Day 1: Our Chile birding tour begins this morning with arrivals into Iquique International Airport (IQQ). Most participants will opt to arrive on the morning flight with the leader from Santiago (SCL), which can be booked closer to the date. After arriving, we will head out to check some spots along the coast. Hopefully one of the Peruvian Tern breeding colonies will be active, and we can also look for Humboldt Penguin, Red-legged Cormorant, and Belcher’s Gull. Later, we will drive inland from the coast in search of Tamarugo Conebill, which is found only in northernmost Chile and southernmost Peru. Night in Iquique.

Day 2: This morning we will embark on a pelagic off Iquique. It must be stressed that pelagics here are generally far better than those off Arica, where most birders sail from. Our main targets are Markham's Storm Petrel and Elliot's Storm Petrel, while there is also a fair chance for the much-wanted Ringed Storm Petrel, which has been seen on most of our recent pelagics here. We might also see Black-browed Albatross, Buller's Albatross, Northern Giant Petrel, Sooty Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater, Peruvian Diving Petrel, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Guanay Cormorant, Chilean Skua, Grey Gull, Swallow-tailed Gull, and the stunning Inca Tern. 

Back on land by lunchtime, we will drive north towards Arica. On the journey, several stops will be made to search for the Critically Endangered endemic Chilean Woodstar, and maybe the unpredictable Raimondi's Yellow Finch. Other species we hope to see include Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail, Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, and Slender-billed Finch. In the evening, we will search for Tschudi's Nightjar. Night in Arica.

Day 3: We will do some morning birding around Arica, visiting the always birdy Lluta Estuary, and also searching for Peruvian Thick-knee and anything we might have missed the previous day. We will then start driving out of the Lluta Valley, climbing through the desert foothills into the high Andes. We will be making some stops en route, searching for Greyish Miner and Straight-billed Earthcreeper before reaching Putre, where we will spend the following two nights. A dusk session near town will focus on some specialties like White-throated Earthcreeper, Dark-winged Canastero, and Canyon Canastero. We may also see Bare-faced Ground Dove, Spot-winged Pigeon, Andean Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, Streaked Tit-Spinetail, Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Chiguanco Thrush, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Black-hooded Sierra Finch, Ash-breasted Sierra Finch, and Greenish Yellow Finch. Night in Putre (3500m).

Day 4: Dawn will see us searching the roadside for Ornate Tinamou as we ascend towards the high Andes for our exploration of the altiplano in the stunning Lauca National Park (4500m), with its snow-capped volcanoes, tussock grasslands, deserts, steppes, and deep blue lakes. Numerous near-endemics occur here, the most important being "Puna" Lesser Rhea, Puna Tinamou, Puna Snipe, Puna Plover, Golden-spotted Ground Dove, Puna Miner, and White-throated Sierra Finch, plus we will have our first chance to see Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. 

We will be on the lookout for other widespread high Andean species such as Andean Goose, Puna Teal, Andean Duck, Puna Ibis, Mountain Caracara, Giant Coot, Andean Coot, "Northern" Silvery Grebe, Andean Lapwing, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Andean Avocet, Andean Gull, Andean Flicker, Cordilleran Canastero, White-winged Cinclodes, White-fronted Ground Tyrant, Rufous-naped Ground Tyrant, Andean Negrito, and Glacier Finch. Up to three flamingo species (Chilean, Andean, and the rare James's) can usually be found at Lauca in good numbers too. Night in Putre.

Day 5: All morning birding at Lauca National Park again as required. After checking a small Polylepis forest for D'Orbigny's Chat-Tyrant and Thick-billed Siskin we will return to Arica for an overnight stay, and can try for Chilean Woodstar again if needed. Night in Arica.

Day 6: Today we will take an early flight back to Santiago. From there, we will make our way back into the Andes (2800m), searching for Andean Condor, Lesser Horned Owl, Chilean Flicker, Sharp-billed Canastero, and the endemic Crag Chilia. However our afternoon highlight will surely be the charismatic Moustached Turca, a rock-dwelling huet-huet which is pleasingly common and typically quite bold! We will also have our first shot at the lovely White-sided Hillstar, and maybe see a few Coruro in their burrows. Night in Santiago.

