Birdwatching in Lake District

Package code LD003

Day 1 Puerto Montt/Puerto Varas

Transfer in from the airport in Puerto Montt to your hotel.

Day 2 Maullin River Ornithology Park

Located near Llanquihue, this 62 hectareas park is surrounded by native forest, marshland and rivers with around 104 bird species.

You will see various types of "tapaculos" wrens like the Black-throated "Huet-huet del sur", Chucao, "El Churrín" Dusky Wren and the Ochre-flanked Wren "Churrín de la Mocha" as well as other species like the Des Mur's Wiretail "Colilarga", the Slender-billed Parakeet "Choroy", the Chilean Pigeon "Torcaza" and the American Redstart "Comesebo".

In the open areas we will see Partridge, and the Chilean Mockingbird "Tenca", both local Chilean species as well as other birds like the Correndera Pipit "Bailarín chico", the Black-chinned Siskin "Jilguero", the  Long-tailed Meadowlark "Loica", and Southern Lapwings.

Day 3 Chiloe Island: Penguins at Puñihuil Islets

Leave the hotel early in the morning to head south down the Pan-American Highway to Pargua from where the ferry awaits to cross the Canal de Chacao (around 30 minutes voyage - giving the chance to see sea lions and porpoises). Once on the island of Chiloé, a small detour is made to visit Caulín Bay, a great place to see many species of birdlife, including Black-necked Swans, wild ducks and geese, gulls, Terns, waders, Cormorants and even, on occasions pink Flamingos. From here it is a short drive into the town of Ancud from  where  we head further along the coast to the islets of Puñihuil, the only place in Chile where you can find breeding colonies of both Humboldt and Magellan penguins. From aboard a small boat and accompanied by a local guide, a trip around the islets is made to see the penguins, as well as sea lions and even on occasions, sea otters.