Chile Archives -

Photographing Puma in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:33:39 +0000

Day of Adventure with Kali Travels in Patagonia As my alarm went off bright and early, I opened the curtains of my room at Remota Lodge to see the distant peaks of Torres del Paine National Park slowly waking up. This region, known for its explorer-ready landscapes, weather and sculpted peaks, is also home to one of South America’s most elusive inhabitants: the puma. Having visited Torres del Paine before, I’d explored these valleys, lakes, and trails for two weeks without ever seeing a Puma. The thought that they were there, quietly watching from the shadows, always added a certain thrill to every hike and photograph, and I admit to getting a little faster in my strides once darkness hit on my hike down from Mirador de las Torres. This time, however, things were different. As part of the Adventure Travel World Summit, I joined Kali Travel and Adventure for a full-day excursion, one that promised not only the chance to witness the park’s wildlife but to do so alongside conservation-minded guides and trackers who know the land and likely movements of these majestic big cats. The drive out was filled with anticipation, and a few little naps, before I...

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Parque Futangue: A Valdivian Rainforest Retreat

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 09 Nov 2025 09:10:54 +0000

Where Stillness Meets Ancient Wilderness A Visual Hotel Review – Luxury Adventure Retreat in Chile Deep within Chile’s Los Ríos Region, Futangue Hotel & Spa sits quietly within a private nature reserve at the edge of the Valdivian rainforest, near Lake Ranco and framed by the Andes. The landscape feels untouched, where rainfall lingers in the air, ancient trees wear moss like cloaks, and rivers echo the mountains’ quiet power. Arriving here feels like entering another world. The tree-lined road gives way to a lodge whose timber, stone, and glass façades reflect the same calm stillness that surrounds it. From my first step inside, despite being incredibly weary after flying direct from Australia, I sensed this would be more than a stay, it was a chance to become part of the rhythm of the landscape…after a decent sleep. Waking early on my first morning, birdsong joined in a chorus with rain on the roof, a sound that echoed the environment we’d be soon out exploring, with Laguna Pichi first on the itinerary for a wander in the Valdivian Rainforest. Beyond the comforts lies adventure, and the hotel sits within a 34,000-acre private reserve with more than 100 km of trails,...

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Photographing the Darwin’s Frog: A Rare Encounter in Chile’s Valdivian Rainforest

Lisa Michele Burns — Sat, 08 Nov 2025 08:47:28 +0000

Photographing the Darwin’s Frog – A Rare Encounter in Chile’s Valdivian Rainforest Deep within Chile’s Valdivian rainforest, where rain falls in patterns of gentle whispers and torrential waves, and where the forest floor glows a vibrant green beneath layers of fog, a tiny creature quietly tells one of nature’s most extraordinary stories. A really tiny creature, one with an average size of just 22 to 31mm. When researching Parque Futangue, I saw photos of the Darwin’s Frog (Ranita de Darwin) and was instantly drawn to learn more about this leaf-like little wonder. Because it’s listed as endangered, with some outlets even stating that it’s close to extinction, I assumed there would be no way I’d be lucky enough to photograph one on my ATWS pre-summit adventure with the Adventure Travel Trade Association and Sernature Chile. Then I met Felipe, our guide at Parque Futangue and a fellow photographer who shared images he’d captured during his years guiding in the park. While it could never be guaranteed, he explained that there was a chance we might encounter one along a specific guided trail within the reserve. I couldn’t put my MC-20 2x teleconverter on fast enough. A Frog Unlike Any Other...

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The Power of Community in Adventure Travel

Lisa Michele Burns — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:22:05 +0000

As the Chamamé music began on stage, supporting Mauricio Kusanovic of Las Torres Patagonia as he made his closing remarks at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Puerto Natales, Chile, I felt a sudden wave of emotion. I told myself, “Lisa, keep it together, be professional”, but looking around the room, one filled with industry leaders, media, and tourism operators, everyone was up on their feet, smiling, hugging and dancing. The emotion was shared, the kind that’s created from an immersive experience we all knew had been so special. It was my first time attending a summit, and while my emotions caught me off guard, it’s clear that bringing together a like-minded group of delegates in this way fuels connections, growth, and empowers change in an industry known for its ability to create experiences and positively impact communities far and wide. Two weeks prior, I had arrived in Chile expecting inspiration from the landscapes and nature. I’d visited the peaks of Torres del Paine National Park previously, and knew I was in for a treat when it came to exploring more of the country’s environmental diversity in Parque Futangue, for my pre-summit adventure. As someone who lingers on the introverted...

