Early in the morning, we will visit La Campana National Park, where we will look for three interesting passerines, all endemic to Chile, Dusky-tailed Canastero, Moustached Turca and White-throated Tapaculo. We are also likely to encounter the remarkable Giant Hummingbird, Austral Pygmy Owl and Chilean Pigeon. In 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. To end the day we will stop in a coastal marsh to see a variety of waterfowl including Red Shoveler, Yellow-billed 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.

Day Tour

Available from September 2009 through April 2010.

Meet/Depart: Daily departures from Santiago or Valparaíso, Chile.

Duration: Approximately 10-12 hours | Pick-up time at the hotel 6am.

Rates per Person:

The trip price includes: Private transportation and birding guide services during the tour, picnic lunch and snacks, park entrance fees, and mineral water.

The trip price excludes: Tipping, travel insurance, à la carte dishes, alcoholic drinks, and anything else of a purely personal nature.

Early in the morning we will drive a short distance north of Santiago 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 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.

Day Tour

Available from late September 2009 through April 2010.

Meet/Depart: Daily departures from Santiago or Valparaiso, Chile.

Duration: Approximately 10-12 hours | Pick-up time at the hotel 6am.

Rates per Person:

The trip price includes: Private transportation and birding guide services during the tour, picnic lunch and snacks, and mineral water.

The trip price excludes: Tipping, travel insurance, à la carte dishes, alcoholic drinks, and anything else of a purely personal nature.