chile birding tours

Birding and Wildlife Trips in Chile

As a specialized company devoted exclusively to birdwatching, we offer an ample diversity of Birding and Wildlife Trips in Chile, an incredibly diverse country comprising a variety of landscapes from the majestic Northern Altiplano and Atacama desert to the stunningly beautiful Chilean Fjords, evergreen Subantarctic Southern Beech woods, Mediterranean forests, coastal wetlands, seashore, coastal range forest, Andean mountain valleys and bogs, Pacific ocean, in short, an array of environments as contrasting as Chile´s breathtaking geography, plus the chance to take a customized, tailor-made Trip designed to meet your most particular birding demands.

We kindly invite you to go through our web site, inform yourself about everything we have to show you and get ready for a birdwatching experience to remember.

The Heart of Chile

Central Chile

Pincoya Storm-Petrel Expedition

Birding Chile

Total Chile: From Atacama Desert to Patagonia & Tierra del Fuego

Pelagic Trips to the Humboldt Current

Tailor-Made Trips

Special programs: day trips.

DAY TRIPS around Santiago and Valparaiso/Viña del Mar. Depending on the available time, we offer the following Half- and Full-Day Programs:

Expedición Brasil 2024

Central Chilean Andes

Coastal Range & Mediterranean Forest

Seashore & Coastal Wetlands

Birdwatching Chile Trips - From Northern Atacama to Southern Patagonia and from the Andes to the Pacific Ocean & the Humboldt Current:

Upcoming Trips

Oct 05 • Expedición Brasil 2024

Jun 02 • Chile-Peru Pacific Slope, Pre-Puna & High Andean Plateau

May 20 • Atacama Desert & Altiplano

Jun 29 • Pelagic Trips to the Humboldt Current

UPCUMING TRIP INFO

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Chile: The Classic Tour

From the Atacama Desert and rich waters of the Humboldt Current to the wilds of Patagonia and the Strait of Magellan; from ancient forests of Nothofagus beech to puna grasslands below the snow-mantled peaks of the highest Andes; and from the reigning Andean Condor to the endemic Crag Chilia, Chile is a land of awesome beauty and home to an avifauna largely restricted to the southern latitudes of South America. We'll visit several of Chile's major parks and reserves as we bird each of the distinctive vegetational and altitudinal zones from the Peruvian border to the gorgeous Lake District, continuing to the tip of the continent, Tierra del Fuego. The trip includes a very birdy pelagic and two comfortable ferry crossings. (Chile is such a long country that it's hard to show detail in a small map; click on the small tour map here for a larger one where you can see more detail.)

Our tour will record approximately 270 species of birds, among these widespread southern species; but there are also many others that are little known or of very local distribution. Some include the recently rediscovered Austral Rail, Magellanic Plover, the much-wanted Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Rufous-legged Owl, Slender-billed Parakeet, Chilean Woodstar, the incredible Magellanic Woodpecker, and the many special tapaculos--the huet-huets, Turca, and Chucao. Join us this year for a second spring--this one in Chile!

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

Client comment "Willy is a fantastic personality and a dynamic guide. When energy, good humor, professional conduct, interest in guests, and natural history knowledge are distilled in a guide, you get a Willy Perez. Host, story-teller, and bird finder -- that is Willy. Whenever possible, I will preferentially seek tours with Willy and Field Guides. Although this is only my second tour with Willy, it will not be the last. "Chile with Willy" was a top-drawer experience. Field Guides ranks at the top compared to my experience with other organizations and companies." L.S., CHILE

Other Tours in CHILE

Itineraries • tour status • details • space requests.

• 2025 (PDF expected Feb 2025)

DEPARTURES • We have 3 departures currently scheduled through 2026, with details including limits, guides, fees, and space available listed below.

Nov 15 - Dec 5, 2024 Guided by: Willy Perez & local guide Tour Manager: Christine Boilard Tour Limit: 12 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: $10075 Deposit: $1000 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Nov 7-27, 2025 Guided by: Willy Perez & local guide Tour Manager: Christine Boilard Tour Limit: 12 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$10075 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Nov 6-26, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 12 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$10075 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Enjoy looking through the 5 most recent Field Guides triplists for this tour linked below!

• 2023 (Nov departure guided by Willy Perez)
• 2022 (Nov departure guided by Willy Perez)
• 2019 (Nov departure guided by Willy Perez)
• 2018 (Nov departure guided by Willy Perez)
• 2017 (Nov departure guided by Willy Perez & Megan Edwards Crewe)

• Nature & Adventure Tours
• Wildlife & Birding Tours
• SUSTAINABILITY

• North & Altiplano

From the Pacific coast to the highland lakes, salt flats, wetlands, and the Atacama desert, the driest in the world.

• Central Chile

Its valleys are crossed by large rivers and concentrate a large proportion of the country's population, as well as the agricultural and wine production. The central Andes are high and imposing and the Pacific coast with the Humboldt Current is home to rich bird life and unique ecosystems.

The ancestral territory of the Mapuche culture, with large lakes and mountains covered with Araucaria forests.

Lake District & Chiloé Island

This is an area of large lakes, temperate-rainy forests, imposing volcanoes, and rivers with amazing biodiversity. The island of Chiloé is full of wetlands, myths, legends, and cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO.

• Carretera Austral

This route is the gateway to Chilean Patagonia. It goes through National Parks, ancient alerce forests, glaciers, steppes, and Patagonian fjords.

• South Patagonia

This is the southernmost area of the American continent. A cold land with strong winds, covered with extensive Patagonian steppes, fjords, glaciers and subantarctic forests.

• Route of the Parks of Patagonia

This route runs through 17 National Parks, through the Carretera Austral, the Patagonian fjords, and the Route of the end of the world.

Destination

• Lake Distric & Chiloé Island

Travel for Rewilding

Experiences in nature, expeditions and nature trips throughout chile, since 2009., immersion in nature, bird and wildlife observation, rewilding, adventure travel, culture, and communities., the highest standards of sustainability in operations and expedition guidance., active commitment to the conservation of ecosystems and support for local communities..

Offical partner

North & Altiplano, Central Chile, Lake District & Chiloé Island, South Patagonia, Route of the Parks of Patagonia

Birds of chile. from desert to ice.

Birds of Chile, from desert to ice, is a unique and the most complete birding adventure through one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth. Birds will take us from the high Andean plateau at the edge of the dries desert in the world to the fertile valleys, the sclerophyll forests and the rich Humboldt Current in the central Pacific coast where we will enjoy one of the most productive pelagic trips of the southern hemisphere.

