Art of Patagonia
Chile
May 7 to 15, 2025
Chile's Patagonia region is amazing and it's much more than pumas. You'll take great photos of pumas of course but we'll also photograph condors, mountain scenics, sunrises and sunsets, birds, abstracts, and even blue hour cityscapes in our quest for images that stand out from the crowd. Learn to previsualize images and then master your camera settings to get exactly what you want in one of the most beautiful and wild places on the planet! By the way, this is an expensive trip because Chile is expensive. In addition, this trip is longer than many other Patagonia photo workshops you see online, and unlike those, we also include the costs of hotels in the capital city and internal flights to and from Patagonia😉
Date
May 7 to 15, 2025
$
Price
$TBD
Difficulty Level
Moderate
6
Available Spots
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View the itinerary below, read more about the tour, or sign up now!
About the Workshop
Art of Patagonia
About the Workshop
Art of Patagonia
Leaders
Rodrigo Moraga
Rodrigo Moraga is a Chilean biologist and wildlife photographer who specializes in the pumas of Patagonia. Rodrigo has also worked as a photographic and naturalist guide in Antarctica. He is a regular contributor to various photographic magazines in Chile, and he is a Sony Chile ambassador. Rodrigo's photos have been awarded multiple times in the Nature's Best Windland Rice Smith competition.
Greg Basco
Gregory Basco is a professional nature photographer based in Costa Rica. After completing graduate degrees in political science and tropical ecology (his doctoral dissertation focused on the politics of ecotourism in Costa Rica), Greg worked in conservation before turning to photography full-time in 2006. His images have been awarded in the Veolia Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Nature's Best Windland Smith Rice competitions and have appeared in numerous magazines and books around the world.
His latest major project is the second edition of the large format printed book National Parks of Costa Rica in conjunction with Zona Tropical and Cornell University Press. His popular e-books include The Guide to Tropical Nature Photography, the mega e-book Flash for the Nature Photographer, and the new Complete Video Guide to Lightroom for the Nature Photographer.
You can see more of Greg's work at his website.
Follow him on Instagram @gregbascophotography
Gallery
Info
Airport
You should arrive to and depart from Chile's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport (SCL). Our driver will be waiting to provide your private transfer to our capital city hotel.
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts and 50 Hz, so people from North America will need an adapter. Don't worry. We'll be happy to recommend our favorites.
Insurance
We strongly recommend you purchase trip insurance that includes trip cancellation and medical coverage while overseas.
Medical
Travel to Chile does not require any special vaccinations or medicines (except for possibly COVID), but you should be up to date on routine vaccinations. The CDC recommends being up to date on Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations.
Internet Access
All of our hotels have free WIFI. We will also have cell data coverage at times.
Certified
All of our services are conducted by fully licensed travel, lodge, and transport operators. This is part of our commitment to providing a professional travel experience.
Recommended gear
Tele zoom 100-400, 150-600
Camera body or bodies
Medium zoom lens, e.g., 24-105
Wide angle lens, e.g., 16-35
Polarizing/ND filters
Fast wide angle lens for night scenes
Cable release
Rain cover for camera
Small pack or shoulder bag for daily shooting
View the full Itinerary +
Day 1, Arrival/Santiago
Arrival to Chile. Meet our representative at the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport and transfer to our hotel in the heart of Santiago. If you arrive early this day, make sure to get out and stroll around the neighborhood surrounding the hotel. The vibrant and very safe business district is a pleasant place to have a coffee or do a little shopping.
Day 2, Puerto Natales
After an early breakfast, we head to the airport for our flight to the charming town of Puerto Natales to explore the city a bit and then settle in at our beautiful hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening as there are a number of restaurants close to our hotel.
Day 3, Puerto Natales
This morning we explore nearby lakes and caves for photography and enjoy a great lunch in town. We spend the afternoon photographing birds and landscapes near the waterfront. We return to our hotel in the evening with time to grab dinner on our own and to relax and download photos.
Day 4, To Torres del Paine
After breakfast we hop in our private bus and travel to the famed Torres del Paine National Park. We stop along the way for a great lunch and landscape photography en route. We arrive in the early evening with time to check in and have dinner.
Day 5, Torres del Paine
This morning we shoot the sunrise right from our hotel and then have breakfast before heading out on our first Patagonian adventure. We'll take the morning to explore another nearby lake that offers us stunning mountain views. We return to our hotel for lunch and a bit of a rest before heading out to the Torres del Paine National Park for an area that offers us great views of the soaring mountain peaks. We can work with wide angle this afternoon but also with telephoto zooms for graphic compositions and time lapse. Throughout the day, our local guides will be on the lookout for pumas! We return to our hotel for dinner this evening.
Day 6, Torres del Paine
We leave very early this morning for sunrise over the stunning Laguna Amarga that offers a beautiful view of the famed Torres. We return to our lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we head out right on the hotel grounds for sunset and night shots of the lake and the towering mountains of the national park by moonlight. Again, throughout the day, we will be on the lookout for puma.
