 Northern Argentina
From The Andes to The Iguazu – A Great South American birding tour
Thursday 4 December – Thursday 18 December 2008
Price: £3595pp Single supp: £245pp Deposit: £600pp
Argentina is a huge country. The diversity of habitat, landform and climate make it one of the most varied and scenic places on Earth. The north of the country contains some of the broadest biodiversity in South America, the most species-rich habitats, and some of the continent’s most spectacular birding.
On this unique Heatherlea adventure, we travel to the prime areas for enjoying the overwhelming wealth of bird and wildlife of this amazing country. We will enjoy excellent, local food, heartfelt, warm hospitality, and comfortable, well-located places to stay, against stunning, unspoilt landscapes.
Expect the scenery to mirror the vast array of neotropical wildlife, as we pass through massive ‘chaco’ deserts, ‘yunga’ cloudforests, rocky canyons, the life-rich Iguazu National Park with its 1.5 mile long waterfalls and 45% of the nation’s birdlife, and the Andean altiplano, with its unique high-altitude species.
With wonderful, evocative names and exotic, bright colouration, we will see not only the region’s specialities and the local rarities, but a whole host of South American species, ensuring an unbeatable list of quality and quantity befitting this incredible part of the world.
DAY 1 Thursday 4 December
Fly London - Buenos Aires.
DAY 2 Friday 5 December
We arrive in Buenos Aires and check in to a downtown hotel. In the afternoon, we visit the Costanera Sur Nature Reserve . This amazing urban reserve is situated behind the Buenos Aires docks, practically in the city centre on the edge of the River Plate. We should see a good selection of everyday species and marshland and water birds.
BIRDS: White-tufted Grebe, Coscoroba and Black-necked Swans, 3 species of Coot, Black-headed Duck, Rosy-billed Pochard, Lake Duck, Grey-necked Wood-Rail, Wattled Jacana, Monk Parakeet, Sulphur-bearded Spinetail, Freckle-breasted Thornbird, Glittering-bellied Emerald, Spectacled Tyrant, Great Pampas-Finch, Yellow-billed Cardinal, Black-and-Rufous Warbling-Finch, Warbling Doradito, Masked Yellowthroat, Masked Gnatcatcher.
WILDLIFE: Coypu, Cavy, Little Water Opossum, Black Tegu Lizard, Hillary’s Side-necked Turtle.
Overnight in Buenos Aires.
DAYS 3 - 4 Saturday - Sunday 6 - 7 December
We take the early morning flight to San Miguel de Tucuman. On arrival, we drive to the rustic town of Tafi del Valle, birding along the road which winds its way through the luxurious yungas cloudforest. As well as fully exploring this amazing habitat, we head to the high Andean puna grasslands of the Aconquija range. Nights in Tafi.
DAY 5 Monday 8 December
We leave Tafi del Valle in the morning and drive up to the high pass of El Infiernillo, where we spend some time searching the gullies and slopes before descending into the dry valleys. Arrive in Quilmes and explore the endemic habitat locally known as "monte". Overnight in Quilmes.
DAY 6 Tuesday 9 December
Explore the surroundings of Quilmes in the morning before moving north through vineyard country. The landscape changes from arid valleys with beautifull rock formations, to Chaco woodlands - grasslands with forests containing thorny bushes and palms. Arrive in the city of Salta in the evening, where we spend the night.
BIRDS: Ornate Tinamou, Andean Tinamou, Quebracho Crested-Tinamou, Andean Goose, Andean Lapwing, Andean Coot, Rufous-throated Dipper, Torrent Duck, Andean Swift, Giant Hummingbird, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Moreno’s Ground-Dove, Chaco Owl, Burrowing Parrot, Mitred Parakeet, Andean Hillstar, Red-tailed Comet, White-throated Cacholote, Buff-breasted Earthcreeper, Slender-billed Miner, Rock Earthcreeper, Brown-capped Tit-spinetail, Steinbach's, Puna and Scribble-tailed Canasteros, Azara's Spinetail, Spot-breasted Thornbird, Sandy Gallito, White-browed Tapaculo, Black-legged Seriema, White-winged Black-Tyrant, Slaty Elaenia, White-throated Tyrannulet, Paramo Pipit, Brown-capped Whitestart, Two-banded Warbler, Fawn-breasted Tanager, Ringed Warbling-Finch, Yellow-striped Brush-Finch, Tucuman Mountain-Finch, Band-tailed Sierra-Finch.
DAY 7 Wednesday 10 December
We spend all day exploring the altitudinal gradients of vegetation of the picturesque Cuesta del Obispo. This extensive desert region is truly dramatic - impressive giant cacti tower from the sandy ground against a backdrop of the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. Overnight in Salta.