The dramatic changes in the landscapes get their clima...

Lake District & Chiloé Island

Wildlife of chiloe & lake district.

An exclusive and carefully crafted adventure to explore the best hotspots off the beating path and enjoy the unique wildlife of the south of Chile. We will cover an impressive array of ecosystems, from large wetlands facing the Pacific ocean to exuberant and dense temperate rainforest near the Andes and the volcanoes line, to finally reach the most remote and wild section of the main island of the Chiloé archipelago where the ocean embrace the forest and wildlife have a vast area to s...

Lake District

Schedule three lakes and volcanoes crossing.

An exclusive and carefully crafted trekking adventure connecting three lakes and three volcanoes threw off the beaten trails of the Lakes District. An epic journey that combines a wide array of experiences: Trekking through the north face of the Osorno Volcano, a boat navigation through the emerald waters of the Lake Todos Los Santos, a two day trekking to cross the valley of the Puntiagudo Volcano and a final hot spring experience at the shore of the Lake Rupanco and the base of the Ca...

Testimonials

For thoroughly organised, completely trouble free trips with a highly knowledgeable and personable guide, I would highly recommend BirdsChile

We had a fantastic trip from the journey to the return to the airport. Everything was professional, well run but still friendly and had a nice casual enjoyable atmosphere

Birds Chile not only provided great days out but also clearly support local sustainable tourism and conservation. Highly recommended

Travel to Rewild & Giving Back

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Chile Birding Tours

With 429 bird species, Chile offers exceptional birding with unique avifauna, featuring a wealth of sought-after species

Situated along the western edge of South America, Chile stretches like a narrow ribbon, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the towering Andes Mountains to the east. This geographically diverse country boasts an extraordinary range of landscapes, from the arid expanses of the Atacama Desert in the north to the pristine fjords and glaciers of Patagonia in the south. Chile’s unique geography, extending over 4,300 kilometers (2,670 miles), offers an unparalleled variety of ecosystems, making it a captivating destination for birding

With 429 bird species, including 14 endemics Chile offers exceptional birding with a unique avifauna, featuring a wealth of high-quality species, including sought-after endemics and regional specialties. The country’s coastlines attract impressive seabirds, waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds. What truly sets Chile apart is its distinction as the ‘Land of the Mega-Tapaculos.’ In the Valdivian temperate rainforest, pint-sized Black-throated and Chestnut-throated Huet Huets create a spectacle, accompanied by the bold Chacao and White-throated Tapaculos, and the courageous Moustached Turcas. This diverse range of tapaculos adds a distinctive charm to Chile’s birding experience.

Chile’s breathtaking scenery is widely acclaimed as among the world’s finest. Once you’ve immersed yourself in its awe-inspiring magnificence, it becomes challenging to envision surpassing such splendor. The country hosts some of South America’s most beautiful and meticulously maintained national parks, preserving a rich array of habitats and wildlife.

Beyond its natural wonders, Chile stands as a modern, well-developed nation, ensuring that exploration is a delightful experience. From the smallest towns to the capital, Santiago, cleanliness, safety, and attractiveness prevail. The well-connected network of good roads and a sophisticated internal airline system enhances travel convenience, not to mention the delectable culinary offerings and renowned wines that add to Chile’s allure.

• Tailor-made Tours
• Scheduled Group Tours
• Endemic species
• When to visit
• What to Bring

Tailor-made info Chile

At Sustainable Birding, we don’t offer ready-made, off-the-shelf birding tours. Our approach is deeply personalised—we meticulously craft each of our tours in Chile from scratch, ensuring every detail aligns with your unique preferences. From the Andes to the stunning Atacama Desert, our team of seasoned birding experts use our comprehensive knowledge to tailor your birding holiday, guaranteeing an experience perfectly attuned to your specific requirements.

All our birding tours in Chile are expertly guided by our passionate, knowledgeable and experienced Chilean tour leaders. They are some of the best guides on the planet! So, give us a call or drop us an email and let’s talk Chile!

Reasons to go on a Tailor-made Birding Tour

• Select the exact dates that suit your schedule. • Choose the ideal time of year for your birding adventure. • Travel alongside your preferred companions—be it family, friends, or fellow birders. • Set your pace—whether fast or brisk. • Customise within your personal budget, from luxurious to budget accommodations or a mix. • Craft a tour that matches your specific interests—whether intense birding, leisurely exploration, photography, culture, music, wine, botany, butterflies, herpetology, geology, diving, hiking, and beyond. • Our team is here to cater to your interests and ensure a fulfilling birding holiday.

Scheduled Group Chile Birding Tours

Explore our selection of Scheduled Group Birding Tours in Brazil. These groups tours have been designed to fit different birding preference and time restraints. Typically, our group tours are more affordable, and allow people to meet up and make lifelong memories with fellow birders. All our group tours are small and come with an expert Tour Leader, having groups no bigger than 6 individuals, so you still get that intimate feeling and the full attention of the Tour Leader.

Please refer to our Birding Calendar for tour schedules, dates, and fixed prices.

Endemic species: 14

• Chilean Tinamou • Hooded Grebe • Juan Fernandez Firecrown • Chilean Woodstar • Masatierra Petrel • Stejneger’s Petrel • Juan Fernandez Petrel • Pink-footed Shearwater • Slender-billed Parakeet • Moustached Turca • White-throated Tapaculo • Seaside Cinclodes • Masafuera Rayadito • Juan Fernandez Tit-tyrant

Best time of year to visit:

Generally, the austral spring and summer months, from October to March, are considered the best time for birding. During this period, migratory species arrive, and resident birds engage in breeding activities, making it an ideal time for good sightings.

In the central and southern regions, such as Santiago and the Valdivian temperate rainforest, the austral spring (October to November) is particularly rewarding as it coincides with the breeding season. The austral summer (December to February) remains favorable, offering pleasant weather and optimal birding conditions.

In the northern desert regions, such as the Atacama Desert, birding can be enjoyable year-round due to the arid climate. However, migratory species are more commonly observed during the austral spring and summer.

Weather & climate

Chile, with its vast geographical expanse, encompasses diverse climates across its length. In the northern regions, such as the Atacama Desert, arid and desert conditions prevail. Here, temperatures can be hot during the day and cooler at night, and rainfall is minimal, contributing to the unique landscapes of the desert.

