Andes and Amazon Birding Tour 10 Days & 9 Nights

DAY 1: Cusco – Wayquecha Biological Station

Our adventure begins in the exciting Jungle of Manu, we will pick you up around 4:30 am from your hotels in Cusco in our private transport. Today's destination is the lush cloud forest region where the Andes meet the Amazon basin. It’s a day of scenic drama and striking contrasts. Our first stop is Huacarpay, a mountain wetland habitat, with numerous bird species such as the endemic Bearded Mountaineer, Rusty-fronted Canastero as well as non-endemic flycatchers, coots, teals, egrets, hummingbirds, raptors, and seedeaters, between the Cusco Valley and the Paucartambo valley. Our next stop is for the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail, before arriving at the last Andean pass – Acjanacu. On a clear day, we'll be able to look out from the last range of the Andes over the Amazon basin stretching into the distance. A side stop may find us Scribble-tailed and Line -fronted Canasteros and maybe Puna and Diademed Tapaculo. In the afternoon we will bird the upper limits of the eastern slopes. Working our way down the eastern slope of the Andes, the forest becomes more continuous and we will spend the afternoon birding to our accommodation at 2800 meters above sea level above Pillahuata. Possibilities are many but we hope to encounter mixed-species flocks of Mountain Tanagers, Flycatchers, and Ovenbirds. Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Collared Jay, and Mountain Cacique are among some of the many species we may find. In the evening we will go to a favorite spot where we have had luck calling in Swallow-tailed Nightjar. Night at the Wayquecha Biological Station. B: L: D

DAY 2: Wayquecha Biological Station full day Birding

After breakfast, we will be greeted with a varied dawn chorus and Red and White Antpitta should be calling. We will spend all day birding from the biological station at 2800 meters to our next stop at 1300 meters. This is a pristine forest on a short bus drive. Some of the special birds on this stretch which we will look for include: White-rumped Hawk, Trilling Tapaculo, , Andean Guan, a wide variety of Hummingbirds including Collared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Violet-throated Startfrontlet and Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Purple-backed Thornbill, Scaled Metaltail, White-bellied Woodstar, Mountain Parakeet, Andean Pigmy Owl, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, the endemic Marcapata Spinetail, Andean Parakeet, White-throated Antpitta, Barred and Band-tailed Fruiteaters, White-throated Tyrannulet, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Barred Becard, Pale-footed Swallow, Mountain Wren, Citrine Warbler and many Tanagers. Night at Wayquecha Biological Station B: L: D

DAY 3: Wayquecha Biological Station - Cock of the Rock Lodge

After breakfast we will depart for long birding day, having the following species: Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Sierran Elaenia, Black-Throated Toody-Tyrant, Golden-Crowned Flycatchers, White-Crowned Tapaculo, Yellow- Throated Tananger, Common Hemisphingus, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Scaly-naped Parrot, Speckle-Faced Parrot, Stripe-Faced Wood-Quail, Black and Chestnut Eagle, White-Throated Hawk, Solitary Eagle, Spotted Barbtail, Golden-Headed Quetzal, Highland Motmot, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Black-Streaked Puffbird, Versicolored Barbet, Blue-Banded Toucanet. During the afternoon we will arrive at Cock of the rock Lodge, we will enjoy the feeder for hummingbirds the Wire-Crested Thorntail, Green Hermit, Green Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Speckle Hummingbird, Many-Spotted Hummingbird, Violet-Fronted Brilliant, Fawn-Breasted Brilliant, Bronzy Inca, Booted Racket-Tail. At night time we have good chance to see Vermiculated Screech-Owl, Rufescent Screech-Owl, Band-bellied Owl, and Rufous-Banded Owl. Night at Cock of the Rock Lodge. B: L: D

DAY 4: Cock of the Rock Lodge full day

Cock of the Rock Lodge is situated in the pristine Cloud Forest of the Mountains of Manu just a few minutes walk from a spectacular Cock of the Rock Lek (Rupicola Peruviana) furnished with comfortable blinds (hides) which enable us to observe these colorful birds. There is trail system behind the lodge that enables you to see the under-story of the Cloud Forest first hand and facilitates seeing some species normally not seen from the road such as Chestnut-breasted Wren, Scaled Antpitta, Rufous-breasted and Short-tailed Antthrush's, Slaty Gnateater and the endemic Cerulean-capped Manakin, Yungas Manakin, Fiery-Capped Manakin. Orchids are abundant with about 80 species recorded around the lodge. Montane Foliage-gleaner, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Uniform and Variable Antshrikes, Slaty Gnateater, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Scaled Fruiteater, Inca Flycatcher (endemic), Uniform Antshrike, White-throated Spadebill, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Yellow-rumped and Slaty Antwrens, Deep-blue Flowerpiercer, Peruvian Piedtail (endemic) and lots more. Nights at Cock of the Rock Lodge. B: L: D

