Dates April 25–May 5, 2005
Leaders John Shaw and Alejandro Ronchetti
Fee $3,695 from Punta Arenas, Chile
Deposit $400
Limit 16
Terms and Conditions
At the southern tip of South America lies an area surrounded by the South Atlantic on its east, the storm-ridden South Pacific on its west, and to its south by the tempestuous, Antarctic-influenced “Southern Ocean.” The land is Patagonia, a vast windswept semi-arid plateau that encompasses over one-third of Argentina and Chile. Changed little since its discovery by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520, Patagonia is an immense natural reserve offering an array of alluring wildlife and scenic habitats to tempt the naturalist and outdoor photographer.

Comparable in size to Washington, Oregon and California, the flat temperate desert plain of Patagonia rises to meet the jagged granite spires of the Southern Andes. Verdant forests, fed by the meltwaters of an 8,000-square-mile ice cap to the west, surround pristine lakes that are considered to be among the world's most beautiful. Here the images of craggy snowcapped peaks lie reflected in the cold, blue water. Massive glaciers grind on their slow course, calving blue icebergs into these jewel-like lakes.

This Patagonia tour concentrates on panoramic landscape and wildlife imagery in two incredible national parks. We’ll shoot in the spectacular mountainous region of the Andes at Los Glaciares National Park where we should have outstanding photo opportunities at the Fitzroy Massif (11,073 feet) and Cerro Torre (10,280 feet).

Our other photographic highlight will be our days spent at the foot of the dramatic peaks of the “Towers” and “Horns” of Torres del Paine National Park. The tumultuous weather of the southern hemisphere’s fall season produces a wide variety of dramatic lighting conditions. We should have plenty of time to photograph these magnificent mountains in the wondrous light of sunrise and sunset. At “Paine,” we have reserved excellent accommodations on Lago Grey with comfortable rooms, good meals and affording views of ineffable beauty.

Join John Shaw for our photo journey to a place called a “Living Eden” in a stunning PBS special. This Photo Safari can be combined with our “Undiscovered Patagonia” Exploratory to shoot the remarkable fall colors of the central lake district.




Day 1
Depart on overnight flights from the US to Santiago, Chile.

Day 2
Arrive in Santiago and continue on late morning flights to Punta Arenas. Participants on the “Undiscovered Patagonia” Exploratory fly directly from Balmaceda to Punta Arenas. (D)

Day 3
We “shoot” our way through gaucho country to Torres del Paine National Park. (BLD)

Days 4–5
We’ll have two days in Torres del Paine National Park where the famous and utterly captivating granite massifs will consume our attention with the constant play of light across their sheer vertical walls. The compelling grandeur of these jagged peaks will be complemented by the abundant and relatively unwary wildlife to be seen and photographed within the park. (BLD)

Day 6
Early departure for El Calafate. Afternoon will be spent exploring one of South America’s most spectacular and active glaciers, the Perito Moreno Glacier, as it flows into the southern arm of Lago Argentino. Here we can closely observe great chunks of chill-blue ice calving from the glacier into the lake. (BLD)

Day 7
Drive to El Chalten at the foot of the Fitzroy Massif, stopping at photogenic beech forests, dunes and a small area of remarkable sandstone pinnacles. (BLD)

Day 8
The jagged spine of the Andes is the backdrop for this—one of the world’s most magnificent wilderness areas. We are provided with awesome views of Fitzroy and Cerro Torre. Amidst these granite spires we should see Andean condors gliding effortlessly. (BLD)

Day 9
We return today to Puerto Natales, photographing landscapes en route. (BLD)

Day 10
After morning photography in the Puerto Natales area, we drive to Punta Arenas for flights to Santiago and home. (BLD)

Day 11
Arrive home.


Joseph Van Os Photo Safaris, Inc. P.O. Box 655, Vashon Island, Washington USA 98070
Phone: (206) 463-5383   Fax: (206) 463-5484    Email: info@photosafaris.com
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