Moving towards the central regions, including Santiago, a Mediterranean climate takes hold. Summers are warm and dry, while winters are cooler and bring more precipitation. This central zone, with its distinct seasons, provides an attractive setting for birding, especially during the austral spring and summer months from October to March.

As one ventures southward into Chile’s southern regions, including areas like the Valdivian temperate rainforest, a cool temperate climate prevails. The temperatures remain relatively mild, and the region experiences more consistent rainfall. The lush landscapes of the temperate rainforest contribute to the overall biodiversity of Chile, making it a captivating destination for bird enthusiasts.

What to bring

Dressing in layers is advisable to adapt to varying climates encountered during a one of our birding tours. A lightweight waterproof jacket is a must-have, offering protection against unexpected weather changes. Comfortable, moisture-wicking clothing is essential for long hours spent outdoors, ensuring you stay comfortable.

For traversing diverse terrains, sturdy waterproof hiking boots are essential. Whether exploring the arid landscapes of the Atacama Desert or the lush trails of the Valdivian temperate rainforest, reliable footwear will enhance your mobility and overall enjoyment of the birding tour.

Equipment such as high-quality binoculars tailored for birdwatching is essential and if you have a good working camera and lens, then please bring it with you! A comprehensive field guide specific to the country’s birds, such as Birds of Chile (Helm Field Guides) is recommended.

*Remember that when you book a Chile birding tour with us for 14 days, we will send you a new complementary field guide!

The Sustainable Birding Company is a subsidiary of Far and Wild Travel, a tailor-made tour company based in Cumbria, UK. Far and Wild Travel offer sustainable, luxury, tailor-made tour itineraries throughout Africa and around the world.

[email protected]

UK: +44 1768 603 715

Nature Travel Birding

Private and Small group Birding tours

From a birding perspective, Chile has over 500 species on its list, including 15 endemics and 34 globally threatened species. The country contains 177 IBAs (Important Bird Areas) and 5 EBAs (Endemic Bird Areas). The country is still relatively unexplored in birding terms compared to other South American countries, making a trip here even more special. The friendly people, great food, excellent wine, and a safe, relaxed atmosphere add to the already long list of positive attributes of the country.

This 14-day trip will have you fully immersed in the birdlife and culture of southern and central Chile, visiting a wide range of different and beautiful habitats. From the central valleys and the rich waters of the Humboldt current to the immense lands of the Patagonian steppe, and on to dense temperate rainforests. Let’s go birding! Get more info on what to expect: Go to full itinerary

TOUR INFO: Tour starts in Santiago and ends in Punta Arenas Tour duration: 14 days / 13 nights Type of accommodation: Very comfortable This tour can be booked as a Private, small group tour based on your preferred travel dates Next Group departure dates: To be confirmed

Top Birds: • Andean Condor • King Penguin • Chilean Tinamou • Slender-billed Parakeet • Diademed Sandpiper-Plover • Magellanic Plover • Moustached Turca • Chilean Mockingbird • White-throated and Dusky Tapaculo • Crag Chilia

Top Mammals: • Puma • Andean Fox • Guiña • Sperm Whale • Blue Whale • Killer Whale (Orca) • Marine Otter • Southern Pudu

Optional activities: None (fully inclusive) 5 day Northern Chile extension (see end of full itinerary for details)

All our tours can be customised according to your specific requirements.

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Welcome to Birding Chile

Specialist Tour Operator

We design birding programs focus on our iconic species with an emphasis in offer you an excellent quality of services and give you an authentic experience through this long and narrow geography.

Our latest and best photos

Welcome to a new birding experience. Let us take this opportunity to introduce our company, Birding Chile. With over 10 years of experience organizing birding expeditions and being pioneers in ornithological field work, our specialist tour operator offers visitors a new portfolio of programs to learn about the Chilean birds.  Our goal is to connect people and nature together, in an educational process in which we expect to induce conservation manners, acting locally. We understand that this purpose has two bezels. At one hand there is a learning process from nature, and on the other the ability to respect the natural equilibrium who challenge us to interact nature with minimum impact, preserving it wild.

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Mammal and Birding Tour Chile: Pumas in Torres del Paine, Southern Patagonia

Go to: Chile Birding Tours | Mammal Tours | Birding Tours in the Neotropics | All our birding tours

Dates and Costs

13 – 20 October 2024

Spaces Available: 5

Price: US$5,980  / £4,988 / €5,804 per person sharing (30 % surcharge to guarantee the trip with only 4-5)

Single Supplement: US$1,139  / £950 / €1,106

* Please note that currency conversion is calculated in real-time, therefore is subject to slight change. Please refer back to the base price when making final payments.

11 – 18 October 2025

Price: US$6,510  / £5,430 / €6,319 per person sharing (30 % surcharge to guarantee the trip with only 4-5)

Single Supplement: US$1,240 / £1,034 / €1,203

11 – 18 October 2026

Price: US$7,161  / £5,972 / €6,951 per person sharing (30 % surcharge to guarantee the trip with only 4-5)

Single Supplement: US$1,364 / £1,137 / €1,324

Recommended Field Guide

(Please also read our blogs about recommended field   guides for the seven continents here )

Tour Details

Duration : 8 days Group Size : 6 – 7 Tour Start : Punta Arenas, Chile Tour End : Punta Arenas, Chile

Price includes:

Meals (from dinner on day 1 until breakfast on Day 8) Accommodation Guiding fees Entrance fees All transport while on tour (private transportation in a 4WD or van) Tolls Puma tracker Boat trip to Marta and Magdalena Islands

Price excludes:

All flights Items of a personal nature, e.g. gifts Alcoholic drinks Personal insurance Boat trip to Grey Glacier (about US$ 150) Gratuities (please see our our tipping guidelines blog )

Mammal and Birding Tour Chile: Pumas in Torres del Paine, Southern Patagonia October 2024/2025/2026

At the southern tip of Patagonia there is a vast territory crowned by the majestic Paine Massif. Its stunning granite “towers” and “horns”, surrounded by massive glaciers, turquoise lakes, and verdant forests, make it one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes on earth. This paradise is protected by the Torres del Paine National Park , “the jewel in the crown” of the Chilean national park system.

