Country: Argentina

Port of Ushuaia

The Port of Ushuaia is the embarkation point for the expedition ship, a one-minute walk from the recommended pre-cruise hotel.

Tierra del Fuego National Park day trip

Tierra del Fuego National Park is one of those places that stays with you long after you leave. Ancient forests, glacial lakes, and rivers that feel as untamed and unhurried as they did centuries ago await you here. We spend a full day exploring the park's diverse habitats. In the southern beech forest, we search for the striking Magellanic Woodpecker, White-throated Treerunner, and the delightful Thorn-tailed Rayadito. Look out for Spectacled Duck, Great Grebe, and Flying Steamer-Duck along the rivers and lakes, and keep your eyes peeled for Andean Condor soaring overhead at any moment. It's a wild and beautiful day out that you won't forget, and an excellent way to start your Antarctic journey.

Bahia Encerrada Urban Nature Reserve birding

A visit to Bahia Encerrada Urban Nature Reserve is worthwhile and usually offers views of Correndera Pipit, House and Grass Wren, Magellanic Snipe, and a diversity of ducks.

Ushuaia coast and forest birding

Ushuaia surroundings offer a big diversity of environments. They are close to each other and provide great flexibility to adapt to the birdwatcher's needs. There are good spots along the coast to find Kelp Goose, Ashy-headed Goose, Flying and Flightless Steamer-Duck, Magellanic and Blackish Oystercatchers, and Dolphin Gull among others. We are able to have excellent views of these birds. Visiting the nearby forest trails, we have chances for White-throated Treerunner, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Austral Blackbird, White-crested Elaenia, Austral Negrito, Long-tailed Meadowlark and others.

Northern grassland and lagoon birding

We start searching the northern grassland and lagoons of Tierra del Fuego, a good area to find Magellanic Plover and Rufous-chested Dotterel, Least Seedsnipe Tawny-throated Dotterel, Two-banded Plover, Short-billed Miner, Cinnamon-bellied Ground Tyrant, and others.

Steppe and Atlantic coast birding

After lunch, we drive northwards to explore the steppe. Ruddy-headed Goose, Austral Canastero, Chilean Flamingo, and Magellanic Oystercatcher are our birds today. Depending on tides, we spend some time along the Atlantic coast, where several shorebirds are possible to find. This is their southernmost stop during their annual migratory route. Some possible birds include Sanderling, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Ruddy Turnstone, White-rumped Sandpiper and Baird´s Sandpiper.

Andes Range birding and beech forest walk

We meet up with our guide today. The Andes take up a big part of our day; we leave town and drive for some time towards the mountain range, with chances for birding along the way, especially for forest species. Once we reach the trailhead, we walk through the beech forest until we reach the timberline (please note that the trail is uneven, with a minimum round-trip of 5 miles and a vertical gain of 900 feet). Once there, we search for some Andean specialties such as the Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant, Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant, White-throated Caracara, and the beautiful Yellow-bridled Finch, as well as the scarce White-bellied Seedsnipe. Andean Condor are frequently spotted, and since this stretch of the mountain range is relatively low in elevation, it's easier for birds in flight to cross over, making sightings of Black-faced Ibis and Upland Geese common as well.

Ushuaia Airport (Malvinas Argentinas International)

The international airport serving Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world and the departure point for Antarctic voyages.

El Chaltén – Santa Cruz Province – Argentina