Chile and Argentina II Panoramic Patagonia March 3 to 15, 2019 CHEESEMANS ECOLOGY SAFARIS 555 North Santa Cruz Avenue Los Gatos, CA 95030-4336 USA (800) 527-5330 (408) 741-5330 info@cheesemans.com cheesemans.com Andean Condor SAFARI OVERVIEW Patagonia, stretching over southern Chile and Argentina, is a sparsely populated, arid region with superb wildlife viewing opportunities. This breathtaking area encompasses the Andes Mountain Range and presents an image that is unmistakably South American. You ll begin your adventure outside of Punta Arenas, Chile with spectacular Tierra del Fuego Island. Then you ll take in the beautiful vistas of Torres del Paine and make your way to Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. Visiting a colony of king penguins, viewing soaring Andean condors, searching for guanaco herds roaming the plains of Torres del Paine, and perhaps encountering shy female pumas that are busy feeding their cubs are all highlights of this magical land. Soak up majestic scenery while appreciating the diversity of animals Patagonia has to offer. HIGHLIGHTS: Track female pumas while they search for food and care for their young. Explore a king penguin colony in beautiful Tierra del Fuego. Experience the astounding wingspan of an Andean condor as it soars above the mountains of Torres del Paine. Witness the Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. LEADER: Matias Ballarini. DAYS: 13 days total, including estimated travel time. Page 1 of 8
GROUP SIZE: 8. COST: $6,900 per person, double occupancy, not including airfare, singles extra. See the Costs section on page 6. CONDITIONS: This is a non-smoking tour for people who are very interested in spending the maximum time in nature. See the Conditions section on page 8. Date Description Accommodation Meals Mar 3 Depart home. Mar 4 Fly to Punta Arenas and enjoy a welcome dinner. If Hotel Diego de D arriving from our Antarctic Peninsula expedition, transfer from Ushuaia to Porvenir for an overnight. Almagro, Punta Arenas Mar 5 Ferry to Tierra del Fuego Island to visit a king Hostería Yendegaia, B, L, D penguin colony. Porvenir Mar 6 Morning in Tierra del Fuego, ferry back, and bird Hotel Remota, Puerto and photograph en route to Puerto Natales. Natales Mar 7 Explore Cerro Benitez in search of Andean condors. Mar 8 Birding and photography en route to Torres del Hotel Lago Grey, Torres Paine National Park. del Paine Mar 9 Full day taking in the views of the spectacular Hostería Tercera Torres Del Paine National Park. Barranca, Torres del Mar 10 11 Spend two days tracking puma on a private ranch Paine on the border of Torres del Paine National Park. Mar 12 Drive to El Calafate stopping to watch wildlife. Hotel Kau Yatún, El Mar 13 Los Glaciares National Park to visit Perito Moreno Glacier. Calafate Mar 14 Morning in El Calafate then transfer to airport for homeward flights. B Mar 15 Arrive home. B, L, D B, L, D B, L, D B, L, D OPTIONS Our Chile and Argentina safari is timed perfectly so you can take it consecutively with our Antarctic Peninsula February-March 2019 expedition (www.cheesemans.com/trips/antarctic-peninsulafeb2019). Page 2 of 8
LEADER Matias Ballarini Originally from Santiago, Matias moved to Patagonia in 2004 and now lives in Punta Arenas so he can spend more time enjoying nature and the outdoors. He has guided trips to King George Island, Buenos Aires, Brazil, the Chilean Lake District, and Patagonia. He works with nonprofit organizations that help conserve the local environment and ecosystems. Because he loves to expand his knowledge of biodiversity, photography, environmental interpretation, and conservation, you may find him in a course offered by the local universities. DETAILED ITINERARY Mar 3 ~ Depart home For most, you will travel through Santiago, Chile on your way to Punta Arenas, Chile. Mar 4 ~ Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile The flight from Santiago is particularly scenic if the skies are clear enough to see the snowy mountains and glaciers slipping below. Punta Arenas is the main Chilean gateway to the spectacular landscapes of Patagonia. If joining from our Antarctica Peninsula expedition, you will drive 6 to 7hrs from Ushuaia to Porvenir, changing drivers and guides at the border, for an overnight at Hostería Yendegaia. Mar 5 ~ King Penguins on Tierra del Fuego Island For those who joined from our Antarctic Peninsula expedition and overnighted in Porvenir, spend the morning at the local museum learning about the Fuegian culture. These indigenous people had a long history with colonization along with gold and cattle exploitation in the Magallanes Region. Midday, you will meet the rest of the group arriving on the ferry from Punta Arenas. For those in Punta Arenas, take a ferry across the Straits of Magellan to Useless Bay, Tierra del Fuego Island. Once the group is all together, you ll visit a colony of approximately 100 king penguins, located at a small river mouth near the Straits of Magellan. This is a