Rex Bryngelson
Rex is the owner and founder of Patagoniaphoto.com and has called Patagonia home for close to 30 years. Originally from Minnesota, Rex spent many years in Alaska working as a wilderness guide before being lured to Chile in 1988 to work as a river guide on the famed Rio Bio Bio. Soon afterwards Rex began guiding fly fishermen in Chile's remote Patagonian region of Aysen and is recognized as a pioneer of that now flourishing industry. His many years of outdoor experience in Patagonia, Alaska and throughout North and South America make him fully capable of leading just about any type of wilderness adventure. Rex holds a bachelor's degree in Geology from Humboldt State University.
Rex has a 40-year background in photography and his images and writing have appeared in publications such as: National Geographic Adventure, Sports Illustrated, Field and Stream, Fly Rod & Reel, Trout and Salmon, Paddler Magazine and in ads and catalogs for companies such as Patagonia, Wilderness Travel and Mountain Travel/Sobek. View Rex's photography on Smugmug.
In 1994 Rex opened a fly fishing lodge along a peaceful river in a remote corner of Chilean Patagonia, La Posada de los Farios (The Inn of the Brown Trout) which he continues to operate during the summer months along with his lovely Chilean wife Maike. Patagoniaphoto.com is his latest venture intended to allow him to further pursue and develop his other life-long passion of Photography. Rex is fluent in "Chilean" Spanish (unique in its own right!) and this combined with his intimate knowledge of Patagonia's geography, natural history and people make him an ideal guide.
Rex in Torres del Paine National Park
Local guides we use
Andre Labarca
Andre Labarca - Torres del Paine, Chile
Andre is a highly sought after trekking guide and naturalist who made his way to Patagonia over 20 years ago, fell in love, and never left. An accomplished mountaineer, Andre has participated in many climbing expeditions throughout Patagonia and beyond, including several first ascents, and has summited all 3 of the famed "Towers" in Torres del Paine. (Here on the summit of Torre Sur).
Andre is highly knowledgable about all things Patagonia and our clients often refer to him as the "walking encyclopedia". His love and enthusiasm for the region is highly contagious. Although Andre doesn't consider himself a photographer per se, his vast understanding of the geography, natural history, wildlife, and people of Patagonia, and the specifics of what photographers are looking for, means he'll put you in the right locations at the right times for getting great images.
Diego Punta Fernandez
Diego Punta Fernandez - Fitroy, Argentina
Diego lives in El Chalten, Argentina at the base of the Fitzroy Range and is an active birder, naturalist guide and professional photographer. Growing up in Buenos Aires, Diego studied Photography and Natural History before moving to Patagonia in 1998. He is an enthusiastic member of Aves Argentinas (BirdLife in Argentina) and makes several trips each year searching out birds in Argentina's Santa Cruz Province and is involved with many other conservation projects throughout Argentina. Diego has published several high quality photographic guides on the flora, fauna and geography of Patagonia and Antarctica through his company www.49southphoto.com
Diego was on the staff at Los Glaciares National Park for 4 years and is now an independent licensed trekking guide and certified First Responder, leading trekking, birding, and photographic trips throughout Southern Patagonia and more recently in Antarctica as well. Diego is fluent in English, has an enjoyable easy-going style and possesses a truly vast and intimate knowledge of Patagonia that our tour participants greatly appreciate.
Rodrigo Lizama
Rodrigo Lizama - Torres del Paine, Chile
Rodrigo was born and raised in Puerto Natales, gateway to the famed Torres del Paine National Park, where he still lives today along with his lovely wife and 3 young children. For over 20 years he and his father have operated a small tourism and transportation company that is now recognized as among the very best in the business providing high quality transportation service for some of World's leading adventure travel companies such as Mt Travel/Sobek, National Geographic Adventures and, of course, Patagoniaphoto.com.
Apart from being a very safe and highly skilled driver, Rod is also an extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic naturalist/guide with a passion for photography. Torres del Paine is his back yard and he knows the intricacies of country and it's inhabitants like few others. Our guests truly enjoy his keen sense of humor and easy going no worries style of guiding.
Alejandro Galilea
Alejandro Galilea - Aysen Region, Chile
Alejandro or “Jano” was born and raised in the remote region of Aysen in Chilean Patagonia. His family are the owners of the Estancia Punta del Monte near the Argentine border. In recent years the estancia has become renowned for being a great spot for viewing and photographing Condors and Alejandro has guided hundred of guests to visit the 2 main “Condoreras” located within the estancia. Rex likes to call him “The Condor Whisperer”. His intimate knowledge of the area and easy going demeanor is always a hit with our guests. Alejandro also has a strong interest and knowledge of the indigenous Tehuelche peoples that inhabited these lands in past centuries. He is also a pilot and talented artist specializing in paintings of horses.
Maria Cecilia Costa
Cecilia Costa - Fitzroy, Argentina
Cecilia is a professional trekking guide, photographer and birder from Argentina who since 1998 has made her home in the small town of El Chalten at the base of the famed Fitzroy Massif. She is originally from Buenos Aires where she studied math education, natural sciences and photography. She is the founder of the El Chalten Birder's Club and has published several high-quality field guides on the flora and fauna of Patagonia. She's an astute naturalist that would have made Darwin proud and perhaps even could have taught him a thing or two!
Cecilia is a licensed trekking guide for Los Glaciares National Park and certified Wilderness First Responder and during the summer months is highly sought after as a leader for trekking, birding and photography tours throughout Patagonia. Cecilia is a fun and truly talented professional guide who loves to share her intimate knowledge of southern Patagonia with our guests.
Luciano Cortez
Lucho Cortez - Fitzroy, Argentina
Lucho lives in the small enclave of El Chalten at the base of the Fitzroy Massif in Argentina. He is a certified professional AAGM mountain and trekking guide and for over 20 years has been involved in many types of outdoor expeditions in Patagonia and beyond. He has been to the summit of Cerro Fitz Roy, traversed the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, climbed in Bolivia’s Cordillera Real, climbed in the Swiss Alps and in the Yosemite Valley of California. Lucho is also an avid skier and kayaker and photographer.