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Birding ChileQuest for the endemics and specialties of mediterranean Chile, the Lake District, Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego. We will bird throughout the most scenic areas of the country and a wide range of habitats, including mountain areas, rocky seashores, oceanic waters, scrubby slopes, broadlead woodlands, temperate and sub-Antarctic forests and wind-swept steppes and islands. Discover the birdlife of Chile in the hands of a Chilean-based company and the expertise and field skills of highly experienced local guides. Birding Chile is an exciting birdwatching journey designed to discover the endemics and specialties of this long and narrow 'biogeographical island' of nearly 3,000 miles long and to explore and enjoy of its marvelous landscapes, excellent infrastructure, great cuisine and fabulous wines. Chile is a land of huge contrasts, truly a geographic extravaganza. On this birding adventure we will explore Chile's incredibly rainforests, the windswept steppes of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia, to the impressive lakes and volcanoes of south-central Chile, our search for the avian specialties of this long and narrow country will take us from the high Andes to the cold and productive waters of the Humboldt Current. We will find many interesting species, some of them with very restricted distributional ranges and some that are little known outside of Chile. Chile is politically and economically the most stable country in South America and its natives are very friendly with foreigners. ItineraryDay 1 • Saturday | Arrival to Santiago during the morning (before 11am) - Afternoon trip to Farellones and Valle Nevado After your arrival to Santiago airport and meet your birding guide, you will be transferred to your hotel. During the afternoon we will search in the vicinity of Farellones for several Andean species including Mountain Caracara, White-sided Hillstar, Rufous-banded and Creamy-rumped Miners, Cinereous, Black-fronted, White-browed and Rufous-naped Ground-tyrants plus Greater Yellow-Finch, Grey-hooded and Band-tailed Sierra-Finch. We will also look for the endemic Chilean Tinamou and Chilean Mockingbird and we might have the chance of seeing Red-backed (Variable) Hawk and Aplomado Falcon. Day 2 • Sunday | Lampa marshes and Central coast - Aconcagua rivermouth Early in the morning we will drive a short distance north to visit some marshes. Here our targets will be South American Painted Snipe, Rosy-billed Pochard, White-cheeked Pintail and Cocoi Heron. Later on, we will head westward to visit the scenic Chile’s Pacific coast and the productive rocky coast north of Valparaíso. Here we shall search for the endemic Chilean Seaside Cinclodes and endemic seabirds of the Humboldt Current such as Red-legged and Guanay Cormorants, Peruvian Booby, Grey Gull and the stunning Inca Tern. During the afternoon we will continue exploring the coastal areas, visiting a protected breeding colony of Humboldt Penguin; we hope to be able to see here the scarce and range-restricted Southern Sea Otter. Before ending the day will stop in a coastal marsh to see a variety of waterfowl including Red Shoveler, Yellowbilled Pintail, Speckled Teal and Chiloe Wigeon, all three lowland coot species, Spot-flanked Gallinule and Plumbeous Rail, which surprisingly is a rallid quite easy to spot as often walks in the open. Hotel Yachting, Quintero (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 3 • Monday | La Campana National Park and Central coast Early in the morning, we will visit La Campana National Park, where we will look for an interesting array of passerines, all endemic to Chile, Dusky-tailed Canastero, Moustached Turca, Dusky Tapaculo and White-throated Tapaculo. We are also likely to encounter the remarkable Giant Hummingbird, Striped Woodpecker, Austral Pygmy Owl and Chilean Pigeon. Hotel Yachting, Quintero (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 4 • Tuesday | Pelagic trip from Valparaíso - Laguna El Peral Nature Reserve Today we will make an unforgettable visit to the cold waters of the Humboldt Current, considered to be one of the world’s finest pelagic birding locations. We can expect to see a great variety of tubenoses such as Black-browed and Salvin’s Albatrosses. On recent trips we have often recorded Buller’s, Chatham, Wandering (Antipodean) and both Northern and Southern Royal albatrosses. We should also find Southern and Northern Giant Petrels, Pintado, Masatierra, White-chinned and Westland Petrels, Pink-footed, Buller’s and Sooty Shearwaters, Wilson’s Storm-petrel, and Peruvian Diving-Petrel. Other seabirds we may encounter include Red (Grey) Phalaropes, Sabine’s Gulls and Chilean Skuas. During the afternoon we will visit the Maipo rivermouth and surrounding coastal wetlands, including the exceptional El Peral Nature Reserve, where we will concentrate in finding the cryptic-coloured Stripe-backed Bittern, the brood-parasitic Black-headed Duck and the striking Many-colored Rush-Tyrant. We will also have a chance to find the scarce and local Warbling Doradito. Hotel Galerías or similar, Santiago (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 5 • Wednesday | El Yeso Valley We will have a full day exploring the surroundings of El Yeso reservoir in the Andean foothills, where will hopefully be rewarded with sightings of the endemic Crag Chilia plus our first Andean Condors, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, and several other Andean specialities such as Black-winged Ground-Dove, Grey-flanked Cinclodes, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant and Yellow-rumped Siskin. Careful scanning of grasslands and streams may produce the stunning Diademed Sandpiper-plover, our main target species for the day. This is a lovely mountain spot where we will also have chances for flocking Mountain Parakeets. Hotel Galerías or similar, Santiago (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 6 • Thursday | Drive to Talca and Vilches Alto - Altos de Lircay Nature Reserve Early in the morning we will continue our exploration south of Santiago to seek forest-dwelling birds of the Andean slopes. Among others, today we shall be seeking for Rufous-legged Owl, Magellanic Woodpecker, White-throated Treerunner and quasi-endemic Chestnut-throated Huet-huet. Along the road we will find the opportunity to observe the largest of the tyrantflycatchers, the Great Shrike-tyrant. Complejo Turístico El Roble, Vilches Alto (2*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 7 • Friday | Altos de Lircay Nature Reserve - Colbun Lake - Drive to Santiago While exploring an Andean reservoir, our search will concentrate on the endemic Dusky Tapaculo and the threatened Chilean race of the Burrowing Parrot, which usually congregates in noisy flocks. After an enjoyable morning birding in the beautiful temperate forests of Vilches Altos, will be transferred to Santiago. Hotel Galerías or similar, Santiago (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 8 • Saturday | Morning flight to Puerto Montt - Llanquihue Lake - Drive to Puyehue National Park Today we will take a short flight southwards to Puerto Montt, the entrance to Chile’s Lake District. The grasslands, orchards and meadows are ideal for Black-faced Ibis, the endemic Slender-billed Parakeet, Chilean Flicker, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, Common Diuca-Finch and Grassland Yellow-Finch. During the afternoon we will aim to Puyehue National Park where we will attempt to find Black-throated Huet-huet, Ochre-flanked Tapaculo, Des Murs Wiretail and the local and rare Rufous-tailed Hawk. Hotel Antillanca, Puyehue (3*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 9 • Sunday | Puyehue National Park The sight of these magnificent temperate rainforests amidst the fantastic mountain backdrop is simple breathtaking. Here we will search for Green-backed Firecrown, White-throated Treerunner, White-crested Elaenia, Patagonian Tyrant plus other specialties of the Nothofagus forests. Hotel Antillanca, Puyehue (3*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 10 • Monday | Drive to Puerto Montt - Coastal mudflats This morning we will explore again the park’s lush rainforests in search of skulking tapaculos. During the afternoon we will be transferred to Puerto Montt. We will scan the intertidal mudflats south of Puerto Montt in search of wintering flocks of Hudsonian Godwits, Red Knots and Sanderlings plus the stocky Flightless Steamer-Duck, big flocks of Black-necked Swans and Silvery Grebes and solitary individuals of the local Snowy-crowned (Trudeau’s) Tern. Hotel Club Presidente, Puerto Montt (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 11 • Tuesday | Morning flight to Punta Arenas - San Juan area This morning we will take our fight to Punta Arenas, Chile’s southernmost city. This can be a truly enjoyable plane journey as will fly over seemingly endless Patagonian icecaps, deep fjords and the rugged peaks of the southern Andes. We will bird along the coast of the Straits of Magellan looking for Flying Steamer and Crested Ducks, Kelp Goose, King and Rock Cormorant and Magellanic Oystercatcher. Hotel Diego de Almagro, Punta Arenas (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 12 • Wednesday | Ferry crossing to Tierra del Fuego - Laguna Verde and Bahía Inútil On our crossing to Porvenir in Tierra del Fuego, by ferry, we will enjoy the company of Black-browed Albatrosses and Southern Giant Petrels and the views of Magellanic Diving-Petrel. Among our target species in Tierra del Fuego will be interesting shorebirds such as Two-banded and Magellanic Plovers and Rufous-chested Dotterel. Then we will explore the shrubby slopes and moorland of the Baquedano Hills, as we search for specialties such as Magellanic Horned Owl, Austral Canastero and the stunning Black-throated Finch. Hostería Yendegaia, Porvenir (3*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 13 • Thursday | Ferry crossing to mainland - Pali Aike road Today we will cross the windswept steppes of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia in search of its specialties including Ruddyheaded Goose, Least Seedsnipe, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Short-billed Miner, Band-tailed Earthcreeper and Chocolatevented Tyrant. A short ferry ride will allow us to be on mainland once again and if we are lucky to see the striking Commerson’s Dolphin following the wake. Chilean Flamingos, Upland Goose, Coscoroba Swans, Silver Teal plus thousands of waders such as Wilson’s Phalarope, Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers will be common at the roadside wetlands while we explore and enjoy of the beauty of this “big sky” open country. On the journey, we should encounter Lesser Rhea, Cinereous Harrier, Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant and Patagonian Mockingbird. Hotel Diego de Almagro, Punta Arenas (4*). (B,L,D)(G). Day 14 • Friday | Morning trip to Otway Sound - Afternoon flight to Santiago - End of the trip This morning we will visit the Magellanic Penguin rookery at Otway Sound. In the rocky shores we will look for Dolphin Gulls. We will be back to Punta Arenas to take a flight towards Santiago, where our trip will end. (B)(G). Codes: B=Breakfast; L=Lunch/Box-lunch; D=Dinner; G=Guide; *=Hotel Category. |
Itinerary: Duration: 14 days Limit: 4 - 8 Date: on request Start: Santiago End: Santiago Price: on request
Price_Includes: Meals Accommodation Guiding fees Entrance fees All transport while on tour Pelagic trip off Valparaiso (c. 6 hours) Two ferry rides Park entrance fees Price_Excludes: International flights Domestic flights (add app. $375 for 3 in-country flight package) Entrance tax to Chile Items of a personal nature, e.g. gifts Laundry Personal insurance Gratuities
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