Birding in Cuzco One full day

Cusco/Cuzco Full Day Birding Tour – San Salvador and Huacarpay Lake

Located just over an hour’s drive from Cusco, the small village of San Salvador is home to Rumichaca and Mamacocha Lakes. These high-elevation lakes (3900 – 4200 m) are home to many unique species that cannot be found further down. There are very good chances of seeing Andean Geese, Silver Grebe, and Giant Coot in these lakes.

Huacarpay Lake is as a haven for birdwatchers with over 165 recorded species. This wetland attracts a wide variety of bird species, including both migratory and resident species.

During this full day tour, it is not uncommon to see over 70 species.

Bird Highlights:

San Salvador: Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch (e), Creamy-crested Spinetail (e), Andean Geese, Silver Grebe, Giant Coot, Andean Hillstar, Andean Flicker, Rufous-webbed Bush-Tyrant, Crested Duck, White-tufted Sunbeam.

Huacarpay Lake: Rusty-fronted Canastero (e), Bearded Mountaineer (e), Puna Teal, White-tufted Grebe, Andean Duck, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Streak-fronted Thornbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer.

Itinerary:

Our journey begins with a 5 am pick-up from your hotel. Enjoy the scenic drive up to San Salvador, while the sun rises over the mountains. We spend the morning birding around Rumichaca and Mamacocha Lakes, racking up the high-elevation specialists. We enjoy a picnic breakfast and lunch while birding in this unique location.

As we begin to drive down the mountain, we stop frequently to see species that are only found at these elevations, like the Creamy-crested Spinetail (a Peruvian endemic). We continue our birding at Huacarpay Lake, where we will find a whole host of new species, before heading back to your hotel in Cusco around 4:30 pm.

Included:

• Private car and driver
• Expert bird guide
• Scope
• Bottled mineral water and soft drinks
• Breakfast and hot drinks
• Box lunch

Not Included:

• Binoculars (we have some available for rent)
• Tips
• International PayPal fees (5 % of total amount)

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