Torres del Paine is a remote refuge where the Patagonian wildlife is tame and abundant. Here we can expect to see the inquisitive Guanaco , Patagonian Fox , Patagonian Huemul (Andean deer), Large Hairy Armadillo, Andean Condor , Black-faced Ibis , and Torrent Duck , which all share the mountain landscape with the top predator of the region, Puma or mountain lion. This Chile birding and mammal tour focuses on the observation and photography of this large, elegant cat in the most spectacular area of its entire range.

Together with the Puma and other Patagonian wildlife we will also visit a small wetland near Torres del Paine National Park, where it is possible to observe the extremely rare Austral Rail .

This tour is combinable with Northwest Argentina – from the foothills to puna birding tour which immediately proceeds this tour as well as Northeast Argentina – Iberá Marshlands and Iguazú National Park which

Itinerary (8 days/7 nights)

Day 1. punta arenas.

Arrival at Presidente Carlos Ibáñez International Airport in Punta Arenas with an afternoon visit to the nearby Tres Puentes Wetland to look for Chiloe Wigeon , White-tufted Grebe , Red Shoveler , Southern Lapwing , Short-billed Miner, South American Snipe , and Austral Negrito .

Overnight: Hotel Cabo de Hornos or similar, Punta Arenas

Day 2. Punta Arenas to Torres del Paine National Park

Today we drive to the majestic Torres del Paine National Park, with stops at Puerto Natales for lunch as well as birding along the bay of Last Hope Sound, where we hope to find Yellow-bridled Finch and White-throated Caracara . While crossing over the impressive Patagonian steppes we will keep a lookout for Lesser Rhea and Least Seedsnipe . After arriving at Torres del Paine National Park we will do the first outing searching for Puma .

Overnight: Hostería Pehoé , Torres del Paine

Days 3-5. Torres del Paine National Park

Three full days looking for the majestic “lord of the Andes”. After an early breakfast we will start searching for Puma in Torres del Paine National Park and the nearby Estancia Laguna Amarga, a ranch located on the eastern border of the park, which hosts large numbers of Puma .

Together with Puma we should also see large groups of Guanacos (wild relatives of the llama), Large Hairy Armadillo , Patagonian Fox , Upland Goose , Andean Condor , Yellow-bridled Finch , Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle , and many other species. We will also bird the Nothofagus (southern beeches) forests, where we hope to find the impressive Magellanic Woodpecker and Austral Parakeet .

Day 6. Torres del Paine National Park to Punta Arenas

This will be our last morning in Torres del Paine National Park. We will visit a small wetland, where we might observe and photograph the very rare Austral Rail . We will stop en route for photo opportunities at Ultimate Esperanza Bay in Puerto Natales, where we may find Black-necked Swan , Crested Duck , White-tufted and Great Grebes , Magellanic Shag , Magellanic Oystercatcher , and Dark-bellied Cinclodes .

Day 7. Marta and Magdalena Islands

We will head across to Laredo Bay for the morning, where we will take a boat trip to two nearby islands, first to Magdalena Island to visit a colony of Magellanic Penguins and then circumnavigating Marta Island to view a colony of South American Sea Lions . In the afternoon we will visit San Juan Bay, where we might see Magellanic Diving Petrel , Black-browed Albatross , Chilean Skua , Kelp Gull , Magellanic Plover , and Blackish Cinclodes , among others.

Day 8. Departure

Transfer to the airport to board your departure flight, which will end an amazing eight days in Chile.

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different international guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling.

Andean Condor

Torres del Paine

Great Grebe

Magellanic Woodpecker

Least Seedsnipe

Black-faced Ibis

South American Snipe

South American Sea Lion

Black-browed Albatross

White-tufted Grebe

All Rights Reserved, Birding Ecotours

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Birding Northern Chile |

The impressive bird life of the atacama & the altiplano.

Birding Northern Chile tour. Birdwatching trip aimed to discover the birds and wildlife specialties of the Atacama Desert coastal areas, the oasis valleys of northern Chile, and the High Andean Plateau or Altiplano. This trip includes a comprehensive visit to Putre’s surroundings and Lauca National Park to explore the wealth of wildlife found on its puna grasslands, Andean lakes, bogs and scrubby ravines. An optional visit to Surire salt flat, one of the top wildlife spots in the whole High-Andean desert, is available upon request.

Our journey to the north of Chile will take us to the fringes of world’s most driest desert, the inhospitable Atacama, on the border with southern Peru. Our base locations will be Arica, Chile’s northernmost city, and the town of Putre. This unique and scenic area is home to highly diverse species such as Puna (or James’s) Flamingo, Tamarugo Conebill and Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. From the huge, flightless Giant Coot to the tiny Chilean Woodstar, Chile’s smallest bird and one of the most threatened. We will explore the Azapa, Lluta and Chaca valleys around Arica, drive to Putre, situated just below the Altiplano at 3,500m (10,500ft) above sea level where we’ll look for pre-puna shrub specialties before climbing up to the high Andean Plateau of Lauca National Park. There is an optional trip to Surire National Reserve, one of the most impressive salt pans of the whole Chilean altiplano (highly recommended).

Interested in a trip option with a broader focus on wildlife and visiting this same region, take a look to our Northern Chile Wildlife Adventure . birding northern chile tour

2024 Departures |

• october 20 to 24, 2025 departures |, • january 5 to 9, 5-day trip from arica, chile, min. 3 / max. 6 participants, click for space request |, lauca national park, chile © david couve, far south expeditions, itinerary in brief |.

Day 1 • Morning flight to Arica – Drive to Putre – Putre (2 nights)

Day 2 • Parinacota – Lauca National Park

Day 3 • Azapa & Lluta valleys – Arica (2 nights)

Day 4 • Pelagic trip off Arica – Chaca and Camarones valleys

Day 5 • Flight to Santiago – End of the trip

Trip Highlights |

• Comprehensive visit to Northern Chile’s birding hotspots: Arica, Putre, Lauca National Park and Las Vicuñas Nature Reserve.

• A great set of Andean specialties such as Chilean, Andean and Puna flamingos, tinamous, seedsnipes, ground-tyrants, canasteros, Sierra finches and the stunning Diademed Sandpiper-Plover.

• Spectacular Andean species such as Lesser Rhea, Puna Tinamou, Giant Coot, Andean Avocet, Andean Goose, Puna Teal, Andean Flicker and Puna Ibis.

• Interesting mammals including Guanaco, Vicuña, Northern Huemul Deer and Vizcacha.

• Lauca National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, and one of Chile’s most scenic wildlife reserves.

