CHILE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE 3hidden gems


OFF-THE-BEATEN-TRACK PLACES TO DISCOVER IN TORRES DEL PAINE


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Paso de Agostini Setting off from Estancia Lazo, this lesser-known trail weaves into the national park, past the shimmering green Laguna Verde and through lenga woods where rare Geoffroy’s cats have been seen. Throughout, the Paine Massif features as a backdrop. Points of elevation give views of glacial


lakes and mountain peaks.


Estancia Cerro Guido Take the opportunity to learn about rural living in Patagonia with a tour of this working farm and community with its own school and gym. If they’re not busy sheep-shearing, gauchos can lead all levels of horse riders on a trip from the ranch. Look out for foxes, skunks, rheas and guanacos along the way.


Sierra Baguales Few people visit this mountain range in the far reaches of Estancia Cerro Guido, on the border with Argentina (below). But that makes it even more appealing. Search for fossils along the banks of a small river and admire towering scenery on a trek through the valley. Although feral ‘bagual’ horses are rarely seen these days, this area is reliably wild.


All tours can be booked through Tierra Patagonia


Amarga estancia now offers exclusive puma tours. Impressed LÞ Ìhi Àili>LiliÌÞ ov Ãi}hÌin}Ã] Ìhi


V>mi hiÀi Ìo wlm


famous matriarch Rupestre for the recent series of David Attenborough’s Dynasties II.


Protecting pumas Unfortunately, rules and regulations haven’t quite kept up to speed with the growing popularity. Although reluctant to single out individuals for criticism, Pia admits the scenario has turned into a bit of a circus. Rather than being drawn into the Big Top furore, however, she’s set up an NGO to study and protect not only pumas but also the broader Patagonian ecosystem. Initially launched in 2019, Fundación Cerro Guido (FCG)


now offers tourists an opportunity to shadow scientists Õn`iÀÌ>kin} wil`ÜoÀk >n` oLÃiÀÛi «Õm>Ã in > moÀi iÌhiV>l Ü>Þ] >lÜ>ÞÃ kii«in} > xä-miÌÀi `iÃÌ>nVi q > w}ÕÀi >}Àii` after discussion with global big cat organisation Panthera and government-supported body Conaf. We’ve started our morning at Condoreras, once a hiking


area but now closed to tourists. “I have a feeling we’ll see pumas here,” says Pia, who claims to have a sixth sense for spotting the cats. She’s right. Less than an hour later, we see two females scrambling over the rocks, followed by a hulking male with smears of blood on his face. Now the detective work begins >Ã Üi ÌÀÞ Ìo «iiVi Ìo}iÌhiÀ Ìhi ÃÌoÀÞ° 7>Ã ÌhiÀi > kill¶


oÀi im«oÀÌ>nÌlÞ] Üho >Ài ÌhiÞ¶


After trekking to Las Scalas, a corridor descending from the top of the ridge, Mirko Utrovicich – an ex-puma hunter who now works as a tracker for FCG – downloads footage vÀom oni ov ÃiÛiÀ>l V>miÀ> ÌÀ>«Ã in Ìhi ho«i ov wn`in} VlÕið Pia immediately recognises two of the cats – Hector and Collarcita – who both have red mouths, indicating they’ve probably been feasting together on a carcass. Presenting a challenge to conservationists, much of the land in this part of Patagonia is privately owned. The Condoreras (taking its name from the high number of condors seen here) is part of the 101,000-hectare Estancia Cerro Guido, the largest cattle and sheep ranch in the area. Although located outside the park boundaries, it remains >n >Ài> ov oÕÌÃÌ>n`in} Li>ÕÌÞ >n` hiÃÌoÀiV>l Ãi}niwV>nVi q


>à ÌhiÀi Liin > w}h̶


62


ASPIRE SEPTEMBER 2022


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCK/CRAIG NEETHLING


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