EPIC CAPE HORN CRUISE

The southern oceans are home to an incredible variety of seabirds with many mouth-watering species inhabiting this wild and apparently inhospitable region and the thought of taking one of the small boat pelagics out into these often rough seas is not that appealing to many people. Indeed, the very names such as Cape Horn, Straits of Magellan, Beagle Channel and the Falkland Islands conjure up a longing in many birders but it's always been just out of reach. Not any more! In partnership with Princess Cruises we offer the ultimate pelagic experience! By utilising the services of a full working cruise ship with all the onboard amenities one associates with such a venture we can sail the southern ocean in search of numerous much-wanted seabirds, with 10+ albatrosses, penguins, diving-petrels, prions, and numerous petrels this promises to be a trip of a lifetime. We will be on deck every day and the ship is stable enough to support our scopes as we search for some iconic seabirds such as both Northern and Southern Royal Albatross, Antipodean and Snowy Wandering Albatrosses, Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Grey-headed Albatross, Buller's Albatross, Salvin's Albatross, even the rare Chatham Albatross, Cape Verde Shearwater, Soft-plumaged Petrel, Stejneger's Petrel, Juan Fernandez Petrel, Black-bellied Storm-Petrel, Fuegian Storm-Petrel (a potential split from Wilson's Storm-Petrel), Pincoya Storm-Petrel, Grey-backed Storm-Petrel and more! 

On top of this there will be 7 land-based excursions to see King Penguins in the Falkland Islands, a visit to the wetlands near Montevideo, Uruguay where we should see 100+ species, Alerce Andino National Park at Puerto-Montt for up to 4 species of tapaculo and the Patagonian-steppe near Punta Arenas in Chile for Magellanic Plover, the forests of Patagonia National park near Ushuaia for Magellanic Woodpecker, the spectacular Valdes Peninsula and Costanera Sur Reserve in Argentina. More great species should be seen such as Lesser Rhea, Elegant Crested Tinamou, Falkland, Flying and Flightless Steamer-Ducks, Snowy Sheathbill, Imperial Cormorant, Giant Wood-Rail, Spot-flanked Gallinule, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Tawny-throated Dotterel, South American Painted Snipe, Inca Tern, Austral Pygmy Owl, White-throated Cachalote, Black-throated Huet-Huet, White-bridled Finch and so much more!

A pre-tour extension from Santiago will see us birding amidst some of the most spectacular scenery on earth as we search for the much-wanted Diademed Sandpiper-Plover, as well as a whole host of Chilean endemics and localised species such as White-sided Hillstar, Dusky-tailed Canastero, Crag Chilia, Rufous-banded Miner, Moustached Turca, Chilean Mockingbird, and both Dusky and White-throated Tapaculo amongst many others. Our post-cruise extension to the pampas & wetlands of Ceibas will open up a whole new world of possibilities, such as Greater Rhea, Spotted Nothura, Ringed Teal, Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper, Short-billed Canastero, Little Thornbird, Brown Cachalote, Brown-and-Yellow Marshbird, Yellowish Pipit, Lark-like Brushrunner, Curve-billed & Sulphur-bearded Reedhaunters, Warbling Doradito, White-tipped Plantcutter, Marsh, Rufous-rumped & Dark-throated Seedeaters and Glaucous-blue Grosbeak amongst many others.

So often we birders leave our loved ones or 'significant other' behind whilst we fly off to chase our dream birds and we get to experience many different countries our partners would tell us they would love to visit also but without the early mornings or strains of keeping up with us and our group whilst birding. This tour is the perfect excuse for all  non-birding partners to join us on our travels whilst we enjoy our birding and they can take advantage of the amenities of this fabulous cruise ship. There is no charge for non-birding partners to join this tour only the cost of the cabin which can be arranged through our dedicated group contact at Princess Cruises. A non-birding Zoothera representative will also be onboard to assist with any non-birding activities and enquiries.

For a chance to see these amazing birds from the comfort of a full working cruise ship, please register your interest with the Zoothera office.