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BOLIVIA

11 DAYS BIRDING ITINERARY: FROM LOWLANDS TO ALTIPLANO HIGHLANDS

Bolivia is in the center of South América. It’s one of the richest countries in terms of bird species worldwide because of its great number of species, over 1400. This incredible avifauna richness as a landlock country is in part due to the presence of many ecoregions and habitats with high topography and climatic complexity. Bolivia has lot of intact wildernesses because very small population for a big country and most of the population lives in the biggest cities, therefore, the countryside is sparsely populated or almost abandoned which greatly helps the conservation of nature and its natural resources, making the country a very attractive site for nature tourism. Thanks to its privileged number of species, it makes the country a very attractive place for bird lovers because the country concentrates many range-restricted species and shares a lot of them with its five neighboring countries (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Perú) making the country even more interesting.

This trip is designed to discover some of the most representative avifauna of Bolivia starting in the southeast lowlands of Santa Cruz de la Sierra Department covering ecoregions like The Chaco and The Chiquitanía, moving south to reach the Boliviano-Tucumano Forest and the Yungas of south Andes of Santa Cruz and Cochabamba departments. From here we’re going to head west of the country to reach the Inter Andean dry valleys, Polylepis Woodland and the Humid Puna up on the highlands of Cochabamba department. From Cochabamba we’ll keep going northwest to reach the La Paz Department, here we’ll cover other ecoregions like The Altiplano (Highplain) up in the highlands, then we’re down in elevation to reach the Yungas of the north Andes and will finish in the Inter Andean dry valley of La Paz City. The elevational range that the tour covers is from 1300 to 14 850 feet above sea level (400 – 4500 m.a.s.l.)

Bolivia Satellite Map by Google Earth with all birding spots that we’ll cover in the tour.

DAY 1.    ARRIVAL DAY IN SANTA CRUZ DE LA SIERRA AND DINNER WELCOME ALL PARTICIPANTS

Pick up at Viru Viru international airport (airport code: VVI) and drop you off at your hotel. Once all participants have arrived in Santa Cruz, in the late afternoon we’ll have a Dinner welcome all participants. Santa Cruz de la Sierra is one of the main international airports to enter to Bolivia Plurinational State and is in the southeast lowlands of the country.

Overnight Santa Cruz.

DAY 2.       LOMAS DE ARENA, BOTANICAL GARDENS, LAGUNA GUAPILO & AIRPORT GRASSLANDS

This morning our birding adventures will begin at Lomas de Arena Regional Park. Lomas de Arena is in the south lowlands of Santa Cruz city where a great number of birds have been recorded due to many mixed habitats dominated by dry thorn forest, wooded grassland, semihumid to semideciduos forest, sand dunes, wetlands, marshes and some lagoons as well. All these different habitats are part of the Chaco and Chiquitanía ecoregion complex. Our goal will be to search for Chaco y Chiquitanía specialist like Spot-backed Puffbird (Chaco Puffbird), White-eared Puffbird, Chotoy Spinetail, Campo Flicker, White Woodpecker, Barred Antshrike, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Chalk-browed and White-banded Mockingbird, Red-legged Seriema, Ash-colored Cuckoo, Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, Comb Duck, Brazilian Teal and many others.

By mid-morning we’ll move to another great place, the Botanical Garden. The Botanical Garden has an impressive number of birds as well. Here the most dominant forest is semi-humid and semi-deciduous transitional forest that’s part of the Chiquitanía ecoregion, an ecotone between Amazonia and Chaco.  Here we will search for Chiquitanía specialist like Bolivian-slaty Antshrike, Rufous-fronted Thornbird, Buff-throated and Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Fawn-breasted Wren, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Chopi Blackbird, Plush-crested and Purplish Jay, Little Woodpecker, Bare-faced Ibis, Blue-crowned Trogon, Cocoi and Whistling Heron, Red-crested and Red-capped Cardinal, etc.  Later we’ll move to Laguna Guapilo, a very interesting wetland with an incredible number of birds. It is located near the Botanical Garden. Some very interesting species here are White-winged and Red-fronted Coot, Limpkin, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Southern Screamer and many others.

Afternoon we’ll birding at very interesting lowlands Grasslands located by the Viru Viru International Airport.  Here we’ll focus on Greater Rhea, Red-winged Tinamou, Long-winged Harrier, Wedge-tailed Grass-Finch, Greater Thornbird and many others.

Overnight Santa Cruz.

