Walk with pumas and penguins as you experience wildlife at its limits on a journey that sees you exploring the remote and spectacular landscapes of Patagonia and Antarctica in fabulous style.
Travelling in February and March is a particularly special time, providing puma mother-and-cub interactions and increased whale activity in Antarctica.
Price depends on the experiences and accommodation included, and your time of travel. It is based on two adults travelling for 13 nights and does not include international flights.
1 night at Hotel Bidasoa, 4 nights at Awasi Patagonia, 7 nights with Antarctica 21, 1 night at Hotel Bidasoa
What makes this journey special?
- Spend a day tracking wild pumas on foot with your expert private guide in Torres del Paine National Park.
- Experience the silent majesty of the Antarctic Peninsula, cruising past giant glaciers and otherworldly icebergs.
- Awesome wildlife viewing from remote penguin colonies and a variety of whale species to condors and guanacos.
- Fly across the Drake Passage, saving four days of typically heavy seas.
- Fantastic range of activities on offer from 4x4 and RHIB safaris to snowshoeing across virgin snow slopes, all with brilliant guides.
The Journey
Patagonia’s dreaming spires
Torres del Paine National Park
After a night in the Chilean capital, fly to Puerto Natales to experience the wonders of Torres del Paine National Park. Staying at world-class Awasi Patagonia, you’ll experience a deeply personalized adventure into the heart of Chilean Patagonia. With a private guide and 4×4 vehicle, explore the park and its surroundings in activities tailored to your interest and pace. Hike iconic trails to the base of granite spires or wander lesser-known paths surrounded by glaciers, lakes, and forests. Spot wildlife such as guanaco, armadillo and condors in their natural habitat. Discover Patagonia’s vastness on horseback, guided by expert local gaucho guides, where you can witness seasonal sheep-shearing and hear stories of life in the frontier lands.
Private puma tracking and conservation
Torres del Paine National Park
The centrepiece of your visit to Torres del Paine is a private puma tracking experience. Leaving the lodge early, you’ll be driven to Laguna Amarga, a private concession on the edge of the park. Laguna Amarga has a thriving population of wild pumas and offers some of the world’s best conditions for observing, filming and photographing them. Leaving early in the morning, you’ll meet your dedicated guide and tracker team, who have considerable experience locating the pumas. Once spotted, approach on foot to glimpse this rarely observed animal at a respectful distance. Take your time as you aim to capture the ultimate photographic shot. Back at Awasi, learn about the pioneering conservation initiatives introduced by the Awasi Foundation to protect the puma and educate local sheep farmers on how to co-exist with these big cats.
Flying south to Antarctica
Punta Arenas
Travelling down to Punta Arenas, you’ll meet the team at Antarctica21 and enjoy a welcome dinner and briefing before spending the night in Punta Arenas. Next day, you’ll be taken to the airport for your two-hour flight to King George Island in the South Shetlands. The excitement is palpable as you land and have your first glimpse of the White Continent. At the jetty, board Zodiacs to cross to the Magellan Explorer and begin your wildlife cruise of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Breaking the ice
The Antarctic Peninsula
Over the next six days, discover the majestic landscapes and wildlife of Antarctica. Glide among towering icebergs, explore remote bays, and land on untouched shores to witness bustling penguin colonies and lounging seals up close. Experienced guides lead hikes across snowy landscapes, revealing breathtaking views of glaciers and mountains. You may encounter whales breaching alongside your boat or spot rare sea birds circling overhead. Each excursion is tailored to the day’s conditions, ensuring safety and maximizing your experience in this dynamic environment. Between adventures, the expedition ship offers modern amenities, gourmet meals, and expert lectures on Antarctic history and wildlife. This intimate journey offers an unparalleled connection to one of Earth’s last great frontiers.
Where you'll stay
Great journeys need great places to lay your head. These are our tried and tested suggestions.
Hotel Bidasoa
Tucked away in Santiago’s stylish Vitacura neighbourhood, Hotel Bidasoa is a real gem. Offering outstanding, nothing-is-too-much-trouble service and a warm botanical-meets-art-deco vibe, it’s a hotel that caters to the most discerning of travellers. Here, you’ll find a calm ecologically sensitive sanctuary along with easy access to the city’s top restaurants, boutiques, and parks. The rooftop pool with views of the Andes is a big attraction, while the organic, locally sourced menu serves up fabulous dishes from brisket risotto to octopus with pejerrey.
Awasi Patagonia
With a stirring setting on the edge of Torres del Paine National Park amid the immensity of Chilean Patagonia, Awasi Patagonia offers an unparalleled blend of privacy, luxury, and purpose. Each villa, with its warm wooden interiors and panoramic windows, creates an intimate, lodge-like ambience inviting you to relax and connect with nature. Awasi is deeply committed to conservation: their rewilding programme restores native flora and fauna, including the protection of endangered pumas. Best of all, its exceptional private guides will tailor every excursion to your personal wishes.
Hotel Cabo de Hornos
Gateway to Antarctica and to the rugged wilds of Patagonia, Cabo de Hornos Hotel is a stylish sanctuary in Punta Arenas in southern Chile. Sophisticated and warm, its interiors blend local artistry with contemporary comfort, offering panoramic views of the Strait of Magellan. With easy access to the city’s historic landmarks and vibrant local markets, and everything from a gym to the best restaurant in town, it’s the ideal base for a range of adventures beyond its doors.
Magellan Explorer
A blend of rugged polar durability and boutique luxury, Magellan Explorer offers one of the most intimate ways to experience Antarctica short of chartering a superyacht. Inside, you and your fellow 72 guests will encounter understated Scandinavian design, spacious staterooms (all en suite) and excellent facilities including a sauna, library and gym. With top-notch naturalists on board and a fleet of Zodiacs, every excursion–whether you are kayaking, snowshoeing, overnighting on the ice or simply watching ‘bergs drift by–becomes an enriching opportunity to encounter Antarctica’s incredible wildlife and marvel at its otherworldly remoteness.
Customise your journey
All of our journeys are fully bespoke, and can be customised to meet your needs, interests and preferences. Here are a few ideas to inspire you..
Add an extra day in Punta Arenas and hop across to Tierra del Fuego to visit the king penguin colony at Bahia Inutil.
From January to March, search for the world’s largest mammal (blue whale) and some of its smallest (including pudu, kodkod and marsupials) in the seas and forests of Chiloe Island.
Spend a few days relaxing after your adventure in the Colchagua Valley, enjoying superb food and wines at Vik Chile.
Cross into Argentina for glorious trekking in the Fitzroy Massif and the unparalleled marine wildlife of the Valdes Peninsula.
Looking for more inspiration?
We have a huge range of inspiring private experiences and accommodation options available. Get in touch with our Chile and Antarctica specialists.
ENQUIRELearn more about our luxury holidays, or call our expert Latin America & Polar team on +44 1367 850566 / 1-855-216-5040 (toll free) to discuss how we can turn your dreams into something truly magical.
“The thing that is most beautiful about Antarctica for me is the light. The light there is a mood-enhancing substance.”