Explore Peru’s breathtaking landscapes and incredible birdlife on this 12-day adventure! From Lima to Cusco, Machu Picchu, and the Manu Road, discover stunning mountains, lagoons, and diverse ecosystems filled with exotic bird species. Visit private reserves, lush forests, and scenic trails for unforgettable birding experiences.
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Day 1: Arrive in Lima
This day usually is just to arrive into Lima-Peru and we pick you up from the airport to the hotel selected for tour. But if you have a chance to organize your international flight in time to get a domestic flight from Lima to Cusco and stay overnight in Cusco.
Day 2: Cusco to Macchu Picchu Town
Today we will start exploring the Cusco mountains and lagoons and also along the sacred valley Ensifera Camp (Santuario de Colibries) a nice natural reserve which holds a great number of species residents and migrants such as Bearded Mountaineer (E), Giant Hummingbird, Green-tailed, Black-tailed, Trainbearers, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Shining and white-tufted Sunbeams, Green and White Hummingbird (E), White-bellied Hummingbird, Tyrant Metaltail just to mention some of them. After nice morning we will arrive to Ollantaytambo for our train trip to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). According our arrival we will spend some time birding for the rest of the afternoon. Night in Aguas Calientes.
Day 3: Machu Picchu Time!
Early bus drive to visit Machu Picchu where we will have an unforgettable experience along the Inca site for some hours in the morning. Then we can do some birding before our train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer to Cusco with a stop at Huaypo Lake for some wading species. Night in Casa Andina Cusco Possible Species: Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Inca Wren (E), Green and White Hummingbird (E), Ocellated Piculet, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Pale-legged, Oleaginous, Citrine Warblers, Brown-capped Vireo, Sclater‘s Tyrannulet, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Tricolored Brush-Finch, Variable Antshrike.
Day 4: Lake Huacarpay, Sacred Garden, Acjanaco Pass (3,100 mts) to Manu Road (1,400 mts)
Today we wil start with Huacarpay Lake located at 20 minutes south of Cusco where we will find Anden Gull, Plumbeous Rail, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Puna Teal and manmy other species. Then we will go to San Salvador area to visit (Sacred Garden) for hummingbirds & Tanagers. After few hours birding nearby, we will start our drive up to Manu Road where we will enjoin a lot of different birds and amazing landscapes starting from 3,399 mt (11,150 ft) and ending in the San Pedro area (1,450 mt) which will be our place to stay today. We usually arrive at our first birding lodge at dusk. Night in CORL or MPL Some species that we can see today: Chiguanco Thrush, Andean Lapwing, Band-tailed Seedeater, Hooded Siskin, Andean Flicker, Rusty-fronted Canastero (E), Creamy-crested Spinetail (E), Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Finch (E), Black-throated, Masked, Moustached Flowerpiercers, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Golden-collared Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Montane Woodcreeper, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Band-tailed Tyrannulet, Capped Conebill, Superciliaried Hemispingus just to mentions some. Before or after dinner we will try for Rufescent Screech-Owl and Lyre-tailed Nightjar.
