Compare Northwest Argentina: The High Andes, Yungas, and Monte Desert by Tropical Birding vs Antarctic Explorer by Exodus Travels

Day 1: Salta

On arrival in Salta, you will be transferred to great hotel in a wooded suburb of the city. If you arrive in time, we can do some easy birding near the hotel for species like White-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-billed Saltator, Scaly-headed Parrot, Plush-crested Jay, White-barred Piculet, and Cream-backed Woodpecker.

Day 2: Salta to the Rio Yala

Leaving Salta, we’ll drive north stopping along a scenic highway through the mountains. Lakes here have a good variety of waterbirds such as Brazilian Teal, Yellow-billed and White-cheeked Pintails, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, White-winged Coot, White-tufted Grebe, Black-necked Stilt, and others. Tawny-headed Swallow can often be found flying over the shore, and wooded areas nearby have Black-and-rufous Warbling-Finch, White Monjita, Stripe-crowned Spinetail and others. After lunch, we’ll reach a small park along the Yala river, spending one night in a nearby hotel. Birding the idyllic Yala valley will give us our first chance at Rufous-throated Dipper, although the scarce Red-faced Guan will be our main target in the Yungas forests. We may also find Dusky-legged Guan, Spot-breasted Thornbird, Rusty-browed Warbling-Finch, Fulvous-headed and White-browed Brush-Finches, Plush-crested Jay, Red-tailed Comet, Plumbeous Black-Tyrant, and others.

Day 3: Rio Yala and the Humahuaca Valley

We’ll have another morning in the Yala area, looking for more Yungas specialties such as Slender-tailed Woodstar, Large-tailed Dove, and Yungas Pygmy-Owl along with more common species like Buff-browed Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-capped Antshrike, and Rust-and-yellow Tanager. Later in the morning, we head north, climbing up the scenic Humahuaca valley into the altiplano, stopping for lunch at a restaurant that specializes in llama (don’t worry, there are other things on the menu!). Later in the afternoon, we’ll bird a small lake that should have Puna and Yellow-billed Teal, Ruddy Duck, Andean Goose, Giant and Slate-colored Coots, Puna Ibis, Silvery Grebe, and Andean Negrito. There are other lakes in this area that are sometimes dry, but if they have any water in them, we’ll likely see our first Chilean, Andean, and Puna Flamingos as well as Andean Avocet. if the lakes are dry, we will save these species for the next day, and concentrate on puna birds such as Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant, Andean Flicker, Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch, and several species of sierra-finch. We spend one night in a small hotel in a sleepy altiplano village.

Day 4: Laguna de los Pozuelos

An early start and packed breakfast and lunch are necessary today as we drive a long way on rough roads to the remote Laguna de los Pozuelos. This huge lake is also a magnet for flamingos as well as high Andean waterfowl, Puna Plovers, and wintering shorebirds. The dry puna around the lake is great for Golden-spotted Ground-Dove, Puna and Common Miners, Gray-breasted Seedsnipe, Short-billed Pipit, and a variety of finches. During some years, Horned Coots nest on this lake, though many years they are absent. Herds of Vicugnas also roam the lake edge, and we’ll keep a lookout for Lesser Rheas. In the afternoon, we drive to the border town of La Quiaca for a two-night stay. Later in the afternoon, we’ll drive a dirt road near town that can be good for Least Seedsnipe and Tawny-throated Dotterel, and time-permitting we may make a first visit to Yavi.

