TRAVEL IN CHILE
Options before or after the main trip
Options before or after the main trip
Chile, our gateway for this journey, is a place we know very well (Open Sky owner Alex Ros lived there 7 years in the 80s and 90s, and has been taking groups to Chile since 2004). Please find below a few ideas of places/experiences you might consider for a pre- or post-trip, to give you a sense of what we could facilitate (further details upon inquiry).
Torres del Paine National Park is the jewel of southern Patagonia, and it's just a 3.5-4 hour drive away from Punta Arenas, which we'll fly through in both directions. We've been there countless times (can vouch that it's worth it!), and would love to help you explore it.
It's also possible to fly in or out of Puerto Natales, a pretty Chilean town at the end of a fjord that has direct flights to/from Santiago and is only an hour away from the park.
We've been doing this since 2018 and the experience is always exhilarating. Together with a very specialized local partner company that is serious about conservation—and whose experience & passion show—we primarily explore an area just east of the national park border they discovered to be the only place in the world where pumas can be reliably spotted in the wild on over 90% of days.
Chile's capital city, beautifully-set at the base of the Andes, is certainly worth visiting (and OSE owner Alex spent most of his formative years here, so we have a special bond Santiago, and love to share that).
Santiago/SCL is the only airport (besides Tahiti) with direct flights to this truly mysterious and beautiful island in the middle of the South Pacific. We've been there several times and it never ceases to fascinate. Consider 3 to 4 nights before or after the trip.
We took 11 photographers to do this in December 2019 and it was epic. Via a specialized photo partner on the island that has been doing this for years. Timing depends on lunar cycle*, and is of course weather-dependent (though having several nights available for it on the island visit helps).
Even second or third-time visitors to Chile can find plenty worth exploring. We're happy to discuss options.