This exciting and unique itinerary goes on the trail of two of Patagonia’s most iconic apex predators, the puma on land and the orca on the coast.
Torres del Paine National Park is one of the most beautiful landscapes, and this impressive and remote area of Patagonia is a refuge for a wealth of Andean wildlife. Accompanied by a local naturalist and a puma tracker, finding and watching pumas will be the primary focus and highlight of our time here.
The beaches and surrounding waters of the wild and windswept Valdes Peninsula are a haven for marine wildlife, but it is the magnificent orca, which return here every year to hunt young sea lions that provide the greatest spectacle.
Whilst both puma and orca are the focus of our tour, many of Patagonia's other wildlife highlights are also evident and its dramatic mountain and big sky scenery are astounding. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Los Glaciares National Park, and we spend an afternoon here visiting Perito Moreno Glacier and birdwatching nearby.
Staying in charming accommodation, we are joined by local naturalist guides at each location, and we have tour leader Helen Bryon accompanying us throughout.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Depart UK
Day2: Arrive Argentina
We arrive in Buenos Aires and are transferred to our hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel Lafayette 1-night
Day3: Fly to El Calafate & visit Los Glaciares National Park
In arrival at El Calafate are met and transferred the short distance to our hotel.
This afternoon we head out into the adjacent Los Glaciares National Park, more specifically the Perito Moreno Glacier and surrounding area.
The glacier is not far from El Calafate, and on our way there we have time to do some birding and to see the Andean beech forest where we look for Andean condor, Magellanic woodpecker, austral pygmy owl and austral parakeet among many other species.
Accommodation: Kau Yatún Hotel, 1-night
Day4: Transfer to Torres del Paine National Park
This morning we are collected from our lodge and drive through the beautiful Patagonian scenery to reach our next location.
Once we have settled into the Hosteria Las Torres, we head out on an afternoon excursion into Torres del Paine National Park in search of local wildlife. Whilst we do not have a puma tracker with us this afternoon, we still have a chance of seeing them and are accompanied by our naturalist guide.
The park is vast, so we drive along the network of internal roads in search of guanacos, mara, armadillo and other wildlife, whilst also admiring the jaw-dropping scenery.
Accommodation: Hosteria Las Torres, 3-nights
Days5-6: Puma tracking in Torres del Paine National Park
We have the next two full days tracking pumas in the national park with a professional puma tracker. Though this fabulous cat has a healthy population distribution here, seeing it still requires patience and the skill of local trackers. One of the benefits of travelling with a local tracker is that, not only do they know the landscape so well, but have a fantastic knowledge of the region's individual cats, their territories and their histories. This gives us a fascinating insight, whilst improving our viewing experience which is done in a respectful way to the puma.
Day7: Morning excursion in Torres del Paine & transfer to El Calafate
We have a final chance this morning to enjoy the scenery and wildlife of Torres del Paine as we take another excursion into the national park. We will not be joined by a puma tracker on this excursion but should have a good understanding of where to search for the cats based on our previous day's sightings.
We return to our hotel in El Calafate for the night.
Accommodation: Kau Yatún Hotel, 1-night
Day8: El Calafate to Puerto Pirámides
We fly from El Calafate to Trelew where we are collected and transferred to our accommodation. We have a chance to settle in before an afternoon watching birds and wildlife around Puerto Pirámides.
We have four days to visit this area and observe orca hunting. Our visits are timed to coincide with high tides as these offer the best probabilities for witnessing this behaviour. As well as high tide, orcas need little or no wind when hunting young sea lions from the beach. Hence, we visit Punta Norte on four days to improve our chances to see the orcas in action. Each day we spend roughly four hours in Punta Norte.
The Punta Norte beaches are home to elephant seals, Magellanic penguins and sea lions. It is the sea lion pups which have become a favourite meal for the resident orca population, and we scan for their fins as they in turn patrol the shallows.
During one of our days on the Valdes Peninsula, we visit one of the largest Magellanic penguin colonies on earth, which sits not far from Punta Norte. We visit at the end of the penguin season, so while there will probably be fewer birds than during the high season, we'll still see a good number.
Day13: Valdes Peninsula to Buenos Aires
We transfer approximately three hours to Trelew Airport in time for our early afternoon flight to Buenos Aires.
Day14: Depart Buenos Aires
Day15: Arrive UK
Please note: The puma tracking in Torres del Paine is on foot at times (depending on the sighting) and on uneven terrain. A level of fitness is required for this and you will need to be fit enough to walk cross country for at least a good couple of hours.
Our itinerary remains flexible to the weather and tide conditions to allow for the best opportunities to see the orcas.
Key info
Duration and price including flights from/to UK: 15 daysfrom £10,595 pp
Duration and price excluding international flights: 13 daysfrom £9,795 pp
A member of the Wildlife Worldwide team, Helen is a qualified South African safari guide who following a trip to Baja California, discovered a passion for cetaceans.
Extending her marine mammal knowledge accordingly, she has also turned her attention to improving her ornithological knowledge throughout the different destinations she leads to, including South America and Europe. With her boundless energy, enthusiasm and eye for perfection, Helen will ensure you get the most from your time on her trips whilst sharing her passion for wildlife.
Chilean Patagonia’s premier attraction is a scenic mix of craggy peaks, glacial lakes, icefields and green valleys – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The omnipresent Paine Massif, a magnificent set of rocky spires formed from granite and sedimentary rock, dominates the landscape.
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Where: Magallanes Region
Ideal for viewing: Andean condor, South American grey fox, guanaco, puma, South Andean deer
Argentina’s foremost wildlife site is a flat peninsula at the northern end of Patagonia, lined with sandy beaches and rocky shelves. The beaches are home to prodigious numbers of marine wildlife, including the only colony of elephant seals on the South American mainland. Birdwatching is good year round.
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Where: Chubut Province
Ideal for viewing: elephant seal, lesser rhea, mara, orca, southern right whale
Located on the shore of Lago Argentino, the small town of El Calafate is the gateway to the UNESCO site of Los Glaciares National Park, an area mostly covered by giant icefields. The five kilometre mouth of Perito Moreno Glacier towers 70 metres above the water, creating thunderous noises as blocks of ice break off.
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The Paradise occupies an ideal location for exploring the network of trails running through the Valdés Peninsula Natural Reserve, home to a superb variety of wildlife, including sea lions, orcas and penguins. The hotel offers comfortable air-conditioned rooms with TV and scenic views of the area.
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Located right in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park, with commanding views and stunning scenery all around, this 4-star hotel allows you to connect instantly with surrounding nature. Hotel Las Torres offers a range of rooms, all of which are spacious and comfortable with private bathrooms.
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