Day 7, Torres del Paine
We visit the Sarmiento Lake overview for sunrise this morning and will keep a lookout for herds of guanaco to use as foregrounds for our scenic photography. We'll also be on the watch throughout the day for more pumas!
Day 8, Torres del Paine
We enjoy sunrise this morning from a different overlook near our hotel that offers beautiful possibilities for reflections. After breakfast at our hotel, we check out and depart for another section of the park that offers beautiful views. We have lunch at a very nice restaurant right on Lake Grey and then enjoy an amazing 3 hour boat ride to shoot blue icebergs and a glacier field set below the towering peaks of the Paine. It's awesome! We enjoy dinner at our new hotel after this amazing day!
Day 9, Torres del Paine
Today we take the entire day to explore a different side of the Torres del Paine National Park, focusing on river views, fall foliage, mule deer, and a number of different birds including the Megallanic Woodpecker.
Day 10, Patagonia/Santiago
Today we enjoy our last breakfast at our beautiful mountain hotel before heading back to the airport for our flight to Santiago. We stop en route for a farewell lunch at a great coffee shop/bakery/restaurant near the Argentinian border. We arrive to our city hotel in the early evening and have time to relax and pack for our departures tomorrow. We have included a room service dinner this evening for everyone in case you are tired after the journey and/or if you depart early the following morning.
Day 11, Airport
Private transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Itinerary includes
Lodging as specified
Meals as specified (One drink per meal)
Coffee/tea/snacks while in the field shooting
Domestic airfare
Transportation w/private driver in spacious air-conditioned tour bus (sprinter)
Private transfers to and from airport
Professional, full-time photo instruction from your leader Greg and our photo/naturalist guide Rodrigo Moraga
Entrances and fees for all described activities
Taxes for all specified services
Itinerary does not include
International airfare
Dinner on Days 1, 2, 3 and the last night
Alcoholic Drinks
Tips
Non-mealtime snacks and drinks
Single room supplement - $1500
Booking a tour with us is easy!
1. Register for your tour using the form at the end of each workshop page.
4. Send us your traveler info form.
2. Send us your reserve deposit.
5. We will send you your final invoice.
3. Book your international air travel.
6. We´ll send you everything you need to know before you hop on the plane!
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+ Will someone be there to meet me at the airport?Certainly! We take care of you from the moment you step off the plane until the moment you leave to return home. We'll send you all of the info you need to know regarding arrival in a final info message before the trip.
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+ I plan to arrive a day early. Can you help?Definitely, we'll be happy to make your reservations to ensure that you get to the same hotel that we have booked for the official first night of the tour. By the way, private transfers to and from the airport are always included in our tours, and you can use this transfer whether you arrive early or depart later than the official dates.
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+ What kind of clothes should I bring?In general, your best choices are lightweight garments that breathe and dry quickly, and you'll want a mix of long sleeves and short sleeves. A light polar-tec and a good rain jacket are also good to have. For meals, it's informal at the lodges and in the region in general. A pair of jeans, tennis shoes, and a clean shirt are just fine for dinner, even in the capital city hotels. Lightweight hiking boots are fine for your photography out in the field, and if you're visiting a beach area, you will want sandals or aqua shoes as well. Of course a good hat and sunscreen are important. We will send you clothing information specific to your trip after you've signed up.
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+ Can I have laundry done?Many of the lodges we use offer laundry service for a cost of approximately $1 per garment with same or next day service. We will indicate to you which lodges have laundry service after you've signed up for a given trip.
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+ Can I drink the water?This is probably the question that our clients ask us the most. And it’s the one for which we have the least definitive answer, except to say that beer is always a safe choice!. Water in and around capital cities is treated with chlorine and generally can be consumed with no worries. The lodges that we use for our photo travel often have their own well water, which is tested regularly by the Ministry of Health. Nonetheless, upset stomachs do occur as a result of change in diet or simply bacteria different from those to which Northern stomachs are accustomed. Serious disorders such as Giardia or amoebic dysentery are virtually unheard of. Bottled water is very widely available at our hotels and lodges, and a conservative strategy would be to use it as often as possible when outside the capital. As with travel to any foreign country, immodium pills are good to have along, and some of our clients also bring along Cipro or other broad-spectrum antibiotics. Some go so far as to begin taking antibiotics before arriving in-country. For antibiotic use, we suggest you consult with your physician. That said, we have very very few problems with water and food-related issues on our tours. During the tour, we will indicate to you where and when it might be better to stick to bottled water.
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+ I'd like a single room. Can that be arranged?Certainly. Simply indicate your rooming preference on the workshop signup form. There may be an extra for the single room supplement. This is simply the difference due to what our hotels and lodges charge us. We do not take a commission for single room supplements.
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+ I'm traveling by myself but would like a double room. Can that be arranged?It depends. If we can match you up with a suitable solo traveler who also wants to share, we will be happy to place you in a double room.
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Should I bring a tripod?Yes, you always want to bring a tripod. We will advise your each trip of any need for specialized heads or flash brackets.