| Detailed Itinerary |
| Day 1: Flights into Cuzco Early, Huacarpay Lake and More Birding to Waquencha Research Station Lelis will meet you after your 7 AM flight from Lima to Cuzco. (Some folks may want to fly into Lima or Cuzco the day before or even earlier so as to get a bit of rest, enjoy these beautiful cities and to adjust to higher altitudes). Arrange your flight (or contact us to arrange your flight or to get flight advice). We will start the trip that morning with a birding trip to Huacarpay Lake. We will drive from the airport to Huacarpay Lake for birding there and in the surrounding dry scrubby habitat. The surrounding habitat is good to find the endemic Rusty-fronted Canastero and Bearded Mountaineer. Other target species amid a number of others species include Speckled Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Puna Teal, Andean Duck, Puna Ibis, Cinereous Harrier, Plumbeous Rail, Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull, Wren-like Rushbird, Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant, Many- colored Rush-Tyrant and Andean Negrito. After lunch, we will continue birding as we make a transfer to the Pillahuata area and the Waquencha Research Station. This is the road to Atalaya, and this location is just below the pass at the gateway of the Manu Biosphere reserve. We will continue to search for some of the higher elevation endemics before spending the night at the nice bungalows at the research station. Day 2: Pillahuata & Route to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge After breakfast, we will continue bird watching in the Pillahuata area. Some of the target species during this second day of birding will be a number of endemic species, including Rusty-fronted Canastero, Bearded Mountaineer, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Chestnut- breasted Mountain-Finch, Cusco Brush-Finch, Dark-faced Brush-Finch. We will also try for Andean Ibis, Trilling Tapaculo, BolivianTapaculo and Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher along with a number of other species particularly restricted to these high elevation habitats. We will continue our trip to the Cock-of-the-Rock lodge in the afternoon. Days 3 & 4: Manu Cloud Forest & San Pedro Area of Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge We will spend two days in the San Pedro area at the superb Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, enjoying access to a number of excellent bird watching locations in the area and the lodge’s excellent hummingbird and fruit feeders. Birding at and near the lodge is excellent. The lodge’s location will allow us reasonably quick access or birds to higher and lower elevations, with a broad gamma of species. Endemics include Peruvian Piedtail, Rufous- webbed Brilliant, Buff-thighed Puffleg, Cerulean-capped Manakin, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet, and Fulvous Wren. We will also have a chance to see the spectacular Paradise Tanager, and other difficult to find species such as the Brown Tinamou, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Stripe- faced Wood-Quail, Rufescent Screech-Owl, Subtropical Pygmy-Owl, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, and Lyre-tailed Nightjar. Great hummingbirds can be found such as Wire- crested Thorntail, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Gould's Inca, and Violet-throated Starfrontlet.Other beautiful birds in the area include Highland Motmot, Versicolored Barbet, and Blue-banded Toucanet. Other species include Ash- browed Spinetail, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Tyrannine Woodcreeper, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Upland Antshrike, and Foothill Antwren. One real rarity in the area is Yellow-rumped Antwren and we should see Rufous-breasted Antthrush, Slaty Gnateater, Scaled Fruiteater,Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Yungas Manakin, Blue-rumped Manakin, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Fulvous- breasted Flatbill, Olive-tufted Flycatcher, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Olivaceous Siskin, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Slaty Tanager, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Spotted Tanager, Golden-collared Honeycreeper and Plush-capped Finch and many more. Day 5: Birding on way to Amazonian Lodge, including Madre de Dios river & the road to Atalaya After an early morning breakfast and birding in the Cock of-the-Rock Lodge area, we will start our descent towards the Madre de Dios river. By bringing a box lunch along, we will have the opportunity to take our time and spend most of the day birding along the road before getting to Atalaya. On the way from Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge to Amazonia, we will be looking for the endemics like White- browed Hermit, Peruvian Piedtail, Fine-barred Piculet, and Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher. Other species we have seen along this route include Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Torrent Duck, Plain-breasted Hawk, the rare and local Blue-headed Macaw, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Lanceolated Monklet, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Scarlet- hooded Barbet, Bamboo Antshrike, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Stripe-chested Antwren, Scaly-breasted Wren, and Deep-blue Flowerpiercer. A few rarities which we may find include Red-billed Tyrannulet and Blue-headed Macaw. At Atalaya, we will meet an Amazonia Lodge representative who will transfer us across the river to the nearby Amazonia lodge. Days 6 to 8: Amazonia Lodge & Manu Biosphere Reserve We will spend three more days visiting the famous Amazonia Lodge in the Peruvian Amazonian Rain Forest. This lodge has one of the richest bird lists of any given site within the Amazon region and is home to a number of sought after species. Almost 600 species have been recorded in this one place.The endemics here include Koepcke's Hermit, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, White-lined Antbird, Black-capped Tinamou, Black-and-white