Torres del Paine · Year-round
Torres del Paine Active
Seven active days from a Puerto Natales hotel: Base Torres, the Cuernos sector, horseback riding, puma tracking and a boat to Grey Glacier.
7 days · Guided · Low–Medium
Wildlife · Patagonia
Puma Tracking in Patagonia
At a glance
A full day tracking wild pumas in Torres del Paine's eastern sector with a certified wildlife guide, a 4x4, a spotting scope and binoculars.
10–12 hoursDuration
- Duration
- 10–12 hours in the field (full day); multi-day on request
- Level
- Moderate; mostly vehicle-based, with short walks over uneven ground
- Group
- 1–6
- Season
- Year-round
- Start
- Pickup at your hotel in Puerto Natales between 04:00 and 06:00, depending on the season and the time of sunrise; confirmed when you book
Overview
Pumas roam freely across the steppe of Torres del Paine, and the eastern sector of the park, around Laguna Amarga, is one of the places with the highest puma densities in the world. This day is built around them. We leave Puerto Natales before sunrise because pumas are crepuscular: they are most active at dawn and dusk and tend to rest during the warmest hours.
Your certified wildlife-tracking guide combines scouting from the 4x4 with short walks over uneven ground; depending on where the pumas are, some days cross private land next to the park, off the trail. The guide reads tracks to find animals, then sets up the spotting scope so you can watch from a respectful distance. Expect 10–12 hours in the field, with snacks and coffee along the way. While looking for pumas you are likely to meet guanacos, Andean condors, foxes and ñandús.
The vehicle carries Starlink internet, and the guide shares photos from the day with you. You can book it as a private or small-group outing, for one day or several in a row, which gives you more chances. Pumas are wild and sightings are never guaranteed, but the guide's job is to put you in the right place at the right time to look for one.
Highlights
- Tracking in the eastern sector of Torres del Paine, around Laguna Amarga
- Certified wildlife-tracking guide, with a spotting scope and binoculars
- 4x4 vehicle with Starlink internet
- Guanacos, Andean condors, foxes and ñandús along the way
- Shared photos from the day
The day
04:00–06:00
Pickup at your hotel in Puerto Natales
Pickup at your hotel in Puerto Natales between 04:00 and 06:00, depending on the season and the time of sunrise, in the dark, to reach the park around sunrise. We confirm the time when you book.
Morning
Sunrise tracking
The first hours of light are when pumas are most active. Your guide scouts from the 4x4 and leads short walks on the steppe to check tracks and likely spots.
Late morning
Break
A pause for snacks and coffee in the field.
Midday
Second tracking session
Tracking continues, adapting to what the animals are doing and to the wind and weather. Pumas often rest in the warmest hours, so the guide may check known resting areas.
Afternoon
Drop-off at your hotel in Puerto Natales
After 10–12 hours in the field, drive back with drop-off at your hotel in Puerto Natales, confirmed when you book. The schedule is flexible and depends on the weather and the wildlife.
Multi-day option
On multi-day programs each day follows this same rhythm, starting before dawn, which gives you several chances at a sighting.
Included and not included
Included
- Starlink internet in the vehicle
- 4x4 vehicle
- 10–12 hours of activity
- Observation equipment (scope and binoculars)
- Certified wildlife-tracking guide
- Snacks and coffee during the activity
- Shared photos
Not included
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
What to bring and who it's for
What to bring
- Layers: a moisture-wicking base layer, a warm fleece or down jacket and a windproof, waterproof shell
- Clothing in neutral colors (grey, brown, olive, khaki); avoid bright colors
- Waterproof trekking boots with good grip
- Gloves and a warm hat
- A camera with a telephoto lens (400 mm or longer recommended), spare batteries and memory cards
- Your own binoculars if you have them
- A daypack to carry your gear on the walks
Who it's for
Wildlife lovers and photographers with patience for long hours of searching. You don't need to be an athlete, but you should be ready for short, sometimes brisk walks over uneven ground while carrying your own camera gear. Minimum age is 14.
Good to know
- Pumas roam freely in unfenced terrain, so sightings can never be guaranteed.
- The schedule is flexible and changes with the weather and the animals' behavior.
- Guides keep a respectful distance from pumas, typically 50–100 m, and use the scope for close views.
- Pumas are most active at dawn and dusk, which is why the day starts so early.
- Several consecutive days give you more chances than a single day.
Where it happens
The map loads from Esri when you open it.
- Puerto NatalesPickup at your hotel in Puerto Natales.
- Laguna Amarga sectorTracking in the eastern sector of Torres del Paine.
- Puerto NatalesDrop-off at your hotel in Puerto Natales.
Make it part of a trip
Or combine it with other days in a trip designed around you.
Plan a tailor-made trip
Hiking
Day Hike to Base of the Towers
A guided full-day hike in Torres del Paine to the lagoon at the foot of the three granite towers: about 22 km round trip, +1,400 m.
Full day
Water & glaciers
Navigation to Grey Glacier
A boat trip on Lago Grey aboard the Grey III catamaran, among icebergs to the face of Grey Glacier, about 2 h 45 min on the water.
Day trip
Horseback & estancias
Patagonia Horseback Riding
Ride with local baqueanos near Puerto Natales: 1, 3 or 6 hours, from an easy lagoon lookout to a condor lookout over the Última Esperanza fjord.
1 h, 3 h or 6 h
Ready to go?
FAQs
No. Pumas are wild and move freely across unfenced terrain, so no one can guarantee a sighting. The eastern sector of Torres del Paine has one of the highest puma densities in the world, and booking more than one day gives you more chances.
We run puma tracking all year. Pumas are most active at dawn and dusk, so every outing starts before sunrise. Our guides consider April to November the optimal window.
Expect 10–12 hours in the field. Pickup at your hotel in Puerto Natales between 04:00 and 06:00, depending on the season and the time of sunrise. The schedule is flexible and depends on the weather and the wildlife.
Patagonian pumas are generally not aggressive toward people. Guides keep a respectful distance, usually 50–100 m, and you watch through a spotting scope and binoculars.
Moderate fitness is enough. Most of the scouting is done from the 4x4, with short walks over uneven ground; depending on where the pumas are, some days cross private land next to the park, off the trail.
Wear layers in neutral colors, a windproof and waterproof shell, gloves, a warm hat and waterproof trekking boots. Avoid bright colors so you blend into the landscape.
A telephoto lens of 400 mm or more is recommended for good photos. If you don't have one, the guide's scope gives you close views and the guide shares photos from the day.
Yes. The minimum age is 14.
SOURCES · Vertic field notes