• Pelagic trip off Arica with great chances of Markham’s, Wedge-rumped and even Ringed Storm-petrels. birding northern chile tour

Trip Gallery |

Detailed Itinerary and Activities |

Day 1 • flight to arica – drive to putre.

Birding Chile tours. Our Chile birding adventure begins today! You will be met by your tour leader at Santiago airport for a morning flight ( c.  2.5 hours) to Arica, at 18°S, Chile’s northernmost city. Right after, we will leave the coast and head towards the imposing slopes of the Andes, but first we will search around the lowland cultivated valleys for the intriguing Peruvian Thick-knee; Andean Swifts and Grayish Miners are possible species just before we reach the hyper-arid desert stretch, as we drive up to the highlands and into our destination, the mountain village of Putre. This picturesque Andean settlement is located at 3,400 meters above sea level (11,483 ft.) and will be our base for the following two nights. The  pre-puna  semi-arid bushy slopes are very rich in species; Sparkling Violetear and Andean Hillstar, Creamy-breasted and Canyon Canasteros, Golden-billed Saltator and Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Hooded and Thick-billed Siskins are among the range of exciting birds that occur here. The gardens, cultivated terraces, eucalyptus groves and rocky walls surrounding Putre are the perfect habitat for Aplomado Falcon, Mountain Parakeet, Bare-faced Ground Dove, Spot-winged Pigeon, White-throated, Plain-breasted and Straight-billed Earthcreepers, White-winged Cinclodes, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Chiguanco Thrush, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Band-tailed Seedeater and Black-hooded, Mourning and Ash-breasted Sierra Finches.

Overnight Hotel Q’Antati or similar, Putre (Lunch, Dinner)(Guide)

The Altiplano, Puna or High Andean Plateau above 4,000m, is truly a mecca for wildlife and we will have the whole day to discover its many secrets and stunning landscapes. Established to protect the highest lake in the world (and World Biosphere Reserve), Lauca National Park supports a great diversity of Andean fauna. The high-altitude bogs, locally known as  bofedales , hold a remarkable number of species (all endemic to this eco-region), specialties such as all three Chilean species of Flamingo (Chilean, Andean and Puna), the delicate Andean Avocet, Giant and Andean coots, Puna Ibis, Andean Goose, Puna Teal, Rufous-bellied and Grey-breasted Seedsnipes, Andean Avocet, Andean Lapwing, Puna Plover, and the exquisite Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. The surrounding barren plains are a very good habitat for both Puna Rhea and Puna Tinamou. An impressive cast indeed. At 4,500m / 14,763ft, Lake Chungara area will be the highest spot during our entire trip. Surrounded by imposing volcanoes, this is a magnificent place and probably one of the most beautiful views that we will have during our whole Chilean Birding Adventure. Among the species we can find here are Andean Gull, Andean Flicker, Cordilleran Canastero, Puna and White-fronted Ground Tyrants, Andean Negrito, White-winged Diuca Finch and Black Siskin.

Overnight Hotel Q’Antati or similar, Putre (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)(Guide)

Day 3 • Azapa & Lluta valleys – Arica

In the morning we drive back to Arica. Today we will investigate the bird-rich valleys of Azapa and Chaca, the haunt of specialties such as Croaking Ground Dove, Chilean Woodstar, Peruvian Sheartail, Oasis Hummingbird, Tamarugo and Cinereous Conebills, Bran-colored and Vermillion Flycatchers, Peruvian Meadowlark and the odd-looking Slender-billed Finch. In the afternoon we will comb the productive estuary of the Lluta River in order to study the various coots, egrets, shorebirds, terns and gulls gathered here to roost, usually in large numbers.

Overnight Hotel Novotel or similar, Arica (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)(Guide)

Early morning we will take a boat trip off Arica to continue our search for the endemic seabirds of the Humboldt Current. We will look for Peruvian Diving Petrel and we may also find Elliot’s and Markham’s Storm Petrels. The delightful Inca Tern will be a common sight around the harbor plus Common and South American Terns. The endangered and local Peruvian Tern is another potential species for the morning. Along the rocky coast south of Arica we expect to see a great array of seabirds including Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, the stunning Inca Tern plus Belcher’s and Grey Gulls. Other birds include Little Blue Heron, Willet, Whimbrel, Ruddy Turnstone, Surfbird, Franklin’s Gull and Elegant Tern. We will extend our journey southwards along the coast to the Camarones Gorge where we expect to see Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant and Yellowish Pipit.

Day 5 • Flight to Santiago

We will catch a morning flight to Santiago to continue with our exploration of central Chile and its endemic and specialties. (B)(Guide) birding northern chile tour

Dates & Rates |

Scheduled departures.

The above price is per person in US Dollars. All payments are in US Dollars. Single supplement will be added if single accommodations are requested.

Custom Departures

You choose the date. Available year-round. Daily departures from Santiago de Chile or Arica, Chile. Ask for rates.

What the trip includes/excludes

The trip price  includes : All accommodations, meals and guide services as stated in the itinerary, private ground transportation during the tour, and park entrance fees. The trip price  excludes : Domestic flights (Santiago – Arica – Santiago or other route), tipping, travel insurance, entrance tax to Chile, excess baggage charges, private excursions, à la carte dishes, snacks, drinks, laundry, telephone calls and anything else of a purely personal nature.

Do you want us to arrange your flights from Santiago to Arica?

Domestic flights Santiago – Arica – Santiago (from US$ 200-300 per person). Duration of the flight: 2-3 hours.

Tour Leaders |

Jorge valenzuela.

A viticulturist by profession, Jorge was attracted to birds at an early age while frequenting the countryside of central Chile during holidays, a fact that made him pick a career related to the outdoors such as agriculture, which enabled him to have an even deeper contact with nature. Born in Viña del Mar, he has lived in Santiago and other places in central Chile (O’Higgins and Maule areas), where the best red and white wines of Chile are produced. From watching birds in the wild, by 1993 he was motivated enough to become a member of UNORCH, the Chilean Ornithologists Association, a step that further helped him into deepening his knowledge on the birds of Chile, and from birdwatching he gradually moved into self-taught outdoors photography, a craft he learned through many hours in the field, reading and seeking advice from experts.

