Chile - 2024

We had a steady drive down to Heathrow, given our flight was not until after 10pm, and met up with our friends, Liz(2) and Malcolm, guesting them into the British Airways First Lounge at Terminal 5. We had convinced them to go to Chile after our previous trips, and after discussing the options (DIY, partial DIY or package) settled on the latter, again with NatureTrek, but with our own international flights and hotel in Santiago for 3 nights prior to joining the tour.  

The 14-hour flight was ok, on a BA 787 with old Club World and we arrived early at SCL. After a bit of fun going through the customs check (don’t know why we declared the foodstuffs, no one was interested) we met our pre-booked transfer driver and drove to the Plaza San Francisco Hotel (good location for the main tourist sights in the city centre). We had a bit of a wait until the rooms were ready, but at least not until 3pm, and after freshening up we went on an afternoon self-guided walk (well, guided by me!) to checkout a few locations, including Plaza de Armas, Catedral Metropolitana,  Mercado Centra (not very busy, touts not that pushy, no cats this time and unsurprisingly still stank of fish), Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (from outside anyway) and a stroll through Cerro Santa Lucia.

Then back to the hotel for an early dinner and rest.

We had decided to let Liz(2) and Malcolm determine the itinerary for our days in Santiago as we had been before. We checked out the timing for the Turistick HoHo bus and determined tomorrow was the better day as the Funicular/Cable car was closed today, so then set off for the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino.

It was very good for the entrance fee, and just when I started to glaze over at another ceramic bowl, there was one in the shape of an animal or other that captured my attention again. We spent a good couple or more hours in there and then strolled down to Confiteria Torres for late lunch. Apparently, this establishment has been patronised by a number of Chilean Presidents and the décor and food were both interesting and good.

Then, we strolled back up Ave. Libertador B O’H to the Centro Cultural Gabriela Mistral for a modern art fix before heading back to the hotel through Lastarria and a drink and a cake for some on route (no beer despite my efforts to suggest the craft beer place Jose Ramon 277!).

After breakfast at the hotel (included and pretty good in terms of choice and food), we headed up to Plaza de Armas and caught our Touristick hop-on hop-off tour bus. It’s not the best HoHo bus route on the planet, but you do see a lot of the city away from the centre and if you like shopping complex and office block architecture a real treat for some. Do keep a look out for overhanging branches if sitting upstairs, you will get scratched or lose an eye if you don’t duck at the right moment!!

We stayed on for the ride until we reached the cable car station (included in ticket price for HoHo bus) and enjoyed the ride to the summit of Cerro San Cristobal. We wandered round a bit, including getting deafened when the bells chimed the hour and stopped for a drink and Empanada fix at Café Tudor.

Then a trip down on the Funicular (again included in the ticket) and back on the bus to finish at Plaza de Armas again. We spent about an hour in the Museo Historico Nacional and then had a walk back to the hotel via a few other locations, before dinner on the open-air patio overlooking Cerro Santa Lucia and the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile (worst and most expensive meal in Santiago).    

Today was the start of the wildlife trip and after breakfast and checking out, we took an early morning transfer to SCL and met up with our tour guide, Juan. We spent a couple of hours in one of the LATAM lounges before boarding our 10.15 flight which arrived at PUQ at about 13.45. Here, we met up with the rest of the group, another couple from England and a guy from the US.

A quick transfer to our hotel, Hotel Diego de Almagro (same as last time). We then went for a walk into town, a very tasty snack at Lomito’s, a quick rub of Magellan’s mate’s toe and a bit of shopping before a walk along the sea front before a group dinner at the hotel.

Today was to be a busy day, so an early start after breakfast and off to the Arturo Prat Pier, via a short walk to the bus station where we picked up, to catch dawn breaking and the trip to Isla Magdalena and the Los Pinguinos Natural Monument to see the Magellanic penguin colony, a first for us.

The boat ride (with FDS) was about an hour and a half, smooth on the catamaran and drinks and snacks available, and we saw a few humpback whales, dolphins and lots of sea birds. We had about an hour to explore the island, walking the loop trail past the lighthouse, watching the penguins doing penguin stuff, sealions on a beach and the other birds which are also abundant. It was cold and windy so those who had not dressed for it did not stay ashore too long!

