Chile’s Rare Mammals

Typical Itinerary

1. Day 1: Depart the UK

   Depart the UK on a flight to Puerto Montt via Santiago de Chile.

2. Day 2: Arrive Puerto Montt

   On arrival in Puerto Montt we are met by our local guide and transferred to our hotel for our first night in Chile.

   Accommodation: Hotel Presidente, 1-night

3. Day 3: Travel to Chiloé & on to Parque Tepuhueico

   Today we cross to the magical island of Chiloé. The Valdivian temperate rainforest here is home to some of Chile’s most sought mammals and other wildlife, including kodkod, southern pudu, Darwin’s fox and chucao tapaculo. We drive across the island to one of its jewels: the near-pristine rainforest of Parque Tepuhueico where we spend two nights.

   Accommodation: Hotel Tepuhueico, 2-nights

4. Day 4: Explore Parque Tepuhueico

   We spend the whole of today in the temperate rainforest of this private conservation initiative. Key mammal species here include kodkod (a diminutive forest cat), southern pudu (almost the world’s smallest deer) and Darwin’s fox. Searching for mammals we are sure to encounter some of the region’s endemic birds too. They include black-throated huet-huet, ochre-flanked tapaculo, Des Murs’s wiretail, Patagonian tyrant, Chilean hawk, Magellanic woodpecker and green-backed firecrown.

5. Day 5: Drive to the south of Chiloé, explore Yaldad inlet

   Reaching Quellón, in the far south of Chiloé, we take a boat to explore the scenic Yaldad inlet, chiefly in search of the endemic Chilean dolphin. We are likely to see many species of seabird, shorebird and waterfowl here too.

   Accommodation: Hotel Parque Quilquico, 2-nights

6. Day 6: Boat trip to Puñihuil & Metalqui islands

   Today we visit two groups of offshore islands by boat. The Puñihuil Islets are a good site for the endangered marine otter. They are also home to Magellanic and Humboldt penguins, Fuegian steamer duck, kelp goose and red-legged cormorant, among many other coastal birds.

   The Metalqui Islets nearby have colonies of South American sea lion and South American fur seal and are visited by southern elephant seals. Further offshore, among black-browed albatrosses and southern giant petrels, we look for the magnificent blue whale.

7. Day 7: Chepu River for southern river otter, continue to Puerto Varas

   Early this morning we visit the pristine Chepu River in the hope of finding the rare southern river otter. Also here we may see bird rarities such as rufous-tailed hawk and slender-billed parakeet.

   On our way back to Puerto Montt we stop at Caulin Bay, which is winter home to much of the world population of Hudsonian godwit, in addition to many other migrant shorebirds. From here we take a ferry back to Puerto Montt and drive to the beautiful town of Puerto Varas by Lake Llanquihue.

   Accommodation: Hotel Cabanas del Lago, 1-night

8. Day 8: Gulf of Reloncavi for Pincoya storm petrel, fly to Punta Arenas

   On this morning’s boat trip in the Gulf of Reloncavi we search for the beautiful, newly-discovered Pincoya storm petrel, which is named after a female sea spirit from local mythology.

   Returning to Puerto Montt, we take a two-hour flight to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city. This is the trailhead for our exploration of the amazing landscape and wildlife of the far south.

   Accommodation: Hotel Diego de Almagro, 1-night

9. Day 9: Ferry to Tierra del Fuego, king penguin colony

   This morning we take a ferry across the fabled Strait of Magellan into a land of legends, the vast Tierra del Fuego Island. Today’s key site for wildlife is Bahía Inútil, which translates into English as Useless Bay. For us it is far from useless. Huge numbers of kelp, brown-hooded and dolphin gulls are found here, accompanied by elegant South American terns. Also here we may see kelp goose, Fuegian and flying steamer ducks, and king, imperial and rock cormorants. A nature reserve here is home to the South American continent’s only colony of the remarkable and thoroughly confiding king penguin.

   Accommodation: Hotel Barlovento, 1-night

10. Day 10: Morning exploration of Tierra del Fuego & drive to Torres Del Paine

    After a morning exploration of the wilderness of Tierra del Fuego, during which we may see specialities of this bleak landscape including ruddy-headed goose, least seedsnipe, tawny-throated dotterel, short-billed miner and chocolate-vented tyrant, we take the short ferry ride back to the mainland, arriving in the early afternoon. As we make the crossing we keep our eyes peeled for the highly attractive Commerson’s dolphin.

    This afternoon we drive north towards Torres del Paine National Park, surely one of the most dramatically beautiful, protected areas on Earth. The road passes through Patagonian steppes and wetlands alive with Darwin’s rheas, Chilean flamingos, upland and ashy-headed geese and Magellanic oystercatchers. Guanacos become increasingly commonplace as we approach the park and we may also see South American grey fox or Patagonian hog-nosed skunk.

    Accommodation: Hosteria Pehoe, 3-nights

11. Days 11-12 : Search for pumas in Torres del Paine

    We devote two whole days to our search for the pumas of this stunning park. Though this fabulous cat is more readily seen here than anywhere else, seeing one still requires great patience, combined with local expertise.

    On our first full day in the area, we visit a private ranch (estancia) bordering Laguna Amarga, just outside the national park. Here we have the unique opportunity to track several habituated pumas in both vehicles and at respectful distances on foot, hopefully providing us with some unforgettable encounters. With our special permission to access the ranch, we can track the pumas wherever the sightings are best. 

    On our second full day, we search for pumas within the stunning national park against a backdrop of stunning scenery. In addition to pumas we hope to see some of the park’s other charismatic mammals including South American grey fox, Patagonian hog-nosed skunk, guanaco and even large hairy armadillo. Characteristic birds here include black-chested buzzard eagle, Andean condor, black-faced ibis and southern lapwing among many others.

    If puma sightings allow, we may also explore the southern beech forests of the park which are home to huemul (South Andean deer), culpeo fox, austral parakeet and the charming austral pygmy owl.

12. Day 13: Return to Santiago

    Today, we are transferred four and half hours back to Punta Arenas and its airport, where we check in for our domestic flight to Santiago. On arrival in Santiago, we spend the night at a nearby airport hotel. 

    Accommodation: Holiday Inn Santiago Airport, 1-night

13. Day 14: Departure

    After breakfast we return to the airport to check in for our onward overnight flights to the UK.

14. Day 15: Arrive UK