Day 5: Sierra de Santa Victoria and Yavi

We’ll need another early start as we drive east to a 14,700 ft (4500 m) pass, the highest elevation we reach on the tour. The scenery here is nothing short of spectacular, and while species numbers are low, what we do see is quite different. The smartly-dressed Red-backed Sierra-Finch is usually easy to find, and we’ll also look for Ornate Tinamou, Mountain Parakeet, Slender-billed Miner, Straight-billed and Plain-breasted Earthcreepers (now lumped with Buff-breasted), Puna Canastero, Cream-winged Cinclodes, Black-fronted and Cinereous Ground-Tyrants, Andean Swallow, Brown-backed Mockingbird, Andean Hillstar, and others. If the weather is nice, we stand a good chance of seeing Andean Condor. Later on, we’ll bird some montane scrub lower down for Puna Yellow-Finch, Rufous-banded Miner, Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetail, and others before driving back west. We’ll spend the afternoon in the small village of Yavi. A river runs through this village, providing water for small farms and creating an oasis that is amazingly “birdy”. This is the best place in Argentina for Citron-headed Yellow-Finch and Wedge-tailed Hillstar, and while these are the biggest targets, we’ll see plenty of other great birds that may include Black-hooded Sierra-Finch, Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, Spot-winged Pigeon, Bare-faced and Black-winged Ground-Doves, D’Orbigmy’s Chat-Tyrant, Brown-backed Mockingbord, White-winged Black-Tyrant, and Andean Swift.

Day 6: Yavi to Salta

We’ll spend the morning targeting anything else we still need in this area before driving back to Salta, where we spend another two nights in the same hotel. In the afternoon, we’ll look for foothill species such as Saffron-billed Sparrow, Giant Antshrike, Green-cheeked Parakeet, and Stripe-capped Sparrow.

Day 7: Palomitas

Today we leave early and drive down into the dry foothills east of Salta. Some superb birds can be found here along an easy dirt road, such as Many-colored Chaco Finch, Spot-backed Puffbird, Ultramarine Grosbeak, Stripe-backed Antbird, Black-capped Warbling-Finch, Checkered and Cream-backed Woodpeckers, Chaco Chachalaca, Little and Rufous-fronted Thornbirds, Chaco Earthcreeper, Brushland Tinamou, and many more. Red-legged Seriema is sometimes easy to see in some open fields farther along the road, but we will need a lot of luck to find the smaller and shier Black-legged Seriema. In the afternoon, we’ll bird some more in the yungas forests around Salta, and stay out late to look for several species of nightbirds, including Montane Forest Screech-Owl, Rufous Nightjar, and Scissor-tailed Nightjar.

Day 8: Salta to Cachi

After the late night of owling, we’ll have a fairly relaxed start. After breakfast, we’ll drive south of Salta, and then turn west into the mountains. The road snakes up a steep valley known as the Cuesta del Obispo, where roadside scrub and woodland hold some extremely localized species like Bare-eyed Ground-Dove, Rufous-sided Warbling-Finch, Maquis Canastero, Rufous-bellied Saltator, and Zimmer’s Tapaculo, along with more common birds, including Yellow-billed and Tufted Tit-Tyrants, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, and Rusty Flowerpiercer. On the far side of the pass, the road drops into the “Monte Desert” characterized by tall, columnar cacti. This is home to two more Argentine endemics, the ghostly Sandy Gallito and noisy White-throated Cacholote. It’s also the best place on the tour for the well-named Elegant Crested-Tinamou. We’ll have one night in the pleasant village of Cachi.

Day 9: Cachí to Cafayate

We’ll return to the desert after an early breakfast, looking for anything we missed the previous day. Later in the afternoon, we’ll drive south through one of the most scenic areas on the continent with rock formations reminiscent of the American west. En route we’ll check out a breeding colony of Burrowing Parakeets – some years it is very active, and other years it is completely vacant. Even if we don’t see them at the colony, they are easy to find in other places around Cachi and Cafayate. Cafayate is world-renowned for its wine, and we’ll spend one night in a hotel right in the vineyards. A dirt road near the hotel has White-fronted Woodpecker, and gives us another chance at some species such as Chaco Earthcreeper and Ultramarine Grosbeak if we still need them.

Day 10: Cafayate to Tafí del Valle

South of the Cafayate we return to the Monte Desert, looking for White-throated Cacholote if we haven’t seen it yet, as well as the handsome Ringed Warling-Finch and White-fronted Woodpecker. As we head up into the mountains, we’ll target the rare endemic Steinbach’s Canastero, as well as a few more common species we may not have seen yet, such as Scale-throated Earthcreeper, Gray-hooded Sierra-Finch, and Ornate Tinamou. We spend two nights in Tafí del Valle. In the afternoon, we’ll first bird a lake below town that usually has a good selection of waterfowl. Among the more common species, we could also find Red Shoveler and Rosy-billed Pochard, while other possibilities include Red-fronted and Red-gartered Coots, South American Snipe, and Correndera Pipit. Later in the afternoon, we’ll drop down into the forested Rio Los Sosa Valley. Here we’ll check the river for Rufous-throated Dipper (if we didn’t see it at Yala) and Torrent Duck, and should find the endemic Yellow-striped Brush-Finch.