private nature reserve, which aims to preserve the small numbers of kings that remain year-round and breed here, attracted by the bounty of food in the surrounding sea. Here the vegetation is mainly wind-swept dwarfed bush and tussock grass, and you may spot common seabirds, especially southern giant-petrel plus kelp and dolphin gulls. Look for landbirds along the shore, such as dark-bellied and gray-flanked cinclodes. Other common species you may see include upland geese plus chimango and southern caracaras. Mar 6 ~ Tierra del Fuego National Park and drive to Puerto Natales Tierra del Fuego Island is dominated by several of the most unique Patagonian habitats, especially Nothofagus or southern beech forest and Patagonian steppe. Aquatic habitats, including lakes, ponds, rivers, and rocky seashore add to the excitingly distinct Subantarctic scene. The avifauna of the southern-most region of Chile also has a distinct subantarctic influence. Typical birds found on the shore and on open water at this latitude include black-faced Ibis, flightless steamer-duck, Page 3 of 8
crested duck, ashy-headed and kelp geese, Magellanic oystercatcher, Chilean skua, and dolphin gull. Other attractions in the area include torrent duck, austral parakeet, white-throated caracara, and Magellanic tapaculo. You ll have the chance to experience the typical Tierra del Fuego steppe along the shoreline of small lakes. Perhaps you ll find the rare Magellanic plover, a strange southern wader that looks almost dove-like, as it picks away at the muddy edges. These birds frequently 'paddle' with their feet to disturb the animal life in the mud, a habit that often draws attention to them! Other birds that thrive in this windy terrain are least seedsnipe, short-billed miner, and correndera pipit. In the afternoon, you ll have a scenic drive that allows time for plenty of photography stops from Tierra del Fuego to Puerto Natales. Mar 7 ~ Cerro Benitez in search of Andean Condors Andean condors are abundant in the Cerro Benitez region, as they have communal roosting sites on the surrounding cliffs. Seeing Andean condors soar right above you is quite a remarkable experience. Andean condors are the world s largest member of the vulture family with a 10-foot wingspan. With a landscape of rolling hills, moorland, and lakes you will have the chance to see unique species of birds like the very localized ruddy-headed goose, the handsome chocolate-vented tyrant, long-tailed meadowlark, and Patagonian yellow-finch. The scrubby roadside vegetation provides concealment for a few species of skulking passerines, such as austral canastero. This area is also a prime location to see rails, seedsnipes, and other lovely waders, such as rufous-chested plover and tawny-throated dotterel. Mar 8 ~ Scenic drive to Torres del Paine National Park You will drive to Torres del Paine National Park, which includes 600,000 acres (242,242 hectares). The omnipresent Paine Massif, a magnificent set of rugged peaks, formed out of granite and sedimentary rock, dominates the landscape. The long-gone Indians of Patagonia called it paine, meaning blue, presumably from its remarkable blue hues when observed at a distance. Mar 9 ~ Torres del Paine National Park Torres del Paine National Park You will have the opportunity to explore the Nothofagus or southern beech forest and its diversity of plants and animals. You may find Magellanic woodpecker, austral parakeet and, if you are lucky, the shy southern Andean deer (guemul). Marvel at the contrasting mosaic of towering mountains, glaciers, wetlands, steppes, and forests. See Lake Grey's colossal icebergs that are stranded on the southern shore after a long, slow transit from the glacier front. On the east side of Torres del Paine National Park, which is the leeward side, the weather is usually quite sunny and clear. You ll walk beside the impressive Towers of Paine granitic formations with wild guanacos roaming in the foreground. At the eastern corner of Sarmiento Lake, you will reach a location that commands the most incredible views of the pinnacle peaks of Las Torres, the towers, from which the park takes its name. As you move around the park, you ll encounter herds of guanaco, the lesser rhea (a ratite like ostrich and emu), and impressive Andean condors soaring above. Enjoy stunning views of one of the impressive waterfalls of Paine River and, if it is clear, the fabulous granite columns of the Paine Massif from Laguna Amarga. Page 4 of 8
