Patagonia's Mountain Landscapes

Itinerary

Days 1–2

Travel from home to Punta Arenas, Chile, flying via Santiago. (Some airline schedules may require an overnight in Santiago, which can be arranged through our office.)

Day 3 (Apr 11)

Arrive in Punta Arenas no later than 12 Noon; then we “shoot” our way through gaucho country to Puerto Natales. We stop at Estancia Lolita, a ranch that offers images of their private collection of Patagonian animals in a large, fenced, natural looking habitat. At Puerto Natales, we catch evening light along the scenic coast of Last Hope Sound. (D)

Day 4

We continue our drive north to El Calafate, crossing the border into Argentina at Cerro Castillo. Traversing the Patagonian steppes, we stop en route to photograph the changing landscape and the often dramatic cloud-filled “big sky” overhead. Gauchos driving cattle and sheep, and frequent roadside wildlife sightings present more photo options. During this time, huge flocks of upland geese concentrate in this region prior to their northward migration. (BLD)

Day 5

Explore one of South America’s most spectacular and active glaciers, the Perito Moreno, by boat 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 and capture stunning images of the blue ice formations of the western wall. (BLD)

Day 6

Drive to El Chalten, located at the foot of the Fitzroy Massif, where we are based for four nights. Along the way we continue photographing spectacular steppe landscapes. After arriving at our lodge we drive along the west side of the Las Vueltas River and visit a picturesque waterfall surrounded by incredible autumn-colored beech trees. (BLD)

Days 7–9

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. Optional early morning hike to Capri Lake for photography at first light. Each morning, we look for sunrise light on these spectacular massifs from different locations along Las Vueltas Canyon, shooting mountains, clouds and the rich colors of the austral autumn. (BLD)

Day 10

We depart early for Torres Del Paine National Park, crossing the border into Chile at Cerro Castillo. We drive a new scenic road traversing ranches, grasslands, forests and mountainous terrain. We arrive at Torres del Paine in the afternoon and start our exploration of this amazing national park. (BLD)

Days 11–14

We have four full days in Torres del Paine where the famous and utterly captivating granite massif consumes our attention with the constant play of light across the sheer vertical walls. The compelling grandeur of these jagged peaks is complemented by the fiery colors of autumn foliage and by the relatively unwary wildlife within the park. We also organize a session with gauchos driving horses across windswept grassland and a shallow river on a nearby estancia. (BLD)

Day 15

Following a morning shoot in Torres del Paine, we drive to Puerto Natales. We visit the photo-rich fisherman’s wharf to shoot the diverse colors of the old boats and activities of the fishermen. Around the pier, many species of unwary birds. habituated by the constant human traffic, are easily accessible. These include coscoroba and black-necked swans, Chilean flamingos and white-tufted grebes, among others. (BLD)

Day 16 (Apr 24)

After morning photography at the fishermen’s pier, we drive to Punta Arenas for afternoon flights to Santiago. (B)

Day 17

Depart for home. (A dayroom at our Santiago hotel might be needed, depending on your flight schedule, and can be arranged through our office.)

Day 18

Arrive home.