AMAZON BIRDING RAINFOREST

DAY 01: CUSCO- HUAYQUECHA (Biological station)

We will leave from Cusco early in the morning in our car through high Andes where we begin our birding expedition in Manu National park.

In high Andes inhabit the Canasteros (Asthenes), they like high elevations and within this group we have the Rusty-Fronted Canastero (endemic), Creamy-Crested Canastero (endemic), Chestnut- Breasted Mountain-Finch (endemic); these birds are considered important into our record for this Manu birding tours, also we can see other beautiful birds today such as: Peruvian Sierra-Finch, Ash-Breasted Sierra-finch, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, Hooded Siskin, Band-Tailed Seedeater, Scribble-Tailed Canastero fairly common but very poorly known in high grasslands elevations of Cusco.

When we get to entrance of the Manu National Park we will dropping to cloud forest where we start to birding colorful birds for example: Scarlet-Breasted Mountain-Tanager, Hooded-Mountain-Tanager, Chestnut-Bellied Mountain-Tanager, etc… all of them are relatively large tanagers and in the afternoon will arrival to lodge to overnight.

DAY 02: WAYQUECHA (cloud forest 2950m.a.s.l. / 9678ft)

We will wake up at the entrance of the cloud forest of Manu National Park privileged place for birding, after early breakfast we will start in an area near the Biological Station and we have a chance to find large mixed flocks with many tanagers like: Grass-Green Tanager, Spetacle Redstart, Citrine Warbler, Blue-Black Conebill, Capped Conebill, Masked Flowerpiercer, Plushcap, Blue and Black Tanager, Golden Collared Tanager, Black-Throated Tody-Tyrant,… Etc.

Over the day we will move to strategic points to spot birds and we have the chance to see that birds considered the difficult ones like: Marcapata Spinetail, Red and White Antpita, Rufous Antpita, Fulvous wren... Etc.
We can also see the golden-Headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon ...etc.

DAY 03: WAYQUECHA – SAN PEDRO

Today early morning we starting our full cloud forest birding around the biological station of Huayquecha in this elevation we can see: Grey-Breasted Mountain-Toucan, Puna Thistletail, Marcapata Spinetail, in this area too have the possibility to find the Rufous-Chested Tanager as day grows warming will have the opportunity to find mixed flocks through cloud forest where we can see many species such as : Grass-Green Tanager , Black-Throated Tody-Flycatcher, Barred Fruiteater , White-Banded and White-throated Tyrannulets and much more .

The cloud forest is a paradise to see tanagers and hummingbirds also have to see Collared Inca, Chestnut-Breasted Coronet, Violet-Throated Startfrontlet and Amethyst-Throated Sunangel. As we are descending to Cock of the rock lodge will have variation in climate and also mixed flocks be composed of other species such as Yellow-Throated Bush-Tanager , Common Bush-Tanager, Blue-Winged Mountain-Tanager, Brown-Capped Vireo, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Bar-Bellied Woodpecker, Ochre-Faced Tody-Flycatcher, Cinnamon Flycatcher, Slaty-Capped Flycatcher, etc.
In the afternoon we arrive at our lodge.

DAY 04, 05: SAN PEDRO (cock of the rock lodge/paradise lodge) (1400m.a.s.l/ 4600ft)

At breakfast you will be greeted by warbling of birds early in the morning and then we take our private car to get to Cock of the Rock lek where we will see a spectacular ritual from a comfortable hideaway here Cock of the Rock (males) considered national of Peru making dance for luring females that are there. Cock of the Rock lives in the pristine cloud forest of the Manu mountains this area is also a paradise of colorful birds and after to see the cock of the rocks dance will make birding along the road for observing: Masked Trogon, Highland Motmot, Blue-Banded-Toucanet, Montane Foliage-Gleaner, White-Backed Fire-Eye, Variable Antshrike, Yungas Mankin, Saffron-Crowned Tanager, Yellow-Rumped and Stripe-Chested Antwrens, Deep-Blue Flowerpiercer, Golden Tanager, Orange-Eared Tanager, etc...

All the morning we will move to strategic points to observe most interesting birds.

