Birding the Central Andes

Birding the Central Andes

Day trip from Santiago de Chile

Diademed Sandpiper-Plover © Jorge Valenzuela, Far South Exp

Birding the Central Andes

Birding El Yeso Reservoir | Quest for Diademed Sandpiper-Plover at El Yeso Valley

Day trip from Santiago de Chile (10-12 hours) | Available from September through April

Birding El Yeso Reservoir. A comprehensive birding trip exploring the imposing and scenic Andes above Santiago de Chile. We will have the whole day to explore these inspiring landscapes and to discover its wealth of birdlife specialties. Covering most of the bird families originated around the Andes – from canasteros to ground tyrants, from seedsnipes to hillstars – this comprehensive itinerary will surely be a rewarding experience for both the experienced and novice birder alike.

The main target of our trip is an iconic wader of the Andes, the stunning Diademed Sandpiper-Plover.

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Take a look to our selection of Birding tours in Chile. Click here.Birding El Yeso Reservoir.

birdingn the central andes — White-sided Hillstar © Jorge Valenzuela, Far South Exp

We will have an early start (6.30am) in order to leave Santiago in direction to the Andes, before the rush hour. We will have the whole day to explore the surroundings of El Yeso river and the homonymous reservoir. We have planned a few stops along this road in order to find a few endemic and specialties such as Crag Chilia, Moustached Turca and White-sided Hillstar.

The birding is very productive in this area, and we’ll hopefully be rewarded with sightings of Andean Condors, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Mountain Caracara and several other Andean specialties such as Black-winged Ground-Dove, Grey-flanked Cinclodes, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Rufous-banded Miner, Greater Yellow-Finch and Yellow-rumped Siskin.

The setting of El Yeso Reservoir is simply breathtaking. Careful scanning of the surrounding grasslands and streams may produce the stunning Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, our main target species for the day. This is one of the lowest spots to find it (2,600m / 8,000ft) along its entire range though the Andes. Besides this exceptional bird, we hope to find other interesting species such as Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Scale-throated Earthcreeper and Creamy-rumped Miner. This is a lovely mountain spot where we will also have chances for Torrent Duck and flocking Mountain Parakeets. Birding El Yeso Reservoir.

Trip Highlights

• Explore the magnificent Andes above Santiago, Chile’s capital city.

• In-depth birding trip aimed to search for Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, one of the most sought-after species of the High Andes.

• Look for some of the most charismatic Andean birds such as Torrent Duck and Andean Condor.

• Discover an array of interesting birds of the Andes including tapaculos, furnariids and tyrant-flycatchers.

• Great botanizing opportunities, especially during the southern summer months (December to February).

Trip Map

Dates & Rates

Rates for Custom Private Departures (you choose the date)

Trip Code	SCL01
Duration	10-12 hours \| Pick-up time at the hotel 6.30am.
No. of guests	1	2	3	4	5+
Price per person (USD)	$683	$369	$391	$331	$277
Trips are guaranteed to depart with a minimum of 4 participants.

Available from September through April.
Daily departures from Santiago de Chile.
Maximum group size: 10 guests

What the trip includes/excludes

The above prices are per person in US Dollars. All payments are in US Dollars.

The trip price includes: Private transportation with professional driver, naturalist guide services during the tour, park entrance fees, lunch and snacks, and bottled water. VAT of the tour is also included.

The trip price excludes: Tipping (entirely optional), travel insurance, á la carte dishes, alcoholic drinks, and anything else of a purely personal nature. Bng El Yeso Reservoir.

Tour Registration

To register for this tour, complete the online registration form and return it by email with a deposit of US$ 100 per person. Full payment of the tour fee is due four (4) weeks prior to tour departure.

Cancellation Policy

Notice of cancellation can only be accepted IN WRITING from the person who signed the booking form and takes effect on the day such noticed is received by us.

Refunds are made according to the following schedule:

• If cancellation is made between 120 and 90 days before departure, the deposit is not refundable, but any payments covering the balance of the fee will be refunded.
• If cancellation is made fewer than three weeks before departure date, no refund is available.

Birding the Central Andes

Day trip from Santiago de Chile

Birding the Central Andes

Birding El Yeso Reservoir | Quest for Diademed Sandpiper-Plover at El Yeso Valley

Day trip from Santiago de Chile (10-12 hours) | Available from September through April

Trip Highlights

Trip Map

Dates & Rates

Rates for Custom Private Departures (you choose the date)

What the trip includes/excludes

Tour Registration

Cancellation Policy

Check out our selection of day trips around Santiago, Chile