October 3 - 9, 2010

Andean Condors near San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

·      Feel like you are on top of the world as you photograph the ballet of Andean Condors returning and leaving from historic roost sites found in national parks and privately owned estancias.

·        Explore Nahuel Huapi National Park, the oldest park in Argentina, with snowy mountain tops and deep red volcanic landforms.

·        Ride horses through old growth Patagonian Lenga forests with their endangered species of Nothofagus trees, Magellanic Woodpeckers, and Austral Parakeets.

·        Visit the city of San Carlos de Bariloche surrounding Nahuel Huapi Glacial Lake: famous for chocolate, winter skiing, and the temporary hiding place of the outlaws Butch and the Sundance Kid.

·        Sleep in the Limay River valley, a brilliant blue glacial river rimmed with tall, red volcanic rock formations with names like “The Lion” and “God’s Finger.”

While Andean Condors can be difficult to find, the Patagonian steppes near Bariloche are the perfect place to start. You will be working with an internationally recognized Andean Condor researcher while exploring the erosion-carved sedimentary formations known as Castillos del Condor. It’s here that one of the largest concentrations of Andean Condors can be photographed as they soar along these towering rocks. Depending on weather and location of larger concentrations of birds, we may also visit roosting sites in Nahuel Huapi National Park while exploring the colorful Traeful and Limay River Valleys. Because of our friendships in Bariloche, we have access to roost sites on private lands and are given significant discounts not available to any other U.S. travel company.

Note: This adventure is usually added as an extension to the Oct 10-18 Peninsula Valdés adventure.