Birding Peru's Manu Biosphere Reserve: Essential Montane and Amazon Habitats
Trip Description
The fantastic birding loop includes all of the top birding sites from Cuzco including Huacarpay Lake, and then off to the top three birding destinations in Peru. The trip spends three nights at Cock-of-the Rock Lodge, then four nights at Amazonian Lodge before wrapping up at the world famous Manu Wildlife Center (5 nights).
This base trip usually records well over 500 bird species in just over just two weeks. Some of the key species on the trip include hummingbirds and endemics, like Bearded Mountaineer, Peruvian Piedtail, Rufous-webbed Brilliant, Koepcke's Hermit, White-browed Hermit, Green-and-White Hummingbird, White-tufted Sunbeam, and other great hummingbirds like Rufous-crested Coquette.
The trip will likely pick up 23 Peruvian endemics, including Rusty-fronted Canastero, Chustnut-breasted Mountain Finch, Black-faced Brush-Finch, Red-and-White Antpitta, Cerulean-capped Manakin, Cusco Brush-Finch, Fine-barred Piculet, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, a new species of Tanager and more.
Top local guides will also help you find a number of Andean endemics, near endemics and other key species, such as Andean Negrito, Plumbeous Rail, Pavonine Quetzal, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Ihering's Antwren, Manu Antbird, Imperial Snipe and much more.
Besides a two week itinerary with the potential for to see over 500 bird species, the trip will have a one week extension to Machu Picchu to enjoy this high mountain area and including the opportunity to extend the trip list to 620 and perhaps 670 species!
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival - Early AM flights, birding Huacarpay Lake, then birding on way to Wayquencha Research Station
Day 2: Birding at Pillahuata in morning and along
transfer route to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge
Day 3 and 4: Manu Cloud Forest and Cock-of-the-
Rock Area
Day 5: Birding on way to Amazonian Lodge - Madre de Dios river and on the road to Atalaya
Day 6 to 8: Amazonia Lodge & Manu Biosphere
Reserve
Day 9: Birding from Amazonia Lodge in morning and
then canoe to Manu Wildlife Center
Day 10 to 13: Manu Wildlife Center, including
Camungo lake, Camungo Tower and trails, the Blanco Lake, and the Cocha Nuevo bamboo trails
Day 14: Macaw Clay Lick (at Manu) and then transfer
with some birding to Puerto Maldanado
Day 15: Puerto Maldanado to Cuzco with morning
birding and potential return home that night (or prepare for Machu Picchu extension)
Machu Picchu Extension Option from Day 15:
Day 15: Rest that afternoon after returing from Manu
Wildlife Center.
Day 16: Early train to Machu Picchu. Birding on train,
enjoying Machu Picchu ruins and some birding in area.
Day 17: Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, afternoon train to Ollantaytambo.
Day 18: Birding full day Road to Abra Malaga and
Ollantaytambo Area.
Day 19: Birding from morning Road to Abra Malaga
and Ollantaytambo Area. That afternoon return to Cuzco for 2 PM flights to Lima.
More details about this Trip: