Argentina
Buenos Aires, Patagonia and the Tierra del Fuego
There's something magical about the word "Patagonia", conjuring up as it does images of wild, wide open spaces with only the occasional estancia for human habitation. Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia is a famous and fabulous book; Bonnie & Clyde spent time here hoping to get away from the authorities; romance and adventure are synonymous with the name. But it's not just the atmosphere and the spectacular scenery. Argentina boasts a formidable bird list with a tremendous variety of species, explained by the sheer length of the country from Buenos Aires in the north (or at least as far north as our tour takes us), right down to the island of Tierra del Fuego in the south.
Our exploration begins in the sophisticated and delightful city of Buenos Aires where we get our first introduction to the birds of South America in the city centre's Costanera Sur nature reserve. Here it's possible to see at least 70 species in just a couple of hours - what a way to "recover" from a long flight! We'll stay in Buenos Aires overnight so that we are fully refreshed before heading south to start our Patagonian adventure in the north of this vast region at Trelew. Our holiday is timed to coincide with the time when the Orca (Killer Whales) come in close to shore, almost beaching themselves as they hunt for young sea lions and penguins - a terrific spectacle if we're lucky. We'll also be enjoying the coastal and seabirds as well as several Argentinean endemics.
From here we fly further south to El Calafate and El Chatén where we find a combination of typical Patagonian steppe, dramatic mountains and superb glaciers. We'll spend two nights in each and enjoy some splendid birding with almost guaranteed sightings of the magnificent Andean Condor. We'll also be hoping for close encounters with such delightful species as the Magellanic Woodpecker and the rare and endangered Magellanic Plover.
Our final centre is at "the end of the world", as the island of Tierra del Fuego is known. Based in Ushuaia, perhaps best known as the departure point for Antarctic cruises, we'll discover that this fascinating island, half Argentinean, half Chilean, has much more to offer than simply a stepping stone. Here we'll spend time exploring the Tierra del Fuego National Park and go up into the mountains to discover the "Hidden Lake" and the incredible geological formation of the mountains and valley which make up this wonderful island. And, to top it all off, we'll take a boat trip in the Beagle Channel where we'll be on the lookout for birds more associated with the Falklands and Antarctica such as albatross and petrels as well as good colonies of King Cormorants and much more.