DAY 3.                  SAMAIPATA FOOTHILLS GENERAL AREA

Very early departure from Santa Cruz city to drive and head up to Samaipata Foothills for around 3 hours. Samaipata is a big town and very touristic located on the west of Santa Cruz department at 5425 feet above sea level (1644 m). The habitats present here are semi- humid to wet mountain forest that’s part of the Boliviano-Tucumano Forest Ecoregion on the East south Andes.

Once we arrive in Samaipata, will go birding at a private place called El Refugio del Colibrí (The Hummingbird Refuge). This pretty refuge is owned by a couple of friends who have been birding for a long time ago. They restored farming land into a secondary forest planting very interesting native plants to attract very pretty hummingbirds and other birds. Here it is possible to see the Planalto Hermit, White-vented Violetear, White-bellied Hummingbird, Great-billed Hermit, Saffron-billed Sparrow and others.

Later, we’ll go to Quirusillas protected area situated south of Samaipata. Quirusillas it has a very interesting, threatened forest within the Boliviano-Tucumano Forest ecoregion. This small area is a great hotspot of range-restricted bird species. Here our goal would focus to search for Tucuman Amazon, White-throated Antpitta, Green-throated Tanager, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Red-faced and Yungas Guan, Variable Antshrike and many others. Later we’ll birding by the Esmeralda lagoon, we’ll try to find some waterbirds like Masked Duck, Brazilian Teal, Buff-necked Ibis, Neotropic Cormorant, etc.

After lunch in the afternoon, we’ll move to another great spot, that’s a shrubby dry forest between Samaipata and Mairana. Here will birding on a secondary road and focus on Giant Antshrike, Sooty-fronted Spinetail, Moss-backed Sparrow, Ultramarine Grosbeak, Huayco and Andean Tinamou, Grassland Sparrow, Spot-breasted Thornbird, Ocellated and white-barred Piculet, Slender-tailed Woodstar and many others.

Overnight Samaipata.

DAY 4.            EL TAMBO, SIBERIA CLOUD FOREST & SAIPINA AREA

Today we’ll departure early in the morning to Siberia Cloud Forest (South Yungas).  Once we arrive to the first spot, we’ll look for Yungas Pygmy-Owl, Bolivian and White-browed Brushfinch and White-eared Solitaire. Later we’ll move to a different spot to search for the very shy Rufous-faced Antpitta, Stripe-crowned and Light-crowned Spinetail, Pale-legged Warbler, Blue-capped Puffleg, Scaled Metaltail, Common Chlorospingus, Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager, etc. After birding most of the morning on this site, around midday we will head back to the main road and will go birding at lower elevation in a farming and dry forest area called El Tambo. Here we’ll search for Bolivian Earthcreeper, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Southern Mouse-colored Tyrannulet, Black and chestnut Warbling-Finch, White-crested Tyrannulet, Masked Gnatcatcher, and many others.

Later we’ll head toward the west to visit and stay at Red-fronted Macaw Reserve. This community reserve is in southern Cochabamba Department in the Inter-Andean Dry Valleys ecoregion represented by deciduous forest and woodland. This reserve is the most important for the conservation and protection of the very threatened endemic Red-fronted Macaw because it protects the largest population of this species along its natural distribution. The reserve is home of another Bolivian endemics, the Monk Parakeet and Bolivian Blackbird as well.

After arriving at this pretty reserve in the afternoon, we’re going birding by the main area of the lodge and the river. Red-fronted Macaw, Bolivian Blackbird, Monk Parakeet are our highlights. Additional species here are White-fronted Woodpecker, Golden-billed Saltator, Sayaca Tanager, Gray-crested Finch, Mitred Parakeet, Glittering-bellied Emerald, White-tipped Plantcutter and others.

The last birding event of the day will be the look of Scissor-tailed Nightjar at night, they’re very active from dusk and part of the rest of the night and they like to sit on the ground on secondary roads.

Overnight Red-fronted Macaw Reserve

DAY 5.  RED-FRONTED MACAW RESERVE & MAIN ROAD TO COCHABAMBA CITY

Early in the morning we’ll search first for the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl and then will take a short hike to the bottom of huge cliff to see very noisy mixed flocks of Macaws, Parrot and Parakeets. The first goal will be to find the beautiful Red-fronted Macaw flying by the cliff where they roost. Sometimes they like perching up on tall trees and seating on the ground because they love to eat peanuts. At the same spot, we’ll enjoy observing the Monk Parakeet, Mitred Parakeet, Turquoise-fronted Parrots, Bolivian Blackbird and White-tipped Doves.  Later we’ll look for Greater Wagtail-Tyrant, Black-capped Warbling Finch, Blue and Yellow Tanager, White-fronted Woodpecker, Gray-crested Finch, Creamy-bellied Thrush, Picui-ground Dove, Sayaca Tanager, Masked Gnatcatcher, Green-cheeked Parakeet and many others.