Then back to Punta Arenas (another hour and a half) with more sea mammals, not that we stopped for them.

Once back on the mainland, our tour driver picked us up and we returned to the hotel for lunch. Then all bags packed and checked out, we climbed into our minibus (plenty of room) and set off for Torres del Paine.  

We spotted a few Rea, foxes, guanaco along the way and some interesting weather, but our stop to look for Magellanic woodpeckers was not a success. After a fuel stop in Puerto Natales, we arrived at TdP in heavy rain, and we noticed how bad the roads where in comparison to our last visit in 2017.    

We finally got to our accommodation for the next 3 nights, Pehoe Lodge in the dark and quickly had to go for dinner, which was a choice of what they had left, some gristly steak and rice.

Then after a couple of drinks with the gang, to bed for our early start in search of pumas. 

We were first in for the buffet breakfast (meh!) and then off just as dawn was breaking and light staring to hit the Paine Massif across Pehoe lake. We headed northeast towards Sarmiento Lake and Laguna Amarga and then met up with out Trackers for this trip (more about them later!).

Nothing had been seen so far this morning, and due to the Y-150 road closure, access to much of the Sarmiento Lake area was limited (in theory anyway, again more later) so after some fruitless searching, lots of guanaco but no pumas, we looped round for a look at Paine waterfall.

We then went for lunch at the Pehoe Barbeque, near to the campsite. I do not recall this place being open last time we were in TdP, and it was busy and full of tour groups and drivers/guides. It wasn’t bad, soup, choice of beef, chicken or salmon, sides, drink and a desert and better than the Pehoe packed lunches (of which more later again!)

Then back northeast again to resume our search for pumas. A sighting had been reported near the road alongside the river and Y-156. And sure enough, a puma soon appeared, and seemed keen to get away from the throngs turning up to view it.  But we got some good views as it walked right by us and went for drink before disappearing. The local Estancia owner appeared and kicked a few people off his land (we were outside the park in this location) who were trying to get a better view (we had stayed on the road).

At this point some of the differences between this trip, and out previous puma trip were starting to dawn both in terms of the experience and the quality of the tracking (and again I’ll say more later).  Anyway, first puma seen, along with a few aerobatic displays by a few Condors so pressure off!

On route back our driver spotted another puma taking a nap (I think he got tipped off tbh) as it was hard to spot but puma number 2 seen and recorded.

Then back to Pehoe as the sun set. Dinner was better but I can’t remember what it was.  

Again, off just before dawn after another ‘delicious!’ buffet breakfast. This time we had a packed lunch with us, and I must admit I was not looking forward to it based on our previous experience.

We headed back northeast, no puma action around Lake Sarmiento, despite driving through the roadwork section as far as we could, so went to a trail near to Laguna Azul for a bout of exercise. An enjoyable walk (but not the one I’d have chosen from Lago Sarmiento entrance towards Laguna Azrul entrance, if I was looking for Pumas, skunk, condors etc - now one way northbound only I noticed), but not much wildlife.

Then, back towards Laguna Azul and our packed lunch! Gristle and cheese sandwich (that even the sauces we had brought from home did not improve) and virtually no one finished them. We had it at the campground which had a little café and I think we’d have all rather have had their pizza!

Then back south to a location somewhere between there and Laguna Amarga, where reportedly a puma had been sighted near a small lake. We parked and surveyed the area, no other vehicles with us. Liz(2) spotted it in the grass, and we all got a fix on it until it went to ground again out of sight.

Now, this is where having minibus full of experienced wildlife watchers is a bonus, as ‘a puma in the hand is worth two in the Mata Negra bush somewhere else’. So, we sat patiently whilst plenty of others pulled over, looked and gave up. Eventually, we were rewarded, and it moved closer and sat in full view which made a few others stop and hang around as word had got out. After a while and a failed approach on a couple of guanacos who ventured for a drink, I think it got fed up with being watched and walked up towards us, before dodging the crowd along the road and disappearing over the ridge behind us.   

