Birding highlights of Argentina 2012 October 12 – 25, 2012

Guided by Alvaro Jaramillo

To say that Iguazu Falls is awesome is an extreme understatement. It is also magical, abundant, living and an absolute treasure of a spot, which is considered one of the living wonders of the earth.

Argentina is a huge place, and you certainly can’t see it all in one trip. So I thought to myself, if I had to pick several places that are in the “must see” category for the birder and naturalist, what would they be? The places I chose were the Pampas Grasslands and Ibera Marshes; northern Patagonia and Iguazu Falls! The Pampas are the heart of Argentina, not geographically but certainly culturally and definitely ornithologically. This is where the understanding, study and care for South America’s Southern Cone began, and it is chock-full of birds. Farther north in the Ibera marshes, the birds change, it is not the Pampas any longer but the grasslands, and open country while distinctly tropical show a great affinity to the Pampas. The grasslands, wetlands and savanna of eastern Argentina are the classic images of what you think of as quintessential Argentina.

Plains with cattle, the Gauchos (South American cowboys), Greater Rheas, variety of waterfowl, horneros, reedhaunters, Giant Wood-Rails, unusual seedeaters, Strange-tailed Tyrants, Black-and-white Monjitas, Saffron-cowled Blackbirds and many other local, rare or just absolutely unusual birds. Although the Pampas and Iberá area are flat, they are diverse. There are riparian areas, dry grasslands, moist grasslands and various types of wetlands, each with its own type of birds. In the Iberá Marshes we may come across more tropical fare, including Yellow Anacondas and Caymans! It is quite the place.

The Mara or Patagonian Cavy – a weird mammal related to the guinea pig, a reminder that South America was once an island which spawned all sorts of unusual creatures during its isolation.

One of the oddest geological places in South America is the Valdez Peninsula, a square peninsula connected to the mainland by only a narrow neck. Most unusual is that in the middle of this chunk of land surrounded by water is the lowest spot on the entire South American continent! How is that even possible? In any case, the Valdez Peninsula in northern Patagonia is absolutely a wildlife spectacle. Offshore there are Southern Right Whales, and on the beaches South American Sea Lions, and even Southern Elephant Seals. Pups on the beach may even attract the Killer Whale; the birding is great too of course. Here there are both marine species and the Patagonian specialties as well. Mixed colonies and loafing groups of “Cayenne” Sandwich, Royal and South American terns may rub shoulders with the unusual and rare Southern Sheathbill. Of course one has to

mention that this is an area with great amounts of food in the ocean, and attracted to this is the highest density of Magellanic Penguins anywhere in the world. Yes Penguins!! Inland there are mammals, some noteworthy, including the very odd Mara, or Patagonian Hare, an unusual relative of the guinea pig which resembles a rabbit with a pale stripe on its butt. Birds are varied, the Elegant-crested Tinamou is as neat looking as it sounds; so is the smaller, daintier Darwin’s Rhea, at least small compared to its huge northern relative. Specialties include the White-throated Cacholote, White-headed Steamerduck, Burrowing Parrot, Lesser Shrike-Tyrant, Rusty-backed Monjita, Patagonian Canastero and Carbonated Sierra-Finch just to name a few.

Blue-naped Chlorophonia – a bird once thought to be a tanager, but know known to be related to the goldfinches and siskins!

Although it is not the last place we visit, I have left talking about the the most awesome place of all for last. Like dessert! Iguazu Falls. Perhaps you have had the privilege of seeing one of the world’s great waterfalls, but this set of falls ranks high even within the top tier. There are lots of lots of individual falls, in a horse-shoe shape, and the falls straddle the border between Argentina and Brazil. Over a mile wide and 250 high, this is an amazing set of waterfalls. However, what is awesome is not only the water, but the forest habitat that it flows through. The falls are set in a superb pair of National Parks, with tropical habitats for antbirds, toucans, motmots, woodcreepers….it is a diverse site. The flashy bird that always captures your attention is the Toco Toucan, the largest of the world’s toucans. But as one searches the forest you get a sense for the variety here, Red-breasted (Green-billed) Toucan could show up, or the smaller relatives the Chestnut-eared Araçari or the banana-billed Saffron Toucanet. The same thing happens with every group, you see one woodpecker, and then others, and more, until you get a rich idea of what biodiversity is all about. Some birds have names that draw your attention –

Plovercrest, Blond-crested Woodpecker, Black-throated Piping-Guan for example. Others do not sound all that special, like the Green-headed Tanager, but to see it is to see what is a flying jewel. You may never have thought much of swifts, but then to experience the Great Dusky Swifts funneling down into the falls, and flying through to nest behind them in numbers is a real sight.