After lunch continue our birding in this area in order to add more species all afternoon we will move our car to find mixes flocks where we can see for example: Orange-Bellied Euphonia, Bay-Headed Tanager, Swallow Tanager, Black-Faced Dacnis, Blue Dacnis, Buff-Throated Saltator, Violaceous Jay, Purplish Jay, Masked Tityra, Barred Becard, Gray- Crowned Flycatcher. The wrens are small or medium size insectivores birds of dark plumage and inconspicuous, but they catching the attention for their strong songs and some are considered among the most lovely warbles of the world and we have the chance to see: Grey-Mantled Wren, Chesnut-Breasted Wren, Grey-Breasted Wood-Wren … etc.

DAY 06:- SAN PEDRO –AMAZONIA LODGE (rainforest)

Today we have completely birding day towards Amazon Basin we spend most of the day in upper parts of the rainforest; here we have the opportunity to looking for Peruvian Piedtail (rare endemic hummingbird), Black-Goggled Tanager, Fawn-Breasted Tanager, Blue-Gray Tanager, Ruddy Foliage-Gleaner, Fine-Barred Piculet, Rufous-Breasted Piculet, Black-Streaked Puffbird (rare to uncommon), as we are shifting of ecosystem toward Amazon Basin some birds will be often observed such as: Russet-Back Oropendola, Purplish Jay, Violaceous Jay, Tropical Kingbird, Roadside Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, etc ... nevertheless other large group of birds with greater difficulty are Antbirds, Antwrens, Woodcreepers, Foliage-Gleaners, etc... It will be birding challenge to us. In the afternoon we take our comfortable motorized boat to the Amazonia lodge about ten minutes of navigation that will be enough to see some water birds for example: Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, and Amazon Kingfisher …. Etc.

DAY 07, 08:- AMAZONIA (500m.a.s.l./1640ft)

The lodge is located in the tropical rain forest of the Manu Biosphere Reserve. will be our activity center, at this place will making bird watching these two days, here we find species of secondary and primary forests These forests also have very interesting mixes flocks high in the trees and understory for example: White-Browed Antbird, Bluish-Slate Antshrike, Pygmy Antwren, Grey Antwren, Dot-Wing Antwren, Bamboo Antshrike, Great Antshrike, Grey Antbird, Chesnut-Tailed Antbird, Blue-Headed Parrot, Blue-Headed Macaw, Chestnut-Fronted Macaw, White-Wing Becard, Yellow-Crowned Tyrannulet, Grey-Crowned Flycatcher, Black-Tailed Trogon, etc…. We can also observe medium size hummingbirds such as: Fork-Tailed Woodnymph, White-Chinned Sapphire also have the possibility to see the small hummingbirds Rufous-Crested Coquette, Blue-Tailed Sapphire, Violet-Headed Hummingbird, etc…..

DAY 09: AMAZONIA- MANU BIRDING LODGE

Early the this morning we will leave the clay lick located fifteen minutes downstream, here we see parrot species such as: Blue-Headed Parrot, Blue-Headed Macaw, Chestnut-Fronted Macaw, Dusky-Headed Parakeet, white-Eye Parakeet; interacting together on cliff of clay eating minerals to protect the digesting system and socializing . After this activity we are continue going to our next lodge by motorized boat and from the boat we can observe some species of birds like: Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Large Billed Tern, Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Yellow Billed Tern, Osprey, King Vulture, Drab-Water Tyrant, Giant Cowbird, Blue-Capped Heron, Olive Oropendolas in flight crossing the river in way we will stop at hummingbird lodge just for observing some hummingbirds: White-Chinned Sapphire, Festive Coquette, Blue-Tailed Sapphire, Fork-Tailed Woodnymph, Redish hermit etc.. After this stop we get the lodge two hours in boat.

DAY 10: MANU BIRDING LODGE - MACAW CLAY LICK BLAMQUILLO- MANU BIRDING LODGE

Today early we are heading by motorized boat to clay lick of Blanquillo forty-five minutes downriver, in this clay lick we will witness a fascinating and colorful show where the largest macaws in Amazon jungle of Peru gather to eat clay and socialize and some of them getting couples who will live forever.

