Natur&Foto has organized three previous puma safaris in southern Chile, during spring, summer, and autumn. Now we are launching a Winter Special tour in July 2027. Seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, so July is midwinter there. The period we have chosen is considered the most reliable for snow conditions.
Torres del Paine National Park is an incredible place. Towering peaks rise sharply from the Patagonian plains. The park is located almost as far south as you can go in South America and is one of Chile’s great natural treasures. In fact, it’s not just a Chilean pride—it’s one of South America’s major nature attractions. UNESCO has recognized it as a biosphere reserve, and for good reason.
Ever since I watched Hugh Miles’ TV documentary about pumas in this park back in the 1980s, I’ve harbored a deep desire to experience the same. I first saw pumas in the park in 2012, and again in November 2019. At that time, Natur&Foto organized a trip as an extension of our Falklands tour, and we saw pumas during every photo session. We witnessed a puma with prey—a guanaco calf—and a mother with four large cubs. Sometimes the distance was just a few meters.
In March–April 2022, we ran another puma-focused trip, which was also very successful. The most recent tour took place in January 2025, with excellent results. This upcoming trip is in July, midwinter in Patagonia. Naturally, we hope to capture pumas in the snow. While nothing can be guaranteed—winters here have become a bit more unpredictable than before—we have good reason for optimism.
Within the national park itself, puma photography is highly restricted, but there are private areas adjacent to the park where we can move freely with experienced puma guides. Pumas are surprisingly tolerant of humans, so we can get very close to them.
Besides pumas, there are around 3,000 guanacos in the park and surrounding areas, providing a stable food source for the roughly 50 pumas in the region. We also frequently encounter Argentine gray foxes, Patagonian skunks, and majestic Andean condors.
This is an epic journey to photograph the ultimate icon of South American mountain wilderness—pumas—midwinter.
Photo: Tom Schandy