Day 7: We will spend the whole day birding various sites along the coast, where our main targets will be three endemics: White-throated Tapaculo, Dusky Tapaculo, and Dusky-tailed Canastero. Other species we will search for include Stripe-backed Bittern, the very shy Black Rail (here being one of the best places in the world to actually see it), Ticking Doradito,and the beautiful Many-colored Rush Tyrant. Other birds could include Chilean Elaenia, Rufous-tailed Plantcutter, Fire-eyed Diucon, Chilean Mockingbird, Chilean Swallow, Diuca Finch, Austral Blackbird, Yellow-winged Blackbird, and Black-chinned Siskin. We will have lunch at a very scenic seaside restaurant, watching endemic Chilean Seaside Cinclodes as we sample local fish. Night in Santiago.

Day 8: Today we will do another exciting pelagic trip off Valparaiso into the bird-rich waters of the Humboldt Current. December is the best time of year for the uncommon Juan Fernandez Petrel, but we additionally expect several species of albatross including Northern Royal Albatross, Southern Royal Albatross, Salvin's Albatross, and perhaps even Chatham Albatross. Tubenoses such as Masatierra Petrel, Westland Petrel, White-chinned Petrel, and "Andean" Wilson’s Storm Petrel are all potentials, while Red Phalarope or Sabine's Gull could be sighted passing through. After lunch we will search for any species we might have missed the previous day, and visit a nearby lake where Black-headed Duck, Rosy-billed Pochard, and Correndera Pipit can often be found. Night in Santiago.

Day 9: Our final excursion into the high Andes (3000m) amidst the fantastic scenery of El Yeso Valley. The incomparable Diademed Sandpiper-Plover will be one of our main targets here, together with Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Grey-flanked Cinclodes, Rufous-banded Miner, Creamy-rumped Miner, Magellanic Tapaculo, White-browed, Ochre-naped, Cinereous and Black-fronted Ground Tyrants, Grey-hooded, Mourning and Band-tailed Sierra Finches, Greater Yellow Finch, and Yellow-rumped Siskin. If luck is on our side, we might see Mountain Parakeet or even Great Shrike-Tyrant. Night in Santiago.

Day 10: This morning, we will drive southwards to Vilches, stopping en route to look for Chilean Tinamou at a couple of reliable spots, as well as Burrowing Parrot and Bronze-winged Duck. In the afternoon we will explore the extensive Nothofagus forest in the Andean foothills, searching for the rare Chestnut-throated Huet-huet. Other species we might see include Chilean Pigeon, Green-backed Firecrown, Austral Pygmy Owl, Austral Parakeet, Chucao Tapaculo, Striped Woodpecker, White-throated Treerunner, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, and Patagonian Sierra Finch. In the evening, we will try for Rufous-legged Owl in the hotel grounds. Night in Vilches.

Day 11: After some final birding in the Vilches area, searching for whatever we might have missed the previous day, we will head southwards towards Temuco for an overnight stay. There is a good pond to check for Spot-flanked Gallinule near our hotel. Night in Temuco.

Day 12: In the early morning, we will head towards the mountains to search for the uncommon and only recently described Patagonian Forest Earthcreeper. Afterwards we will retrace our steps and visit a lookout which has been reliable in recent years for the rare Rufous-tailed Hawk, since a pair nest on the nearby slopes. After lunch we will continue southwards to Puyehue National Park for a two-night stay at the truly luxurious Termas de Puyehue Resort, which usually has several flocks of tame Slender-billed Parakeet in the garden! Night at Termas de Puyehue.

Day 13: The old Nothofagus forest of Puyehue is home to the huge, near-endemic Black-throated Huet-huet, which we should see well, in addition to Ochre-flanked Tapaculo, Des Murs's Wiretail, and the uncommon Patagonian Tyrant. We can spend more time on any missing species from Vilches, while keeping an eye out for rarer specialties like Magellanic Woodpecker and Chilean Hawk. Night at Termas de Puyehue.

