Join us for a NEW and exciting journey that combines scenic wonders with incredible biodiversity and a chance to explore some of the wildest country in South America. From our start in Buenos Aires, we fly up to Pousadas to explore the second largest wetland complex in the world, the Ibará Marshes, a global stronghold for several range-restricted, threatened, or endangered species. Many notable species occur here in addition to the endemic Ibará Seedeater, including the Strange-tailed Tyrant, Marsh Seedeater, Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Yellow Cardinal, Crested Doradito, and Long-tailed Reedfinch. The vast Ibera wetland system includes a habitat mosaic of rivers, marshes, swamps, grasslands, and wooded islands all used by scores of Yacare Caiman, and a host of wading and water birds including Southern Screamer, Snail Kite, Maguari and Wood Storks, and Bare-faced Ibis. We explore this area in detail including a stay right in the heart at Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, a small village surrounded by pastures, lakes, and woodland patches. A boat trip through this realm is memorable and exceptional for viewing and photography. Like Brazil’s Pantanal, we access this remote birding paradise on a long dirt road, a quiet one where we can stop for scanning—it’s totally possible to log over 100 species in a day. The drier grass areas are home to Greater Rhea, Red-winged Tinamou, Rufous-sided Crake, Long-winged and Cinereous Harriers, and many species of seedeaters. Having a great guide to find and sort them is wonderful!

After a real immersion into this global biodiversity hotspot, we continue on to Iguazu Falls, one of the scenic wonders of the world, claimed by many to be the most beautiful of the waterfall areas. Best of all, among the sensory overload of beauty lies a plethora of great birds! Iguazu Falls is one the most important patches of remaining Atlantic Forest vegetation and its suite of birds, associated with the lush forests, is totally complimentary to what we experience in the marshes with very little overlap. We visit both sides of the falls and spend time at a spectacular hummingbird garden in Puerto Iguazu. Birds are colorful and plentiful and may include Saffron Toucanet, Toco Toucan, Surucua Trogon, multiple day-glow tanagers including Black-goggled, Ruby-Crowned, Swallow, Green-headed, and Magpie Tanagers (to mention a few!) and numerous antshrikes and antbirds. En route between Ibara and Iguazu we stop at Urugua-I Provincial Park with hopes to find endangered and beautiful Black-fronted Piping Guans.

We are super excited to add this fine, well-paced itinerary, with enough time in key areas to savor the featured landscapes, habitats, and species.

Tour Highlights

  • Explore the world’s second largest wetland system, the incredible Ibará Marshes, home to over 500 species of birds in a 5000-square-mile protected area and one of the wildest places left in South America—located between far better-known Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls.
  • Bird the riverine habitat of South America’s second longest river, the Parana, crossing three countries in its 3000 mile journey
  • Cruise through wetlands for up close and personal views of amazing birds including Giant Woodrail—abundant here!
  • Stand at the edge of one the world’s most scenic fusion of waterfalls; see Iguazu Falls from the Argentine and Brazilian side
  • Search for impressive raptors like Ornate Hawk-eagle, Gray-bellied Goshawk, Cinereous Harrier, both Chimango and Southern Caracaras, Aplomado Falcon, White-tailed Hawk, Black-collared Hawk, and the lowland race of Black-chested Buzzard Eagle
  • Seek out the endemic Ibera Seedeater, a migratory grassland species first described in 2016
  • Sight mammals like Capybara, Plains Vizcacha, Southern Banded Armadillo, Pampas Fox, Marsh Deer, Black-and-gold Howler Monkey, Neotropical River Otter, and Geoffrey’s Cat; Jaguarundi and Maned Wolf are rare but possible!
  • Support conservation with your visit, this area is thriving under the efforts of Fundacion Rewilding Argentina, including the return of good numbers of Red-and-green Macaw!
  • Enjoy Argentine wine and local foods, and taste fresh Dorado, the Tiger of the River, grilled at a local restaurant

Trip Itinerary

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

Coming Soon!

  • Black Jacobin

  • Iguazu Falls

  • Giant Anteater

  • Toco Toucan by Peg Abbott

  • Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture by Bryan Calk

  • Marsh Deer by Wes Larson

  • Green-headed Tanager by Carlos Sanchez

  • Red-winged Tinamou

  • Snail Kite by Bryan Calk

  • Esteros del Iberá

  • Saffron Toucanet by Peg Abbott

  • Capybara by Wes Larson

Cost of the Journey

The cost of the 13-day main tour is per person, based on occupancy: $6790 DBL / $7650 SGL.

Tour price includes 12 nights’ accomodations, all meals as noted in the itinerary, transportation during the journey, professional guide services, park and other entrance fees, and miscellaneous program expenses. All tips other than your NJ guide (optional) and local guide are included (this includes tips for your driver, lodge and staff, day activities, meals and other services).

Tour cost does not include: airfare to or from Buenos Aires, or personal expenses such as laundry or drinks from the bar. The tour cost does not include internal flights. The extension cost does not include internal flights Internal flight expenses will be added to your invoice. These flights are estimated at $800 per person. These estimates are subject to change. 

Travel Details

Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.

Coming Soon!

