Itinerary:

Day 1: Santiago - Arrival in Santiago and transfer to our hotel.

Day 2: Santiago – Renaca - After breakfast to some nearby marshes at Estero Lampa. Birds we’ll be looking for here include South American Painted Snipe, Stripe-backed Bittern, Rosy-billed Pochard, White-tailed Kite, Misto Yellow Finch Many-coloured Rush-Tyrant, Spectacled Tyrant and Wren-like Rushbird and Chiloe Wigeon. The Chilena form of warbling Doradito is here too. We’ll head for the coast after an hours birdng via the Catapilca road where we’ll make some stops for our first chance at Great Shrike-Tyrant, Common Diuca Finch, Dusky-tailed Canstero, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, Tufted Tit-tyrant, and more Once at the coast we’ll see our first Humboldt Current seabirds – we’ll visit a Humboldt Penguin colony, Ventana factory pools (Chiloe Wigeon and White-cheeked Pintail) and after lun ch and birdng at the Aconcagua estuary before heading for our shoreline hotel where Inca Terns, Red-legged Shag as well as Chilean Seaside Cinclodes are on the rocks. After a full and varied days birding we’ll relax in our fabulous coastal view overlooking the Pacific. Night Hotel Oceanic. B:L:D

Day 3: La Campana - La Campana National Park  (350-630m) is our destination this morning. This is a good site for Dusky-tailed Canastero, Chilean Pigeon, Striped Woodpecker and Moustached Turca but our main quest will be the endemic White-throated Tapaculo. We’ll spend some time on Dusky Tapaculo, a species restricted just to this mountain range. Others include Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail, Giant Hummingbird, the inquisitive Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-crested Elaenia (of the southern form chilensis), Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Fire-eyed Diucon, Austral Thrush, Chilean Mockingbird (a widespread endemic), Chilean and Blue-and-white Swallows, Common Diuca-Finch, Austral Blackbird and Black-chinned Siskin. Other target species include the impressive Moustached Turca (a large Tapaculo endemic to central Chile) and Crag Chilia (a sleek rock-loving furnarid of outcrops and escarpments), although there will be further opportunities to see both of these. We’ll stay at a German run Hotel close to park so that after dinner, those who wish can return to the nearby park entrance to look for the impressive Rufous-legged Owl. Night in Olmue. B:L:D

Day 4: Pelagic from Quintero or Valpairaiso –Santiago - Morning pelagic 12 miles from the coast. We have the chance of five species of Albatross including Salvin’s, Buller’s, Royal and Wandering. Tubenoses are a main feature of these Pelagics and we’ll hope for Southern Fulmar, De Filippe’s, Masatierra and Westland Petrels, Peruvian Diving-Petrel as well as the more numerous White-chinned and Cape Petrels and Northern Giant Petrels. Wilson’s Petrels often “foot-patter” close to the boat and we often see large numbers of Grey Phalaropes. Others include Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, Kelp Gull and South American Tern. Our post lunch excursion will be at Laguna El Peral. We should see a wide variety of species here including Black-necked Swan, 3 species of Coot, Spot-falnked Gallinule, the rare Black-headed Duck, Plumbeous Rail, Lake Duck, Great Grebe. Many-colored Rush-tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird and Common Diuca Finch are here too.  We’ll drive to Santiago this evening for overnight in the capital. B:L:D

Day 5: El Yeso and the Andes - El Yeso road: The bog here at 2500m is a favorite site of Diademed Sandpiper-Plover and this is probably the bird El Yeso is famed for. We’ll stop in the valley however before gaining height for the Crag Chilia and the lower reaches hold Moustached Turca both Chilean endemics. We see a variety of Sierra-Finches and Furnariids here; the latter includes Grey-flanked Cinclodes, Rufous-banded Miner, Creamy-rumped Miner, Scale-throated Earthcreeper. Ground-Tyrants are everywhere including Rufous-naped, White-browed, Ochre-naped, Cinereous and Spot-billed. Our best views of Andean Condor will probably be here in this valley and Torrent Ducks are regularly found on the streams. One of the hummers we’ll be looking for up here is the White-sided Hillstar. We have a chance at both Gray-bellied and Grat Shrike-Tyrants here.  Night in Santiago. B:L:D

Day 6:  Santiago and Farallones to Talca - A morning drive into the Andes to Farrallones to look for Crag Chilia Duscy Tapaculo, Greater Yellowfinch, Creamy-rumped Miner, White-sided Hillstar amongst other Andean birds if we have not already seen them. Condors should be around. Later this morning we will drive southwards to Talca for an overnight stay. In the afternoon we will explore the extensive Nothofagus forest in the Andean foothills in the Alto Vilches national park. In particular we will be listening for the nasal scolding of Chile’s least known Tapaculo, the Chestnut-throated Huet-huet, perhaps the most missed Chilean endemic on most tours. We will also be looking for Rufous-tailed Plantcutter and more Nothofagus forest endemics such as Austral Parakeet (the worlds most southerly parrot species), the plump Chucao Tapaculo with its explosive voice, Magellanic Tapaculo, Striped Woodpecker, Chilean Flicker, White-throated Treerunner and Patagonian Sierra-Finch. This will be our first opportunity to see the Magallenic Woodpecker, which is quite common here.  Other birds include Thorn-tailed Ryadito and Fire-eyed Diucon. We’ll stay at a nearby hotel. Night in Talca. B:L:D

