Bolivia - Highlands

Tour Code: BOL01

A 12-day birdwatching tour visiting the temperate forests of Cochabamba and the spectacular mountains and altiplano of La Paz and Lake Titicaca in the Bolivian highlands. This tour can be combined with Bolivia – Lowlands.

12 days from
£3,695 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£2,895
book now

Highlights

Summary

Summary

All but two of the Neotropical bird families are represented in Bolivia’s national bird list of over 1,350 species which includes 18 endemics! Around Cochabamba we’ll look for rarities including Red-fronted Macaw, Cochabamba Mountain-finch and Bolivian Earthcreeper, while in cloudforest we’ll be hoping to see such species as Solitary Eagle and Rufous-capped Thornbill. We’ll visit the windswept altiplano, the most extensive area of high plateau on earth outside Tibet, before heading to our final stop – Lake Titicaca, Bolivia’s best-known geographical feature. Lake Titicaca provides a variety of habitats for birds such as saltflats and rolling hills, and its rich avifauna includes one of South America’s rarest birds, Berlepsch’s Canastero, plus Mountain Caracara, Bright-rumped Yellow-finch and Titicaca Grebe.

  • Explore a wide range of highland habitats along the Andean Cordillera
  • Look for waterfowl such as Cinnamon, Puna & Speckled Teals at Cochabamba
  • Sickle-winged Guan & Straw-backed Tanager among other cloudforest species
  • Crested Duck, Andean Flamingo & Andean Avocet on the altiplano
  • Visit Lake Titicaca, reputed as the birthplace of the Inca civilisation
  • In remote areas we may hear the ancient language of Aymara spoken
  • Led by expert local naturalist guides
  • Save money & combine with Naturetrek’s 'Bolivia – Lowlands' holiday

Grading

Plenty of time spent on foot, off the beaten track, with a few steep trails.

About the region

High mountains are the most dominant feature of Bolivia. The area around Cochabamba (Bolivia’s third largest city) presents a variety of highland habitats along the Andean Cordillera, from arid savannah to high montane forest. It has a pleasant climate, described as ‘eternal spring’.

Bolivia’s altiplano (literally, ‘high plain’) is a windswept plateau between two ranges of mountains and consists of valleys, rolling hills, salt flats, volcanoes, rivers, and lakes. The country’s capital, La Paz, is situated at an altitude of 3,600 metres and is the highest capital city in the world.

Lake Titicaca is considered by many to be one of the greatest and most mystical places in all of South America. Sitting high up on the altiplano on the Bolivia/Peru border, Titicaca derives much of its mystique from the ancient belief that its deep waters were the birthplace of the Incan civilisation.

The tour ‘in a nutshell’

This 12-day bird watching tour visits the temperate forests of Cochabamba and the spectacular mountains and altiplano of La Paz and Lake Titicaca in the Bolivian highlands.

What birds might I see?

All but two of the Neotropical bird families are represented in the national bird list of over 1,350 species which includes 18 endemics.

More endemic species are found in Cochabamba Department than anywhere else in Bolivia. Around Cochabamba we’ll look for waterfowl such as Cinnamon, Puna and Speckled Teal, and rarities including Red-fronted Macaw, Bolivian Earthcreeper and Rufous-faced Antpitta among many other species.

Cloudforest birds we’ll search for include Sickle-winged Guan, Stripe-faced Wood-quail, Solitary Eagle, Rufous-capped Thornbill, White-eared Solitaire and Straw-backed Tanager. The altiplano provides habitat for birds such as Crested Duck, Andean Flamingo, Cinereous Harrier, Andean Avocet, Taczanowski's Ground-tyrant and a host of other species.

Titicaca’s rich avifauna includes one of South America’s rarest birds, Berlepsch’s Canastero.

Anything else?

We’ll see villagers dressed in traditional costume descending from mountain settlements to exchange goods at one of the rural markets, and possibly even hear the ancient language of Aymara spoken in remote areas.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Depart UK
Day 2
Arrive Santa Cruz, transfer Cochabamba
Day 3/5
Birding from Cochabamba
Day 6
Birding drive to Oruro
Day 7
Birding drive to La Paz
Day 8/10
Birding from La Paz
Day 11
Depart La Paz
Day 12
Arrive UK
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation: All accommodation included in the price.
  • Food: All food included in the price.
Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 29th Oct – Sun 9th Nov 6 £3,695
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,895
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£365

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 28th Oct – Sun 8th Nov SPACES £3,695
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£2,895
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£365 
  Array
(
    [174] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 174
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/bargain-birdwatching
            [title] => Bargain birdwatching
            [alias] => bargain-birdwatching
            [description] => 
Bargain Birdwatching Holidays


Our bargain birdwatching tours suit keen birders who want an active, fast-paced birding holiday with a dedicated focus on searching for birds rather than on looking at the area’s other wildlife or cultural highlights.


We offer a wide selection of long-haul holidays to many destinations in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere.


What can I expect?


    

  • An expert English-speaking local ornithologist leader
    • 

  • Outstanding value for money
    • 

  • Dawn-to-dusk birding with limited time for rest, relaxation and outside interests
    • 

  • Enviable bird lists
    • 

  • Focused searches for endemics and regional specialities
    • 



Who are these tours best suited to?


    

  • Keen & active birders – whether expert or making their first visit to a country or continent
    • 

  • People looking for an action-packed bird-focused tour
    • 



Where can I go?


Naturetrek's selection of birdwatching holidays includes many South and Central American countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Panama.


In Africa our selection includes Malawi, Ethiopia and South Africa, while in India and Nepal we offer a choice of 17 bargain birdwatching tours! Here are a few more choices:



 


 




 


Our specialist recommends...







"I’d recommend our ‘Nepal’ holiday visiting Chitwan National Park and Koshi Tappu Reserve, and ‘India – Bharatpur & Chambal’ within Asia. Try ‘Ecuador – Cock-of-the-rock’ for a superb introduction to Andean birding, while, if you want a bit of luxury, the accommodation we use on our ‘Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park’ tour is top class.” 

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




 


All Bargain birdwatching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/RlWlvE3qiKAS/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => Bird Watching
                )

            [metakey] => Bargain birdwatching
            [note] => 17
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

    [180] => stdClass Object
        (
            [id] => 180
            [parent_id] => 165
            [level] => 2
            [path] => tour-focus/birds
            [title] => Birdwatching
            [alias] => birds
            [description] => 
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

            [params] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [category_layout] => 
                    [image_az] => https://i.assetzen.net/i/RlWlvE3qiKAS/w:500/h:500/q:70.jpg
                    [image_alt] => Bird Watching
                )

            [metakey] => Birds
            [note] => 02
            [parent] => stdClass Object
                (
                    [id] => 165
                    [parent_id] => 1
                    [level] => 1
                    [path] => tour-focus
                    [title] => Tour Focus
                    [alias] => tour-focus
                    [description] => 
                    [params] => stdClass Object
                        (
                            [category_layout] => 
                            [image_az] => 
                            [image_alt] => 
                        )

                    [metakey] => 
                    [note] => 
                )

        )

)

Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

Allow our experts to create a private, customised itinerary with dates and prices to suit you.

Enquire

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!