BOLIVIA CHACO
EXTENSION

Related Tours

Eastern Bolivia Birding Tour 13 days, 12 nights 2-3 Price: $5640     (Single Suppl $300) 4+ Price: $5340     (Single Suppl $300) Click for Tour Details

Central Bolivia Birding Tour 15 days, 14 nights 2-3 Price: $6580     (Single Suppl $300) 4+ Price: $6280     (Single Suppl $300) Click for Tour Details

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.

Day 1 - Meals: Hotel in Camiri; Accommodation: ; Activity: Morning transfer to Camiri, our base in the Chaco region south of Santa Cruz. Remainder of the day birding there.
Day 2 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Camiri; Activity: All day birding south to the border with Argentina.
Day 3 - Meals: BLD; Accommodation: Hotel in Camiri.; Activity: All day birding some foothill woodlands outside Camiri.
Day 4 - Meals: BL; Accommodation: None; Activity: Morning birding around Camiri. Afternoon transfer to Santa Cruz. Tour ends in Santa Cruz.

We'll be stayin ag in comfortable, moderately priced hotel throughout the tour.

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.

DAY 1 - CAMIRI

The semiarid Chaco region of southeastern Bolivia is rarely included in birding tour itineraries. Some of the Chaco birds can be seen in the Lomas de Arena area, but many are only found farther south. On this day we'll drive south to our base for the next 3 nights, about a 4 hour drive to the town of Camiri. Thanks to a recently paved road, this drive is no longer the challenge it once was. During the transfer we'll pass through a transitional zone of tall, dry forests where we'll spend some time looking for the near-endemic Bolivian Slaty-Antshrike and Stripe-backed Antbird. We'll also pass through some more humid foothill woodlands where we'll stop to look for Turquoise-fronted Amazon, Green-cheeked Parakeet, and Plush-crested Jay. Overnight at a hotel in Camiri.

DAY 2 - SOUTH OF CAMIRI

During this day we'll drive south much the way to the Argentina border. We'll spend all day looking for specialties found in thorn forests, scrub, and savanna of this region. It's essential that we get an early start, as bird activity drops off precipitously once it gets hot during the middle of the day. Probably the best birding in Chaco habitat is the Boyuibe Chaco, located about 2 hours south of Camiri. Here we will be seeking a variety of Chaco specialties including Chaco Chachalaca, Chaco Earthcreeper, the rather scarce Crested Hornero, Little Thornbird, Lark-like Brushrunner, Short-billed Canastero, Fawn-breasted Wren, and Many-colored Chaco Finch. We'll make a special effort to see the secretive Crested Gallito in thorn scrub of the area. A major target species is Black-legged Seriema, more easily seen here than elsewhere. With luck we could even find the very scarce Black-bodied Woodpecker and Spot-backed Falconet and maybe even the rather rare Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper. Other possibilities include White-barred Piculet, Checkered Woodpecker, Cream-backed Woodpecker, and Cinereous Tyrant. At dusk we'll be on the lookout for Little Nightjar. Overnight at a hotel in Camiri.

DAY 3 - CAMIRI

We'll spend our second full day in the Chaco birding some foothill woodlands north of town. Along the road we're sure to see Red-crested Cardinal, Black-capped Warbling Finch, Red-crested Finch, and Golden-billed Saltator. We'll work denser vegetation to ferret out a couple skulkers, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher and Moss-backed Sparrow. We also hope to see Yungas Guan and Ocellated Piculet. We'll eventually reach the town of Launillas, where nearby wetlands offer chances for birds such as Southern Screamer, Comb Duck, Ringed Teal, Brazilian Teal, and Spot-flanked Gallinule. Overnight at a hotel in Camiri.

DAY 4 - CAMIRI & SANTA CRUZ

Since this extension would normally precede our Central Bolivia tour, we should have all morning to bird around Camiri to look for anything missed on previous days before returning to Santa Cruz in time for linking up with that tour.

DISTRIBUTION CODES