DAY 5: Cock of the Rock Lodge – Bonanza Lodge

This family-run Lodge has a bird list of around 780 species and others are continually being added to the list. The lodge is situated in the buffer zone of the Manu National Park at 300 meters, where the last low foothills of the Andes begin to flatten out into the lowland Amazon Basin proper. There are Butterfly bushes that attract various Hummingbird species including the pretty Rufous-crested Coquette, Festive Coquette, White-Chinned Sapphire, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Blue-tailed Emerald. In Bonanza Ecological Reserve we have birds observation towers enables us to watch canopy flocks including numerous species of lowland Tanagers and Macaws. There are many types of habitats including floodplain, bamboo, and varzea forest , Bonanza Lodge is enormous private reserve, there are many species including Black-capped Tinamou, the strange Hoatzin, Buckley's Forest Falcon, Blue-headed Macaw, Pheasant Cuckoo, Koepcke's Hermit, Rufous-webbed Brilliant, Bluish fronted Jacamar, White-Throated Jacamar, Purus Jacamar Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Striolated Puffbird, Fine-barred Piculet, Red-billed Scythbill, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Amazonian and Thrush-like Antpitta's, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Red-billed Tyrannulet, Johannis' Tody-tyrant, Yellow-browed Tody-flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Band-tailed and Round-tailed Manakins, Black-faced Dacnis - the bird list rises up…!! Large stands of Bamboo hold many local and much sought after species, and coupled with the extensive Varzea, Terra Firme, and Mature Transitional Floodplain Forest, this means a mind-boggling variety of bird-life. Night at comfortable Bonanza Lodge. B: L: D

DAY 6: Bonanza Lodge full day Birding

We will be searching for in the Bamboo include - Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Manu Antbird (common here), Flammulated Toody-tyrant, Bamboo Antshrike, White-cheeked Tody-flycatcher, Large-headed and Dusky-tailed Flatbills, Peruvian Recurvebill, Dusky-cheeked and Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaners, Ihring's and Ornate Antwren, White-lined Antbird, Striated Antbird and more. We will certainly look for one of the singing Rufous-fronted Antthrush we have located on territory here. Some of the scarcer forest species we will be on the lookout for that we have seen here previously include: Cinereous Tinamou, Great Tinamou, Little Tinamou, Undulated Tinamou, Black-Capped Tinamou, Razor-billed Currasow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Sunbittern, Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Rufous–Capped Nunlet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Ocellated Woodcreeper, Collared Puffbird, Rufous-Vented Ground-Cuckoo, Ruddy Spinetail, Plain Softail, Plain-Crowned Spinetail, Striped Woodhaunter, Banded Antbird, Ash-throated Gnateater, White-throated Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Purple Throated Fruitcrown, Bright-Rumped Attila, White –Winged Becard, Black Capped Becard, Pink-Throated Becard, Golden Collared Toucanet, Plum-Throated Cotinga, Black-faced Cotinga, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Royal Flycatcher, Musician Wren, Pale-eyed Blackbird, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak to name but a few. We will have the possibility of night birding here: Mottled Owl, Black-banded Owl, Tawny-bellied Screech-owl, Great, Long-tailed and Common Potoo. Here we will visit the large Tapir Clay lick (Camouflaged House-blind) located in the primary forest, apart from attracting Tapirs, Peccaries, Deers and maybe a Jaguar, also attracts Guans, Currasows, Chachalacas and monkey species. We will be reluctant to leave this very birdy place, but yet more awaits us in the Amazon lowlands. Nights will be spent at Bonanza Lodge. B: L: D

DAY 7: Bonanza Lodge – Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick

Early morning birding near Bonanza Lodge in search of species we have missed, like Silvered Antbird, Band-Tailed Antbird, Black Bushbird, White Throated Antbird, Hairy-Crested Antbird, Plumbeous Antbird, Sooty Antbird, Chestnut-tailed Antbird, Banded Antbird, Pigmy Antwren, Black-Tailed, as the day begins to warm later. After the lunch we will start by our motorized boat trip to Tambo Blanquillo Lodge. On the river journey we will have the opportunity to see some of the typical riverside species such a Pied Lapwing, Collared Plover, Roseate Spoonbill, King Vulture, Greater-Yellow Headed Vulture, Capped Heron, Fasciated Tiger-heron, Horned Screamer, Orinoco Goose, Large-billed and Yellow-billed Tern, etc. Flyovers will include many species of Macaws and Parrots and this is our opportunity for some Bird of Prey. The river trip is a pleasure as we leave the last foothills and enter to the Amazon basin. Night at Tambo Blanquillo Lodge. B: L: D