Day 7: Talca to Santiago - Another morning at Vilches to look for birds we may have missed in this pretty forest before we return to Santiago in the evening making selected stops along the way. Night in Santiago B:L:D

Day 8: Santiago – Puerto Montt – Puyehue NP - To the airport and morning flight to Puerto Montt. The picturesque Isla de Chiloé lies just a short distance away and the ferry crossings should provide good opportunities to observe Magellanic Penguin, Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Imperial and Red-legged Cormorants, Snowy-crowned Tern and hopefully some pelagic visitors. During our brief stay on the island we will search for Fuegian (or Flightless) Steamer-Duck and Magellanic Oystercatcher, two Patagonian endemics. After returning to the mainland we will drive northwards to the beautiful Chilean Lake District, Black-faced Ibis flocks become a familiar sight with their far-carrying trumpeting calls. En route to Puyehue National Park, where we will spend two nights, we shall endeavour to locate the handsome Slender-billed Parakeet, which is endemic to south-central Chile. This localized species has a specially adapted long maxilla for extracting Araucaria (monkey puzzle) seeds when in season, but it spends the rest of the year amongst crops and orchards. Continuing past Lago Llanquihue and hopefully seeing Treudeau’s Tern. Afternoon driving through the Lake District searching for Slender-billed Parakeet and Austral Pygmy-Owl, arriving at Puyehue (1040m) in the late afternoon. Night at the Antillanca Ski Resort. B:L:D

Day 9 &10: Puyehue NP - All days birding the Puyehue NP, including a visit to Crater Renhuel (440-1250m). Target birds here include Black-throated Huet-Huet, Chucao, Magellanic and Ochre-flanked Tapaculos, Des Murs’ Wiretail, White-throated Treerunner, Green-backed Firecrown, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Patagonian Tyrant, and Black-chinned Siskin. We’ll also have a second chance at Magellanic Woodpecker and this magnificent beast will be one of our priorities. Higher up, at the crater of the Volcan Raihuen, we will search for Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant and the striking Yellow-bridled Finch. Red-tailed and Chilean Hawks are here too.  Nights at Antillanca. B:L:D

Day 11: Puyehue NP. - Puerto Montt - Punta Arenas: To the airport and morning flight to Punta Arenas. On arrival we’ll check into the hotel and have lunch head out in search of Steamer Ducks (both Flightless and Flying), Lesser Rhea and an afternoon coastal excursion looking for Dottrels and more Afternoon and evening birding near Punta Arenas. Ancient forests of twisted, stunted Nothofagus (southern beech) trees reflect the harshness of the southern temperate climate and contribute to the distinctive flavor of Patagonia, a world apart from the rest of South America. Some birding on the coast near the hotel should produce Black-browed Albatross, Flying Steamer-Duck and Magellanic Oystercatcher, Imperial Shag, Upland Goose, Flying and Fuegian (Flightless) Steamerducks, Two-banded Plover, Chilean Skua and Kelp and Dolphin Gulls. The tiny Austral Negrito is ubiquitous. We’ll stay at a comfortable hotel here. Night Hotel Finis Terra. B:L:D

Day 12: Punta Arenas – Tierra del Fuego - We’ll then take the ferry crossing to Porvenir on Tierra del Fuego.  We should see scores of Southern Giant petrels, Magallenic Diving Petrels, Chilean Skuas, Black-browed Albatross, cape Petrela and more. Afternoon birding Tierra del Fuego including Laguna Verde, Laguna Santa Maria and Bahia Inutil. Common and rarer birds for the next couple of days will be Ruddy-headed, Ashy-headed, and Upland Goose, Two-banded Plover, Magellanic Plover, Chilean Skua, Canary-winged Finch, Rufous-chested and Tawny-throated Dotterels, Lesser Rhea and Flightless Steamer-Duck. Black-necked Swan, Crested Duck and Kelp Goose. B:L:D

Day 13: Tierra del Fuego to Punta Arenas - Morning birding Tierra del Fuego near Porvenir before heading to Bahia Azul and our ferry crossing back to the mainland. We’ll stop at a rocky outcrop where Magallenic Horned Owls roost. This is a shorter ferry crossing and we’ll look for Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Wilson’s Petrels and White-chinned Petrels plus other seabirds. A stop on the continent at Buque Quemado for will get us a great variery of waterfowl including Silver Teal, Rosybill, Chiloe Wigeon, White-cheeked Pintail., Coscoroba Swan and avraiery of shorebirds including South Amercian Snipe. En route to Punta Arenas, we’ll detour to Pali-Aike for Chocolate-vented Tyrant, Canary-winged Finch Short-billed and Common Miners and Patagonian Yellow-Finch . We’ll bird our way to back to Punta Arenas for the night. Night Hotel Finis Terra B:L:D

Day 14: Punta Arenas – Santiago - Early morning birding to a Magellanic Penguin colony and a last chance to see Austral Canastero and Flightless Steamer Duck then the airport and flight to Santiago (arriving mid-afternoon) and connecting international flights. B: