Birding Andes to Amazon Peru 9D

Straight to the best birding destination in Peru – from High Andes to Manu Road then to Amazon basin, very good chances to see top birds of Peru and some Peru’s key bird species among this extreme biodiversity.

Manu National Park harbors 1003 bird species. There is a big number of resident bird species to see every day on the way to Manu National Park with rich wildlife such as mammals, insects, reptiles, plants and specially birds; from the high Andes to the Amazon rainforest exuberant vegetation in specific habitats of forests (Dry forest, Elfin forest, Cloud forest, Foothills forest and Rain forest ).

Day 01: Cusco – Wayquecha

We start birding since we leave the hotel in Cusco.

Manu road is our main birding destination spot after we visit a high Andean Lake named Huacarpay, this is a very interesting lake with more than fifty resident bird species and more than eighty including the migratory bird species. Here is the place where we can fine the most wanted Andean endemic birds species in Peru such as  Bearded Mountaineer (Oreonynpha nobilis); Rusty fronted Canastero (Asthenes Ottonis) among Flower pierces; Tanagers; Hawks, Teals, Coots, Rush birds, and some more Hummingbirds easy to see, such as Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas); Sparkling Violet-Ear (Colibri coruscans), etc.

Once we get Acjanaco pass (3560 m.a.s.l. or 11 700 feet high), we start to see birds down to Wayquecha Lodge a very nice lodge with a good location in Cloud forest close to Manu Road, here is where we stay our first night in nice cabins (2937 m.a.s.l. or 9600 feet high) on the East slope of the Andes. Here starts the exiting birding trip for birding expecting to see mixed-species flocks

Day 02: Wayquecha – Manu Road

Early in the morning, we start birding by the famous Manu Road looking for several colorful bird species, especially flocks of Tanagers and several hummingbird species.

After a good breakfast, we will start to visit some trails of Wayquecha lodge where we will be spending couple of hours. You have to notice that most of bird species that you would see occurs only in this high and mostly different to the species that we might get to see on next day.

We should be getting to Cock of the rock lodge for lunch and birding around this lodge (located at 1450 m.a.s.l. or 4750 feet high) in the Cloud forest with several bird species among Antbirds, Flycatchers, Antshrikes, Tyrannulets, Vireos, Jays, Hummingbirds, Toucanets, Quetzals, Hawks and many more.

San Pedro Lek is the name of a place where Cock of the Rocks make beautiful display to attract the females twice a day; this is a nice sightseen where we will have a good chance to see them.

At night, we keep birding on Manu Road looking for Owls and Nightjars such as Lyre-tailed Nightjar and some nocturnal bird species.

Day 03: San Pedro – kosñipata Valley Cloud forest road

A different habitat in a lower level to watch birds on Manu Road. We keep birding, expecting to see more bird species through Kosñipata valley, which means Cloud forest in indigenous language (Quechua). Here we look for Red-billed Scythebill; Red-bellied Macaws; Scaly-napped parrots; among other bird species.

We are on the east slope of the Andes at 650 m.a.s.l. or 2000 feet high approximately, we start to take advantage of the day, taking our box lunches with us because we will be birding all day, this night we will be staying at Cock of the Rock lodge.

Day 04: San Pedro – Amazonia Lodge

Hot drink, birding and after birding a good breakfast.

We leave San Pedro, after three more hours on the Manu Road we take a motorized canoe in order to get to Amazonia lodge. This Lodge is which is located nearby the riverbank of Madre de Dios River with lots of birds of Hill forest. From this private area, we will keep going on the way down by motorized canoe on next days.

Here we go birding by some interesting trails of the rainforest. This place harbors very attractive bird species such as the only one Tapaculo in the rainforest named Rusty-belted Tapaculo (Myornis senilis) some other Antpitas like the Amazonian Antpitta (Hylopezus berlepschi), Macaws like the Blue Headed Macaw(Primolius couloni) which is in dangerous; and some more bird species that you will definitely love to see them.

Day 05: Amazonia lodge – Parrots and Macaw’s Clay lick

This is a short river trip day; we go all the way down in a motorized canoe by Madre De Dios River. We go visiting the clay lick of parrots and Macaws; especially to see some parrots, such as Blue headed Parrots and Chestnut fronted Macaws where they go to eat the clay with the point of neutralizing toxins, the toxins that they get from some unripe fruits.

We visit amazon hill forest trails to increase our bird list. Specific bird species, which occurs in this area and through Bamboo forest as well, by the afternoon, we visit a small oxbow lake of the rainforest, which harbors several shore birds’ species.

Day 06: Amazonia Lodge – Blanquilllo Oxbow lakes

Birding early in the morning around Amazonia Lodge, then we go navigating for the next six hours headding to Blanquillo lodge with interesting spots for birding. Around this lodge there are some trails with good habitats for bird species of the rainforest, such us Bamboo forest which concentrates some Antbirds; mixed-species floks of understory and canopy forest among the Manakins, Foliage-gleaners, Woodpecker, Woodcreepes, Aracaris, Toucans, Spinetails, Antwrens, Antshrikes and many more.

Day 07: Blanquillo Oxbow lakes and trails

We will visit some Amazonian trails watching birds around Tambo Blanquillo Lodge. We will visit a Tower of 45 meters tall on a Kapoc tree. To get this we take our motorized canoe across Madre de Dios River, Once we get there, we are in nice canopy sightseen for birding in the rainforest with several bird species.

TBL is a very nice and comfortable place for birders with several options to go birding. We should be getting here for lunch and by the afternoon; we visit an oxbow lake on a Catamaran to see shore birds and Toucan nests.

Day 08: Tambo Blanquillo Lodge – Birding Macaw’s clay-lick

This is going to be your favorite day for some of you.

Early in the morning the Clay-lick of Parrots and Macaws (a natural place where Parrots and Macaws go to eat clay). This is a very natural attraction for naturalists, birdwatchers and photographers. Get to see the largest Macaws of Peru, such as Red and Green Macaw (Ara chrolopterus) among Orange cheeked Parrot (Pionopsitta barrabandi); Blue headed Parrot (Pionus menstruus); Blue and Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna); Mealy Parrot (Amazona farinosa); Yellow crowned Parrot (Amazona ochrocephala), and many more bird species and mammals as well.in wildlife and pretty close. The number of individuals of Macaws depend on the temporary of the year (better between April and November).

Day 09: Tambo Blanquillo to Cusco

We leave early in the morning with good chances to see birds and mammals by the riverbanks, two hours and thirty minutes by motorized canoe and then seven hours by car on the high way to Cusco.

You have the chance of going to Puerto Maldonado (two hours and thirty munutes by car) in order to take a flight to Cusco or Lima and then to your hotel

Included:

• Rubber boots
• birding guide – English and Spanish Language (Telescope, books)
• Snacks juices and mineral water
• Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• Lodging
• Transportation (bus and boat)
• Entrance to Macaw’s Clay-lick

Recommendations

• Best time traveling by Manu National Park is since April to November.

What to bring?

• Light cloths
• T-shirts with long sleeves (cotton)
• Sun glasses
• Sun block
• Insect repellent
• Sandals
• Camera (the guide will tell you where to charge your batteries in this trip)
• Bottle of water (we will provide you water for drinking every day)
• Raincoat
• And Binoculars

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