rugged fjords of the extremely remote Cordillera Darwin range. Meals on board are varied, with meat, pasta, soups, and vegetarian options, plus locally sourced items such as king crab or fresh-caught fish when available. Shore landings are made by Zodiac, with life jackets provided.
There will be one 5-hour driving day (Day 7) as we disembark and drive to our estancia in the outskirts of Paine National Park. Everyone should be prepared for bumpy, dusty road conditions, and all will have a window seat on our vehicle.
Client Testimonials
"The puma sightings were the supreme highlight for me and the two puma trackers we had were absolute pros at getting us to see them. And seeing so many penguins and glaciers and walking on Cape Horn was another highlight of the trip for me. The design of the trip, having some days on the ship and others near the park, was a very good combination."
Rita V.
Houston, TX
Other Trips You Might Like
Browse All Trips
Small Group Adventure
Brazil: Jaguars and Wildlife of the Pantanal
Brazil
Level 2+
10 Days
From $7,195
Cruise Collection
Darwin’s Route: Cruising through Patagonia
Argentina, Chile
Level 1
9 Days
From $4,236
Cruise Collection
Tierra del Fuego Cruise, Punta Arenas to Ushuaia
Argentina, Chile
Level 1+
5 Days
From $1,665
Small Group Adventure
Ultimate Patagonia
Argentina, Chile
Level 4
16 Days
From $10,995
Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
Submit the form below to download itinerary
Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
- Tuscany & the Cinque Terre
- Argentina: Hikes and Estancias of Patagonia
- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.