Argentina has so much to offer, more than can be fit into one, two or even three tours. This is the ideal trip to get a nice survey of some of its top spots, see some fantastic birds, meet great people, have some super food and maybe even catch a tango in Buenos Aires! You will go home not only with a great bird list, but a fine idea of what makes Argentina as a nation, and its people, special and unique. Vamos a Argentina, Che!

The Birding Sites We Visit

Chestnut-eared Toucanet - one of the many tropical species we can find at Iguazu Falls. Iguazu Falls — Iguazu, or Iguasu, Falls is a spectacular natural wonder! The place is beautiful, scenic, and amazingly birdy. The unique nature of the falls is that they are arranged in a horseshoe shaped manner, and the entire complex is over a mile long, with some falls nearly 250 feet high. The falls lie immediately on the border between Brazil and Argentina, with both countries having set aside large national parks on each side, making it a nice swath of land that is protected and rich with wildlife. The falls are a UNESCO world heritage site; they are also a living treasure, an amazing place that you have to get to once in your life. There are over 400 species which have been recorded from the park, of course in the limited time we are in the area we shall only sample these,

but it gives you an idea of the great potential here. The birding here includes a lot of tropical and subtropical species, most of the families one associates with the neotropics are here, such as motmots, toucans, manakins, antbirds, fancy flycatchers, guans, fruitcrows just to mention a few. The falls are near the southern extent of the forest zone known as the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and as such many of the species found at the falls are restricted to this isolated forest region and include some rare and unusual species like the Black-throated Piping-Guan, Helmeted Woodpecker, Large tailed and Tufted antshrikes etc. The falls also host the largest known population of Great Dusky Swifts, a species that congregates in great numbers to nest BEHIND the falls!! They fly right through the torrents to get to their nests, it is quite the site. There is owling to be done, flocking tanagers to be followed, and now some great hummingbird watching right in the town of Puerto Iguazu – Black Jacobin anyone? Then there are just plain spectacular and relatively common birds like the Toco Toucan, the world’s largest toucan, and the gorgeous Plumbeous Kites that fly over the forest, grace on wings. Iguazu still holds good populations of large mammals including the Jaguar and South American Tapir, although these can be very difficult to find, but we may run into Brown Capuchin monkeys, Agoutis, Coatis and brocket deer perhaps. The falls have a special place for me, as this was the first tropical birding I ever did back in the early 80s! Things have changed, but the birds, the scenery and the great Argentine people are as they were back then.

The way to say little yellow bird in the native Guarani language is pitayumi - and that is the scientific

name for the Tropical Parula! Central and Southern Misiones – Most birders that visit this part of the world concentrate most if not all of their time in the National Park and the falls. Rightly so as it

is a spectacular place to bird. However, birding farther away from the river in various reserves can be very fruitful and one can find species absent or much less common in the park than here. One of these reserves is the Urugua-I reserve, where bamboo thickets mix in with the forest and the gallery forests to make for some great birding. Farther south we may be able to visit forests of Araucaria as we had south towards Iberá. These areas host different avifaunas than the national park, but you also have them to yourself. The park, particularly at the falls, is a tourist destination, but here it is just you, the birds, the bird song and the smells of the forest. At Urugua-I we shall look for the Black-fronted Piping Guan, White-browed Foliage-Gleaners, Rufous-crowned Motmot, Sao Paulo Tyrannulet among others. We will make a special try for the unusual Spotted Bamboowren. In the Araucaria trees we have a chance for the Araucaria Tit-Spinetail, or maybe the Azure Jay or Red-breasted Toucan! Who knows what will be in store for us as we bird these little visited areas. Also on our way south we shall have a chance to visit the Jesuit mission ruins of San Ignacio Mini, quite an interesting aspect of local history and the reason this province of Argentina is know as “Misiones.”