Mar 10 11 ~ Puma tracking You will have an experienced tracker on private land adjacent to Torres del Paine National Park to track female pumas. March through July are the best months to attempt to find puma as females are continually hunting to provide food for their almost fully-grown cubs. At this season, they are active during the day as well as at night and the twilight hours. To see a female puma and her cubs against the magnificent mountain backdrop and glorious skies is one of the most impressive wildlife spectacles. Mar 12 ~ Scenic drive to El Calafate, Argentina You ll take a scenic drive that allows time for plenty of photography stops from Torres del Paine to El Calafate, Argentina. Guanaco Mar 13 ~ Los Glaciares National Park Visit Los Glaciares National Park to explore the Perito Moreno Glacier, one of the few on this continent that constantly advances and recedes (at present, it is the only advancing glacier in Argentina). A huge 5km ice wall, at the end of the glacier, sinks into the Canal de los Témpanos (Channel of the Icebergs), which connects an arm of Lake Argentino, called Rico, to its main body. Once every 4 5 years, the Moreno Glacier fully crosses the channel, forming a dam that causes a rise in the waters of the Rico Arm. The pressure of the water will finally rupture the ice dam, providing a spectacular show that attracts hundreds of enthusiasts from around the world (last collapse occurred March 2016). The glacier was named after Francisco P. Moreno, a famous Argentine explorer who discovered Lake Argentino and is also well known as the father of the national parks in this country. A total of 48 glaciers lie within the 1,770 acres (717,800 hectares) of Los Glaciares National Park, a declared Worldwide Natural Heritage Site. Guanacos and lesser rheas are likely to be seen while you are in the open areas driving from El Calafate to the glacier. Watch carefully along the edge of rocky cliffs and up above the snow-covered peaks of the majestic Andes for the Andean condor, the Master of the Sky. Mar 14 ~ Morning at El Calafate and flights homeward Spend the morning wandering around the charming town of El Calafate on your own, or take an optional guided tour of the Glaciarium, a museum and interpretation center with comprehensive displays and exhibitions about the Southern Patagonian icefield and its many glaciers (additional cost). You ll find this a great source of information after your experience at Perito Moreno Glacier. Then transfer to the airport for your flights homeward. Mar 15 ~ Arrive home Arrive home today, depending on your flight schedule. Page 5 of 8
COSTS (ALL COSTS ARE IN US DOLLARS) Cost Type Cost per Person Trip Cost, double occupancy $6,900 Single Supplement (subject to availability) $1,650 Costs are per person, double occupancy, not including airfare, singles extra. See Included and Not Included sections for more details. We reserve the right to charge for cost increases that occur between when we set tour prices and the date of travel, for example, changes due to the cost of lodging and transportation. If you are a single traveler and you desire, we will find a roommate for you. If we cannot find you a roommate, we may charge you a single supplement fee. Single rooms are subject to availability. Payment Schedule Payment Due Date Amount per Person Deposit Due now to reserve your space $500 Second March 1, 2018 $1,000 Final October 1, 2018 Remaining Balance Payments will be due based on the schedule above. All reservations require a deposit to confirm reservation of your space. For reservations made after a due date, all past payments will be due with registration. By sending your initial deposit, you agree to accept our payment schedule and cancellation policy as a contract. If payments are still outstanding two weeks after the due date, your space may be forfeited. Cancellations Until the Final Payment due date, deposits are refundable except for a cancellation fee of $150 per person, which can be applied toward another tour if reserved within six months of the cancelled trip s departure date. Cancellations are non-transferrable. No refunds are given after the Final Payment due date. Included All leaders, transport, park entry fees, landing fees, and permits for all activities unless described as optional. Accommodations for the nights of March 4 through March 13. Meals from dinner on March 4 through breakfast on March 14. Airport transfers on March 4 from Punta Arenas Airport and on March 14 to El Calafate Airport. Trip Materials information about flights, packing, entry and departure requirements, airport transfers, gratuities, etc. Not Included All airfare, airport and departure taxes, and excess baggage fees. Airfare is approximately $1,100 $1,800 from the USA to Punta Arenas, Chile. Transfer from Ushuaia to Porvenir for those joining from our Antarctic Peninsula expedition. Passport and visa fees. Page 6 of 8
