Plants and Habitats in the Elbow of the Andes

Overview

Bolivia's "Elbow of the Andes" is an area of great biological significance, a hotspot with high levels of diversity and endemism. We are the only operator offering comprehensive visits to this remote and unexplored area. Our guides, local naturalists, will help you understand both nature and culture. We will use paved and unpaved roads through stunning scenery, doing short walks to creeks, ravines, and rock outcrops. We will explore the wet Bolivian-Tucuman forest, Chaco-Serrano dry forests, and the unique inter-Andean valleys, each one drier than the previous one. We will visit the only known wild populations of the endemic palm Parajubaea, the rare Cardenasiodendron endemic tree, and one of the few locations with Puya raimondii, the largest bromeliad on Earth. With luck, we will also spot endemic bird species, like the red-fronter paraba and other fauna. Dates may require coordination. Suggested: November (cacti floration) and April/May (end of wet season). Duration: 11 days.