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Adventure, Art and Altiplano Wonders at Awasi Atacama

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 10:47:37 +0000

Visual Hotel Review: Awasi Atacama, San Pedro de Atacama There’s an atmosphere inside the walls of Awasi Atacama that’s hard to describe. A type of calm that allows you to breathe deeper and refresh. A warmth that makes you feel at home amongst carefully curated décor, cuisine and design. Then there’s the beautiful balance of immersive adventure, art and relaxation. It’s the type of place you’ll forever be grateful you stayed, somewhere so unlike anywhere else. For me, it was an artistic escape, a chance to explore the wildlife and natural wonders of the desert and Andean Altiplano, while focusing on my creative process, slowing things down and really taking the time to let it all soak in. Places like this are few and far between, and the Atacama Desert has continued to be somewhere that fuels my creativity, a stay at Awasi took that one step further. Take a peek at my experience below… ————- Let’s skip to the first evening, for which we’d arranged with our guide and private driver, Cecilia, to spend overlooking Lincancabur Volcano and the Mars Valley, just outside San Pedro de Atacama. Photographing sunset is something I always try and do on the first...

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Capturing High Resolution Images of the Andean Altiplano with the OM-1

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 11:57:56 +0000

Photographing with the High Res Mode in the Atacama Desert of Chile The Andean Altiplano in Chile presents a unique and striking landscape, characterised by its minimalistic scenery rich in texture with rock, salt, and sandy features. Based in San Pedro de Atacama, I recently spent a week photographing the Atacama Desert, and two days above 4500m on the Andean Altiplano, where it feels like you’re walking on another planet. Volcanoes towering above the plateaus, salt lakes providing a vivid colour palette and a combination of valleys, rocky outcrops and ridges…it’s a landscape I could stare at forever. Captivated by the area when I visited back in 2019, this time I was excited to have the possibility of shooting with the OM-1 MKII, using the high-res mode to shoot handheld with 50 megapixels. The feature is available across a number of the OM SYSTEM cameras, and it makes photographing landscapes a dream, adding extra details to work with editing, and also meaning you can avoid lugging a tripod around and still produce high resolution image files. Now, if you’ve been reading The Wandering Lens for a while, you’ll know I rarely travel with a tripod. For a while I used...

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In the Shadow of Patagonian Peaks: Hotel Las Torres

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 05:24:25 +0000

Torres del Paine Hotel Review – Hotel Las Torres Where horses roam outside your window beneath impressive mountain ranges. Where glacial water is blended into your evening cocktail at Chile’s first sustainable bar. And, where your days can be filled with photogenic adventures from sunrise to sunset. Welcome to Hotel Las Torres, my home whilst exploring Torres del Paine National Park. A traditional estancia and reserve that connects you with nature, Patagonian culture, and some of the best hiking trails in the world. Zipping up my jacket (all three of them in fact), I put my camera bag on my back, walked out the door and hit the trail to Mirador Las Torres. A comfortable base close to photogenic adventures in Torres del Paine National Park was exactly on my wish list, and Hotel Las Torres delivered on that, and so much more…let’s take a peek inside my 5-night stay. So much more than a hotel – Inside The Las Torres Reserve To explain more about the hotel, I think it’s important to first discuss the reserve in which it’s located, where you’ll find not only the hotel (where I stayed) and main restaurants, but mountain cabins, camping facilities, and...

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A Photographer’s Guide to Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia

Lisa Michele Burns — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 08:27:02 +0000

Photographing Patagonia – Torres del Paine National Park Patagonia is on the wish list of landscape photographers from all corners of the world. The frosted mountain peaks, world-class hiking trails, wilderness and culture draw us in as happy snappers keen to get amongst the elements and experience the outdoors with our cameras. Torres del Paine National Park falls on the Chilean side of Patagonia, where lakes, glaciers and alpine valleys combine to offer scenery that’s so spectacular it’s hard to know where to go first for sunrise or sunset! Having visited the region this past April to document every inch and viewpoint, I’m excited to share my tips on photographing this environmentally rich pocket of Patagonia. If you’re reading this and have been before, or want to share some comments after your upcoming trip, please share them in the comments at the end of this guide as it’ll help those planning to have advice from fellow travellers too. This guide will share advice on how to plan your trip to Torres del Paine National Park, Chile and where to photograph so you can map out your visit and make the most of your time photographing Patagonia. In additional guides to...

