The sightings and photography sessions will have the advice and expertise of local researchers who gather several decades of field experience and a thorough understanding of the behavior of this particular group of orcas.
Each one of these fours days, we will be ready to shoot at the chosen location before sunrise. Beaches are carefully selected by the location of the sea lion rookeries, weather as well as the tide schedule. All guests will be supplied with drinks, snack and lunch as we plan to spend the whole day, watching for orca, supported by our team of experts who will be patrolling the beaches to provide information about the location of the orca pods.
Orcas typically show up quite suddenly and this requires from us a quick response as the attacks happen usually very quickly and unexpectedly. Our guests are advised to remain ready for the action at all times. As in any wildlife photography trip, this is a patience game and our days in the field, are anticipated to be long and sometimes orca sightings are absent. We will remain in the field until late in the afternoon when opportunities for arrival of the orca diminish.
Weather in Patagonia is highly changeable and we can expect quite cold and windy conditions; temperatures in April can range between 0 to 20°C (32 to 68°F). Usually does not rain heavily in this sector of Patagonia. Our guests are advised to dress accordingly and use several layers, especially during long waiting times. Water proof trousers are recommended as well as water resistant footwear. The pebble beaches remain wet, especially in the mornings with falling tides. Muted colours are also strongly recommended in order to blend in with the environment and not disturb the wildlife.
The group will maintain a reasonable distance from the animals. As a result, a long zoom or telephoto lens, from 400mm (or longer) is ideal. Our guides usually bring a 600mm with a 1.4x or even 2x teleconverter. Bring also an additional lens with a mid-range zoom lens as suggested by our local experts. We recommend to bring a monopod and tripod, if you prefer. Wide angle lenses can also be an asset to capture landscape and beautiful sunrises.
The following are additional items which you should consider packing for your stay: outdoor clothing, layers and field gear, hiking boots, waterproof over pants, rain jacket, rugged pants (thorny bushes), thermal underwear, fleece jacket, base layers, zippered or convertible pants, backpack, flashlight, batteries, comfortable shoes and clothes for the evening, and binoculars. Please keep in mind the quite unique electric socket which is used in Argentina!
The Orca activity between mid-April to early May – Sea lion pups are more mature and travel and venture further, being able to deal more with the orca attacks. The weather is variable and cooler. Orcas are often present but pups are more mature and with more experience; consequently orcas need to be more more effective in their attacks.
(Breakfast, Packed Lunch, Dinner)(Guide)
