BOLIVIA CHACO EXTENSION
Tour Overview
BOLIVIA
BIRDING TOUR
ANY TIME*
| Duration: | 4 days, 3 nights |
| Group Size: | 2-4 |
| 2-3 Price: | $1400 |
| 4+ Price: | $1300 |
| Single Suppl: | $100 |
| Est #Species: | 125-150 |
| Pace: | Easy |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
| Best Time: | Jun-Sep |
| * This tour is available for any dates of your choosing provided guide services and accommodations are available. | |
The Chaco of southeast Bolivia is a less visited, semiarid region that is not often included on standard birding tours to the country. It's part of the Gran Chaco region, which encompasses southeastern Bolivia, western Paraguay and northwestern Argentina east of the Andes. It has a very different and quite unique biogeography that includes spiny scrublands, deciduous thorny forests dry savanna, and scattered wetlands. It features a unique set of specialty birds, many not found in the immediate vicinity of Santa Cruz, which is situated on the northern edge of the region.
Our Chaco extension begins with about a 4-hour transfer from Santa Cruz to the town of Camiri, located in foothills bordering the Chaco lowlands. During our stay there, we'll spend a full day birding the Chaco south toward the border with Argentina and Paraguay and a full day birding dry forest in the Andes foothills north of town. We then return to Santa Cruz where the tour ends at the airport or your hotel.
Tour Considerations
PACE - The pace of this extension is considered easy but could be intense depending on the preferences of participants.
DIFFICULTY - Birding south of Santa Cruz in the Chaco region is mostly along fairly flat roadsides. Birding in the dry gallery forests can be somewhat challenging.
CLIMATE - Wet season in the Chaco region is from November to March. During that time temperatures can be well above 90 degrees and the air can be very humid. From April to October days are mostly dry, sunny, and sometimes windy. Nights are generally much cooler than daytime.
BIRD ACTIVITY - In the Chaco region, nesting activity is mainly from October to March. Breeding activity and bird vocalizations start during late dry season during September and October. Activity is good throughout wet season but drops off significantly during May to August. During those months the best birding is in gallery forests near permanent water.
PHOTOGRAPHY - Getting photos of birds during this tour is mainly opportunistic. Birds in the arid Chaco region can sometimes be fairly easy to photograph as they often perch in the open but can be challenging in dry thorn forests.
TOUR NOTES
May be combined with our Eastern Bolivia tour or Central Bolivia tour.
ACCOMMODATIONS
We'll be stayin ag in comfortable, moderately priced hotel throughout the tour.