patagonia - Speyside Wildlife

PATAGONIA
“Walking parallel to a Mountain Lion
which padded across the slope
just above us was an unforgettable
experience! It seemed completely
unbothered by our presence and
even chased a hare, had a rest, then
padded on - 40 minutes
of astonishing wildlife viewing!“
Roy Atkins
Dates
Sat 5 - Tue 22 Nov 2016
Price£7,995
Deposit £1,500 Single Supp £1,000
This immense wilderness of glaciers, mountains and
spectacular coastlines, hosts an astonishing mix of wildlife
– including our best chance of Mountain Lions.
Mountain Lions! Your best chance of seeing this beautiful big cat
Close up views of Southern Right Whales on a boat trip
Stunning scenery of Torres del Paine and Andes Mountains
Steamer Duck, Magellanic Woodpecker and Austral Parakeet in Tiera del Fuego
Huge Magellanic Penguin colony with birds right by our feet!
Visit to the spectacular Perito Moreno Glacier
Andean Condors above snowy mountain peaks and exciting birds
Leaders Roy Atkins plus local guides
Flights British Airways, scheduled
Outbound:
Overnight, Heathrow-Buenos Aires
Inbound:
Overnight, Buenos Aires-Heathrow
Internal flights, Aerolineas Argentinas
Buenos Aires-Trelew-Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires-El Calafate
El Calafate-Ushuaia-Buenos Aires
Weather
Highly variable (5°-25°C), from warm and dry in the northern part of
Patagonia, to potentially cold, wet
and windy in the south, though we hope for nice weather there too!
Walking Easy walking on good tracks with some slightly steeper walks in the mountains
Meals All included from lunch on Day 2
to lunch on Day 17
Health
Although Malaria and Yellow Fever are
uncommon, please consult your doctor
for individual advice
Insects There may be biting insects in some
areas, so bring insect repellent
Accom Twin and single rooms all ensuite
Group 12
Just some of what we hope to see:
Mountain Lion
Andean Condor
Southern Right Whale
Magellanic Penguin
Black-browed Albatross
Southern Elephant Seal
Magellanic Plover
Guanacos
Magellanic Woodpecker
Chilean Flamingo
Steamer Duck
1-3
Arriving in Buenos Aires we start our
trip at Costanera Sur Nature Reserve
just 10 minutes from downtown Buenos Aires. Birds
include Coscoroba Swan, Ringed and Silver Teal,
Masked Gnatcatcher, Golden-billed Saltator and
many more, but the area north of Buenos Aires is
even better and a whole day here may prove very
productive, with the possibility of White-tufted Grebe,
Many-coloured Rush-Tyrant, Warbling Dorodito,
Curve-billed Reedhaunter, Southern Screamer and
with luck Greater Rhea.
4-6
We head now to Patagonia - an immense
region of unexplored wilderness, creating
the southernmost tip of Argentina and Chile.
We fly to Trelew and start our exploration at wetlands,
where birds may include Rosy-billed Pochard, Lake Duck,
Chilean Flamingo and Silvery Grebe.
We then drive to Peninsula Valdés for two nights
in Puerto Pirámides and one night in Puerto Madryn.
We have two full days to explore this world
renowned wildlife reserve, home to the largest
breeding population of Southern Right Whales
on Earth. More than 800 come here to breed and
our boat trip should provide close views, as they
can be quite tame. We’ll also visit an Elephant Seal
colony on a private beach, to see young animals
that are resting up, with Southern Giant Petrels and
Great Grebe offshore. Elegant Crested Tinamou
and Lesser Rhea roam the scrubby landscape
along with Guanaco and Mara - the largest rodent
in Patagonia. At Punta Norte we shall visit
a Magellanic Penguin colony with penguins standing
right by our feet.
Torrent Duck
Mara
Kelp Goose
Thorn-tailed Rayadito
Dolphin Gull
Elegant Crested
Tinamou
Lesser Rhea
Black-necked Swan
Least Seedsnipe
[email protected] | 01479 812498
www.speysidewildlife.co.uk
“It is not just the wildlife that is spectacular! The backdrop for so much of
this astonishing wildlife are the Andes Mountains, the truly spectacular peaks
of Torres del Paine, the incredible Perito Moreno Glacier, or the mountains
around the Beagle Channel - it is truly awesome scenery!” Roy Atkins
7-8
Our morning flight from Trelew to
El Calafate should allow time for
birding around Laguna Nímez, on the shores of
Lake Argentino. This reed-fringed lagoon holds
Chilean Flamingo,Andean Ruddy Duck, Upland Goose,
Cinereous Harrier and rare Magellanic Plover.