In the afternoon we’ll move to Cochabamba city and birding off the main road on agricultural areas where is possible to see Spot-winged Dove, Creamy-breasted Canastero, Andean Flicker, Puna Ibis, Grayish Baywing, Black-winged Ground Dove and much more.

Overnight Cochabamba.

DAY 6.            CORANI DAM VICINITY & TABLAS MONTE AREA

Very early morning departure to the Corani general area. The most dominant landscape here is treeline scrub patches and agricultural areas around. Here, we’re going to focus first for the endemic species like Black-hooded Sunbeam, Gray-bellied Flowerpiercer, Bolivian Brushfinch, the pretty little furnarid Black-throated Thistletail and the new antpitta endemic to Bolivia, the Bolivian Antpitta (recently split from Rufous Antpitta). Other birds around the same spot are Chestnut-bellied and Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, White-crested Elaenia, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Great Sapphirewing, Puna Tapaculo, etc.

After birding at Corani Dam area, we’ll move to the main road and go down to Tablas Monte area. Tablas Monte is a dense temperate mountain forest with some farming areas around. Here we’re going birding along a dirty road trying to find the Hooded Mountain-Toucan, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Black-winged Parrot, Rufous-faced Antpitta, Diademed and Trilling Tapaculo, Orange-browed Hemispingus, White-browed Conebill, Gould’s Inca, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Maroon-belted Chat-Tyrant, Fulvous Wren, Citrine Warbler, Rust-and Yellow Tanager, Plushcap and many others. Late afternoon we’ll drive back to Cochabamba city.

Overnight Cochabamba.

DAY 7.  SAN MIGUEL POLYLEPIS FOREST-CERRO TUNARI & LAGUNA ALALAY. LATE AFTERNOON FLIGHT TO LA PAZ CITY

Very early departure to San Miguel Polylepis Forest. On the way up to San Miguel, we’ll pass different habitats between small patchy shrubs forest and Eucalyptus or Pine trees fences on agricultural areas along the secondary road. Here will have some stop to birding and search of Great-Pampa-Finch, Red-tailed Comet, Gray-hooded Parakeet, Olive-crowned Crescentchest and some range-restricted species like Bolivian and Rufous-sided Warbling Finch and the most looked species, the Cochabamba Mountain-Finch.  Moving up on elevation we’ll change the habitat to Polylepis Woodland. Here we’ll look for another very special bird and country endemic the Gray-bellied Flowerpiercer, Polylepis specialist like Giant Conebill, Tawny and Brown-capped Tit-Spinetail, Maquis Canastero, Rock Earthcreeper, Rufous-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Fulvous-headed Brush-Finch, Greenish Yellow-Finch and many others.

After birding at the Polylepis Forest, we’ll keep ascending on elevation where the lanscape chance completely to a different habitat, the Puna Altoandina or Highlands.  All the trees are gone already, and the new habitat is very rocky, grassy and there are some small glaciers lagoons around. Here we’ll look for Andean Goose, Andean and Ornate Tinamou, Glacier Finch, Black-hooded Sierra Finch, Slender-billed Miner, Cordilleran Canastero, Ochre-naped Ground Tyrant and if we’re lucky we’ll see the rare Boulder Finch as well.

Around noon, we’ll head back to the city and drive direct to Laguna Alalay. Laguna Alalay is an artificial freshwater located at the south of the city. Here we have many different and interesting habitats like shrubs, open grassy areas, dispersal trees and Totora Reeds at lagoon shores. All different habitats are important for resident birds and boreal migratory birds as well. We’ll focus first on some waterbirds like Rose-billed Pochard, White-tufted and Silvery Grebe, Silver and Cinnamon Teal, Red Shoveler, White-cheeked Pintail and sometimes Puna Ibis, etc. Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird and Plumbeous Rail by the Totora reeds. Bare-eyed Ground Dove, Rufous Hornero, Grayish Baywing. From Laguna Alalay, we will need to move and go direct to the airport and then fly to La Paz city, going west of the country.

Overnight La Paz.

DAY 8.              LAKE TITICACA (SACRET LAKE) & SORATA VICINITY

Early departure to the beautiful Titicaca freshwater Lake located high up in the Altiplano or High plain. The most dominant landscape on the way to the lake will be huge flat areas of dry grasslands. Once we arrive at the lake, we’ll focus on seeing many beautiful waterbirds and landbirds like Titicaca Grebe, Andean Flamingo, Giant and Slate-colored Coot, Common Gallinule, Andean and Cinnamon Teal, Andean Duck. Around Totoras Reeds Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, Grassland Yellow-Finch and Yellow-winged Blackbird. By shores and in the open land Andean Negrito, Peruvian and Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, Puna Plover, Puna Pipit, Cinereous Harrier and possible Least Seedsnipe.