Perhaps one of the most gorgeous birds of South America! The Scarlet-headed Blackbird of the pampas and marshes not only has a scarlet head, but also scarlet thighs!

Iberá Marshes — South of the forest zone of Misiones, one enters a savannah habitat and wetlands, the Campos and marshes of Iberá in Corrientes Province. The Iberá wetlands is a huge protected area where birds, Marsh Deer, Yellow Anacondas and caymans still roam. In the wetlands there are many chances for various rails, including the Giant Wood-Rail, Spotted Rail, as well as Jabiru Storks, Savanna Hawk and many Southern Screamers. Two specialty birds of the area are the Saffron-cowled Blackbird and Black-and-white Monjita. This is a bird rich zone, where various rare seedeaters (Marsh, Chestnut, Rufous-rumped) may be fond, along with Crested Doradito, Strange-tailed and Sharp-tailed tyrants as well as more common species like Yellow-rumped marshbird, the gorgeous Scarlet-headed Blackbird and Black-capped Donacobius. An unusual marsh dwelling species which may have no close relatives in all of South America!

Male Greater Rhea caring for the young. Did you hear right? The male cares for the young? Yes, true for all ratites (big flightless birds) and the related tinamous. Buenos Aires and the Pampas – All trips in Argentina pass through Buenos Aires, the gateway to the country. BA is a huge and vibrant city, the home of the tango, the pulse of Argentina and a city that truly never sleeps. It also has a surprising birding spot right in town, Costanera Sur reserve. Costanera’s birds vary depending on water levels, and when it is on, it is ON! During migration it is not impossible to see over 100 species just at this one site, although that would be an exceptional day. There are three species of coots, many waterfowl, Cocoi and Whisling herons, as well as an assortment of flycatchers, and ovenbirds from the ubiquitous Rufous Hornero (the national bird of Argentina), to Spix’s Spinetails, and Sulphur-bearded Spinetails. Costanera is a particularly good place to see the Rufous-sided Crake. Furthermore Buenos Aires is at a crossroads, right on the edge of the Pampas and the gallery forests of the Rio de la Plata and its subtropical connections to the north. This is a great time to be here in spring with migration underway this area is lively, full of song and one never knows what can show up.

Valdez Peninsula – Our final region we will visit is northern Patagonia, with particular focus on the Valdez Peninsula. This part of Argentina is unique, it is chock a block with interesting mammals and is most famous for being the area where Killer Whales come up on the beach to try and catch a young sea lion. Although this is not as commonly seen at the time of year we shall be there. While we are there the endangered Southern Right Whale will be in its breeding area, and we will be able to visit with these gentle and tame creatures. There are Southern Elephant Seals, Maras (Patagonian Hares), Guanacos and much other wildlife that we can find here. The Valdez Peninsula has another odd distinction; in the center of its hammer shaped outline is the lowest part of South America, well below sea level! How this occurs on a peninsula is anyone’s guess, but it is certainly unusual. Birding is great, with many Patagonian specialties in the area including Darwin’s Rhea, Elegant-crested Tinamou, many southern waterfowl (Red Shoveler, Chiloe Wigeon, Crested Duck), Black-faced Ibis, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Dolphin Gull, South American Tern, Patagonian Canastero, Rusty-backed Monjita, Patagonian Mockingbird, and Carbonated Sierra-Finch to give some examples. The area is also superb for seabirds, and a highlight will be seeing Magellanic Penguins at their nesting colony! Watching offshore both species of Giant Petrel are possible, as is the Black-browed Albatross and perhaps White-chinned Petrel or other goodies!

Southern Right Whale watching in the Valdez Peninsula.

About the Physical Requirements & Pace This is a tour that samples several of Argentina’s best birding regions. As you know, birds are best in the morning, so we shall have some early morning wake ups. Where possible, particularly in the hotter north we will have a mid day rest after lunch to recoup before the afternoon period of activity. The pace of the tour is moderate; and in general,

the day-by-day pace is easy to moderate, though there are several longer days in the field and days where we will be doing some traveling on the bus. Most of our birding will be in fairly easy terrain or along roadsides and trails. This is a trip that is mainly in flatter terrain, although the Misiones Province can have some slope to it. Still, this will not be a trip where we climb up and down, and in the Pampas and Iberá Marshes it can be downright flat as a pancake. At the Iberá Marshes we may do some birding from small boats with outboard motors.

