Birding Northern Chile tour. Birdwatching trip aimed to discover the birds and wildlife specialties of the Atacama Desert coastal areas, the oasis valleys of northern Chile, and the High Andean Plateau or Altiplano. This trip includes a comprehensive visit to Putre’s surroundings and Lauca National Park to explore the wealth of wildlife found on its puna grasslands, Andean lakes, bogs and scrubby ravines. An optional visit to Surire salt flat, one of the top wildlife spots in the whole High-Andean desert, is available upon request.
Our journey to the north of Chile will take us to the fringes of world’s most driest desert, the inhospitable Atacama, on the border with southern Peru. Our base locations will be Arica, Chile’s northernmost city, and the town of Putre. This unique and scenic area is home to highly diverse species such as Puna (or James’s) Flamingo, Tamarugo Conebill and Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. From the huge, flightless Giant Coot to the tiny Chilean Woodstar, Chile’s smallest bird and one of the most threatened. We will explore the Azapa, Lluta and Chaca valleys around Arica, drive to Putre, situated just below the Altiplano at 3,500m (10,500ft) above sea level where we’ll look for pre-puna shrub specialties before climbing up to the high Andean Plateau of Lauca National Park. There is an optional trip to Surire National Reserve, one of the most impressive salt pans of the whole Chilean altiplano (highly recommended).
Interested in a trip option with a broader focus on wildlife and visiting this same region, take a look to our Northern Chile Wildlife Adventure. birding northern chile tour