In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Sorata Vicinity heading north on the way to Illampu Peak, one of the highest Bolivia’s mountains. The habitat here is humid Puna mixed with dry shrubs. We will focus on searching for another country endemic and very restricted to a small area in Bolivia, the Berlepsch’s Canastero and other birds around like Black-throated Flowerpiercer, White-winged Black Tyrant, Huayco Tinamou and sometimes Ornate Tinamou too, ground tyrants, ground doves, Miners and many species of waterbirds around small lagoon off the road.

Overnight La Paz.

DAY 9.       LA CUMBRE, OLD COROICO ROAD & COROICO VICINITY

Today we’ll drive from La Paz to La Cumbre Highlands heading north of La Paz Department to cross the Central Cordillera on the way to old Coroico Road and Coroico Vicinity. On the way to La Cumbre, we’re going to bird off the road in the open grassland and lagoons to see coots, ground tyrants, Andean Swallow, Andean Goose, Crested Duck, Streak-throated and Scribble-tailed Canasteroand possiblyGray-breasted and Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe as well.

Later we’ll keep driving down the main road to reach first the highland forest, a very different landscape with steep foothills and small patches of vegetation that descend significatively on elevation and reach the famous North Yungas of La Paz. The Yungas of La Paz are on the northeastern slopes of the Andes.  In between La Cumbre and the upper Coroico road we’ll stop in a locality named Pongo. Pongo is a transitional area between the Altiplano and the Highlands Forest. Here we’ll search for some very rare birds like Stripe-headed Antpitta, Olivaceous Thornbill and the Endangered Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and others.

We’ll keep descending on the main road to find the turn off of the dirty Old Coroico Road. This new place it’s a great hot spot of birding where inhabit very interesting and some range-restricted species like Scimitar-winged Piha, Golden-collared Tanager, Buff-thighed Puffleg, Orange-browed and Three-striped Hemispingus, White-collared Jay, Bolivian Antpitta, Versicolored-Barbet, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Blue-banded Toucanet and more interesting species like Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Black-eared Hemispingus, etc.

Arrival in Coroico town, check-in at our hotel and break to eat some meals. In the afternoon we’re going to move to a lower area to keep birding and focus on very special birds like Southern Emerald-Toucanet, Black-capped Tinamou, Cabanis’s Spinetail, Versicolored Barbet, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Chestnut-crowned Becard, Chestnut-backed and Upland Antshrike, Pale-breasted Thrush, Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper, Black-faced Tanager and possible Yellow-rumped Antwren and many others.

Overnight Coroico. 

DAY 10.    COROICO VICINITIES, OLD COROICO ROAD & AFTERNOON VALLE DE LAS ANIMAS (VALLEY OF THE SOULS) AT LA PAZ CITY

Morning birding in Coroico’s vicinities. We’ll search for species we have not seen the day before. Then we’ll leave the town and drive back to La Paz. On the way back to La Paz we’ll go birding on Old Coroico Road again.

Afternoon we’ll visit a unique landscape and scenery resembling the moon, called Valle de las Animas (Valley of the Souls) located in the south of La Paz city where we’ll search for the beautiful Andean Hillstar and others interesting birds like Peruvian Sierra Finch, Spot-billed Ground Tyrant, d’Orbigny’s Chat-Tyrant, etc.

Overnight La Paz.

DAY 11.  FINAL DEPARTURES

We’ll have a nice farewell breakfast in the morning at the hotel, and it will be our last morning all together to say goodbye to everyone. HASTA LA VISTA AMIGOS!!!!

IMPORTANT TOUR ISSUES

DOCUMENTS YOU WILL BE REQUIRED BEFORE STARTING TOUR

*You will need a current passport and valid for at least six months before the expiration date.

*International Certificate of Yellow Fever Vaccination.

*US citizen will require a VISA to enter to Bolivia. This procedure is possible online but may be delayed or very slow.  I recommend doing it when you arrive in the country. Please click on the link to the Bolivia immigration webpage https://www.boliviawdc.org/en-us/consular-affairs/visas/tourist-visa to look on all requirements you will need and present at the time to do the procedure at the Immigration Counter at Viru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

If you have any questions or need further assistance about this tour, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you very much for choosing Macaw Birding, and we look forward to providing you with exceptional experience!!!!!.

Contact

Juan Carlos Crespo

Mobile: (+ 593) 985800580
Email: juancarloscrespo@macawbirding.com

Quito, Ecuador