Juan Fernandez is a fascinating volcanic archipelago, located about 400 miles off central Chile. Robinson Crusoe Island, the main island of the group, is accessible after a 2-hour flight journey from Santiago, Chile.
Its rich history dates back to its discovery by Portuguese explorer Juan Fernandez in 1574, but its fame relates to the prolonged residence of the Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk who was marooned there between 1704 and 1709. His epic survival story served as an inspiration source for Daniel Defoe’s famous novel. The critically endangered temperate sub-tropical woodlands of the island, the Fernandezian forests, holds a large, diverse and rich array of flora represented by more than 130 endemic species, most of them regarded as Critically Endangered. During this trip, we shall explore these forests searching for its endemic land birds: the remarkable Juan Fernandez Firecrown and the Juan Fernandez Tit-tyrant. We will also have the opportunity to explore the rugged coastline by boat, where we will look for its rare seabirds, including the petrels and shearwaters that nest in burrows in the secluded forests. The sub-tropical waters are very productive and we hope to find Defillipi’s, Stejneger’s, Kermadec and Juan Fernandez Petrel as well as Pink-footed Shearwater.
Join us on our birding and natural history trips to this unique and special destination, to seek the natural treasures of the island of Robinson Crusoe! robinson crusoe island trips