Happy with our sighting, we headed back towards Lake Sarmiento, and explored the newly constructed ‘closed’ section of road (Y-150) as far as we could, but not the private lands which we had access to last time.

Then with some great views of the sun setting over the Massif, and a Caracara to greet us at the car park, back to Pehoe for tonight’s delicacies!

Which actually were pretty good, particularly the seafood stew.           

Today, we went for a look around a bit more of the park, and eventually ended up at Lago Grey hotel for lunch, the Chilean Airforce force must have used the approach road for target practise. Everybody agreed it was the best meal we had had so far and a few why we had not stayed there…...then they recalled the road.

Back to the favourite puma viewing area, where we eventually spotted a puma long the road to Laguna Azul who we watched for an hour or more in the Mata Negra hunting hare and then moving across the road and finally into the distance. Again, we were joined by plenty of others, many again who did not have the patience to wait if the puma was taking a break.  

It was a good way to finish our last day and we had come to see pumas and saw some…. but…

In summary, I have to say it was a much less rewarding and satisfying experience than our previous visit in 2017. The quality, skill and professionalism of the trackers was much lower, and I frankly think if we had rented a car and toured the areas, we expected to see pumas in, we would probably have been as successful. It was more like the drive about and hope to see a puma or others looking at a puma approach, that you may find in a safari park.

The trackers were not a patch on the previous one, and in my opinion did not do any actual tracking, nor were we their sole customers. They also did not appear to have the local contacts (ignoring the radio and phone contacts they had with others doing the same approach) or any access to private land as we had enjoyed before so the puma watching was all road based. It seems since our last visit a number of operators have set up on this method and it does distract from the experience, and I fear may become like the free for all animal scrums you get in other places around the world eventually.    

Part of this was I think, is that NatureTrek have changed their partner in Chile, from Far South to Birding Chile, who are new to the game, so have not yet established their set up with long experience. I did give Juan, who part owns the company, some frank and honest feedback.  

Today would be a long day of driving and sailing, but we had time this morning to see the sunrise hitting the massif before settling our bar bill (and initially somebody else’s until I pointed it out!) and bade a fond farewell to Pehoe Lodge. We’d had a good room apparently compared to our group mates and I think the food has improved (not a high bar and ignoring the pack lunch!) since our last visit. 

We retraced our route, including some wildlife spotting along the way, foxes, before diverting to Punta Delgada to catch the shorter ferry to Bahia Azul. It was a short if very windy crossing and then a two-hour drive, with a quick stop for a short-eared owl roost (which we had stopped at on our last visit) arriving at dusk at Porvenir, and our two-night stay at Hotel Barlovento.

The reason for coming to Tierra del Fuego was to see the King Penguin colony a couple of hours south of Porvenir. We had done this before, but it was still an enjoyable excursion and we saw a few whales and foxes on route and the antics of the penguins and their fluffy, gluttonish chicks.

Then back to town where we had a free afternoon  We headed into town, then back for dinner. Afterwards, we went bird watching to the north of town and along the road towards the main ferry terminal to Punta Arenas.

Today the tour officially ended, and we set off back to the Bahia Azul ferry, fox, owl and flamingo spotting on route. This time on the ferry we spotted some white sided dolphins before we went on an armadillo photo hunt once back on the mainland. We eventually found one, who did not hang about for long and spotted also a ‘rare for the area’ Tinamou and some hares.

We got back to Punta Arenas mid-afternoon and went into town for a drink and a stroll before our last group dinner.   

We checked out late morning and headed back to PUQ for our early afternoon flight to SCL.

On arrival at SCL we said goodbye to Juan and walked over to the Holiday Inn at the airport. Later we all enjoyed our last trip dinner talking about our trip and what else we may do together in the future.

We had a 1pm flight, so headed over to the new international terminal and then the LATAM lounge (BA contract this) for a late breakfast/early lunch and a few drinks before boarding. Another long overnight flight, arriving on time into LHR and then a fond farewell to Liz(2) and Malcolm before driving back home.