| Detailed Itinerary |
Machu Picchu
| This trip will next be August 28 to September 1, 2011. Other possibilities exist on a custom trip basis. Day 1: Arrival and or Transition Day Some folks enjoy Machu Picchu in combination with the Manu Biosphere trip. This is often a post-trip and sometimes a pre-trip for Manu Biosphere birders. Some folks (mostly spouses of birders) choose this trip as a solo trip. At the end of this day, everyone should be in Cuzco by 3 PM for a brief orientation and packing for the train to Machu Picchu in the early morning. Day 2: Cuzco to Machu Picchu After breakfast, we leave early to the Cuzco train station. Shortly after, we can sit back and enjoy the beautiful journey by train towards Machu Picchu. The ride will be very relaxing and enjoyable with awesome landscape. We should get some looks at the handsome and daring Torrent Duck and an occasional White-capped Dipper. Upon arrival, we will check into a local hotel and take an immediate bus ride to the Machu Picchu ruins. While enjoying the ruins, the park guide will fill you in on the history of this fantastic place. Your bird guide will help you find and identify bird species in the area. Day 3: Machu Picchu and back to Ollantaytambo After an early breakfast, we will have a 6:00 AM bus ride back up to the entrance gate of the Machu Picchu ruins. We will again visit the ruins; however, our return plans will include much more bird watching, as we will start walking down the road towards Aguas Calientes. After visiting the ruins, we will spend the rest of this morning leisurely walking down this road while birding and looking for four main target species and endemics: Green-and-white Hummingbird, Inca Flycatcher, Masked Fruiteater and Inca Wren. Other terrific species we have found include Torrent Duck, White-tipped Swift, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Variable Antshrike, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Sclater's Tyrannulet, Highland Elaenia, White-eared Solitaire, Capped Conebill, Rust-and-yellow Tanager, Silver-backed Tanager and Tricolored Brush-Finch and many others. After getting back to Aguas Calientes, we will have lunch and get organized to take our train back to the Ollantaytambo Valley. Days 4: Road to Abra Malaga After an early morning breakfast at our beautiful hotel in Ollantaytambo, we will start are birding trek with a number of birding stops along the road to Abra Malaga. This really high elevation pass includes a number of habitats, including highland grassland, polylepis forest, elfin forest, temperate forest, and cloud forest on the eastern flank of the Andes. We should also find some good birds in the dry scrubby habitat close to Ollantaytambo. Some of the endemics here include White-tufted Sunbeam, Buff-thighed Puffleg, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Marcapata Spinetail, Red-and-white Antpitta, Inca Flycatcher, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Peruvian Chat-Tyrant, Inca Wren, Parodi's Hemispingus, Cusco Brush-Finch, and Dark-faced Brush-Finch aswell as Andean Guan, Imperial Snipe, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Purple-backed Thornbill, the extremely rare and local Royal Cinclodes, Streak-throated Canastero, Line-fronted Canastero, Stripe-headed Antpitta, the very rare and localized Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Maroon-chested Chat-Tyrant, White-eared Solitaire, White-collared Jay, Orange-browed Hemispingus, Drab Hemispingus, Three-striped Hemispingus, Golden-collared Tanager and Thick-billed Siskin to mention a few. Day 5: Cuzco to Lima and International Flights Back Home After a morning walk and a little more bird watching likely close to Ollantaytambo, we well have breakfast before starting back to Cuzco. We will allow enough time for you to organize your bags and pack for the return trip home before our drive to Cuzco. We might have some spare time to enjoy the city and to visit the artisan markets, but many participants will want to catch the mid-afternoon flight to Lima. Some participants may want to add a few additional days for exploring Cuzco and Lima before heading back home. |
| 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. |
| Machu Picchu Extension |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Birding and Enjoying World Historic Site |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |
| Photo by Lelis Navarrete |