INTRODUCTION

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

Trip Highlights

• A exclusively designed 8-day cruise to the remote and pristine regions of the Magellan Straits and western Tierra del Fuego.

• The impressive Darwin Range and its many glaciers, fjords and islands.

• Great itinerary for marine mammals including Humpback whales, dolphins, elephant and leopard seals, and sea lions.

• impressive breeding colonies of penguins, albatrosses and other remarkable seabirds.

• Fascinating cultural facts, history of exploration and some of the world's southermost archaeological sites.

• Spectacular scenery including actively calving glaciers, fjords, channels and the pristine temperate beech forests of Southern Patagonia.

This program is operated as a scheduled departure, leaving on a set date.

 

The Difference of Traveling with Fantastico Sur Expeditions:

• Great accommodation, superb dinning cuisine and memorable picnic lunches.

• Each of our trips have a maximum of 10 participants.

• The service and expertise of a professional local naturalist leader, who will look after every logistical aspect of “your” holiday.

• You will receive a free, signed copy of one of our great natural history books for Patagonia.

• …plus an useful pre-departure information package.

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition can be combined with one of the following optional extensions:

• Patagonia Photo Safari (8 days), photo safari Torres del Paine and northern Tierra del Fuego (Condors and King Penguins!).

• The Falkland Islands (8 days), penguin encounters in the "Galapagos" of the South Atlantic.

• Atacama Desert Explorer (6 days), exploration to the world's most arid desert, its mountains and discover its unique wildlife.

 

ITINERARY

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

Day 1 • Friday | Punta Arenas, Chile - Otway Sound - Riesco Island - Departure to the Magellan Straits

We will pick you up at your hotel early in the morning and transfer you in a private bus to Otway Sound. Here we will board the 86-ft M/V 'Forrest' and will immediately start our navigation southwards to Jeronimo Channel and the Magellan Straits. We will have a number of activities before and after luch, including a safety drill and a lecture on and the 'Beagle'; will spend several hours on deck to look for dolphins, sea lions and the many seabirds which occurs on these waters. We will be delighted by the great photo opportunities offered by the impressive scenery of the Chilean Fjords; lush subantarctic woodlands covering the hills, pristine beaches offering shelter and food to a great array of waterbirds, and rugged snowy peaks indicating the near presence of the mightly Patagonian Andes. We will feel like explorers on these journey of discovery sailing to the remote regions of western Tierra del Fuego.

Overnight M/V 'Forrest' [L,D] [G]

 

Days 2+3 • Saturday and Sunday | Straits of Magellan & 'Francisco Coloane' Marine Park [Carlos III Island - Seno Ballena - Rupert Island]

Dawn at the Magellan Straits! We have these two days to explore the recently established 'Francisco Coloane' Marine Park, which protects the marine biodiversity of the western branches of this famous sea passage. This magnificent area encloses Carlos III Island and its surrouding waters, possessing a vast and unique biological diversity, due in part, to the mixing of the two oceans (Pacific and Atlantic), the productive upwellings, the strong westerly winds, the presence of glaciers and the dismembered coastline. This park hold a summer population of Humpback Whales (and occasionally Sei whale and Orca), which use these waters as feeding grounds.

We will have whale-watching sessions aboard the zodiac boats and if we are lucky, we may see the endemic and scarce Chilean Dolphin (as well as Burmeister Porpoise) while sailing along these waters. We will also visit large breeding colonies of sea lions, fur seals and Magellanic Penguin. We will have a lecture on long-term population studies on these whales, and we will learn about several marking and identification techniques. We will have the rest of the afternoon to see these whales at close quarters and with no other visitors. This intimate experience will be enriched by the beautiful mountains, glaciers and pristine forests.

Overnight M/V 'Forrest' [B,L,D] [G]

 

Day 4 • Monday | Western Tierra del Fuego [Gabriel Pass - Almirantazgo Sound - Ainsworth Bay]

Today we will have an exciting day of explorations. We will sail from Magdalena Channel to Almirantazgo Sound, through the very scenic Gabriel Channel, also called the 'Waterfall Channel'; we will count as much as 100 waterfalls coming down the cliffs, as we sail these calm waters, being followed by albatrosses and petrels, along this stretch of sea of nearly 20 nautical miles. The narrowest point is the homonynous 'Gabriel' Narrow and while passing this landmark we will evocate skilled sailors of the past, as the Spanish Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa, who explored this seaways in 1580.

