Highlands Bolivia

The tour ‘in a nutshell’

This 12-day bird watching tour visits the temperate forests of Cochabamba and the spectacular mountains and altiplano of La Paz and Lake Titicaca in the Bolivian highlands.

Destination

Highlands Bolivia

Price

Quote

Duration

12 Days

Difficulty

Medium

Group Size

6 Guest

Height

3.726 mdpl

Highlands Bolivia

High mountains are the most dominant feature of Bolivia. The area around Cochabamba (Bolivia’s third largest city) presents a variety of highland habitats along the Andean Cordillera, from arid savannah to high montane forest. It has a pleasant climate, described as ‘eternal spring’.

Bolivia’s altiplano (literally, ‘high plain’) is a windswept plateau between two ranges of mountains and consists of valleys, rolling hills, salt flats, volcanoes, rivers, and lakes. The country’s capital, La Paz, is situated at an altitude of 3,600 metres and is the highest capital city in the world.

Lake Titicaca is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most mystical places in all of South America. Sitting high up on the altiplano on the Bolivia/Peru border, Titicaca derives much of its mystique from the ancient belief that its deep waters were the birthplace of the Incan civilization.

What birds might I see?

All but two of the Neotropical bird families are represented in the national bird list of over 1,350 species which includes 18 endemics.

More endemic species are found in Cochabamba Department than anywhere else in Bolivia. Around Cochabamba we’ll look for waterfowl such as Cinnamon, Puna and Speckled Teal, and rarities including Red-fronted Macaw, Bolivian Earthcreeper and Rufous-faced Antpitta among many other species.

Cloudforest birds we’ll search for include Sickle-winged Guan, Stripe-faced Wood-quail, Solitary Eagle, Rufous-capped Thornbill, White-eared Solitaire and Straw-backed Tanager. The altiplano provides habitat for birds such as Crested Duck, Andean Flamingo, Cinereous Harrier, Andean Avocet, Taczanowski’s Ground-tyrant and a host of other species.

Titicaca’s rich avifauna includes one of South America’s rarest birds, Berlepsch’s Canastero.

Anything else?

We’ll see villagers dressed in traditional costume descending from mountain settlements to exchange goods at one of the rural markets, and possibly even hear the ancient language of Aymara spoken in remote areas.

Itinerary

DAY 1: LA PAZ

DAY 2: LAGUNA ALALAY

DAYS 3/5: COCHABAMBA

Cochabamba The next three days will be quite flexible, with the tour leader amending plans to fit in with weather and other local considerations. On one morning we leave very early in the morning (no later than 0500) to spend the day birdwatching in temperate forests at Tablas Monte along the new highway to Santa Cruz. Although this is only 70km away, it is a journey of 1 ½ - 2 hours due to the heavy traffic on the road. Birds which may be seen during the day include Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Great Sapphirewing, Hooded Mountain-Toucan, Light crowned Spinetail, Black-throated Thistletail Tour Itinerary Bolivia - Highlands 2 © Naturetrek (Cochabamba form), Rufous-faced Antpitta, Diademed Tapaculo, Rufous-bellied Bush-Tyrant and Gray-bellied Flower-piercer. On another day will be head up to Cerro Tunari. Species to anticipate here might include Andean Condor, Mountain Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Gray breasted Seedsnipe, Andean Gull, Picui Ground-Dove, Bare-faced Ground-Dove, Black-winged Ground-Dove, Gray-hooded Parakeet, Wedge-tailed Hillstar, Giant Hummingbird, Green-barred Woodpecker, Andean Flicker, Slender-billed Miner, Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, Rock Earthcreeper, Maquis Canastero, Cordilleran Canastero, Rufous Hornero, Brown-capped Tit Spinetail, Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, White-fronted Ground-Tyrant, Brown backed Mockingbird, Black-hooded Sierra-Finch, White-winged Diuca-Finch, Short-tailed Finch, Bolivian Warbling-Finch, Rufous-sided Warbling-Finch, Black-and-chestnut Warbling-Finch, Cochabamba Mountain-Finch, Ringed Warbling-Finch, Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch and Bolivian Blackbird. On our third day in the region another 0500 start will see us heading to Miguelito (lower Cloud Forest) 2 ½ hours away along the new highway towards Santa Cruz. Our day’s birding might reveal Sickle-winged Guan, Blue-banded Toucanet, Solitary Eagle, Black-and-Chestnut Eagle, White-throated Quail-Dove, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Upland Antshrike, Yellow-rumped Antwren (rare), Ochre-breasted Antpitta (rare), Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, White-eared Solitaire and Straw-backed Tanager.