Note that restaurants in Argentina typically open later than most birders would prefer, often at 9:00 p.m. In order to get earlier in some cases it will be necessary to pre-arrange a set menu at some places. This facilitates the evening meal immensely as well as allowing us to sample a broad selection of cuisine over the course of the tour. Even so, we still are unlikely to eat dinner any earlier than 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. at most sites. Be prepared for late dinners to be routine, it is just the way things are in the Southern Cone, and one needs to adjust to this situation. If you let us know about any dietary concerns, these will be forwarded to the hotels before the tour and we shall do the best we can to accommodate them. Most of our hotels will have a morning buffet breakfast. Breakfasts in Argentina tend to be continental, although in some hotels eggs are sometimes available. Lunches will vary from sit-down lunches at restaurants, picnics made by the guides, to box lunches provided by hotels. Be aware that Argentina is very much a country of carnivores – there will be a lot of meat on the menu! Fresh pastas are another food loved by Argentines, so there is diversity above and beyond the meats. Keep in mind that Argentina has some wonderful wine that one can sample on this tour.

A superb looping male Fork-tailed Flycatcher. This is a species which breeds in Argentina and

migrates north to the tropics in the southern winter.

Itinerary for Highlights of Argentina

Oct 12 (Day 1) – Arrival in Buenos Aires; pm birding at Costanera Sur. Today we will organize the day depending on arrival times, but plan on doing some birding at the

Costanera Sur reserve after lunch. You may want to arrive a day early to rest up before the tour! Night in Buenos Aires.

Oct 13 (Day 2) – Birding the Pampas. Today we shall bird a typical estancia in the Pampas of Buenos Aires. We will do some morning birding in the area and then we will be treated to a traditional Gaucho Asado (barbecue). For those wanting to do something a little different tonight we shall hit a tango show in the evening in Buenos Aires. This is the home of the tango, and a rather special cultural treat to be able to see the real deal. Night in Buenos Aires. Oct 14 (Day 3)- Fly to Posadas; pm birding in Iberá Area. After a morning flight to the northern city of Posadas we shall transfer to our lodging in the Iberá Area. We will have plenty of time to bird the afternoon and begin to get acquainted with the magic of these huge wetlands. Oct 15 (Day 4) – Birding the Iberá Marsh Region. We have a full day to explore the Iberá marshes including a boat trip into the wetlands to help us get closer to water birds, and maybe rails. Night in Iberá Area. Oct 16 (Day 5) – Ibera – Posadas. Full day birding the Estancia in Iberá. Late afternoon transfer to Posadas, with some Campos birding on the way. Night in Posadas. Oct 17 (Day 6) – Campos to Iguazu. Morning birding in campos habitat, and visit to the San Ignacio Mission. We expect a late afternoon arrival in Iguazu Area, after an interesting drive of several hours through Misiones. Night in Puerto Iguazu. Oct 18 -19 (Day 7-8) – Birding Parque Nacional Iguazu. We have two full days to visit the falls, and the trails in Iguazu National Park. We will be able to see a lot of the falls, and get a lot of birding in! These will be some spectacularly scenic days of birding. Nights in Puerto Iguazu. Oct 20 (Day 9) – Urugua-I Reserve, and hummingbird gardens. We will begin the morning by visiting Urugua-i State Park and will take a box lunch. In the afternoon we shall bird the hotel and visit the hummingbird garden in town. This is a family backyard, which has become famous after 10 plus years of keeping feeders, 8 to 10 hummingbird species may be present and easy to photograph. Tonight there will also be an opportunity for owling. Night in Puerto Iguazu. Oct 21 (Day 10) – Travel to Patagonia. This will be mainly a travel day, but we may have some morning time to get some birding in. We shall fly from Iguazu to Buenos Aires, and then take a second flight from there to Puerto Madryn where we will arrive in the afternoon. Night in Trelew.

A watchful Aplomado Falcon

Oct 22 (Day 11) – Chubut Valley to Puerto Piramides. We will begin the day birding the lower Chubut River Valley. In the afternoon we will transfer to Puerto Piramides, at the base of the Valdez Peninsula. An afternoon boat trip to look for birds and Southern Right Whales will occur this afternoon. Night in Puerto Piramides. Oct 23 (Day 12) – Birding Valdez Peninsula. A full day today devoted to the Valdez Peninsula and its amazing wildlife and bird show, including Southern Elephant Seals and Southern Sea Lions. Night in Puerto Piramides.