We will enter the fascinating Almirantazgo [Admiralty] Sound and its many fjords, bays and tidewater glaciers; this huge sound penetrates deeply into the heart of western Tierra del Fuego and the Darwin Range. This remote and pristine region was first explored by the HMS 'Adventure' and HMS 'Beagle' and its name, given in 1826 by Captain Philip Parker King, honors the British Admiralty.

This area holds important wildlife highlights, including a small breeding site of Southern Elephant Seal, a recently-discovered Black-browed Albatross rookery and usually you can see interesting marine mammals such as the striking Commerson's Dolphin and the feared Leopard Seal.

We will land by zodiac at Ainsworth Bay with the purpose to observe Southern Elephant Seals at close quarters. The bay is quite spectacular, and is characterized by the presence of a central islet and by the occurrence of very strong tidal currents. From the beach we will observe the massive Marinelli Glacier, which has dramatically receded in the last 20 years.

Overnight M/V 'Forrest' [B,L,D] [G]

 

Day 5 • Tuesday | Western Tierra del Fuego [Almirantazgo Sound - Albatross Island - Parry Fjord]

We will wake up surrounded by impressive cliffs and amazing glaciers, in the seldom visited Parry Fjord. This remote sound enters deeply into the backbone of Tierra del Fuego, the 'Darwin' Range. The Andes, at these latitudes, are deflected and oriented eastwards and a colossal ice sheet covers the whole range, producing many calving glaciers and deep fjords. If we are lucky and have some hours of clear conditions, we would be able to see one of its more conspicous mountains, the peak of Mount Darwin [2,438 m | 7,998 ft]. We will keep exploring the south-west arm of the Parry Fjord, trying to spot Leopard Seals, which usually rest over the icefloes.

During the afternoon we will visit Albatross islet, located at the head of Almirantazgo Sound, where there is a small rookery of Black-browed Albatross. This breeding colony has been just recently discovered and nearly 100 couples of this medium-sized albatross species [usually called 'mollymauks'] nest here. We will land at the islet (weather permitting) and observe these magnificent seabirds at very close quarters.

Overnight M/V 'Forrest' [B,L,D] [G]

 

Days 6+7 • Wednesday and Thursday | 'Alberto De Agostini' National Park [Tucker Islets - De Agostini Fjord - Aguila Glacier]

We will explore the Brecknock Peninsula (western Tierra del Fuego), a extreme land in terms of weather, although one of extraordinary beauty. It is a remote and pristine region characterized by the presence of countless islands resulting in a labyrinth of channels and straits, deep fjords and bays.

The mountains are referred to here as the Fuegian Andes or more often as the Darwin Range, and their summits reach in average up to 6,000 feet. The continuity of the Andes range is compromised at these latitudes. After sorting out some hydrological interruptions such as the Straits of Magellan, the Andean massif losses height, deflecting eastwards now along the whole southern flank of the main island.

The now silent channels and bays were formerly the domain of canoe nomads, hunters and gatherers, strikingly adapted to survive in the most harsh and gelid region of South America. The Yamana successfully occupied these territories some 6,000 years ago, earning a sound knowledge of their hostile environment and its resources. Sadly, after only a brief encounter with Western explorers, they have all but vanished from the far south.

These two days will give us the opportunity to explore one of the least-known national parks in Chile: 'Alberto De Agostini', after the illustrious Italian explorer and missionary. The rugged Tucker islets are a bird paradise with penguins, cormorants, skuas, gulls and terns, nesting in dense colonies. The 'De Agostini' Fjord is one of the many deep fjords present on both slopes of Brecknock Peninsula, which has been excavated by the colossal glacial action. The Fuegian Andes hold a huge icefield, the southernmost in South America, which extends for nearly 9,000 sq. miles.

Overnight M/V 'Forrest' [B,L,D] [G]

 

Day 8 • Friday | Otway Sound - Punta Arenas

Today is our last day of exploration and we hope that the quality of this photo safari and wildlife cruise has surpassed your expectations. We will arrive to Otway Sounds during the morning and will be transferred to Punta Arenas, where our trips ends. [B,L] [G]

 

Codes: B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner; G=Expedition Leader and Guides

 

MAP

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

 

DATES & RATES

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

 

Dates and Rates:

Trip Length	8 days, 7 nights
2011 Dates	A. Sun 27 Feb - Sun 6 Mar • From $2,748 p.p.  B. Sat 26 Mar - Sat 2 Apr • From $2,748 p.p.
2012 Dates	Feb 17-24 • TBA  Mar 9-16 • TBA  Mar 30 - Apr 6 • TBA
Single Supplement	N/A
Maximum group size 10 participants.