Day 14: Today we will head early to the coast, where we will take a dedicated pelagic out in search of the recently-described Pincoya Storm Petrel. While this offers the best chance of success for this poorly-known species, it is still not guaranteed. In the late afternoon we will take a ferry across to Chiloé Island for evening birding. Likely species include "Chiloé" Feugian Steamer-Duck, Kelp Goose, Magellanic Penguin, Magellanic Diving Petrel, Imperial Cormorant, Rock Cormorant, Austral Negrito, and hopefully the scarce Snowy-crowned Tern. Night on Chiloé Island.

Day 15: After some final birding on Chiloé, we will take the ferry back to Puerto Montt and continue to the Puerto Montt International Airport (PMC), where the main Chile tour ends around lunchtime. Those continuing on the extension will fly to Punta Arenas.

PATAGONIA & TIERRA DEL FUEGO EXTENSION (can be taken as a stand-alone tour)

Day 1: Our extension commences with an afternoon flight out of Puerto Montt International Airport (PMC) to Punta Arenas in southernmost Chile. Depending on the time of our arrival, we might get started on our Patagonia exploration this afternoon, searching for Ruddy-headed Goose and Ashy-headed Goose on their breeding grounds not far from town, as well as Flying Steamer-Duck, Magellanic Oystercatcher, and Magellanic Woodpecker. Night in Punta Arenas.

Day 2: In the morning we will take the ferry to the adjacent island of Tierra del Fuego, where we will stay overnight. Seabirds we are likely to see include Southern Giant Petrel and Magellanic Diving Petrel, with an outside chance at some lingering Southern Fulmars. Numerous Chilean Skua will be seen chasing the breeding-plumage South American Tern, and with luck we might sight Sei Whale or Peale's Dolphin.

Upon reaching the island, we will drive to a large lake and search for the sought-after Magellanic Plover, a unique bird placed in its own family. Other target birds for the day include Two-banded Plover, Dolphin Gull, Short-billed Miner, and Patagonian Yellow Finch. We will also visit Bahía Inútil, where a small colony of King Penguin (the only one on “mainland” South America) has recently been established. Night on Tierra del Fuego.

Day 3: In the early morning, we will make the short ferry crossing back to the mainland. Commerson’s Dolphin, a stunning species endemic to Patagonia and the Falklands, is usually seen in these waters. Once on the mainland, we will head towards the world-famous Torres del Paine National Park area for a two-night stay. During the journey, we will search for "Darwin's" Lesser Rhea, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Austral Canastero, Chocolate-vented Tyrant, and White-bridled Finch. If we are very lucky, we might come across Patagonian Tinamou. Night near Torres del Paine National Park.

Day 4: We will spend all day exploring the stunning, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Torres del Paine National Park, one of the most scenic places on Earth. We start the morning on a private reserve adjoining the park, where professional Puma trackers will effectively guarantee us several encounters with these incredible cats, often while we are on foot at close-range! This is a truly incredible wildlife experience. Once we are done, we will explore the national park itself, and also the impressive Sierra Baguales nearby. Targets include the extremely localised Austral Rail, the rare White-throated Caracara, and the beautiful Yellow-bridled Finch, as well as "Southern" Silvery Grebe, Coscoroba Swan, Cinereous Harrier, Cinnamon-bellied Ground Tyrant, Grey-bellied Shrike Tyrant, and Patagonian Mockingbird. We have another good chance here to find the impressive Magellanic Woodpecker if we haven't already. Night near Torres del Paine National Park.

Day 5: All morning birding in the Torres del Paine and Sierra Baguales area, searching for anything we might have missed. After lunch, we will head back to Punta Arenas for an overnight stay. Night in Punta Arenas.

Day 6: After a final session of birding, the extension ends in the late morning at Punta Arenas International Airport (PUQ).

NOTE: It is possible to see White-bellied Seedsnipe close to Punta Arenas, but this is weather-dependant and requires a strenuous 10-hour full-day hike. Recently, some birders have had success finding Feugian Snipe in the same area, though movements of this species are still poorly-known. Please let us know if you would like us to arrange this for you after the tour with a local guide, or if you would like information on how to do it yourself.