Hawk- Eagle, Orange-breasted Falcon, Blackish Rail, Blue- headed Macaw, Pavonine Cuckoo, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Gould's Jewelfront, Brown-mandibled Aracari, Bar breasted Piculet, Cabanis’ Spinetail, Bamboo Antshrike, Goeldi's Antbird, McConnell's Flycatcher, Johannes' Tody- Tyrant, Golden-bellied Warbler, and Olive (Carmiol’s) Tanager. On one of these days, we will head back across the Madre de Dios river in search of several birds of special interest, including endemics like White-browed Hermit, Peruvian Piedtail, Fine-barred Piculet, and Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher. Other interesting species at this location include Bamboo Antshrike, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, and Blue-headed Macaw. These and other locations at and near the lodge will make this some of the most productive birding on the trip. Day 9: Birding from Amazonia Lodge in morning and then from canoe to Manu Wildlife Center After an early morning bird watching at the Amazonia lodge, we will take our dugout canoe ride to the Manu Wildlife Center some 4 hours downstream. This will be our best chance at a number of birds more likely to be found in riparian areas. Days 10 - 13: Manu Wildlife Center The Manu Wildlife Center will provide a comfortable lodge, as a base while we visit different habitats around the area. We will have access to a number of good locations just outside the Manu Biosphere Reserve, and most of these areas bordering the reserve are very pristine. Some of the sites we will be visiting are the spectacular Macaw clay lick, the Camungo Lake, Camungo Tower and its grid of trails, the Blanco Lake and the Cocha Nuevo Bamboo trails. These and other sites will allow the group an often once in a lifetime opportunity to find rare, local, hard-to-find endemics and other beautiful birds that inhabit these forested areas. Some of the birds worth looking for here include Orinoco Goose, White-browed Hawk, Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon, Starred Wood-Quail, Pheasant Cuckoo, Amazonian Pygmy-Owl, Crested Owl, Sand-colored Nighthawk, Ocellated Poorwill, Silky-tailed Nightjar, Pavonine Quetzal, Purus Jacamar, White-throated Jacamar, Paradise Jacamar, Semicollared Puffbird, Brown-mandibled Araçari, Curl-crested Araçari, Ringed Woodpecker, Bar-bellied Woodcreeper, Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner, Bluish- slate Antshrike, Sclater's Antwren, Banded Antbird, Band- tailed Antbird, White-lined Antbird, the endemic Rufous- fronted Antthrush, Amazonian Antpitta, Fiery-capped Manakin, Musician Wren, Red-billed Pied Tanager, Yellow- backed Tanager, White-winged Shrike-Tanager and Yellow-crested Tanager. One day we will dedicate most of our time and effort to look for some of the Bamboo specialists. We will look for Rufous-breasted Piculet, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaner, Red-billed Scythebill, Ihering's Antwren, Striated Antbird, Manu Antbird, Sepia-capped Flycatcher, and Slate- colored Seedeater. The handsome endemic, White- cheeked Tody-Tyrant, would be a fine highlight for the day. Day 14: Macaw Clay Licks and Transfer to Puerto Maldanado Before leaving the Manu area, we will visit the clay lick which can be filled with hundreds of Macaws, Parakeets and Parrots. Our visit might (and likely will) produce good looks at Red-and-green Macaw, White-eyed Parakeet, Tui Parakeet, White-bellied Parrot, Orange-cheeked Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Yellow-crowned Parrot, and Mealy Parrot. We will start early so as to enjoy birding at the clay lick and in the area for about 4 hours, before leaving at about 10:00/10:30 AM. We now take an adventurous journey by boat and transport to Puerto Maldanado. We will start with a 2.5 hour boat ride down the river with the guide pointing out several birds along the way. We will then arrive at the mining village of Colorado, before taking a 1.5 hour transfer down the road. We will bird while arranging a river transfer at that point, and from here we go another 2 hours to Maldanado. This transfer avoids any delays with flights in and out of Manu, minimizes down time in Cuzco, and adds excellent birding the next day for several difficult to get Peruvian species. We then spend the night in Puerto Maldanado. Day 15: La Pastora near Puerto Maldanado and then flight to Cuzco Transition Day:
After breakfast, we will bird La Pastora near Puerto Maldanado. We will look for White-throated Jacamar and several other key species. We will likely add several new species as this habitat is slightly different from that at Manu. Returning Home after Lunch: After lunch, we take the flight from Puerto Maldanado to Cuzco and then to Lima. Flights leave at 2 PM, arrive in Cuzco at 3 PM, and get to Lima at 4:55 PM. Some participants, who are returning home, may be able to get a flight out of Lima that night. Contact us to arrange additional lodging or to discuss flight plans. Returning to Cuzco and then Machu Picchu after Lunch: After lunch, we take the flight from Puerto Maldanado to Cuzco. Flights leave at 2 PM, arrive in Cuzco at 3 PM. If you are planning to continue on the trip to Machu Picchu, you can use the late afternoon to prepare and rest for the morning train ride (next day) to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu Extension Group: After lunch and leaving our friends who are returning home, the extension group will head to Ollantaytambo. See link for more details. Machu Picchu Extension |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| For More Information or to Register for this Trip, call Charles or Alison at 888-203-7464 or Charles directly at 720-320-1974 or by email at info@PIBird.com. |
| Peru Manu Biosphere Reserve |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
Peru: Manu Biosphere
with Machu Picchu Extension
with Machu Picchu Extension
| Cuzco, Huacarpay Lake, Pillahuata, Manu Cloud Forest and Cock-of-the-Rock Area, Amazonia Lodge and Reserve, Manu Biosphere Reserve With Optional Extension to Machu Picchu |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