 

What the trip includes/excludes

 

The above price is per person in US Dollars. All payments are in US Dollars.

The trip price includes:

The trip price excludes: Domestic flights (Santiago – Punta Arenas – Santiago or other route), tipping, travel insurance, entrance tax to Chile, excess baggage charges, private excursions, à la carte dishes, snacks, drinks, laundry, telephone calls and anything else of a purely personal nature.

 

Tour Registration: To book this tour, please complete our registration form. We will process your booking form and will send you (within 24 hours) a note with space confirmation and a deposit invoice with payment instructions. The deposit amount is US$ 500 per person. Full payment of the tour fee is due 60 days prior to tour departure.

NOTE: Inquires received on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays will be replied during the following working day.

 

Cancellation Policy: Notice of cancellation can only be accepted IN WRITING from the person who signed the booking form and takes effect on the day such noticed is received by us.

Refunds are made according to the following schedule:

If cancellation is made 120 days or more before departure date, the deposit less US$ 200 is refundable.

If cancellation is made between 120 and 60 days before departure, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded.

If cancellation is made fewer than 60 days before departure date, no refund is available.

This policy and fee schedule also applies to pre-trip and post trip extensions, as well as any transfers from one tour to another. We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself.

 

GUIDES

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

 

	Claudio F. Vidal has been bird-watching since the age of 12 and he leads bird-watching and natural history tours throughout Chile. He is very keen on pelagic birdlife and marine mammals occurring in the Humboldt Current, Patagonia, and Antarctica as well as in photography, being particularly interested in photographying the wild flowers of desert and mediterranean regions of the world. Claudio is currently working on a field guide to the birds of Chile with other Chilean birders, and is co-author of the photographic guide "Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Antarctic Peninsula". He is involved in several nature-based tourism projects in Chile, and he is also partner and director of Fantastico Sur Expeditions. He lives in Punta Arenas.
	Enrique Couve has been birdwatching for over 40 years in his native country of Chile and is the author of the photographic guide "Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctic Peninsula", among several other bird and nature photography field guides and books. He is extremely skilled in finding and identifying birds and is an excellent nature photographer, having one of the most complete portfolios of Chile’s birds and wildlife. Enrique has travelled extensivley throughout Chile, its oceanic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, as well as in other countries of South America. He is partner and director of Fantastico Sur Expeditions and lives in Punta Arenas with his wife and their four children.
	Roberto Donoso has been part of our team since 2003, but he has been involved in the process of learning about birding and handling visitors to Chile and Patagonia since 1999. Roberto has an extensive experience leading birdwatching tours throughout Chile and Juan Fernandez islands, and his most recent trips has taken him to the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. During the last couple of years he has developed an increasing interest in mammals, particularly cats, and he is responsible of developing some of the hard-core puma and mammal tours that we are currently carrying out with clients from the US and the UK. Rob is one of the Fantastico Sur favourite guides due to his kind and charismatic personality, his particular attention to detail and his involvement with the goals and interests of our clients. Roberto lives in Punta Arenas with his wife Vjera and their two lovely girls, Vjerita and Florencia.

 

THE SHIP

 

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

 

PHOTOS

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

 

CHECKLIST

Tierra del Fuego Photo Expedition | 8 days, 7 nights | Trip Code TDF04

Birds and Mammals possible to be seen on this expedition

Compiled by Claudio F. Vidal, FS Expeditions (2010)

 

Penguins | Spheniscidae

Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus

 

Albatrosses | Diomedeidae

Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris

Grey-headed Albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma

 

Shearwaters & Petrels | Procellariidae

Antarctic Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus

Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides

Cape Petrel Daption capense

White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis

Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus

 

Storm-Petrels | Hydrobatidae

Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus

Diving-Petrels | Pelecanoididae

Magellanic Diving-Petrel Pelecanoides magellani

Cormorants | Phalacrocoracidae

Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus

Rock Shag Phalacrocorax magellanicus

Imperial Shag Phalacrocorax atriceps

 

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns | Ardeidae

Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

 

Ibises & Spoonbills | Threskiornithidae

Black-faced Ibis Theristicus melanopis

 

Ducks, Geese & Swans | Anatidae

Black-necked Swan Cygnus melanocorypha

Upland Goose Chloephaga picta

Kelp Goose Chloephaga hybrida

Ashy-headed Goose Chloephaga poliocephala

Flightless Steamerduck Tachyeres pteneres

Flying Steamerduck Tachyeres patachonicus

Chiloe Wigeon Anas sibilatrix

Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris

Spectacled Duck Anas specularis

Crested Duck Anas specularioides

Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica

Red Shoveler Anas platalea

 

