Our company offers you the opportunity to visit Southeastern Peru, maybe one of the most famous routes of this country as it includes a visit to the legendary Inca Ruins of Machupicchu. Have you done this route before but would love to come again with your wife and family members who are not avid birders? We will set up the itinerary to accommodate everyone in the group as well as ensure that you observe as many birds possible, while having fun on your exciting holiday in this amazing country.
Our itinerary takes us to the city of Lima, the capital of Peru. This city was founded by the spaniards during the 16th century and shows different periods of history since the Pre-Incas times 1000 AC, to the Republican Times from the 19th century to today. There, several museums will give you an excellent introduction to the Peruvian Archeology. Peru is also well known around the world for its cuisine and Lima possesses restaurants of all types where you will enjoy the local fare.
The birds near Lima are remarkable, with endemics and semi-endemic species of birds such the Coastal Miner, Thick-billed Miner, Peruvian Thick-Knee and Cactus Canastero. We shall visit the Paracas National Reserve, where we will have the opportunity to see thousands of sea bird endemics of the Humboldt Current like the Humboldt Penguin, Inca Tern, Peruvian Booby and Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes.
Our boat will take us to explore the Ballesta Islands where we will see thousands of Fur Seals and South American Sea Lions. This trip is very interesting, even for those who are not birders, and thousands of tourists and wildlife lovers visit the place throughout the year.
We will fly to the city of Cusco and while non-birders will enjoy visiting the city, the main buildings, or just relaxing, the birders will visit the Huacarpay Lake, which will provide an excellent set of typical andean birds like the Andean Gull, Puna Ibis, Andean Negrito, Cinereous Harrier and the two endemics: Bearder Mountainner and Rusty-fronted Canastero.
We will reach the Machupicchu Archaeological site after two hours by train ride. We will spend a full day around the area looking for an incredible set of birds like the endemics Inca Wren, Masked Fruiteater, Ocellated Piculet, Green-and-white Hummingbird, and this is just the beginning! We may encounter the Andean Cock of the Rock, Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Saffron-crowned and Silver-backed Tanager and many more. The Sacred Valley of the Incas along the Urubamba River shows the real face of Peru.
We will visit several charming towns where you will have the opportunity to see how local people live (some of them according to old customs) and the production of different agricultural products like potato and corn. You will visit the Alpaca Farms where local people offer exquisite weavings and handicrafts.
This tour also provides a visit to the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo and Moray. The famous Polylepis Forest near Ollantaytambo is one of the few sites on Earth where you will see the endemic and endangered Royal Cinclodes and other polylepis specials. Finally, we will fly to the Amazon where we will have the chance to visit the Posada Amazonas lodge within the heart of the Tambopata Candamo National Reserve, where we will spend 4 days. Make your choice and come with us. We guarantee you an unforgettable holiday!
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in the city of Lima. Transfer to the Hotel. Overnight in Lima
Day 2: Birders will have an early start to explore the Lomas de Lachay, which is a special kind of ecosystem of low coastal hills that are covered in a unique fog vegetation oasis of life along the Pacific desert. Our team will take you in a search for the desert specials like the endemics Coastal and Thick-billed Miners, the Cactus Canastero and the nomadic Raimondi Yellow-Finch. We will also look for the Peruvian Thick-Knee and Tawny-throated Dotterel which is present during the Austral Winter, and many others. Non-birders will have more time to rest and enjoy a nice breakfast buffet at the hotel. Then their own guide will take us out to see both faces of Lima: the colonial-Spanish downtown and modern city.
The tour will include the visit to the National Museum of Archeology where you will be given an introduction about the Peruvian culture. Permanent exhibitions show an impressive collection of weaving, pottery, gold works and mummy bundles that comes from ancient Peru. Later, we will meet together, both birders and non-birders, to start our transfer to the southern city of Pisco where we will spend the night. On the route to Pisco, we may stop to check some coastal lagoons that may provide the Great and White-tufted Grebe, Grassland Yellow-Finch, Peruvian Meadowlark, and Cinammon Teal. Overnight in Pisco.
