| On this full day tour we will try to see two true icons of the wildlife of the Andes and Patagonia. The Andean Condor, is one of the world's largest flying birds, with an impressive wingspan of more than 10 feet (nearly 3 meters); these magnificent birds soar over the summits of the Andes, all the way from Venezuela down to Tierra del Fuego. In Patagonia, Condors are an usual sight and we will try to see them in the field, flying or resting on the cliffs, with the help of binoculars and spotting scopes. It is quite an amazing experience to see these colosal birds flying low, very close to the sea level. Later during the day, we will visit an active and very accessible Magellanic Penguin colony. Here we will study their intriguing breeding behaviour as well as receive interpretation about their feeding techniques and migratory routes. There are no many places in the world were you can see penguins and condors on the same day, and on this trip we will discover a wealth of birds and a sample of the most common mammals of the region, amidst the dazzling scenery of the remote Chilean Patagonia. | | |
Day Tour Duration: Approximately 8-10 hours, from Punta Arenas, Chile Prices: 2 participants:
| USD $ 198.00 | 3 participants:
| USD $ 175.00 | 4+ participants:
| USD $ 150.00 |
The trip price includes: Private transportation and naturalist guide services during the tour, park entrance fees, 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. 
Activity Program 08:30 | Meeting with guide at Punta Arenas port. | 08:45 | Departure to Rio Verde area
| | 10:00 | Watching Andean Condors at their roosting sites of Palomares Hill with the help of spotting scopes and binoculars. We will inspect the road for close views of flying Condors and give an interpretation about the natural history and conservation status of Condors in South America. Along the shores of the Fitz Roy Channel we will see a good array of endemic seabirds and waterfowl to Patagonia including King Cormorants, Black-necked and Coscoroba Swans, Upland, Ashy-headed and Kelp Goose, Flightless and Flyins Steamer-Ducks, Dolphin Gull and Chilean Skua plus several others. We will have chances of seeing the rare and endemic Chilean Dolphin, the local Peale's Dolphins and South American Sea Lion. | 12:00 | Picnic-lunch (c. 30 minutes). | 13:00 | Departure to Otway Sound penguin colony. We will take extra time to bird along this road, looking for specialities of the Patagonian steppes including Lesser Rhea among several other bird species, and mammals such as Guanaco, Southern Grey Fox and Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk. | 15:00 | Arrival to the small Magellanic Penguin rookery of Otway Sound. We will have extra time than the conventional general tours in order to photograph and study the behaviour of this endemic penguin species to Patagonia. Our guide will give a field talk about their breeding and feeding ecology, and some remarks about other penguin species occurring in the southern region of South America. We will also bird along the path in search of some of the local songbirds including Austral Canastero, Grass Wren, Long-tailed Meadowlark. It is a good chance of seeing Chilean Flamingo plus a good selection of southern ducks. | 17:00 | Departure to Punta Arenas. The group will compile the checklist with the species of birds and mammals recorded during this birding and nature trip. | 18:00 | Drop-off at the port | End of service |
|