BIRDS: Black-winged Ground-Dove, Giant Hummingbird, Slender-billed Miner, Scribble-tailed and Maquis Canasteros, Zimmer's Tapaculo, White-tipped Plantcutter, Plain-colored Seedeater, Greenish Yellow-Finch, Rufous-sided Warbling-Finch, Rufous-bellied Saltator, Common Brush-Finch.
DAY 8 Thursday 11 December
Early departure for Quebrada de Humahuaca. En route we continue birding the yungas forest along the photogenic and mountainous Cornisa Road. Overnight in Purmamarca.
DAY 9 Friday 12 December
Today we explore the high Andes plateau habitat above Purmamarca and then continue driving along the gorge towards the colonial city of Humahuaca, with its narrow paved streets and adobe houses, where we spend the night.
DAY 10 Saturday 13 December
Full day excursion to some of the shimmering high altitude lakes - the finest area for waterbirds in the entire Andean chain, and home to Andean, Chilean and Puna Flamingos, and in some years the rare Horned Coot, together with the numerous high altitude grassland specialities of the Puna region, seeing herds of Vicuña (wild Llama) amongst the thorn and cactus scrub, rocky ravines and terraced cultivation. Overnight in Humahuaca.
BIRDS: Puna Rhea, Andean Condor, Mountain Caracara, three species of flamingos (Chilean, Andean & Puna), Giant, Horned & Andean Coots, Puna Teal, Andean Goose, Puna Ibis, Andean Avocet, Puna Plover, Giant Hummingbird, Golden-spotted Ground-Dove, Mountain Parakeet, Rufous-banded and Puna Miners, Andean Swallow, Puna Yellow-Finch, White-winged Negrito, Brown-backed Mockingbird, Black-hooded Sierra-Finch, Black Siskin. WILDLIFE: Mountain Viscacha.
DAY 11 Sunday 14 December
Concluding our explorations in the Altiplano, we drive down to the village of Yala, where we reacquaint ourselves with the Montane woodlands, and enjoy the experience of a night tour looking for nighthawks, nightjars and pauraques. Overnight in Yala.
DAY 12 Monday 15 December
Another morning in the area of Yala before taking an afternoon flight to Buenos Aires for overnight. Overnight in Buenos Aires.
BIRDS: Andean Gull, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Red-faced Guan, Rothschild´s Swift, Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Alder Parrot, Spotted-breasted Thornbird, Rusty Flowerpiercer.
DAYS 13 -14 Tuesday - Wednesday 16 - 17 December
We take one of the first flights in the morning towards the extreme northeast of the country - The Iguazu National Park. Upon arrival, we will go birding to some forest patches around the hotel, searching for many subtropical species, which are at the southern limits of their range, before exploring the national park, famous for its awesome waterfall and the exuberant, humid forest that surrounds it. Overnight in Iguazu.
BIRDS: Solitary Tinamou, Black-Fronted Piping-Guan, Rusty-margined Guan, Pauraque, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Slaty-Breasted Wood-Rail, Reddish-Bellied Parakeet, Blue-winged Parrotlet, Great Dusky Swift; Black-faced and Surucua Trogons; five species of Toucans, twelve species of Woodpeckers, Lesser and Plain-Winged Woodcreepers; White-eyed and Black-capped Foliage-gleaners; Rufous-capped and Gray-bellied Spinetails; Tufted and Spot-backed Antshrikes; Plain Antvireo, Rufous-winged Antwren, Short-tailed Antthrush, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow; Blue, White-bearded and Band-tailed Manakins; Southern Antpipit, Long-tailed Tyrant, Yellow Tyrannulet, Three-striped Flycatcher, Sirystes, White-throated Spadebill, Eared Pygmy-Tyrant, Gray-hooded Flycatcher, White-winged Swallow, White-necked Thrush, Creamy-Bellied Gnatcatcher, Streamside Warbler, Blue Dacnis; Violaceus and Chestnut-bellied Euphonias; Blue-naped Chlorophonia; Guira, Green headed, Magpie and Chestnut-headed Tanagers; Giant Cowbird, Red-Rumped Cacique.
WILDLIFE: Brown Capuchin monkey, South American Coati, Guianan Squirrel, Red Brocket, Azara's Agouti.
DAY 15 Thursday 18 December
After another morning in Iguazu, we fly to Buenos Aires for connection with homebound flights.
Price includes: return scheduled flight from London – Buenos Aires, four internal flights, airport taxes, ground transportation, en-suite accommodation with all meals, picnic lunches, incidental tips, and the services of Leader Kevin Shaw and local guides. Max 14 clients.
Price excludes: holiday insurance, optional tips to local guides/other staff, drinks, and other personal expenses.
Please note: all details are given as a guide only. Actual holiday content may vary according to the judgement of your guides, and elements beyond our control (eg weather).
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