SOUTHERN ARGENTINA & PATAGONIA

Argentina is a land of extremes with a greater range of habitats than any other South American country. During our tour we will experience the best this amazing country has to offer as we travel from the Pampas around Buenos Aires, to the spectacular and wildlife-rich Valdes Peninsula, before reaching the awe-inspiring Patagonia National Park. We begin at the bird-rich Costanera Sur, one of the best birding spots in South America where a wide variety of waterbirds and passerines can be easily seen. We also visit Otamendi National Park, which has a mosaic of habitats all in close proximity to each other and where we hope to see Curve-billed Reedhaunter before moving across the Paraná River to Ceibas. Leaving Buenos Aires behind we will head south across vast, wide-open habitats and lagoons via a number of key birding locations until we eventually reach the heart of Patagonia and the amazing Valdes Peninsula. Here, we will witness one of nature's true wildlife spectacles with its large colonies of seabirds and mammals before reaching Punta Tombo, which is home to the largest seabird colony on the Patagonian coast. An afternoon's whale-watching boat-ride to see Southern Right Whales could well be a major highlight of this tour and we also have chances of seeing Killer Whales patrolling just offshore. And we'll end our spectacular tour amidst the vast wilderness of Patagonia National Park where we will search for the rare Hooded Grebe, classified by BirdLife International as Endangered. This promises to be one of our most spectacular tours, which not only provides opportunities to see many Argentinian endemics but also a wide variety of other wildlife.

Sat 21st Nov - Friday 4th December 2020

KEY SPECIES

Here are just a few of the key species we will be targetting on this tour:

  • Hooded Grebe
  • Magellanic Penguin
  • Chubut Steamer-Duck
  • Ringed Teal
  • Giant Woodrail
  • Austral Rail
  • Dot-winged Crake
  • Lesser Rhea
  • Spotted Nothura 
  • Darwin's Nothura
  • Patagonian Tinamou 
  • Elegant Crested-Tinamou    
  • Chubut Steamer-Duck
  • Tawny-throated Dotterel
  • South American Painted Snipe    
  • Olrog's Gull
  • Snowy-crowned Tern
  • Snowy Sheathbill
  • Burrowing Parrot
  • Hudson's Black Tyrant
  • Pampas Meadowlark
  • Curve-billed Reedhaunter
  • Pale-breasted Spinetail
  • Short-billed Canastero
  • Patagonian Canastero
  • Long-tailed Reed-Finch
  • Bay-capped Wren-Spinetail
  • Crested Gallito
  • White-banded Mockingbird      
  • Patagonian Mockingbird
  • Chaco Earthcreeper
  • Band-tailed Earthcreeper
  • Sandy Gallito
  • White-throated Cacholote 
  • Rusty-backed Monjita
  • Chocolate-vented Tyrant
  • Cinnamon Warbling-Finch
  • Carbonated Sierra-Finch
  • Yellow Cardinal
  • Southern Right Whale
  • Southern Elephant Seal
  • Killer Whale
Sandy Gallito

Leaders: Lucas Marti or Miguel Castalino.  

Ground Price:  £3995.00  - Buenos Aires/Comodoro Rivadavia

Airfare: £750.00 - £925.00 (Approx) - UK/UK

Single supplement: £650.00

Deposit: £500.00

Group size: Minimum for tour to go ahead 7 and maximum 10 with 2 leaders.

Included in cost: Accommodation in twin rooms en-suite, all meals from lunch on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 14, all entrance fees, bottled water, all transport throughout, and services of leaders and an English speaking guide. 

Not included: International airfare, insurance, drinks, tips, and items of a personal nature.

Accommodation:  Considering this tour is venturing into the relatively unknown, most of the hotels and lodges used on this tour are of a reasonably good standard. Although please bear in mind we are going to be well off the tourist trail! But we are staying in the best available hotels closest to the birding sites.  

Tour Code: This is a standard birding tour with mainly easy walks. Expect good food, reasonable hotels, some long drives and a mixture of weather. Above all, you need to expect the unexpected!  The weather is generally unsettled at this time of year, so expect some cold weather at Patagonia State Park, occasional showers can be expected at anytime, whilst it can be warm and humid in the Pampas.

All photos copyright Luis Segura

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