Birding in cloud forests, Chaco and Andean Plateau
Argentina
Region
Northwest
Season
March to November
Duration
12 days
Briefing
Day 1:Flight to Salta. Birds in Chaco’s forest habitat of J.V. González area.
Day 2: Chaco woods of “El Rey” National Park.
Day 3:“El Rey” National Park. Chaco and cloud forests.
Day 4: El Rey - P.N. Calilegua National Park.
Day 5: Calilegua N.P. (Cloud forest habitat).
Day 6: Calilegua's altitude grasslands and aliso woods to Jujuy.
Day 7: Yala River.
Day 8: Explore the Humahuaca Ravine (Prepuna habitat) - Purmamarca.
Day 9: Start exploring the Puna (Altiplano) or Andean Plateau and visit Runtuyoc Lake.
Day 10: Pozuelos Lake Natural Monument & Biosphere Reserve.
Day 11: Drive back to Salta. Selva Montana Hotel.
Day 12: Transfer to Salta’s airport.
Tour description
This trip through 4 habitats of northwestern Argentina, will enable you to observe a wide diversity of birds in more than 4 ecoregions and various habitats, such as the Chaco woods, the lush cloud forest or Yungas, cacti groves of the Prepuna and the Andean Plateau and transitional areas. The Northwest is a region of extremes, contrasts and diversity with numerous endemic species. Our first destination will be the Chaco's woods , where the red-legged seriemas, ultramarine grosbeak, white-fronted woodpecker, spot-winged falconet, black-hooded parakeet, dusky-legged guans, variable antshrikes and various species of flycatchers can be seen.
In the warm valleys and cloud forests of the “El Rey” and “Calilegua” national parks we shall find the giant antshrike, the golden-collared macaw, mitred parakeets, Hoy's screech-owl, Planalto hermits, white-vented violetear, blue-crowned trogon, toco toucan, hook-billed kite, the black-backed grosbeak, streaked xenops, pale-legged warbler, the yellow-striped brush-finch and the saffron-billed sparrow, just for mentioning a few species, and we won't forget about the torrent ducks and the rufous-throated dipper at the Yala River!
During the second part of the trip you’ll travel through valleys and ravines covered by giant cacti, and along the Puna or Andean plateau, with various endemic species to this extreme habitat such as: Puna rhea, the Puna tinamou, 3 species of flamingos: the James', the Andean and the Chilean flamingos, giant and horned coots, Puna teals, Andean avocets, mountain caracaras, golden-spotted ground-dove, Andean flicker, Andean swifts, Andean geese, mountain parakeet and the rock earthcreeper, among many others.
Spectacular landscapes, pre-Inca ruins, delicious meals, excellent wines and of course superb birding in a land of contrasts and beauty!