Puma Photography in Patagonia

What is the best ‘big cat experience’ on offer? Perhaps surprisingly, my vote would go to watching pumas in Patagonia. There are a number of reasons for this. First, pumas are beautiful and compelling. Second, the surroundings are awe-inspiring: the rugged massif at the centre of Torres del Paine National Park has to be one of the most spectacular places on Earth. Third, the experience is so intimate that you get an unrivalled empathy for the pumas and their daily experience of life in this wild, stark landscape.

Big cat watching just about anywhere else involves being in a hide or vehicle: a cocoon of human cosiness that separates you from the animal you are seeing. In Patagonia it is different. Pumas are tracked on foot. You are in their habitat. You are part of their environment. And when you find and watch one, you do so on equal terms. Making eye contact with a puma – no barrier between you and the cat – gives you a visceral thrill beyond compare.

The best areas for pumas lie just outside the park and, with the guidance of a local expert tracker, you set off on foot over rolling hillsides (that resemble a Scottish moorland), searching likely spots and listening for the tell-tale alarm calls of guanacos, the pumas’ primary prey. Almost immediately, you become immersed in the pumas’ world.

When a puma is found, your tracker will assess the cat’s behavior and then recommend the best way to approach so as not to cause disturbance. Once in position you crouch down, keep still, and watch whatever unfolds. On many occasions I’ve sat amidst the heather-like vegetation watching pumas in this way: a lone animal, or a mother with cubs. Most individuals appear completely un-phased by human presence.

During one particularly memorable encounter, a young male puma that I had been watching for over an hour started walking along a narrow trail through thick tussock-like vegetation to within 20 metres of where I sat. He glanced at me briefly, decided and continued on his way. As he passed by, I met his uncompromising laser-like gaze, a flush of adrenaline surging through me. Magical! Without a second glance, he strode off, and in no time had ‘melted away’ into the rocky terrain.

We will be running two photography tours to Torres del Paine in 2021, focusing on seeing and photographing the pumas, as well as the glorious vistas of Torres del Paine. These tours will run in the austral winter months – July and August. During this time, there are far fewer visitors to Torres del Paine, and there is the possibility of photographing the cats in visually pleasing snowy environments. The shorter day length means that our daily schedules (concentrating around dawn and dusk) are not as extreme as they are during the summer months.

Join Nick Garbutt on our puma photography adventures to Patagonia in 2021 and witness these beautiful and compelling creatures for yourself. Contact our wildlife experts to book or find out more.