MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

From pumas to penguins in Southern Chile Patagonian safaris

Punta Arenas is the hub of the new tourism experience

The Chilean Patagonian steppe is the setting for the development of a series of projects designed to link the region's landscape with its native fauna. Pumas, rheas, guanacos and hares feature among the major attractions in this emerging tourist sector.

Currently, three points of contact exist for tourists seeking the African safari experience in southern Chile. One of these is “Lolita Farm” - 42 kilometres north of Punta Arenas – where over 25 species of birds and mammals can be observed at close range. All that is required to have access to sheep, guanacos and puma is a willingness to walk the two kilometre circuit in the middle of the pampa de coirón.

Park Ñandú is another such location - 48 kilometres north of Punta Arenas. Its highlights include the much sought-after Magellan penguin, as well as emu, alpaca and pheasant.

Finally, the Austro-Zoo - only 18 kilometres from Punta Arenas - offers a more didactic experience through its pheasants, ducks and scores of species of rabbit, including the traditional Patagonian hare.

The premise of the so-called “Patagonian Safari” involves the appreciation of animals in their natural habitats.

By Antonia Wynne-Hughes - Santiago Times