Bolivia - Blue-throated Macaw Quest

Welcome to Bolivia! Arrive at your leisure today. Flights arrive throughout the day at Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where a transfer vehicle will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Please note that hotel check-in is generally available from 2:00 pm onward. If you would like your room to be ready upon arrival, we will be happy to arrange an early check-in at an additional cost. Dinner and overnight at Ibis Hotel, Santa Cruz. (D)

Early this morning, before our flight to Trinidad, we explore the semi-urban savannas surrounding Santa Cruz Airport. These open grasslands represent the Chiquitanía ecosystem and provide excellent opportunities to search for characteristic lowland species, including tinamous, rheas, seedeaters, and finches.

Trinidad, the gateway to Bolivia’s vast Beni lowlands, is located at just 520 ft (160 m) asl., the city lies within the seasonally flooded savannas of the Amazon Basin, a remarkable mosaic of grasslands, marshes, gallery forests, rivers, and seasonal wetlands. This remote region shares many ecological characteristics with the more open areas of Brazil’s Pantanal and is considered one of Bolivia’s richest wildlife destinations.

In the afternoon, we head to Puerto Ballivian, on the banks of the Ibare River, within the Ibare- Momaré Local Protected Area. Here we explore beautiful gallery forest and riverside habitats, searching for specialties such as White-throated Piping-Guan, Glittering-throated Emerald, Red-and-green Macaw, Great Antshrike, Bolivian Slaty-Antshrike, Dull-capped Attila, Plain Tyrannulet, and Velvet-fronted Grackle.

The reserve is also an excellent place to observe mammals, with opportunities to encounter Southern Amazon Red Squirrel, Black-capped Squirrel Monkey, Guianan Brown Capuchin, Bolivian Red Howler Monkey, and, with a bit of luck, the Bolivian River Dolphin in the waters of the Ibare River. Overnigth at Hotel del Rey, Trinidad. (B, L, D)

Targets around Santa Cruz Airport: Greater Rhea, Red-winged Tinamou, White-bellied Nothura, Burrowing Owl, Campo Flicker, Long-winged Harrier, White-browed Blackbird, and Chopi Blackbird.

Today we travel approximately two hours from Trinidad to the spectacular Gran Mojos Nature Reserve, a vast protected landscape within the seasonally flooded savannas of the Beni. This remarkable ecosystem is characterized by an immense mosaic of natural grasslands, shallow lagoons, marshes, gallery forests, and scattered palm woodland islands that provide refuge for an extraordinary diversity of wildlife throughout the year.

The reserve protects one of the last strongholds of the Blue-throated Macaw, an endemic species found nowhere else on Earth and listed as Critically Endangered. Our primary

objective today is to locate this magnificent macaw as it flies between nesting and feeding areas or gathers in the palm groves that are essential to its survival. Observing this rare species in its natural habitat is undoubtedly one of the highlights of any visit to Bolivia.

Beyond the Blue-throated Macaw, the reserve offers exceptional birding across its varied habitats. The extensive wetlands attract numerous waterbirds, raptors, and grassland specialists, while the forest islands support parrots, woodpeckers, flycatchers, and a variety of other tropical species. Mammals are also frequently encountered, and there is a good chance of seeing species such as Marsh Deer, Capybara, Crab-eating Fox, among others.

After a full day exploring this extraordinary reserve, we return to Trinidad for our overnight stay. Overnigth at Hotel del Rey, Trinidad. (B, L, D)

Targets: Greater Rhea, Undulated Tinamou, Southern Screamer, Orinoco Goose, Greater Thornbird, Red-crested Cardinal, Speckled Chachalaca, Grey-fronted Dove, Blue-and-yellow, Red-and-green, Chestnut-fronted, and Golden-collared Macaws; Dusky-headed, Yellow-chevroned, and Peach-fronted Parakeets; White, Pale-crested, and Crimson-crested Woodpeckers; Campo Flicker, Rufous Cacholote, Grey Monjita, White Monjita, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Chotoy Spinetail, and Black-capped Donacobius.

Mammals: Bolivian Squirrel, Southern Amazon Squirrel, Brown Agouti, Black-capped Squirrel Monkey, Guianan Brown Capuchin, and Bolivian Red Howler Monkey.

Today we set out in search of the Bolivian River Dolphin, an endemic and endangered species. To do so, we travel to Loma Suarez, a small port on Río Ibare, where we’ll board a rustic yet comfortable boat.

We’ll navigate along the river until we reach its confluence with the Rio Mamoré, one of Bolivia’s largest rivers. In this section, the difference in water temperature between the two rivers attracts a great abundance of fish, increasing our chances of spotting dolphins. Along the way, we’ll also enjoy excellent birdwatching opportunities.

In the afternoon, we take a flight to Santa Cruz, where the main tour begins. This evening we have dinner before spending the night at the Ibis Hotel, Santa Cruz. (B, L, D)