Day 3: We will take our boat to visit the famous Ballesta where we will witness one of the most amazing wildlife spectacles of the world. We will have a close up view of thousands of South American Sea Lions and Fur Seals in one of the largest colonies of the Pacific Ocean. This will be a remarkable experience.
The set of birds here includes the Humboldt Current specials, birds that take their name from the ocean current are endemics of Chile and Peru, like the Humboldt Penguin, the endemic Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes, Guanay and Red-legged Cormorants, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, and Blackish Oystercatcher. After the trip, we will enjoy the local cuisine with a nice buffet of sea food. Later, we will drive south of Pisco to the city of Ica. Overnight in Ica.
Day 4: We will visit the Oasis of Huacachina which is the only Oasis in South America, and we will have a relaxing day around Ica and also visit the local museum. There are optional trips in 4x4 Jeeps through the dunes of the desert. Birders will go explore the Prosopis woodlands of Ocucaje to look for the rare and endangered Slender-billed Finch. Other birds include Amazilia Hummingbird, Short-tailed Field-Tyrant, Streaked Saltator, Long-tailed Mockingbird, Burrowing Owl and more. There is also an optional flight over the famous Nazca Lines. We will return to Lima. Overnight in Lima.
Day 5: We will have an early flight to the city of Cusco. After checking in at the hotel, we will visit the Huacarpay Lakes which is a typical Andean Lake that provides us with an interesting set of birds, including the endemics Bearded Mountainner and Rusty-fronted Canastero. Also to be seen are the Cinereous Harrier, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle and Giant Hummingbird, which is the largest hummer of the world. The reeds that grow around the lake give refuge to the elusive Wren-like Rushbird and the gorgeous Many-colored Rush-Tyrant.
Good set of birds to be seen includes Silvery Grebe, Puna Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Speckled Teal, Red Shoveler, Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull and Puna Ibis. We will explore the city of Cusco and its most remarkable squares and buildings. There will be plenty of time to explore the city and to visit the locals and their handicraft shops. Cusco has a very active night life and there may be a chance to visit their famous pubs for those who would enjoy a beer before the end the day. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 6: We will drive to the town of Ollantaytambo which stands along the once sacred Urubamba River. The scenery is spectacular and provides good spots for those who enjoy photography. Once in town, we will take the train to visit the legendary ruins of Machupicchu. The train will take us to the Aguas Calientes village which is the gateway of the ruins. Once there, we will explore the ruins with a local and cultural guide that will show us every corner of the mythical site. Birders will not loose time!
We will look for the most elegant Machupicchu dweller: the endemic Inca Wren and also Rust-and-yellow Tanager, Black-billed Shrike Tyrant, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren and Azara’s Spinetail. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Day 7: During our last morning of birding, we will look for several cloudforest species such as the Ocellated Piculet, Masked Fruiteater, Black-streaked Puffbird and Highland Motmot. We will enjoy the view with several sightings of multicolored flocks of tanagers like Saffron-crowned, Silver-backed, Beryl-spangled, Golden-naped, Blue-grey and Fawn-breasted Tanagers.
The set of hummingbirds is excellent with sightings of Green-and-white, Speckled, White-bellied Hummingbirds, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Gould’s Inca, Green Violetear, Green Hermit and, with luck, Booted-racket-tail. The river may provide us sightings of the White-capped Dipper, Fasciated Tiger-Heron and Torrent Duck. We will return to Ollantaytambo. Overnight in Ollantaytambo.
Day 8: Birders will have another pre-dawn start to explore the famous Malaga Pass Mountain and the Polylepis Forest where we will look for juicy endemic targets such as the endangered Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Giant Conebill, Thick-billed Siskin, Puna Tapaculo, Puna Thisteltail, White-tufted Sunbeam, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch and Creamy-crested Spinetail.