DAY 6: ORURO

DAY 7: LA PAZ

La Paz is a 5- or 6-hour drive from Oruro (295km), but we will e birding and stopping in-route, taking all day over the journey. Taking a picnic lunch with us, birds en-route might include the hard to see Darwin’s Nothura, Spotwinged Pigeon and other species such as Aplomado Falcon, Band-tailed Sierra Finch, Ash-breasted Sierra finch, Puna Plover (providing Villa Villa Lake has not dried up, which it sometimes does), Cinereous Harrier (rare), several ground tyrant species and Black Siskin amongst others. Nestling in a gaping canyon at an altitude of 3,600 metres, La Paz is commonly thought of as the world’s highest capital. In fact, Sucre is the capital of Bolivia but nevertheless La Paz boasts a series of records such as the world’s highest international airport, highest football stadium and highest golf-course! The city is overlooked by the snowcapped triple peak of 6,400-meter-high Mount Illimani, providing a wonderfully scenic background to our birdwatching activities in the altiplano. During the following days we will journey from the city to explore different facets of the Andean landscape beginning with an excursion into the foothills and mountain passes at the edge of the Bolivia - Highlands Tour Itinerary © Naturetrek 3 plateau. This final phase of the tour will further emphasize the ethnic origins of the country as we meet villagers dressed in traditional costume descending from mountain settlements to exchange goods at one of the rural markets, or enter villages where the style of life seems to have changed little over the centuries. In many of these remote communities, the ancient Aymara language is spoken in preference to Spanish. As Bolivia´s largest city, accommodations in La Paz range from budget to luxury, and everything in between. The hotel we have chosen for this tour is the Residencial Rosario, which is in an excellent location close to the craft markets. This is important as we routinely arrive late in the afternoon to La Paz, to have the markets close is handy. The hotel also has one of the best restaurants in La Paz; we are assured of excellent meals! We will be based in this hotel for the next four nights.

DAY 8/9: LA CUMBRE AND YUNGAS

DAY 10: LAKE TITICACA AND SORATA LAKE TITICACA

Lake Titicaca and Sorata Lake Titicaca is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most mystical places in all of South America. Sitting high up on the altiplano on the Bolivia/Peru border, Titicaca derives much of its mystique from the ancient belief that its deep and bottomless waters were the birthplace of the Incan civilization. With a depth of up to 281 meters (1,000 feet), there is no doubting that the beauty of its sapphire-blue waters and the lofty snow-covered peaks of the Cordillera Real account for some of the most splendid panoramas anywhere. As well as providing for breathtaking vistas of the expansive and rugged landscapes of the altiplano, Titicaca and its surrounding highland habitats feature Tour Itinerary Bolivia - Highlands 4 © Naturetrek some of the most interesting birds and mammals in Bolivia. After spending the first couple of hours in the morning looking at the rich avifauna of Titicaca (including with luck the endemic Flightless Grebe), we will continue on to search for one of South America’s rarest birds, Berlepsch’s Canastero. This species can be found in one single valley close to the small town of Sorata. The drive from Titicaca down towards Sorata and the return to La Paz will provide us with impressive views of Mount Illampu at 6,368 meters (20,892 feet) and Mount Ancohuma at 6,427 meters (21,086 feet).

DAY 11: DEPATURE TO MIAMI

DAY 12: LONDON

Tour Location

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Highlands Bolivia

Highlands Bolivia

Duration

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Height

Highlands Bolivia

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