Day 11: El Infiernillo and Rio Los Sosa

We’ll bird this high mountain pass at dawn for Buff-breasted Earthcreeper, Tucuman Mountain-Finch, Andean Tinamou, White-browed Tapaculo, and Hellmayr’s Pipit. Flower patches lower down the valley could have Andean and White-sided Hillstars, Giant Hummingbird, or Sparkling Violetear. The plan for the afternoon will depend on what we still are looking for; this will likely include Tucuman Parrot, and we’ll stake out a reliable spot for this rare bird late in the afternoon.

Day 12: Tafí to Tucumán

We’ll drive about 2 hours to the city of Tucumán, where the tour ends. We plan to arrive in time for mid-day flights to Buenos Aires, allowing for plenty of time to transfer to the international airport of onward connections.

Day 1 Start Ushuaia, Argentina

Begin your journey in Ushuaia, a small but bustling port town at the tip of South America. This Argentine town is an ideal gateway for you to explore the southern extent of Patagonia while preparing for your adventure ahead. Get active in the mountains or enjoy handcrafted chocolate at a café in town.

Day 2 Board ship and sail along the Beagle Channel

The morning is free to explore Ushuaia and the surrounding area, to do some last minute shopping, stroll around Ushuaia and down to the port or maybe go for a walk in the nearby National Park. The transfer to the ship takes place in the afternoon. Once on board there is a get together for introductions to the expedition team, to learn about the ship and its layout, talk about the itinerary for the next 10 days and participate in the obligatory lifeboat drill. Departure from Ushuaia is normally around 6:00 p.m, and we set sail through the Beagle Channel in the early evening. The long days mean plenty of evening light in which to experience the beauty of the channel, and to perhaps enjoy your first wildlife sightings.

Day 3 - 4 Cross the Drake Passage

Sea conditions in the Drake Passage can vary from dead calm (known as 'Drake Lake'), to rough and stormy (known as 'Drake Shake'). As you cross the Drake Passage our team of experts is out on deck to help you spot whales and identify seabirds. There is also a programme of talks, covering the wildlife, the ice, and polar history to prepare you for your adventure to the 'White Continent'. The excitement intensifies as you cross the Antarctic Convergence, where the cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean meet the warmer waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. You feel the change as the air gets cooler. Huge icebergs loom up against the horizon in increasing numbers, and Wandering albatrosses, petrels and other birds which thrive in this cold, remote ocean are frequently seen.

Day 5 - 8 South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula

The most common reaction upon reaching the White Continent is a sense of reverence and awe. The experience is beyond words, since few places are as untouched and enduring as Antarctica. You will begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travellers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica, we witness something new or unexpected, which means that your expedition will be unlike any other - creating a unique, personal experience. Each day, you will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore local bays, channels and landing sites. Your Expedition Team will take care of you at each landing, whether you are hiking the Antarctic landscape, visiting a research station or consorting with Chinstrap, Adélie and Gentoo penguins, all of which can be found here. Keep an eye out for Weddell, Fur, Crabeater and Leopard seals as well as curious whales, such as Humpbacks, Fins, or perhaps Orcas while on a Zodiac cruise. Each excursion will present a new collection of creatures to delight you and keep your camera busy. Amid the serene silence of Antarctica, noisy interludes become indelible memories, such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles, or the boom and crack of a calving glacier. Every day will be different, having been carefully crafted by your Expedition Team to inspire and educate you about this wonderful part of the world.

Day 9 - 10 Sail back through the Drake Passage

Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula behind, our ship heads back across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. The crossing is completed with the rounding of Cape Horn, weather permitting.

Day 11 Disembark and end in Ushuaia

In the early morning we arrive back in Ushuaia where your voyage ends. You will be transferred either to town on to the airport for your onward flight to Buenos Aires.