We’ll visit Los Glaciares National Park, created
in 1937 to preserve this unique wilderness
of Southern Beech forests, Andean lakes and
13 spectacular glaciers. Glaciar Perito Moreno is,
by far, the best known and a series of trails and
lookouts provide breathtaking close-up views. Our
route provides views of the snow-covered Andes
Mountains - home to magnificent Andean Condor
and we’ll search for Tufted Tit-Tyrant, Chilean Flicker,
Magellanic Tapaculo and Rufous-tailed Plantcutter,
to name a few.
9-12
The long drive to Torres del
Paine, in Chile, crosses Patagonia’s
high plateau, where we hope to see birds like
Tawny-throated Dotterel and Chocolate-vented Tyrant.
Then after crossing the border, the Paine Massif
shows in full from the shores of Lake Sarmiento.
We have two full days to explore Torres del Paine
National Park, a fantastic area for mammals with
Guanaco, Andean Deer, Hairy Armadillo, Chilla Fox
and Culpeo Fox all possible - but our main goal here
is to find the enigmatic Mountain Lion or Puma.
Chances of seeing this beautiful cat are high and
we hope to get good views - another real highlight
of the trip. Birding is good too, with Torrent and
Spectacled Ducks, Scale-throated Earthcreeper,
Austral Negrito, Black-necked Swan, Least Seedsnipe
and more Andean Condors!
13-15
We drive back to El Calafate
for our flight to Ushuaia - the
southernmost city on earth! Overlooking the
Beagle Channel we are close to Tierra del Fuego
National Park, a vast relic of coastal Southern
Beech forest. Magellanic Woodpecker,Austral Parakeet,
White-throated Treerunner and Thorn-tailed Rayadito
are here and we hope to find Magellanic Horned
and Austral Pygmy Owls. We’ll scan the waters for
Flying Steamer Duck, Fuegian Steamer Duck,
Kelp Goose, Ashy-headed Goose, Black-faced Ibis
and Blackish Oystercatcher.
We’ll explore the Beagle Channel by catamaran,
where Southern Sea Lion colonies dot the
islands and seabirds are abundant. Imperial and
Rock Shags, Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins,
South American Tern, Chilean Skua, Dolphin Gull,
Southern Giant Petrel, Black-browed Albatross
and Southern Fulmar create a fabulous list.
16-18
If weather permits, we’ll try for
Ocre-naped Ground-Tyrant and
Yellow-bridled Finch on surrounding hillsides, before
our afternoon flight to Buenos Aires. Here we’ll
relax on the morning of Day 17, before our flight
home in the afternoon, arriving back in London
on Day 18.
Outline Itinerary
Days 1-3
Overnight flight to Buenos Aires then
birding at Costanera Sur Nature Reserve and north of Buenos Aires
2 nights at Lafayette Hotel
Days 4-6
Flight to Trelew then exploring the Valdés Peninsula
2 nights at The Paradise Hotel
1 night at Hotel Peninsula
Days 7-8
Flight to El Calafate then birding the
shores of Lake Argentino and a visit to Los Glaciares National Park
2 nights at Kau Yatun Hotel
Days 9-12 Explore Torres del Paine, Chile
3 nights at Las Torres Hotel
1 night at Kau Yatun Hotel
Days 13-15 Flight to Ushuaia,birdingTierra del Fuego NP
3 nights at Tolkeyen Hotel
Days 16-18 Flight to Buenos Aires, overnight stay. Then overnight flight home Day 17
arriving in UK on Day 18
Roy Atkins: Mountain Lion, Andean Condor,
Porito Moreno Glacier, Magellanic Woodpecker,
Black-browed Albatross
Patricia Frochaux-Martin: Magellanic Penguins
www.speysidewildlife.co.uk
01479 812498 | [email protected]