DAY 8: Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick full day Birding

Located few minutes by boat from Blanquillo lodge downriver. There will be the opportunity in a early morning to visit the Macaw Clay Lick and observe the spectacle of hundreds of Parrots and Macaws at close quarters from our blinds. Here we will see the beautiful Orange-cheeked Parrot, hundreds of Blue-headed Parrots as well as Mealy and Yellow-crowned Parrots. Smaller visitors include White-eyed, Cobalt-winged, and Dusky-cheeked Parrotlets. The rest of the time will be spent birding the extensive trail systems which have been designed to visit different forest types. The area around this lodge has the most forest types of anywhere in the Manu area with the highest bio-diversity - which means the most species of birds. We will also visit Ox-bow lakes in the area where we will see lakeside birds including Hoatzin, Sungrebe, Agami Heron, Greater Large-billed Seed-finch, Silvered and Band-tailed Antbirds, Amazonian Streaked Antwren, Rufous-sided Crake, Wattled Jacana, Black Collared Hawk, Snail Kite, Channel-Billed Toucan, Curl-Crested Aracari, Ivory Billed Aracari, Gray-breasted Crake, Zigzag Heron, Green and Rufous Kingfishers, Green Kingfisher, American-Pygmy Kingfisher, Ringed Antpipit, and we may be lucky and see one of the two Giant Otter families that live in the area, in the night time we will encounter the Amazonian Pygmy Owl, Spectacled Owl, Ocellated Poorwill and Silky-tailed Nightjar amongst others. Nigth at Tambo Blanquillo Lodge. B: L: D

DAY 9: Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick – Puerto Maldonado

After a morning walk around and of course with more birding expericence we will start on our comfortable boat and our last look at early morning Parrot flocks. Our journey down the Madre de Dios River takes us past over the green forest until the town of Boca Colorado. It will be a great chance to see riverside birds and raptors. Leaving our boat we'll take one hour drive in local transport to the Inambari River where our bus will be waiting on the other bank to take us, birding along the way like Black-Billed Seed-Finch, Chestnut–Bellied Seedeater, Saffron Finch, Point-Tailed Palmcreeper and more, arrival to the city of Puerto Maldonado at late afternoon, we spend the night at the hotel in Puerto Maldonado. B: L: D

DAY 10: Puerto Maldonado – Cusco

After the breakfast we will leave for birding to the Pastora and Cachuela area, few minutes driving from Puerto Maldonado where we might encounter the Little Woodpecker, Spot-Breasted Woodpecker, Golden-Green Woodpecker, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Boat-Billed Flycatcher, Great Jacamar, Paradise Jacamar, Elusive Antpitta, Moustached Wren, Buff-Breasted Wren, Scarlet-Hooded Barbet and etc. During the afternoon you can fly back to Cusco or Lima (Flight tickets are not included in the tour). B: L

B: Breakfast /L: Lunch /D: Dinner

Tour Included:

  • Private Transportation
  • Private boat
  • Rubber boots
  • Rain poncho
  • Duffle bag for personal belongings
  • All accommodations and Lodges
  • Bird-Specialist guide from the jungle
  • Professional cook
  • Mineral water all the time
  • First aid kit including Antivenom for snake bites
  • 3 meals per day included vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian option
  • Middmorning snacks
  • Entrance to Wayquecha Biolofgical Station
  • Entrance to Cock of the Rock Lodge
  • Entrance to Cock of the rock Lek
  • Entrance to Bonanza Ecological Reserve
  • Entrance to Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick
  • Entrance to Tambo Blanquillo Lodge

What you need to take:

  • Good Birding- binocular (you can rent with us, we have bushnell 10x42)
  • Repellent with a minimum of 30-40% DEET
  • Camera with extra batteries, if you like taking pictures take telephoto lens of 400mm
  • Flashlight/ torch with extra batteries
  • Sun lotion
  • Daypack
  • Pocket money
  • Water bottle
  • Sun hat
  • Sandals (try to bring with straps)
  • Small towel
  • Long-sleeved T-shirt
  • Cotton thick socks
  • Dark color clothes
  • Toiled paper

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