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Photographing the Lunar Landscapes of Valle de la Luna, Chile

Lisa Michele Burns — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 23:04:43 +0000

Landscape Photography Adventures in Valle de la Luna, Chile. Declared a natural sanctuary in 1982, Chile’s Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) is home to an other-worldly landscape of salt flats, craters, sand dunes and rock formations. Located in the Atacama Desert, the dry lunar like landscape attracts nature lovers year round and is inspiring from the first glimpse of its rugged beauty. Photographers, you need to add this to your wish list. Sitting at 2550metres above sea level, this natural wonder is simply extraordinary with endless patterns, shapes and colours resulting in composition possibilities in all directions. Carved by the elements over centuries, the weathered landscapes are impacted by wind patterns and the extreme climate of its geography within the driest desert on earth. I recently visited in May when the nights were chilly and days a perfect blend of sunshine and cool air. The Atacama Desert has over 300 days of sunshine and it’s this fact combined with extremely low humidity levels that result in ideal conditions for photographers and visibility for miles. Where to Photograph the Valle de la Luna To really capture the beauty of the valley, you’ll need to base yourself in...

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Visual Hotel Review – Alto Atacama Desert Lodge, Chile

Lisa Michele Burns — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 08:37:56 +0000

A luxury adventure stay at San Pedro de Atacama On approach to Alto Atacama, my eyes were glued to the window and mouth stuck in the wow position, stunned by the Mars-like scenery we were driving through. Smacking my jet lagged face with a dollop of reality, the fact I had just arrived at the driest desert on earth really hit home and a rush of inspiration and adrenaline suddenly took over. Chlie’s Atacama Desert has an average rainfall of mere millimeters each year, making it the driest place on earth wedged between the Andes and Chilean Coastal Mountains in a rain shadow. Due to the other worldly formations found in this region, it’s a popular destination for landscape photographers and it was this reason, paired with the climate project I’m working on that brought me to the Alto Atacama Desert Lodge and Spa. While searching for somewhere remote that had the ability to help with logistics for reaching certain areas I was keen to photograph, I stumbled upon this gem. It just so happens to be one of the most luxurious, eco friendly and private locations in San Pedro de Atacama, completely enveloped by natural surroundings in the Catarpe...

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Photographing with the E-M1X in the Driest Desert on Earth

Lisa Michele Burns — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 05:53:28 +0000

The Olympus E-M1X at work in the Atacama Desert, Chile Dust, sandstorms, chilly conditions and contrasting extreme heat are all factors that come into play when photographing in one of the driest places on earth. Chile’s Atacama Desert is known as the driest non-polar location in the world, with some areas never receiving a drop of rainfall in over 57 years. It’s dry, vast and oh so photogenic. With the E-M1X built with industry leading weather proofing, I put it to the test in San Pedro de Atacama, a great base for exploring the other worldly landscapes of the desert. From salt flats to volcanic skylines the area is a photographer’s playground of all things naturally beautiful, carved by strong winds and intense weather conditions. When photographing in locations like this it’s essential to have gear that can withstand a little tough love. Knowing that the Olympus OM-D E-M1X can handle almost anything meant I could focus on composing my shots without worrying if the dunes were whipping up sand or if I needed to rest the camera on the salt flats while photographing flamingos. The diversity that exists in the Atacama Desert is almost unbelievable. A place where you’d...

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Behind the Scenes: Hiking in Kari Gorge, Atacama Desert

Lisa Michele Burns — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:27:27 +0000

Crackling walls of salt crystals and sand dunes… Standing on the edge of the Salt Mountain range, we peered into the valley below where patterns weaved throughout a dry, river floor. Rugged, rocky, part desert and part alpine it’s a bizarre scene to step into… Volcanoes feature across the skyline and jagged rocks fill the foreground. Shades vary from earthy red to brilliant white, a crusted carpet of salt, one of the ever present scenes in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Trying not to lag behind while taking photos, I kept telling myself to get a wriggle on despite the urge to fill an entire memory card within metres of the trail starting. The landscapes of the Atacama Desert are simply mesmerising and this hike had been recommended very highly by the team Alto Atacama so I knew I was in for something special further along the path… Kari Gorge lies within the Salt Mountain range near the village of San Pedro de Atacama and shares a landscape with the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). The hiking trail kicks off just a short drive from the main highway, venturing along the valley rim then veering down toward the dried...

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