HIGHLIGHTS SEASON 2010 / 2011 (II)

Darwin, Textiles, Ice and Wildlife (II)

Darwin Footsteps I  (Novembre 1st - November 17th 2010 - Cloud Ridge Naturalist Private Tour )
Patagonian Argentine coast and Tierra del Fuego Island

Darwin's and Fitz Roy first edition of "Voyage of the Beagle" Private Collection from the Museo del Fin del Mundo - Ushuaia -

Puerto Deseado -Sea Lion colony near Isla Pingüino

Santa Cruz River close to it's Lago Argentino origins

Beetle at the patagonian steppe

Choique or Darwin's Rhea

Group listening to a field lecture from Dr. Dee Boersma at Isla Martillo Beagle Channel

Albatros Monument at Cape Horn

Footprints of ancient glaciers - Upsala Glacier

Group sailing betwen islands at Bahia Bustamante - Atlantic Patagonian Coast

The "Clock Stone" Darwin's camp upstream Rio Deseado



Magellanic Penguins at Isla Magdalena, Strait of Magellan

Marine Fossils in the Andes

Commerson's Dolphin at Ria Deseado

Whulaia - Beagle camp at Tierra del Fuego

Beagle Channel

Whulaia - Beagle Channel



Patagonian Grey Fox



Dates 2011 - Darwin Footsteps II Chilean Coast, Torres del Paine N.P. and Chiloe Island 

(December 3rd to December 18th - Private Tour for Cloud Ridge Naturalist)

HIGHLIGHT SEASON 2010/11

Darwin, Textiles, Ice and Wildlife

Especially designed custom trips make a “whale” of a season for Carol and me.
Enjoyable, diverse, thematic, intense, and rewarding -not only for us or our travelers-

but for all the people who gave us their services, hospitality and knowledge at every place we visit…

And believe me; some were far beyond of the beaten path.

Enjoy our photographic report.

Weaving Andean Stories (October 15-30, 2010)
Tracing Argentina's Cultural Heritage and Textiles
 

Learning from mapuche artisans in Gualjaina - Patagonia

Local mapuche artisan

Piedra Parada - Patagonian steppe

A genuine vicuña scarf must pass through a ring Jujuy Northwest Argentina

Landscape at Quebrada de Humahuaca - Jujuy Northwest Argentina

Mapuche designs - Patagonia

Cloud Ridge Director learning textile techniques

  The textile group enjoying pristine landscapes

 
2011 Tours - OCTOBER 21st to NOVEMBER 4th - Small group departure, limited space still available
NOVEMBER 13th to NOVEMBER 27th Cloud Ridge Naturalist Private Tour

Enjoy and learn with Carol and native artisans from NorthWest and SouthWest Argentina our rich cultural heritage!
 
(Next -Darwin Footstepes I)

Causana's New Web

Live Life…


Causana’s new web site is published: www.causana.com

Thirty years ago we adopted Patagonia as our home. All those years we have actively worked in tourism and nature conservation. At the beginning as park ranger and tour guides -later, the second half (fifteen years)- through Causana Viajes, emphasizing the practices of ecotourism and responsible tourism as principal objective.

We are proud of that because -not without effort- so far we have “survived” and maintain our philosophy by doing what we know. Work as we feel we have to work: giving quality, knowledge, and rewarding experiences. Economic facts are important, but for true travelers, the experience is what matters most.

Young people who were trained by us started to work as guides and tour leaders. Today we have a selected team who work with us; some of them out in the field, and others at the office.

We invite you to travel with us discovering and exploring the vast and diverse southern portion of South America: The mystery and solitude of Patagonia, the rough seas and mighty Andes Mountains, giant glaciers, endless steppes. To the north, the chromatic color of the Atacama Desert, the high plateau of the Puna; or the powerful waters of Iguazu Falls, and exuberance of the dense subtropical forest. Leaving mainland the exotic mystery of Eastern Island, awaits to mesmerize you with the incognita of ancient civilization. Or across the rough Drake Passage the incomparable visit to Antarctica, the last continent… In this incomparable scenery –like actors on stage-, the presence of unusual wildlife interacting for centuries with man and his culture, enrich your whole travel experience...

More than 25 years of traveling give us the right to say we know our land, and testimony of our passengers –some of them who traveled more than five times with us- emphasize that.