We can arrange divergent airport transfers and extra hotel nights for an extra cost. Optional guided tour of the Glaciarium, which is approximately $15 per person. Gratuities tipping is, of course, discretionary, however we suggest budgeting about $20 to $25 per participant per day for March 4 to March 13 with our leaders (about $200 to $250 total per participant). Emergency medical and evacuation insurance, and trip cancellation insurance. For more information see www.cheesemans.com/travel-insurance Items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls, medical costs or hospitalization, room service, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, and items not on the regular menu, etc. If you have special dietary needs, please indicate them on your Reservation/Release Form. SIGN UP Please contact us first to check availability, reserve your space, and obtain a Reservation/Release Form. To confirm your reservation, we require a deposit and signed form from each participant. Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris Email: info@cheesemans.com Website: www.cheesemans.com Skype: cheesemansecologysafaris Phone: (800) 527-5330 or (408) 741-5330 Fax: (408) 741-0358 OTHER DETAILS Climate This is a tour where the extremes of climate match each change of scenery. Because March is late summer in Argentina and Chile, it s a good time to visit the country. You ll mainly be in the chillier southern region so dressing in layers is best, including a waterproof outer layer to guard against windy or cold conditions anytime during the tour. Torres del Paine is notorious for its unpredictable weather conditions, but average temperatures range from nighttime lows in the mid-40s F (7 C) to daytime highs in the in the upper-50s to mid-60s F (14 18 C). Fitness Level Most walks are short distances less than three hours at a slow pace, allowing time for observation and photography. Most walking is on relatively level ground, but occasionally we may take short, steep walks to look for animals. Flights Unless listed as included, airfare is not included in trip costs. Detailed logistical information and the contact information for our recommended flight-ticketing agent are included in the Trip Materials we will send you. Please let us know if you are arriving earlier or staying later as we are happy to assist you with any extra overnights that you might want to arrange. Flights you (or a travel agent) book: Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile (PUQ) by the afternoon on March 4. If you Page 7 of 8
are arriving from our Antarctic Peninsula expedition, you will transfer by land from Ushuaia to Porvenir, Chile on March 4. Depart from El Calafate, Argentina (FTE) anytime on March 14, but if you want to visit the Glaciarium, depart in the afternoon. Conditions Non-smoking policy: We have a strict non-smoking policy. Smoking is not permitted at any time or any place during our tours. Maximum time in nature: We try to spend as much time in nature as possible, sometimes resulting in long days, but giving you a more in-depth experience. Itinerary route: The itinerary route, stops, and plans are subject to change by unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, such as weather or road conditions. Additional forms: For some of our tours, you may be asked to fill out additional forms (e.g., medical questionnaire). Medical conditions and travel risks: Travel to remote places is exciting, but it is important to understand and accept the risks, both medical and logistical. Minor medical problems can usually be treated, but because you are often far from medical facilities, there can be no expectation for immediate medical treatment or evacuation, even in cases of trauma. Anyone with health problems needing close medical supervision should not consider going on this tour. Bring enough medication for the duration of the trip for any chronic medical needs since pharmacies are usually not available. When you send your deposit and signed Reservation/Release Form, you certify to us that you do not knowingly have any physical or other conditions that would create a risk for yourself or for other trip participants. Use of drones/uavs on tours: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), AKA drones, are not suitable for use on most Cheesemans Ecology expeditions due to logistical constraints and in many cases, local and national laws or regulations. In some cases, such as on our polar voyages, we operate under environmental regulations that ban the use of recreational drones. Do not bring a drone on safari without contacting us first. Conservation Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is passionate about conserving the precious regions that we travel to and supports many conservation efforts. By visiting these areas, we contribute to sustainable conservation of these valuable wildlife habitats. We urge you to support conservation organizations that protect and restore natural habitats and write letters to tourism and government agencies to promote work in preserving wildlife. We aim to make all our trips carbon neutral by splitting the cost of carbon offsetting with our participants. For your convenience, the optional donation amount for your half of the carbon offset will be indicated on your invoice. We source high quality offsets through CarbonTree Conservation Fund, a non-profit we helped found, supporting pioneering forest conservation in the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, a Nature Conservancy project (https://tinyurl.com/ybgkwton). Page 8 of 8