Optional Pre-Cruise Santiago Area Extension

Birding the Highlands and Coast of Central Chile

16-19 march 2022

$1150/person based on double occupancy (2018 pricing - 2022 not yet priced)

Single Room Supplement $150

The area around Santiago offers wonderful birding opportunities in amazingly varied habitats, from the wonderful scenery of the High Andes to the coastal wetlands and the dry scrublands in between. We will make a special effort for the Chilean endemics found around Santiago, and have a good chance of seeing seven of the 12 species: Chilean Tinamou, Dusky and White-throated Tapaculo, Moustached Turca, Crag Chilia, Dusky-tailed Canastero and Chilean Mockingbird.

Day 1: The pre-cruise extension begins this evening in Santiago. Night in Santiago.

Day 2: We’ll leave early for the coast near Santiago, where we’ll visit several interesting wetlands and scrublands. A short trip to the Maipo River estuary will demonstrate just how important these coastal wetlands are for many migrant species—gulls, shorebirds, terns, and skimmers are usually found in great numbers. There are also several interesting resident species including Dusky Tapaculo, Austral Negrito, and Correndera Pipit. After lunch we will visit some scrublands, where we have a chance to find our first Chilean endemics, such as Chilean Mockingbird, White-throated Tapaculo or Dusky-tailed Canastero. On the rocky shore we may find a few Blackish Oystercatchers along with another of the possible endemics to be seen here, the Seaside Cinclodes. Before the drive back to Santiago, we will make a final stop at a small wetlands where Stripe-backed Bittern is sometimes seen, as well as Many-colored Rush-tyrant, considered by some to be the most beautiful Chilean bird. Night in Santiago.

Day 3: We’ll spend all day at high elevations (8000–9000 feet) in the Maipo and Yeso valleys, where the delicate Diademed Sandpiper Plover, one of the most beautiful shorebirds in the world, will be our main target. Other interesting species will include Crag Chilia, a stunning ovenbird endemic to Chile. In the high-elevation bogs we should see Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Greater Yellow-finch, Rufous-banded Miner, White-browed Ground-tyrant, and the rare Creamy-rumped Miner. The scenery here is absolutely stunning and is as much of a reason to make the journey as the birds. Night in Santiago.

Day 4: We’ll leave early for the ski resort of Farellones, stopping at different elevations, from the Mediterranean matorral shrublands to the alpine zone at 8250 feet. Our route is excellent for several Chilean endemics, including the cryptic and difficult-to-see Chilean Tinamou and the charismatic Moustached Turca. At high elevation we’ll almost certainly find Rufous-banded Miner, Black-winged Ground-dove, Band-tailed Sierra-finch, and Greater Yellow-finch, but the Andean Condor will probably attract most of our attention—we have good chance of seeing a few of these giants during our picnic lunch near Farellones. After lunch we will transfer to Valparaiso to board the cruise ship. Night onboard the Star Princess.

Those not taking the pre-cruise extension will meet the group on the Star Princess at a time and place to be designated later.

Please contact WINGS if you are interested in this optional excursion.

To return to the main cruise itinerary see here.

Updated: July 2020