Chile Birding Tour
El Yeso Valley & Cajón del Maipo Birding Tour
The high-Andean bogs of the Yeso Valley — the world's most reliable site for the Diademed Sandpiper-Plover.
Photo © Jean Paul Perret
Duration
Full Day (~11 hours)
Departure
6:30 AM from Santiago
Elevation
2,500–3,500 m
Group size
1–4
Fitness level
moderate— High altitude (to ~3,500 m) with walking on uneven boggy ground.
Overview
El Yeso & Cajón del Maipo
Climbing the Cajón del Maipo to the cushion-bogs of the Yeso Valley (2,500–3,500 m), this day targets the coveted Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, which breeds in these high vegas. It is a big-mountain day with dramatic reservoir-and-peak scenery, and an optional lunch and wine tasting in the Maipo valley on the way down.
The bogs and streams hold the Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Creamy-rumped Miner and Black-fronted Ground-Tyrant, with Torrent Duck on the river below and Andean Condor and Mountain Caracara over the ridges.
Highlights
- ✦Diademed Sandpiper-Plover in the high bogs
- ✦Grey-breasted Seedsnipe and Creamy-rumped Miner
- ✦Torrent Duck on the Río Yeso
- ✦Optional Maipo valley wine tasting on the descent
Pricing
4.9(28)Per person by group size
- 1 traveller$520per person
- 2 travellers$330per person
- 3+ travellers$270per person
Prices in USD. Custom & private departures available.
Day by Day
Itinerary
6:30 AM — Pickup in Santiago
We drive up the Cajón del Maipo (~2 h) toward the reservoir and the bogs.
Morning — Yeso Valley bogs
We search the vegas for Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, seedsnipe, miner and ground-tyrants.
Afternoon — descent & return
We descend the valley — optional lunch/wine at Pirque — and return to Santiago.
The Route
Where this tour takes you
- 1Santiago (hotel pick-up)Start
- 2San José de Maipo
- 3Embalse El YesoTurnaround
Round trip — the tour returns to Santiago. Stylised map at true scale — darker tints mark higher ground and deeper ocean, contour lines fall every 1,000 m, green areas are protected reserves, and the dotted line follows the actual roads between stops (boat, river and rail sections are drawn as simple arcs; driving distances and times are approximate). Road and boundary data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
What's included
- ✓Private transportation from Santiago
- ✓Expert local birding guide
- ✓Boxed breakfast
- ✓Picnic lunch
Not included
- –Dinner
- –Wine tasting (optional)
- –Accommodation
- –Tips
What You'll See
Target species
- Diademed Sandpiper-Plover
- Grey-breasted Seedsnipe
- Creamy-rumped Miner
- Torrent Duck
- Andean Condor
- Mountain Caracara
- Black-fronted Ground-Tyrant
- Greater Yellow-Finch
Free downloadable checklist
All 103 species recorded here on eBird across 1 hotspots, in taxonomic order with endemics marked. Tap the boxes on your phone or print it for the field.
Reserve Now
Book your El Yeso & Cajón del Maipo tour
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“We just got back from a full day birding tour of the Sacred Valley with Wild Andes Tours. We couldn't be happier with the day. Our guide Frank was the perfect guide.”
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Travellers on Wild Andes
Rated 4.9 out of 5
from 28 verified Google reviews
“We just got back from a full day birding tour of the Sacred Valley with Wild Andes Tours. We couldn't be happier with the day. Our guide Frank was the perfect guide. He knows the exact areas to see specific birds which is major in leading these tours.”
Jan Espe
Google review
“I had a single day in Lima to get a few birds and after checking out the options Wilde Andes was the best for me. My guide, Alejandro, took me straight to his favorite coastal spot south of Lima and promptly turned up a dozen Least Seedsnipe.”
Chris R
Google review
“I had an amazing few days with Wild Andes Tours and can honestly say it was one of the highlights of my trip to Peru. I joined a three-day trip to Junín hoping to see a few dream species, especially the Pampas Cat.”
Juan Francisco Rodó de los Heros
Google review
Good to Know
Frequently asked questions
How long is the El Yeso & Cajón del Maipo tour?
Full Day (~11 hours).
Where and when does the tour depart?
6:30 AM from Santiago.
How big are the groups?
1–4. Small groups keep the experience unhurried and photography-friendly.
How much does the El Yeso & Cajón del Maipo tour cost?
Prices start at $270 per person and depend on group size — see the pricing table for details.
What is included in the price?
Private transportation from Santiago, Expert local birding guide, Boxed breakfast, Picnic lunch.
Which species can I expect to see?
Key targets include Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Creamy-rumped Miner, Torrent Duck, Andean Condor, among others.
How do I book this tour?
Reserve directly on this page with the Reserve Now form — we accept PayPal. See our Terms & Conditions for the full policy.
Have a different question? Get in touch — we answer quickly.
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