The roads to the Pass sometimes provide sightings of the Crested Duck, Mountain Caracara, the endemic Junin Canastero and, with luck, we may have a view of the majestic Andean Condor soaring above the snow-capped mountains. The site offers the opportunity to visit another impressive Inca building: the fortress of Ollantaytambo. Non-birders will enjoy a visit to the local market or relax in the hotel.
Day 9: As we explore the Inca Valley, you will have the opportunity to visit every village around that possesses its own culture and customs like a part of the ancestral heritage. This is how to see the deep soul of Peru with people living in their old Andean fashions. Also, we will visit the Llama and Alpaca ranches and you will see how people produce the famous coats and sweaters. Birders will have a chance to explore the lowest parts of the Pass along the San Luis road. Here we will look for species such Rufuos Antpitta, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Yungas Pygmy-Owl, Parodis Hemispingus, Marcapata Spinetail, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, and Amethys-throated Sunangel. Return to Cusco.
Day 10: We will fly to the Amazon town of Puerto Maldonado, the famous gateway of the Tambopata Candamo National Reserve. The biodiversity is one of the highest in the world with a world record of 600 bird species. We will meet our staff at the local airport and then take our boat for a river trip along the Tambopata River. We may expect to see Giant Cowbird, Russet-backed Oropendola, Violaceous Jay, Yellow-rumped Cacique, Lineated Woodpecker and Cobalt-winged Parakeet during the river trip.
Tambopata National Reserve is well known because it is one of the few amazon rainforests where wild Macaws still occur in their natural habitat. We shall see these gorgeous parrots during our trip including the Red-and-green, Scarlet, Red-bellied, Chestnut-fronted and Blue-and-yellow Macaw. The river trip also offers the chance to see wildlife such the Spectacled Caiman, Yellow-spotted Turtles and Capybara, which is the largest rodent of the world. Overnight in the Lodge.
Day 11: Today we will explore an oxbow amazon lake. The surroundings of the lake has splendid bamboo patches that may provide Rufuos-headed Woodpecker, Rufuos-breasted Piculet, White-cheeked Tody-Tyrant, Peruvian Recurvebill, and Flammulated Bamboo-Tyrant. We may see typical birds that occur around aquatic habitats such as the Hoaztin, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Green Ibis, Gray-breasted Wood-Rail, Rufescent Tiger-Heron and many more. This visit may provide the opportunity to see the endangered and elusive Giant River Otters. Overnight in the Lodge.
Day 12: After a 30 minute dawn walk, we will reach the famous 30 meters tall scaffolding tower which will add a whole new dimension to our Amazon birding experience. Our focus will be on the canopy species such as flocks of Tanagers including Paradise Tanager, Green-and-gold, Flame-crested-Turquoise, Opal-rumped Tanagers, Gilded Barbet, Striolated Puffbird, and Cream-colored Woodpecker. At night, we will concentrate on recording the shy Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl and Great Potoo. Overnight in the Lodge.
Day 13: Flight back to Lima. Time permitting, we may visit the Olivar Park within the city of Lima where we will look for some bird species such as the Amazilia Hummingbird, Blue-back Grassquit and the black race of Vermillion Flycatcher. Connect to evening international flight overnight in Lima.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Includes:
* All Transfers from/to Airport
* All accommodation in Lima, Pisco, Ica, Cusco, Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo Posada Amazonas Lodge
* Private Bird Guide, plus an extra cultural guide
* Private Transport Admission Fees
* All Meals
* Bottles of Water
* Train Tickets
* Local Flights
* Airport Taxes
* City Tours
* Boat Tour
Excludes:
* Optional flight over the Nazca Lines
* Souvenirs, Gifts and Handicrafts
* Alcoholic Drinks and Beers Tips and Gratuities
* Lunch and Dinner in Restaurants
* Pubs Admissions.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Peru
Birdwatching
Archeology/History
|