Oct 24 (Day 13) – Birding and penguins. Today we visit Punta Norte, do some Patagonian Steppe birding and we will head to visit a Magellanic Penguin Colony on private land, where the birding promises to be great. Night in Puerto Piramides.

Oct 25 (Day 14) – Return to Buenos Aires and evening flights back to North America. Most flights out to North America leave at night from Buenos Aires. We will fly out of Trelew early this morning to Buenos Aires, in time to catch evening flights out to the north. If you prefer to spend an extra night in Buenos Aires, we can arrange this for you.

Your Guides Alvaro Jaramillo was born in Chile but began birding in Toronto, where he lived as a youth. He was trained in ecology and evolution with a particular interest in bird behavior. Research forays and backpacking trips introduced Alvaro to the riches of the Neotropics, where he has traveled extensively. He is the author of the Birds of Chile, an authoritative yet portable field guide to Chile’s birds. Alvaro writes the Identify Yourself column in

Bird Watcher’s Digest. Among various projects he is currently finishing part of the sparrow chapter for the Handbook of Birds of the World, and is writing a photo guide to the birds and wildlife of Patagonia. Alvaro was recently granted the Eisenmann Medal by the Linnean Society of New York, it is awarded occasionally for excellence in ornithology and encouragement of the amateur. Alvaro lives with his family in Half Moon Bay, California. A second guide will be added above if numbers deem it necessary.

Financial Information

FEE: $4450 from Buenos Aires, internal flights additional.

DEPOSIT: $500 per person – payable via credit card.

FINAL PAYMENT DUE: July. 14, 2012

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT (Optional): $700

LIMIT: 14

Additional Information

DOCUMENTS: A current passport valid three months beyond the date of your return is necessary for US citizens to enter Argentina. If you are not a US citizen, please check with the Argentine consulate nearest you for entry requirements. Information about consulates and entry requirements is generally available online or phone or e-mail Alvaro’s Adventures and we can look this up. Passports should have an adequate number of blank pages for the entire journey.

AIR ARRANGEMENTS: Please plan to arrive in Buenos Aires by noon on October 12, 2012. Flights back home at the end of the tour (for main tour or extension) can be booked for the evening of October 25. 2012. Various North American airlines fly to Buenos Aires, from several different hubs. Flights tend to occur at night, arriving in the morning in Buenos Aires. Be sure to check with Alvaro’s Adventures to confirm that the flights you have chosen will work with our itinerary and to confirm that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate. Once purchased, most airline tickets are non-refundable and carry a penalty to change. We are not responsible for these fees.

TOUR INCLUSIONS/EXCLUSIONS: The tour fee is $4450 for one person in double occupancy from Buenos Aires. Internal flights are an additional cost, right now these are estimated at $700 per person. The tour price includes all lodging from Day 1 through Day

14, all meals from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 14, all ground transportation, entrance fees, tips for baggage handling and meal service, and the guide services of the tour leaders.

The above fees do not include your airfare to and from Argentina, internal flights, airport taxes, visa fees, optional tips to local drivers, phone calls, laundry, or other items of a personal nature. Alcoholic drinks are not included.

The single supplement for the tour is $700. If you do not have a roommate but wish to share, we will try to pair you with a roommate from the tour; but if none is available, you will be billed for the single supplement. Our tour fees are based on double occupancy; one-half the cost of a double room is priced into the tour fee.

TOUR REGISTRATION: To register for this tour, complete the enclosed Registration/Release and Indemnity form and return it with a deposit of $500 per person, payable via PayPal (ask for details) using your credit card, or by check. If registering by phone, a deposit and the Release and Indemnity form must be received within fourteen days, or the space will be released. Full payment of the tour fee is due 90 days prior to departure, or by July 14, 2012. We will bill you for the final payment at either 90 days or when the tour has reached sufficient subscription to operate, whichever date comes later. Since the cost of your trip insurance and airline tickets is generally non-refundable, please do not finalize these purchases until you have received final billing for the tour or have been advised that the tour is sufficiently subscribed to operate by your tour manager.

