Chile Birding Tour
Farellones & Valle Nevado Birding Tour
The Andean cordillera above Santiago in 90 minutes — rocky high-altitude birding with the near-endemic Crag Chilia and cruising condors.
Photo © Jean Paul Perret
Duration
Full Day (~9 hours)
Departure
7:00 AM from Santiago
Elevation
2,400–3,000 m
Group size
1–4
Fitness level
moderate— High altitude (to ~3,000 m); short walks on uneven rocky ground.
Overview
Farellones & Valle Nevado
The ski road climbs fast from Santiago to 2,400–3,000 metres among Andean rock fields and cushion-plant slopes. It is the classic site for the near-endemic Crag Chilia and a battery of high-altitude specialities, with spectacular scenery and a good chance of Andean Condor overhead.
Along the switchbacks and boulder fields look for Crag Chilia, Scale-throated Earthcreeper, Grey-flanked Cinclodes, White-sided Hillstar, Greater Yellow-Finch, Black-fronted and White-browed Ground-Tyrants, and Mountain Caracara, with condors patrolling the ridgelines.
Highlights
- ✦Crag Chilia (near-endemic) in the rock fields
- ✦White-sided Hillstar and Scale-throated Earthcreeper
- ✦Andean Condor and Mountain Caracara over the ridges
- ✦Dramatic high-cordillera scenery
Pricing
4.9(28)Per person by group size
- 1 traveller$470per person
- 2 travellers$290per person
- 3+ travellers$240per person
Prices in USD. Custom & private departures available.
Day by Day
Itinerary
7:00 AM — Pickup in Santiago
We climb the Andean ski road (~1.5 h) with stops to acclimatise and bird.
Morning — high rock fields
Crag Chilia, earthcreeper, ground-tyrants and miners; scanning for condor.
Afternoon — descent & return
We bird our way down and return to Santiago.
The Route
Where this tour takes you
- 1Santiago (hotel pick-up)Start
- 2Farellones
- 3Valle NevadoTurnaround
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
- –Accommodation
- –Tips
What You'll See
Target species
- Crag Chilia
- Scale-throated Earthcreeper
- Grey-flanked Cinclodes
- White-sided Hillstar
- Andean Condor
- Mountain Caracara
- Greater Yellow-Finch
- Black-fronted Ground-Tyrant
Free downloadable checklist
All 92 species recorded here on eBird across 3 hotspots, in taxonomic order with endemics marked. Tap the boxes on your phone or print it for the field.
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Book your Farellones & Valle Nevado 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
“From start to finish, Wild Andes Tours exceeded every expectation. Communication and coordination with Alfredo over email was incredibly easy, he responded quickly, clearly, and helped organize every detail of our 2-day trip to the Santa Eulalia Canyon. Planning the trip felt effortless.”
Alexis Salinas Mark
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 Farellones & Valle Nevado tour?
Full Day (~9 hours).
Where and when does the tour depart?
7:00 AM from Santiago.
How big are the groups?
1–4. Small groups keep the experience unhurried and photography-friendly.
How much does the Farellones & Valle Nevado tour cost?
Prices start at $240 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 Crag Chilia, Scale-throated Earthcreeper, Grey-flanked Cinclodes, White-sided Hillstar, 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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