Day 5: Full day birding Manu Road & Lodge surroundings
Early visit for Andean Cock of the Rock lek and then we will keep birding along the Manu Road with the chance to find mixed flocks of species as Versicolored Barbet, Beryl-spangled, Saffron-Crown, Golden, Orange-eared, Yellow-throated, Slaty, Golden-naped, Paradise, Blue-necked, Bay-headed, black-goggled Tanager, Yellow-bellied, Green & Gold, Spotted Tanagers, Deep-blue Flowerpiercer, Three-stripe Warbler, Russet-crowned Warbler, Black-faced Brush-finch, Golden-headed, Crested Quetzal, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Wire-crested Thorntail, Speckled Hummingbird, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Peruvian Piedtail (E), Many-spotted Humminbird, Botted Raquetail, Gray-mantled Wren, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Mountain Foliage-Gleaner, Olive-Backed Woodcreeper, Stripe Threehunter, Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Stripe-Chested Antwren, White-backed Fire-Eye, Black-eared Hemispingus, Yellow-breasted Antwren, Yungas Manakin, Yellow-throated, short-billed, common Chlorospingus, Dusky-Green, Russet-Backed, Crested Oropendolas, Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Unicolored Antshrike, Yellow-breasted Warbling Antbird and many more. We will visit also during the day two private reserve where they have hummingbird & Tanager feeders. Before or after dinner we will try for Rufescent Screech-Owl and Lyre-tailed Nightjar. Night in CORL or MPL
DAY 6-7: Birding for Bamboo species, hummingbird, Tanager feeder
Early birding along the Manu Road descending to 400 mt for some Amazonian species. There are new birding spots close to the area: Mirador Pico de Oz & Inkamazonia both places have a hummingbird feeder and for tanager species and we are used to visit both places for Rufous-crested Coquette, Golden-tailed Saphire, Saphire-spangled, Blue-tailed Emeralds, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, White-necked Jacobin, Gray-breasted Saphirewing, Brown Violetear, Great-billed, White-bearded, Rufous-breasted, Koepcke’s Hermits and many more. And in the afternoon, we will do some of the trails of the lodge for a bamboo specialist such as Bamboo Antshrike, Striated, Manu, Goeldi’s, White-lined, Antbirds, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, White-cheeked Tody-flycatcher, Black-backed Tody-flycatcher (E) and many more. And we will try to find some owls at dusk! Nights in Manu Biological Center (Villa Carmen)
DAY 8-9: Birding Upper Manu Road up to 3,000 m
Today we will have a morning birding for some missing species along the bamboo trail before we leave and start our birding drive up to 3,000 meters where is located our last lodge in Manu Road. This area will provide us to watch: Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Grass-green Mountain-Tanager, Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Barred Becard, Red-crested and Chestnut-crested Cotingas, Slaty-backed Chat-tyrant, Golden-collared Tanager, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Blue-banded Toucanet (E), Red and White Antpitta (E), Marcapata Spinetail (E) Andean, white-cheeked Solitaries. One morning we will Early start with Urubamba Antpitta near the lodge. We will try to search for owls before or after dinner. Nights in Wayquecha Station
Day 10: Birding and Cusco airport – Flight to Lima
Early birding along the road for some missing species and then we will head back to Cusco airport for our afternoon flight to Lima and connection to Tarapoto town. Night in Tarapoto Day 11: Cordillera Escalera Reserve- Tunnel – Aconabikh Today we will start with our first birding spot at Northen Peru for Dotted Tanager, Rose-fronted, Garlepps Parakeets, Yellow-bellied, Paradise, Bay-headed, Swallow, Yellow-crested, Magpie, Olive, Blue-grey, Silvery Tanagers, Blackish Pewee, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo, Cliff Flycatcher, Flavescent Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, Curl-crested, Chestnut-eared, Ivory-billed Aracaris, Pink-throated Brilliant, Plumbeous Euphonia, Purple-throated Euphonia, Gilded Barbet, Black-faced, Blue Dacnis, Green, Purple Honeycreepers just to mention some of them on our way to the next birding spot Koepeck‘s Hermit (Aconabikh Private Reserve) which is a great place for Golden-headed, Blue-crowned, Blue-backed, Fiery-capped Manakins, Thrush-like Antpitta, Peruvian Warbling-Antbird, Black-faced