SMOKING: This is a non-smoking tour.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Refund of deposit and payment, less $100 handling fee, will be made if cancellation is received up to 90 days before departure. If cancellation occurs between 89 and 70 days before the departure date, 50% of the tour fee is refundable. Thereafter, all deposits and payments are not refundable.

This policy only applies to payments made to Alvaro’s Adventures for tour (and any services included in those fees). Airline tickets not included in the tour fee and purchased separately often carry penalties for cancellation or change, or are sometimes totally non-refundable. Additionally, if you take out trip insurance the cost of the insurance is not refundable so it is best to purchase the policy just prior to making full payment for the tour or at the time you purchase airline tickets, depending upon the airlines restrictions.

The right is reserved to cancel any tour prior to departure, in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. The right is reserved to substitute another guide for the original one. Where this is necessary, notification will be given to tour members, and they will have the right to cancel their participation and receive a full refund.

Alvaro’s Adventures’s is a Registered Seller of Travel in the State of California

(CST # 2105497). Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. This ensures your right to a prompt refund: Upon cancellation of the transportation or travel services, where the passenger is not at fault and has not canceled in violation of any terms and conditions previously clearly and conspicuously disclosed and agreed to by the passenger, all sums paid to the seller of travel for services not provided will be promptly paid to the passenger, unless the passenger advises the seller of travel in writing, after cancellation. This provision does not apply where the seller of travel has remitted the payment to another registered wholesale seller of travel or a carrier, without obtaining a refund, and where the wholesaler or provider defaults in providing the agreed-upon transportation or service. In this situation, the seller of travel must provide the passenger with a written statement accompanied by bank records establishing the disbursement of the payment, and if disbursed to a wholesale seller of travel, proof of current registration of that wholesaler.

TRIP CANCELLATION & MEDICAL EMERGENCY INSURANCE: We strongly recommend you consider purchasing trip cancellation (including medical emergency) insurance to cover your investment in case of injury or illness to you or your family prior to or during a trip. Because we must remit early (and substantial) tour deposits to our suppliers, we cannot offer any refund when cancellation occurs within 70 days of departure, and only a partial refund from 70 to 89 days prior to departure (see CANCELLATION POLICY). In addition, the Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. US medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Furthermore, US Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States.

When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the United States may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties. When consulting with your insurer prior to your trip, please ascertain whether payment will be made to the overseas healthcare provider or whether you will be reimbursed later for expenses that you incur.

RESPONSIBILITY: For and in consideration of the opportunity to participate in the tour, each tour participant and each parent or legal guardian of a tour participant who is under 18 agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless Alvaro’s Adventures, its agents, servants, employees, shareholders, officers, directors, attorneys, and contractors as more fully set forth in the Release and Indemnity Agreement on the reverse side of the registration form. Alvaro’s Adventures acts only as an agent for the passenger in regard to travel, whether by railroad, motorcar, motorcoach, boat, airplane, or other means, and

assumes no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or irregularity caused by defect in such vehicles or for any reason whatsoever, including the acts, defaults, or bankruptcies of any company or person engaged in conveying the passenger or in carrying out the arrangements of the tour. Alvaro’s Adventures accepts no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, quarantine, or other causes. The tour participant shall bear all such losses and expenses. Alvaro’s Adventures reserves the right to substitute hotels of similar category for those indicated and to make any changes in the itinerary where deemed necessary or caused by changes in air schedules. Alvaro’s Adventures reserves the right to decline to accept or to retain any person as a member of any tour. Baggage is at owner’s risk entirely.

Participants should be in good health and should consult a physician before undertaking a tour. If you have questions about the physical requirements of a tour, please contact our office for further information. Participants should prepare for the tour by reading the detailed itinerary, and other pertinent matter provided by Alvaro’s Adventures. Each participant is responsible for bringing appropriate clothing and equipment as recommended in our bulletins.

THE RECEIPT OF YOUR TOUR DEPOSIT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE CONSENT TO THE ABOVE CONDITIONS. EACH TOUR PARTICIPANT AND EACH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OF A TOUR PARTICIPANT WHO IS UNDER 18 SHALL SIGN AND DELIVER THE RELEASE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION.

5/12 AJ