Day 1:
Arrival in Lima, reception and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2:
After breakfast, transfer to the bus terminal for the bus
to Pisco, some three hours south of Lima. Transfer to your
hotel on the bay of Paracas. A paradise for inshore birds
off the Humboldt current, the area is a wonderful introduction
to birding around Peru. The Pisco marshes are also crowded
with herons and waders as well as local favourites like the
dark-faced ground tyrant and the Peruvian thick-knee.
Day 3:
After breakfast, a trip to the Ballestas Islands for typical
birds such as the Humboldt Penguin, Inca tern and Peruvian
Booby. In the afternoon, a visit to the mudflats of Paracas
bay to see the many wading birds including flamingoes. Return
to your hotel.
Paracas
|
Ballestas Island
|
Day 4:
Return to Lima and then onto Lomas de Lachay, just north of
the capital. A small reserve but nevertheless an important
habitat for several important species, such as the endemic
Raimondi's Yellow-finch and the thick-billed Miner. Return
to Lima and your hotel.
Day 5:
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Puerto Maldonado.
Reception at the airport and transfer by canoe to the jungle
lodge. Packed lunch on the canoe. Travelling through virgin
rainforest, you will eventually reach the lodge in pristine
primary rainforest. An introductory walk into the forest behind
the lodge which is dominated by giant Brazil-nut and Dipteryx
trees. Frequently seen mammals on the trail are Saddle-back
Tamarins, Brown Capuchins and Agoutis as well as Toucans.
Return for dinner.
Monkey
|
Puerto Maldonado
|
Day 6:
Trip to the Macaw Clay-lick (Colpa) by canoe, continuing a
further 4 hours upriver, deep within the National Reserve
where the actual Collpa is situated. After lunch a guided
exploration of the the trail system in the area. Camp on a
beach near the Collpa.
Day 7:
A pre-dawn start is needed to get to the clay-lick before
the birds. They arrive in search of minerals and salts and
the digestive properties of the clay. On average, several
hundred macaws and smaller parrots visit the clay-lick daily,
including Scarlet, Blue and Yellow, Red and Green, Chestnut-fronted
and Blue-headed parrots, among others. This clay-lick is considered
to be one of the largest in the world. A late morning hike
followed by lunch, where many species of bird abound especially
Rufescent Tiger-herons, Great Egrets, Wattled Jacanas, Hoatzin
and Donacobius. Return down river to the lodge.
Tambopata Jungle
|
Macaw
|
Day 8:
A dawn start is required for the canoe trip back to Puerto
Maldonado with fabulous views of the sunrise over the river.
Opportunity for early morning wildlife observation which is
particularly active at this time. Howler monkeys are frequently
heard, and your guide will assist in your arrival in Puerto
Maldonado. Transfer to the airport for the return flight back
to Cuzco. Transfer to your hotel.
Day 9:
After breakfast, we will travel through the spectacular eastern
ranges of the Andes to the village of Paucartambo. We then
ascend to the last pass overlooking the Amazon Basin and begin
the breathtaking descent from 3500m to 1600m to your comfortable
lodge in the orchid laden Cloud Forests. In the late afternoon,
we will walk into the lodge to the sounds of Quetzals, Trogons
and Gray-breasted Wood-wrens. Night at the Lodge.
Day 10:
Pre- breakfast walk to a nearby spot in the Cloud Forest where
the strange and beautiful Cocks-of-the-Rock display at dawn.
A wonderful sight as up to 25 bright red-orange males dance
and sing attempting to attract the the duller, burgundy colored
females. After visiting this lek we return to the Lodge for
breakfast and continue to the Madre de Dios River and journey
down the river. Past the last folds of the Andes, and at it's
confluence with the Manu River, we will arrive at Boca Manu.
Night's accommodation.
Day 11:
Today we enter the clay laden waters of the Manu River, with
a brief stop at the park ranger station at Limonal to present
our permits. We then travel for about five hours up the Manu
river. Beaches, especially in the dry season, are loaded with
nesting birds and feeding Herons, Egrets, Orinoco Geese, Terns
and Skimmers to name but a few. Some beaches will host sunning
white and black caimans and breeding side-necked Turtles.
Hundreds of sand-colored Nightjars roost during the day on
logs and beaches. After lunch by the river we arrive at our
camp near the lake of Cocha Salvador. We'll have the afternoon
to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest.
A visit to the lake of Cocha Otorongo is planned, where observation
piers and a 20 meter observation tower in the rainforest canopy
overlooking the lake are available. Night at Cocha Salvador
tented camp.
Cocks of the Rock
|
Giant Coot |
Day 12:
After breakfast, time will be spent at the lake of Cocha Salvador.
We may encounter an Agami Heron or a Sungrebe as well as brown
Cappuchin monkeys. The guide will explain some of the basics
of rainforest ecosystems. We may cross paths with a group
of Peccaries - a species of wild boar found here. Night at
Cocha Salvador Tented Camp.
Day 13:
Return journey back for around 4-5 hours through the forest
to Cocha Otorongo. We'll be met at the river by the cook for
a picnic lunch and then board the motorized dugouts for the
4 hour trip down river to Boca Manu for the night. The river
trip again will be a wonderful opportunity for birding and
other wildlife observation. Night in the lodge at Boca Manu.
Day 14:
Explore the small trail system at the lodge before heading
across the river to the tiny airstrip of Boca Manu. On arrival
at the strip we board the aircraft for the 35 minute flight
to Cusco. Firstly flying over the seemingly endless rainforest
and then past snow peaks and mountains returning to Cuzco.
Return to your hotel.
Day 15:
Transfer to the airport for the return flight back to Lima.
Journey to Marcapomacocha, an area of high altitude birding
(4500m). Camp for the night.
Day 16:
Full day birding around the lake. Firstly, we may see the
rare, high altitude Diademed Sandpiper as well as the White-Bellied
Cincloides, a very rare furnarid. We may also see the Giant
Coot and the Black-breasted Hillstar, a hummingbird endemic
to Peru. Return to Lima and accommodation at your hotel.
Chilean Flamingo
|
Cormorant
|
Day 17:
Last day to relax and/or reminisce on the wonderful birding
memories of the past two weeks. Transfer to the airport for
the return flight home.
We are also able to offer several
birdwatching programmes in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
and the Allpahuayo - Mishana Reserve Zone in Northern Peru
- Contact us for further information
All Inclusive Luxury Tours 