See our programs and select your next adventure to the end of the world.


We await your visit!

Walking with Whales II

Hearing the whales

“Long time ago I read, in an article from an old natural history magazine, that Inuits –in the Arctic- have a place were they go “to hear the whales…” Seated on the pebble beach -located only a few kilometers from the city of Puerto Madryn, in Patagonia- I remembered that article and smiled grateful. The Southern Right Whales swim in front of me only a few meters from the coast. I can see their evolutions, their behavior, hear their voices and –also occasionally- smell their breath…”

(From Dinosaurios “Relatos y Sueños de un Guardafauna by Carlos A. Passera)

Last year I wrote in this blog a post called “Walking with Whales”. Again I feel the need to share a bit of that incredible experience of being so intimate with the whales. Nothing, photos or descriptions, can explain the privilege of that incomparable rendezvous with them. But let me try again. Since April to end of October we go almost every day to the beach called El Doradillo –distant only 17 kilometers from the city of Puerto Madryn- to enjoy the gentle giants: the Southern Right Whales. Year after year the feelings are the same: astonishment, fascination, harmony and gratitude… Even though we are enormouslly privileged to rise every morning and see the whales through the window of our home in the city, and spy them at any time during the day on our way to the bank or doing shopping or driving to work, going to El Doradillo is a balsam.

Not one or two whales living freely their lives, no, dozens of them pass by in front of the people, no further than 5 to 10 meters from the shore. Nursing their calves, mating, breaching, lob tailing, doing –not more and surely not less- than living their own life.

Enjoy the photographs.
Carlos & Carol Passera Photos: Carlos & Carol Whale season at Peninsula Valdes: End of April to end of November; At El Doradillo area and from Puerto Madryn waterfront end of April to end of September.

PEREGRINE Falcon

Our visitor

This years regular visitor is a young Peregrine falcon, in this picture we took from our window 10 days ago, you can see it is already molting to adult plumage. Peregrine falcons are sexually mature at the end of their first year of life but they tend to reproduce between the age of two and three. The male courtship flight consists of flying in a series of spirals forming an eight shape and he offers his female prey as a gift. They mate for life and return to the same nest year after year. It nests on shelves on cliffs; lay between 2 and 4 creamy colored eggs. The female incubates the eggs for a month; the male provides the female and chicks with food.

I have watched a peregrine falcon attack and eat a Crested Duck but the one nesting near Puerto Madryn feed on seabirds, such as South American Terns and Rock Doves which abound in the city. This bird likes to perch on the corner of our terrace and we feel our heart stop when we are lucky enough to be at home when it does stop by. We also want to share the beautiful sunset and moons we get to see from our home. Carol & Carlos Passera

NEW OLD CAUSANA

RELOADED

After a few months of doubtful introspection we return to our communication through our blog. The world wide economic debacle changed many things. Traveler’s ways of choosing their trips too… We tried hard to adapt our travel offers to the situation, but in many cases that meant less quality. Disappointed with the general panorama, the politicians point of view (massive tourism in the natural areas), and greedy behavior of colleagues, we took time to re-think our idea of working with tourism.

Our new web site reflects some of that, but essentially we decided to do what we know. Work as we feel we have to work: giving quality, knowledge, and rewarding experiences. Economic facts are important, but for true travelers, the experience is what matters most. A recent trip to Mongolia –probably the last free land on earth- inspired us to go deeper in our way of designing our travel programs. Beyond the unbeaten path there is a different Argentina. Culture, landscapes, people, colors, smells, nature, wildlife… All is there waiting for the avid true traveler.

Practicing Responsible Tourism is our goal, and our next October trip “Weaving Andean History” an example of the New-Old way of travel for Causana Viajes. Especially designed by Carol, for our old friend Audrey Benedict from Cloud Ridge Naturalists, the trip emphasizes in the ancient weaving tradition of Argentina. The trip roams from the Northwest to Patagonia, learning the different techniques of each region. The Inca influence at the North and the Tehuelche and Mapuche aborigine practice in the South. The voyage visits little towns, textile cooperatives, some of them way out of the touristy routes, and takes a look at the new mixture between designers who use the ancient techniques for new fashion models.

With your help we want to repeat this travel experience every year to help people of the communities. This and others trips are waiting for you. Until our new web site is finished, we update you through our blog. Carol & Carlos