In this adventure we visit the tropical paradise that is collectively known as The Lesser Sundas, and in particular Timor, Sumba, Flores, Rote and Komodo. These beautiful islands are home to an amazing number of endemics, which currently stand at around 70, including some of Indonesia’s rarest and least known species and are the most varied of the vast Indonesian archipelago which stretches across some 5000 kilometres. These islands are relatively undeveloped, thinly populated and seldom visited by birders but they give us access to some of the rarest birds on the planet. 

Chile is a unique country dominated by the mighty snow-capped Andes & stretches from the Atacama Desert in the north, 4000km to the wind swept plains of Tierra del Fuego and its sub-Antarctic birdlife in the south. We will search for the country’s prized specialities and endemics including Ruddy-headed Goose, Magellanic Plover, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Crag Chilia, Moustached Turca, Creamy-rumped Miner and much more. There's also a pelagic to get us amongst albatrosses, petrels, penguins and dolphins, while huge Andean Condors circle over icy peaks, and high grasslands play host to one of the most sought-after waders in the world - the exquisite Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. A colony of King Penguins will undoubtedly be a highlight of the main tour.

Oaxaca is Mexico’s fifth-largest state and occupies a mile-high plateau encircled by the Sierra Madre del Sur. As evidenced by Oaxaca's birdlist—the largest of any Mexican state—the birding here is wonderful. In addition to several rare endemics that are most easily found here, Oaxaca is home to a diverse variety of stunning Mexican and regional endemics such as Grey-breasted Woodpecker, Beautiful, Bumblebee, Emerald-chinned, Green-fronted and White-tailed Hummingbirds, Dwarf Jay, Ocellated Thrasher, Slaty and Golden Vireos, Red-breasted Chat and Bridled & Oaxaca Sparrow. We'll also search for many more widespread Mexican and regional endemics including Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Golden-crowned and Canivet's Emeralds, Russet-crowned Motmot, Citreoline Trogon, Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo, Red Warbler and Hooded Grosbeak amongst others.

The magnificent wetlands of south-east China are our primary focus as we go in search of some of the world’s most endangered waterbirds, as well as visiting other sites for a mouth-watering selection of exciting endemic and localised specialities. We start with an exploration of Yancheng Reserve for the first of a possible 6 species of crane, the stunning Red-crowned Crane. Moving on to Poyang Hu with its wintering population of Siberian and White-naped Cranes, there are usually small numbers of Hooded Cranes here and we’ll be on the lookout for the critically endangered Oriental Stork as well. Moving on into rural Jiangxi Province we'll look for the rare Scaly-sided Merganser. The forested mountain of Emei Feng is home to Elliot's Pheasant, Cabot's Tragopan, along with Silver and Koklass Pheasants.