Some four years ago he started devoting more and more hours out in the field to learn bird and wildlife photography first-hand, especially in the central Chilean Andes mountains. Today the images he has captured during his travels across Chile stand out as testimonials of his journeys, which started as a schoolboy in 1992, and continue to this day, leading him to explore new places such as southern Chile and Chilean Patagonia. As part of the Far South Expeditions team, he guides some of our birding and photo tours in Chile & Patagonia and curates the photo galleries in our website. Also contributes to our wildlife blog with his photography and articles. In his spare time Jorge enjoys mountaineering, cycling and fly-fishing, all outdoors and nature-related sports.

Rodrigo Tapia

Rodrigo Tapia started his long-time love relationship with birds when he became an avid birder by the age of 10, and has been observing, studying and learning about them for more than 30 years now, first by birding in many different environments from the seaside to the Andes mountains around his home patch, acquiring in the process a good deal of field experience with virtually all the birds of central Chile including most chilean endemics, and later expanding his voyages to the rest of the country. This early passion naturally evolved into his career and led him into studying Biology at Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and further studying with  Cornell Lab of Ornithology . He has explored Chile’s whole length from the northern Altiplano to Cape Horn while conducting ornithological research and guiding groups of birders since 1989. He studied the birds in the wetlands of the Aconcagua river and Mantagua for three years, gathering experience with shorebirds, plovers, waders and coastal seabirds. Rodrigo travelled to Antarctica for the first time in 1991 as part of a research team conducting studies on antarctic penguins, and later worked for eight seasons in the White Continent as an expedition leader, lecturer and zodiac driver on board a couple of vessels. These years of sailing across the Drake Passage, together with the experience gathered in pelagic birding off his hometown of Valparaíso in the Pacific coast of central Chile gave him hundreds of hours with albatrosses, petrels and other seabirds, a group of birds which has always captivated him.

Claudio F. Vidal

Claudio has been exploring and birding since the age of 12 and currently leads birding / nature tours and photo safaris throughout Patagonia, Chile and South America. He is one of the two founders and original driving forces behind the far South Expeditions concept and company. Claudio has a particular interest in the seabirds and marine mammals occurring in the Humboldt Current, Patagonia and Antarctica. Botany is also one of his greatest passions, leading him to devote to the photographic documentation of wildflowers of desert and Mediterranean regions of the world, of which he possesses a vast archive. Claudio is now finishing the writing of a Field Guide to the Birds of Chile together with a team of accomplished field ornithologists, and is co-author of more than 20 books, including the acclaimed Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and Antarctic Peninsula . He is actively involved in several ecotourism projects in Chile and is founding partner of Far South Expeditions since 1997. He lives in Punta Arenas.

Check out other of our birding adventures in Chile |

Tour Registration |

To book this tour, please fill in our online registration form . We will process your booking and will send you a note with space confirmation and a transfer invoice with payment instructions within 24 hours. The transfer amount is 500 USD per person. Full payment of the tour fee is due 90 days prior to tour departure.

Note: Inquiries received on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays will be replied to during the following working day.

Cancellation Policy

Notice of cancellation can only be accepted in writing from the person who signed the booking form and takes effect on the day such noticed is received by us.

Refunds are made according to the following schedule:

• If cancellation is made 120 days or more before departure date, the transfer amount minus 200 USD is refundable.

• If cancellation is made between 120 and 60 days before departure, the transfer is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded.

• If cancellation is made less than 60 days before departure date, no refund is available.

This policy and fee schedule also applies to pre-trip and post trip extensions, as well as any transfers from one tour to another. We strongly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself.

© 2024 • www.farsouthexp.com • Far South Expeditions

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Chile birding, tours schedule.

Chile Birding Adventure: Endemics and Specialties  with Jorge Valenzuela: October 24 to November 5 with  Northern Chile Pre-Extension October 19 to 24 plus  Southern Patagonia Post-Extension November 5 to 10

Chile Birding Adventure: Endemics and Specialties  with Rodrigo Tapia: January 10 to 22 with  Northern Chile Pre-Extension January 5 to 10 plus  Southern Patagonia Post-Extension January 22 to 27

Chile Birding Adventure: Endemics and Specialties  with Rodrigo Tapia: January 11 to 23 with  Northern Chile Pre-Extension January 6 to 11 plus  Southern Patagonia Post-Extension January 23 to 28

Chile Birding Adventure: Endemics and Specialties  with Jorge Valenzuela: October 23 to November 4 with  Northern Chile Pre-Extension October 18 to 23 plus  Southern Patagonia Post-Extension November 4 to 9

Custom and Set-Departure Bird & Wildlife Tours Around the World

Chile: atacama to tierra del fuego - birding tour, tour overview:.

While its birdlist may be smaller than that of its tropical neighbors, Chile’s habitat diversity, spectacular birds, and breathtaking scenery more than make up for it. If scouring high Andean bogs for Diademed Sandpiper­-Plovers, stalking huet-­huets in lichen­ draped forest, or sifting through vast flocks of seabirds in the Humboldt Current sounds like fun, check out this fascinating tour. Wine lovers will also have ample chances to sample the exquisite local harvests.

Upcoming Departures:

13 - 30 October ($9890; single supplement: $930)

Ready to Book?

Other tour details:.

Length:  18 days

Starting City:  Santiago

Ending City:  Santiago

Pace: Moderate

Physical Difficulty:  Moderate

Focus: Birding

Group size:  11-12 + 2 leaders

Detailed Itinerary

Please note that this itinerary may be adjusted due to flight schedules and other logisitical factors.

Day 1: Santiago The tour begins this evening in Santiago. Santiago is a modern, cosmopolitan city and the main starting point to travel throughout Chile. Located in the central valley, on the east it is flanked by the imposing high Andes and to the west by the coastal mountain range. We’ll spend one night in a hotel near the airport.

Day 2: Santiago to Arica Early in the morning we will fly from Santiago to the city of Arica, very close to the Peruvian border. This portion of the far North of Chile hosts the vast Atacama Desert and the high altitude Andean steppe, or Altiplano. Our birding will start around Arica, where rivers fed by the runoff from the High Andes have created fertile valleys and well-cultivated oases in this otherwise harsh environment. Some of the most important birds in this area will be the hummingbirds: Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail and the endemic and critically endangered Chilean Woodstar. Other possibilities include Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, Tamarugo Conebill, and Raimondi’s Yellow-Finch. We can also check out the estuary of the Lluta river for various shorebirds, gulls, terns, and more. We’ll spend the night in Arica.

