Patagonia

Patagonia is literally a destination at the ends of the Earth. Located on the Southern most  tip of Chile, Patagonia has it all.  Spectacular landscapes, birds galore, and dramatic animals.  Dramatic waterfalls, powerful rivers, rolling hills are the foreground to the heights of Tierra del Fuego, Mountains of Fire!

From every angle, these towering mountains catch the light and dominate the scene.  Sunrise and sunset are indescribable.

 We do the majority of our photography on foot…including Puma Trekking!  Our first puma was on a ledge 2 mountains away. We asked if we should walk slowly and quietly.  Our guide told us it didn’t matter too much…the puma had already seen us!  It was a pretty easy hike to the area, but we were caught flatfooted when the puma appeared from around a rock 15 feet from us and began to hunt guanacos. 

 Guanacos are relatives of Llamas and live in this area.  This is mating season for them and it is possible to see strong conflict and jousting between males.

 There are lots of bird species from which to choose including torrent duck, imperial shag, upland goose, ibis, barnacle goose, and condor.

One of the treats on this trip is a cruise through the Straights of Magellan where we explore remote inlets, and fjords, and come face to face with leopard seals, and vast glaciers.  Jumping into a rubber Zodiac and zipping through ice flows on the way to a photo opportunity is nothing short of exhilarating!  We also have chances with Magellanic and king penguins.