From the river bank we will make a fifteen minute walk to hidden house where we can spot the first parrots what have come around the clay wall to get the minerals they need for digestion we can see: Mealy Parrots, Blue- Headed Parrots Yellow- Crowned Parrots, Orange- Cheeked Parrots that easily exceed two hundred members; while we are watching this show, we can take our delicious breakfast that will make possible our expert cook.

After these green visitors will begin to descend to clay wall the largest Macaws of the Peruvian Amazon jungle; Red and Green macaws often over a hundred we can see them close.

Also we will see many other species such as: Ringed Kingfisher , White -winged Swallow , Bank Swallow, White- Banded Swallow, Grey -Capped Flycatcher, White- Throated Toucan , Chestnut -Eared Aracari , Crimson - Crested Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Fork - Tailed Palm- Swift , etc .......

DAY 11: MANU BIRDING LODGE

Today we are enjoying a full birding day will start with a general birding inside the jungle, but it is also very good place to find professional and forced antbirds looking army ants where they will find arthropods and small vertebrates when they are flying, the antbirds in that moment are flying close to ground we can see : Fasciated antshrike , Bamboo antshrike , Plain- Winged antshrike , Bluish -Slate antshrike , Dusky-Throated Antshrike , Antwren Pygmy, Grey Antwren, Ihering 's Antwren, Yellow- Breasted Warbling-Antbird , ... etc ...

Also a large group in varzea forest are Foliage- Gleaner and Woodcreepers and we have the chance to see some of the biggest woodcreepers like: Strong- Billed woodcreeper , Buff-Throated Woodcreeper, Black-Banded Woodcreeper, Elegant Woodcreeper, Cinnamon-Throated Woodcreeper also we will see the smaller woodcreepers as: Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Wedge-Billed Woodcreeper, etc ....
In the canopy of trees there are colorful and varied birds for example: Paradise Tanager , Opal -Crowned Tanager , Torquoise Tanager , Opal -Rumped Tanager , Swallow Tanager , Green Honeycreeper , Yellow- Bellied Dacnis , Scarlet Tanager boreal migrant (Sept. Mar ) , Slate -Colored Grosbeak , Orange -Backed Troupial common in river edge Epaulet Oriol , .... Etc.

DAY 12: MANU BIRDING LODGE – PUERTO MALDONADO

Today early morning we are heading to observation tower 45 meters high on canopy of Ceiba tree where you can see Piratic Flycatcher, Sulphur-Bellied Flycatcher boreal migrant (Sep-April), White-Necked Puffbird, Black-Tailed Trogon , Slate-Colored Hawk, Plum-throated Cotinga, Beryl-Spangled Cotinga, Bright-Rumped Attila, Gilded Barbet .... Etc.

After this we will navigate in a small lake to see some swamp birds such as: Hoatzin, Purus Jacamar, Little Cuckoo, Greater Ani, Black-Capped Donacobios Etc.......

After these sightings we continue our trip by motorboat to Puerto Colorado where we say goodbye to our motorazed boat staff, and we continue driving by taxi to port Punquiri by dusty road to then cross the Inambari river by motorized boat to other side and from there continue the home stretch to hotel in Puerto Maldonado where we will have our last dinner together.

TOUR CONSIDERATIONS:
Difficulty level: 01 of 08 (easy to moderate)
Climate: The unpredictable weather may force us to change our itinerary; the program could be subject to changes at any time.
Route: we do the tour by dust and narrow road (cloud forest) and motorized boat (Madre de Dios River), paved runway.

ACCOMMODATIONS:
Jungle lodges are basic but comfortable, some have electricity all day from a solar panel and provide energy to charge our batteries from a generator engine, and the rooms are two beds with mosquito net (depending on the area) with some shower and toiled shared and some are private with dining room and living room wide.

THINGS YOU SHOULD HAVE:
Stuff for birder
Torch for nocturnal birding
Poncho / rain jacket
Hiking shoes
Telescope if you have one
Camera and extra batteries
Personal Toiletries

INCLUDES:
Meals (some are picnic)
Full accommodation
Expert bilingual guide
The entire transport system

NOT INCLUDED:
Personal expenses
Last supper

ABOUT TIPS:
We recommend each passenger to tip ten soles per day (about five dollars) according to your personal satisfaction because in our culture is gratefully received it.