Antthrush, Red-billed Toucanet, Black-faced Antbird, White-flanked Antwren, Pygmy Antwren, Golden-collared Woodpecker, Spixs Guan, Golden-collared Toucanet and with luck Hairy-crested Antbird, and White-plumed Antbird along the trails. By the feeders Koepckes Hermit, Goulds Jewelfront, Black-throated Mango, White-necked Jacobin, and other species. After a full morning of birding, we will back to Tarapoto and then Moyobamba. According our arrival time we will enjoin the garden surrounding the lodge and hummingbird feeder for Rufous-crested coquette, Black-throated Hermit, Brown Violetear, Grey-breasted Sabrewing, White-chinned Sapphire, White-necked Jacobin, Great-billed Hermit, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Fork-tailed Woodnymph and many other species according to the season. Late afternoon we will try to find Band-bellied, Black-banded, Stripe Owls, and Tropical Screech-Owl. Dinner and night Moyobamba
Day 12: Birding along the Morro de Calzada and surroundings
DAY 13: Abra Patricia Mountains
Morning birding for some missing species along the hummingbird feeders and lodge surrounding searching for Blue-crowned, Violaceus, White-tailed Trogons, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Gilded Barbet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Short-crested Flycatcher, Mishana Tyrannulet (E), Painted Manakin (E), Cinereous-breasted Spinetail, Western Striolated Puffbird, Pearly-vented, and Stripe-necked Tody-tyrants, Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Red-shouldered Tanager, Paradise, Blued-necked Tanagers, Black-bellied Tanager (E), Lafresnayes Piculet and many more. Then will we will start our birding drive to Alto Mayo Reserve with a stop at Afluente spot where usually we find mixed flocks and at the place Llanteria for the Hummingbird Feeders for Ecuadorian Piedtail, Napo Sabrewing, Green Hermit, Fork-tailed Woodnymph and some other species. Then we will visit Fundo Alto Nieva Station Greenish Puggleg, Royal Sunangel, Long-tailed Sylph, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, and Peruvian Racket-Tail. Depending on our arrival we will watch the hummingbird feeders and lodge surroundings. If time permits, we will search for White-throated Screech-Owl no far from the lodge. We can try for the restricted Long-whiskered Owlet but that spot is a 2 km hike downhill, which is a bit challenging to walk for the distance but always there is a chance. Night in Abra Patricia
DAY 14: Full-day birding along Abra Patricia Forest
Today we will spend time searching for mixed flock’s species including Grass-green Tanager, Yellow-scarfed Tanager (E), Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Russet-crowned Warbler, Inca Flycatcher (E), Green and Black Fruiteater, Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager, Blue and Black Tanager, Spectacled Redstar and many more. Then We will explore the lower part of the Main Road Golden-naped Tanager, Huallaga Tanager, Yellow-breasted Antwren, Ash-throated Antwren (E), Russet Antshrike, Lined Antshrike, Rufous-rumped Foliage-gleaner, Spotted Barbtail, Ash-browed Spinetail, Ornate Flycatcher, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, Marble-faced Bristle-tyrant, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Olivaceous Greenlet, Blackish Antbird, Lanceolated Monklet, Andean Cock-of-the Rock, Scaled Fruiteater and many other species. If the wheater is good we will try to find such as White-throated & Cinnamon Screech-Owls and the restricted & Endemic Long-whiskered Owlet. Night in Abra Patricia DAY 15: Gocta - Amazonas Region Morning birding for some missing species. Then we will head to our next destination Cocachimba-Gocta, where we will visit the Center for Marvelous Spatuletail (E), Buff-bellied Tanager (E), Speckled-chested Piculet (E), Marañon Thrush (E) as the main target but we will find several other species of Hummingbirds at the feeder for the rest of the afternoon. Night in Gocta Day 16: Marvelous and Arena Blanca Reserve Morning birding along the forest surroundings the forest and the we will visit the center for Marvelous Spatuletail to get a better view or photo and other possible new species. Then we will keep birding along the main road for Marañon Crescentchest, Peruvian Pigeon on our way back to Abra Patricia and finally to Arena Blanca Reserve. Day 17: Birding along Afluente, Alto Mayo Reserve DAY 18: Birding and Flight to Lima Have an amazing birding time in Peru!