Day 3: Lauca National Park We’ll leave early and drive high up into the Andes to this gorgeous park renowned for its spectacular scenery. Along the way we may see species like like Peruvian Thick-knee, Croaking Ground- Dove, Andean Swift, Rufescent Flycatcher (split from Bran-colored), Chestnut-throated Seedeater, and Slender-billed Finch before reaching Chungara Lake, the highest altitude lake in the world, home to Silvery Grebe, various ducks including Puna Teal, Giant Coot, Andean Gull, and up to three species of flamingo: Andean, Chilean, and James’s. We will also scour high altitude bogs for the stunning and difficult-to-find Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. Other target birds for this area include Puna Rhea, Andean Flicker, White-winged Cinclodes, Black Siskin, Puna Tinamou, Puna Ibis, Andean Goose, Mountain Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Puna Plover, Andean Avocet, Puna Miner, Puna and White-fronted Ground-Tyrants, Andean Negrito, White-winged Diuca-Finch, and White-throated Sierra-Finch. In the afternoon, we will descend to the village of Putre, where we spend a single night.

Day 4: Putre to Arica We’ll spend the morning around this small Andean village looking for a variety of birds like Ornate Tinamou. Bare-faced Ground-Dove, White-throated Earthcreeper, Yellow-billed Tit Tyrant, Canyon and Dark-winged Canastero, White-winged Cinclodes, Streaked Tit-Spinetail, D’Orbigny’s and White-browed Chat -Tyrants, Black-throated Flower-Piercer, Golden-billed Saltator, Black-hooded and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finches, Greenish Yellow-Finch, Band-tailed Seedeater, and Spot-winged Pigeon. Later in the day, we’ll start descending back towards Arica, looking for anything we missed on the way up yesterday, before spending another night in Arica. 

Day 5: Arica to Santiago Flight schedules can be variable, but we may have time to more birding around Arica before catching a flight back to Santiago, where we spend the next two nights.

Day 6: Yeso Valley This famous birding area in the High Andes east of the city gives us another chance to see the unique Diademed Sandpiper-Plover if we didn’t find it in Lauca. The scenery here is simply superb and some of the most spectacular in Central Chile. High mountains, turquoise lakes, hanging glaciers and white-water rivers combine to make a magnificent spectacle. It is also home to a superb variety of high elevation birds including Crag Chilia, Moustached Turca, Torrent Duck, White-sided Hillstar, Andean Goose, Scale- throated Earthcreeper, Black-fronted and White-browed Ground-Tyrants, Greater Yellowfinch, Yellow-rumped Siskin, Andean Condor, Mountain Caracara, Creamy-rumped Miner, and Gray-breasted Seedsnipe.

Day 7: Pacific Coast Leaving early from Santiago we will head towards as recently created reserve on the Maipo river estuary. This reserve protects one of the most important wetlands in central Chile. Here we’ll be able to enjoy large flocks of gulls, Black Skimmers, terns, pelicans, and shorebirds. After scanning the masses of shorebirds on the mudflats, we will look for the rare Ticking Doradito along with Spectacled Tyrant, Correndera Pipit, and the Chilean endemics Dusky Tapaculo and Dusky-tailed Canastero. The reedbeds at the reserve entrance are a great place to see the stunning Many-colored Rush Tyrant, the often skulky Wren-like Rushbird, as well as Yellow- winged Blackbird and Grass Wren. Along the coast we may find Guanay Cormorant, Peruvian Booby, Chilean Skua, and Seaside Cinclodes. In the afternoon we will visit more protected wetlands, looking for Spot-flanked Gallinule, Black-necked and Coscoroba Swans, Plumbeous Rail, Black-headed Duck and maybe even the secretive Stripe-backed Bittern. The night will be spent in Valparaíso.

Day 8: Pelagic Boat Trip We’ll leave the port just before sunrise and navigate around 20 km (12 miles) out into the Humboldt Current; the whole excursion usually lasts roughly 6 hours. Chile has more than 4,000 kilometers of coastline and is considered as one of the best places in the world for pelagic birding thanks to the upwelling of nutrients brought by the current. While activity varies from trip to trip, some outing have produced dozens of species of seabirds including albatrosses, petrels, shearwaters, diving-petrels, cormorants, gulls, and terns. Albatrosses are definitely the star of the show – likely species include Salvin’s, Black-browed, and Royal. Buller’s and Chatham are seen less frequently. Other noteworthy tubenoses we can see are Masatierra, Juan Fernandez, White-chinned, and Westland Petrels, Peruvian Diving-Petrel, Northern Giant Petrel, and Wilson’s Storm-Petrel. We can also see Red Phalarope, Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, Kelp Gull, and South American Tern. After the pelagic, we’ll have lunch and then look for any coastal species we missed yesterday before returning to Santiago for another two nights.

Day 9: Farellones and Valle Nevado Today we will explore the Mediterranean scrub in the Andes Mountains, making stops at different altitudes. In the foothills we’ll look for several endemics including Chilean Tinamou, Moustached Turca, White-throated and Dusky Tapaculos, Crag Chilia, and Dusky-tailed Canastero. Numerous other species are possibly at the higher elevations like Greater Yellowfinch, Creamy-rumped Miner, White-sided Hillstar, Rufous-banded Miner, Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch, Andean Condor, Variable Hawk, Black chested Buzzard Eagle, and Mountain Caracara.

Day 10: Colbún Lake and Vilches Today we’ll drive south on our way to Talca and towards Colbún Lake. At first, we’ll still be in the drier Mediterranean habitat where some targets will be the colorful Burrowing Parakeet and odd Spectacled Duck. At Colbún Lake, we can scan for a number of other interesting ducks and grebe species and have more chances to see Spectacled Tyrant and Andean Gull. We’ll spend the rest of the afternoon and part of the next day in the magnificent Altos de Lircay National Reserve. We’ll spend two nights in a lodge not far from the reserve.

Day 11: Altos de Lircay This reserve park is in the ecotone between temperate rainforest and the Mediterranean scrub, and we’ll have our first chance to experience the verdant Nothofagus forests that this region is known for. We’ll search Chile’s least known tapaculo, the Chestnut-throated Huet-huet along with other specialties like Chucao and Magellanic Tapaculos, Austral Parakeet, Patagonian Sierra-Finch, the spectacular Magellanic Woodpecker, and the rare Chilean Hawk.