New World Vultures | Cathartidae

Andean Condor Vultur gryphus

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

 

Hawks, Eagles & Kites | Accipitridae

Cinereous Harrier Circus cinereus

Chilean Hawk Accipiter chilensis

Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle Geranoaetus melanoleucus

Rufous-tailed Hawk Buteo ventralis

 

Falcons & Caracaras | Falconidae

Southern Crested Caracara Caracara plancus

Chimango Caracara Milvago chimango

Striated Caracara Phalcoboenus australis

American Kestrel Falco sparverius

Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

 

Rails, Gallinules & Coots | Rallidae

Plumbeous Rail Pardirallus sanguinolentus

Red-gartered Coot Fulica armillata

 

Oystercatchers | Haematopodidae

Magellanic Oystercatcher Haematopus leucopodus

Blackish Oystercatcher Haematopus ater

 

Plovers & Lapwings | Charadriidae

Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis

Two-banded Plover Charadrius falklandicus

Rufous-chested Dotterel Charadrius modestus

 

Sandpipers & Allies | Scolopacidae

South American Snipe Gallinago paraguaiae

Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii

 

Seedsnipes | Thinocoridae

White-bellied Seedsnipe Attagis malouinus

 

Sheathbills | Chionidae

Snowy Sheathbill Chionis alba

 

Skuas & Jaegers | Stercoraridae

Chilean Skua Stercorarius chilensis

 

Gulls | Laridae

Dolphin Gull Larus scoresbii

Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus

Brown-hooded Gull Larus maculipennis

South American Tern Sterna hirundinacea

 

Doves & Pigeons | Columbidae

Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata

 

Parrots, Macaws & Allies | Psittacidae

Austral Parakeet Enicognathus ferrugineus

 

Typical Owls | Strigidae

Magellanic Horned Owl Bubo magellanicus

Rufous-legged Owl Strix rufipes

Austral Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium nanum

 

Hummingbirds | Trochilidae

Green-backed Firecrown Sephanoides sephaniodes

 

Kingfishers | Alcedinidae

Ringed Kingfisher Ceryle torquata

 

Woodpeckers & Allies | Picidae

Magellanic Woodpecker Campephilus magellanicus

 

Ovenbirds | Furnariidae

Dark-bellied Cinclodes Cinclodes patagonicus

Gray-flanked Cinclodes Cinclodes oustaleti

Bar-winged Cinclodes Cinclodes fuscus

Thorn-tailed Rayadito Aphrastura spinicauda

White-throated Treerunner Pygarrhichas albogularis

 

Tapaculos | Rhinocryptidae

Magellanic Tapaculo Scytalopus magellanicus

 

Tyrant Flycatchers | Tyrannidae

White-crested Elaenia Elaenia albiceps

Tufted Tit-Tyrant Anairetes parulus

Patagonian Tyrant Colorhamphus parvirostris

Fire-eyed Diucon Xolmis pyrope

Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant Muscisaxicola macloviana

Austral Negrito Lessonia rufa

 

Swallows | Hirundinidae

Chilean Swallow Tachycineta meyeni

 

Wagtails & Pipits | Motacillidae

Correndera Pipit Anthus correndera

 

Wrens | Troglodytidae

House Wren Troglodytes aedon

Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis

 

Thrushes & Allies | Turdidae

Austral Thrush Turdus falcklandii

 

Siskins, Crossbills & Allies | Fringillidae

Black-chinned Siskin Carduelis barbata

 

Buntings, Sparrows & Allies | Emberizidae

Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch Phrygilus gayi

Patagonian Sierra-Finch Phrygilus patagonicus

Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis

 

Troupials & Allies | Icteridae

Long-tailed Meadowlark Sturnella loyca

Austral Blackbird Curaeus curaeus

 

MAMMALS

Otters

Marine otter Lontra felina

 

Foxes

Culpeo Fox Pseudalopex culpaeus

 

Eared Seals

South American Sea Lion Otaria flavescens

South American Fur Seal Arctocephalus australis

 

True Seals

Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina

Leopard Seal Hrydrurga leptonyx

 

Dolphins

Commerson's Dolphin Cephalorhynchus commersonii

Chilean Dolphin Cephalorhynchus eutropia

Peale's Dolphin Lagenorhynchus australis

Dusky Dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus

Orca or Killer Whale Orcinus orca

 

Whales

Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae