From the high altiplano to the wildlife-rich Ibera Marshes and the tropical luxuriance of the waterfalls of Iguazu, a wonderful exploration of the little-visited habitats of Northern Argentina.

In this mix of sub-tropical habitats, we will see many birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies, and other animals plus a fascinating range of plants from cacti and colourful shrubs to orchids, bromeliads and palms. The area is known for its biodiversity—including several endemic bird species and a high number of cacti - some tall columnar species and others growing as epiphytes in trees. We will travel through habitats famous for their distinctive character and range of species - evocatively named habitats such as puna, Yungas cloud forest, chaco, monte and pampas. The scenery throughout the trip is one of the highlights, with deep gorges, open grasslands and magnificent waterfalls.

We will start on the high slopes and dry valleys of the Andes, where vicuna graze and flamingos gather on the saline lakes. From here we move down to the lush green plains of the Ibera Marshes, ‘shining water’ in the local language. These 1.2 million hectares of wetland, a mixture of open water and swamp grassland, are home to capybara, caiman and large numbers of wetland birds.

We finally head to the north east corner of the country, on the border with Brazil and Paraguay, and the spectacular Iguazu Falls, the ‘Great Waters’ where some 275 individual waterfalls spread over 3km and a drop of 70m. Surrounding the falls is a large tract of Atlantic rainforest, home to more than 2000 species of plant and a wide variety of tropical birds. Orchids, hummingbirds, tanagers and the inquisitive coatimundi may all cross our paths.

Leaders Nick & Frankie Owens with local guides