Day 12: Cerro Ñielol and Temuco Today we’ll head south towards Temuco, the capital city of the Araucanía Region, where we have a single night. Along the way we’ll stop by some agricultural areas to look for Screaming Cowbird, Hellmayr’s Pipit and Chilean Tinamou. By the time we reach Temuco, the Mediterranean habitat will have been left behind completely and been replaced by lush temperate rainforest. Not far from Temuco is Cerro Ñielol, where we can look for understory species like Black-throated Huet-Huet, Des Mur’s Wiretail, Chucao Tapaculo, Ochre-Flanked Tapaculo, Rufous-tailed Hawk, and the near endemic Slender-billed Parakeet. 

Day 13: Araucaria Forest We’ll spend the morning at higher elevations where Araucaria/Nothofagus forest dominates. Here we hope to find the scarce Patagonian Forest Earthcreeper along with more common birds like Magellanic Tapaculo, Austral Parakeet, Striped Woodpecker, Chilean Flicker, White-throated Treerunner, and others. In the afternoon, we’ll catch a flight back to Santiago, where we spend the night.

Day 14: Santiago to Punta Arenas Today we fly to Punta Arenas in far southern Chile to begin the final segment of our tour. After arrival, we’ll bird south along the coast for Flying and Flightless Steamer-Ducks, Magellanic Oystercatcher, Imperial Cormorant, Upland, Ruddy-headed, and Kelp Goose, Chilean Skua, Dolphin Gull, and the tiny Austral Negrito. The night will be spent in a hotel in Punta Arenas.

Day 15: Tierra del Fuego and King Penguins We’ll take the early morning ferry to Tierra del Fuego, which lasts around two hours and offers a great chance to see Southern Giant-Petrel, Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Chilean Skua, Black-browed Albatross and Peale’s Dolphin. After disembarking, we’ll bird around a couple of lakes looking in particular for Magellanic Plover, a monotypic family restricted to far southern South America. Other species we may find include Ashy-Headed and Upland Goose, Two-banded Plover, Short-billed Miner, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Flightless Steamer-Duck, and Crested Duck. After lunch we’ll drive to Bahia Inútil to visit a colony of magnificent King Penguins, sure to be a trip highlight, before driving to Cerro Sombrero for the night. Along the way to our hotel we may find some birds typical of Patagonian steppe like Rufous-chested Dotterel, Chocolate-vented Tyrant and Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant.

Day 16: Cerro Sombrero to Puerto Natales After breakfast, we’ll continue birding the Patagonian steppe on our way to the northern tip of Tierra del Fuego, then take a short ferry back to the continental mainland. This is a quicker ferry crossing (20 minutes) with good chances of seeing Commerson’s Dolphin, Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and White-chinned Petrel. Back on the mainland, we will make a stop at a wetland for a variety of waterfowl, including Silver Teal, Rosy-billed Pochard, Chiloe Wigeon, White-cheeked Pintail, Coscoroba Swan, and variety of shorebirds. In this area we’ll also try our luck finding the elusive Patagonian Tinamou. We’ll continue our trip towards Puerto Natales making our way across the vast steppe looking for Darwin’s Rhea, Austral Canastero, Chocolate-vented Tyrant, Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Common Miner, Patagonian Yellowfinch, and the stunning White-bridled Finch. We’ll spend two nights in Puerto Natales.

Day 17: Torres del Paine and Sierra Baguales On clear days, Torres del Paine has some of the most breathtaking scenery on the planet. Mammals may feature as much as or more than the birds here, with Guanaco, Gray Fox, and Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk often seen, and there is even a chance for Puma. The park is famous as a location to try for Austral Rail but it can be very hard to find. We’ll also do some birding outside the park around Sierra Baguales, looking for Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Patagonian Mockingbird, the gorgeous Yellow-bridled Finch, and occasionally even White-throated Caracara and the very rare Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant. Andean Condors are common here and large flocks often can be seen circling overhead.

Day 18: Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas Today we will drive back to Punta Arenas and catch a flight back to Santiago, where this magnificent trip will come to a close. Flight schedules can change, but we intend to be back in Santiago in time to catch evening overnight flights out of the country, but please check with our office before buying your ticket for the latest information.  

Trip Considerations

PACE : Moderate. This tour will especially target the endemics and other regional specialties of Chile. Diversity is not as high as more tropical areas of the continent, so we still have time to find a very high proportion of the more common and widespread species as well. Early starts are sometimes necessary since a few of the hotels are a long way from the birding sites.

PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY : Moderate. Nearly all of the birding is done from flat or only slightly inclined roads and wide tracks, and you can expect to walk around 2-3 miles on most days. One day of the tour will reach very high elevations of around 14500 ft (4500 m). However only part of the day will be spent that high, and the hotel is lower at about 11500 ft (3500 m). The tour includes a six-hour pelagic boat trip, and participants are advised to take anti-seasickness measures.

CLIMATE : Chilly in the far south and at the highest elevations, but otherwise quite pleasant and usually never very hot. Mostly dry, though light rain is possible in a few places.

ACCOMMODATION : Good to excellent throughout with all the typical amenities.

Other Information

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS : A valid passport is required; the passport must be valid for at least six months past your intended stay. Tourist visas are currently not required for citizens of the US, Canada, UK, EU, New Zealand, South Africa, among others. Australians must get an online visa before visiting Chile. Visas are required for citizens of most countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Reciprocity fees are no longer charged. Travel requirements are subject to change; please double check with the nearest embassy or consulate, or ask our office staff if you are unsure.

WHAT’S INCLUDED? : Accommodation from the night of day 1 to the night day 17; meals from dinner on day 1 to lunch on day 18; reasonable non-alcoholic drinks during meals; safe drinking water only between meals; roundtrip flight Santiago-Arica; one way flight Temuco-Santiago; roundtrip flight Santiago-Punta Arenas; tour leader(s) from the evening of Day 1 to the afternoon of Day 18 (for small groups the tour will be led by a bilingual Chilean bird guide and for larger groups a Tropical Birding guide will also co-lead the trip; ground transport for the group to all sites in the itinerary; entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the itinerary; a printed and bound checklist to keep track of your sightings (given to you at the start of the tour – only electronic copies can be provided in advance).

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED? : Tips (we do not include tips on this tour since for small groups it will be led only by a local Chilean bilingual bird guide and there will not be any TB leader present to dole out tips); your international flights to Santiago; excess luggage charges; snacks; additional drinks apart from those included; alcoholic beverages; travel insurance; excursions not included in the tour itinerary; extras in hotels such as laundry service, minibar, room service, telephone calls, and personal items; medical fees; other items or services not specifically mentioned as being included.

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