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

Argentina

  • Chris Harbard

    Chris Harbard is a well-known British ornithologist and conservationist who now lives in SE Arizona. After 24 years working with the world’s largest bird conservation organisation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, he moved to the Austrian optics company Swarovski and managed their birdwatching website for several years. He is now a freelance author, editor, broadcaster and lecturer, as well as an occasional bird guide in SE Arizona where he and his wife help to run the Southwest Wings Birding and Nature Festival. He is on the board of the Arizona Field Ornithologists.

    Chris writes for Birdwatch magazine and was editor of the Birdwatchers' Guides series of books. His own books include Birdwatch, Songbirds, A Birdwatcher's Quizbook, A First Guide to Birdwatching.

    Working as a naturalist lecturer on board expedition cruise ships for the last eighteen years has taken him to remote areas of the Arctic, Antarctic, Atlantic and Pacific. Although his main area of interest is birds, especially seabirds, he also enjoys a range of other wildlife such as cetaceans, butterflies, dragonflies and plants.

    Other trips with Chris Harbard

Pace & Protocols +

Pace of the Tour & What to Expect You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of Read more

Pace of the Tour & What to Expect

You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of hotels (our eContact List) a few weeks before your departure. This will serve as an outline for each day and alert you to any recent changes made in the schedule or to our hotels, if needed.

Our journeys are set up to follow the rhythm of nature. Our focus is on birding and nature; we offer full, well-planned field days and often get up early for that magical time around dawn. We generally follow the published itinerary, but we stay flexible to the weather, wildlife opportunities and the interests of the group. Your guide will keep you apprised of the next day’s schedule at each evening meal, noting what to bring and what to prepare for. Questions and/or concerns are welcome.

The pace of our Naturalist Journeys tours is moderate; to fully participate you should be able to get in and out of vehicles several times a day, and walk 1-3 miles over uneven terrain. It is important to participate with a flexible attitude as adjustments may be made in our schedule to make the most of our time in the field or for other purposes at your guide's discretion. We are not a “listing” bird company that drills down on target species, but at times we do wait for those special species unique to the places we visit. During the day, we take time to stop for photos and for educational opportunities to learn about conservation projects, landscapes, and geology. We appreciate other taxa as well as birds, with mammals often the biggest draw but plants and butterflies are also very popular. Our clients often lend their own expertise to the mix.

We like to make meals a fun and memorable part of the experience, too. Breakfasts are often at hotels, and we carry snacks, fruit, and water in the vans each day. Lunches are a mix of picnics in the field (weather dependent) and a chance to dine with locals at small cafes and restaurants. For dinner, we pride ourselves in our homework to keep up with the best choices for dining, choosing restaurants with atmosphere that specialize in local foods. On occasion we keep dinner simple to go back out in the field for sunset wildlife viewing or night walks. In some remote locations, our choices are limited. If you are tired, room service for dinner may be an option you can choose.

Naturalist Journeys International Trips: Guide Role

Naturalist Journeys supports ecotourism and the development of excellent local guides. Once we know our international partners and guides well, we can send out small groups working directly with these trusted partners, adding a Naturalist Journeys guide to assist the local expert when we have a group of 6-7 or more. This helps us keep your costs down while retaining tour quality. The local guide is your main guide. You can expect your Naturalist Journeys guide to be well-researched and often they are experienced in the destination, but their role is not to be primary, it is to help to organize logistics, help you find birds, mammals, and interesting other species in the field, keep reports, help facilitate group interactions, and to keep the trip within Naturalist Journeys' style. Local guides live in the countries we travel to, know the destinations intimately, and are often the strongest force for conservation in their countries. They open many doors for us to have a rich experience.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any vehicle or in any situation where the group is participating in an activity together, such as a vehicle excursion or a guided walk. Please respect all designated smoking areas at hotels and restaurants.

Transportation

As a courtesy to each other, we ask that all travelers please rotate seating. On international trips we may all be in one small bus, on some trips we are in vans, particularly the roomy Sprinter Vans when available. Some areas require us to be in smaller 4-wheel drive or safari vehicles. Rotation allows you to sit with different drivers and alternate front and back seating.

Photo Release & Sharing

We take many group photos and will share photos with the group. And after your tour, we will organize a chance to share photos via Dropbox or Google Photos. Please note that this is our policy and if you prefer to be excluded, we need to know ahead of your tour.

By registering for this tour, you agree to grant to Naturalist Journeys and its authorized representatives’ permission to record on photography film and/or video, pictures of my participation in the tour. You further agree that any or all of the material photographed may be used, in any form, as part of any future publications, brochure, or other printed materials used to promote Naturalist Journeys, and further that such use shall be without payment of fees, royalties, special credit or other compensation.

Travel Insurance

You are traveling in remote areas. Naturalist Journeys strongly recommends you have full medical and evacuation insurance from a company such as Allianz, for all international travel. If you do not have medical coverage or evacuation coverage on your existing travel insurance policy or for some reason elected not to take that out, we advise getting an evacuation plan with Global Rescue, World Nomads, Medjet, Allianz (they can do evacuation only) or a similar company. These plans are typically $300-$400 for a year for multiple destinations. This coverage may be a part of a larger Travel Insurance policy but can also be purchased on its own.

Questions?

Please contact Naturalist Journeys by email at clientservices@naturalistjourneys.com or telephone our office: (520) 558-1146 or toll free: (866) 900-1146 if you have any questions. Many thanks for traveling with us and we hope you enjoy your journey.

 


Photo credits coming soon.

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