Birding in Cuzco and Manu lowlands
greentours@greentours.com.pe
The eastern slopes of the Andes of northern Peru are one of the most diverse places in the neo-tropics for birdwatching. This characteristic, of course, bring excellent opportunities for bird photography. In the recent years, several private reserves in northern Peru, specially in the Alto Mayo and Huallaga valleys, have developed good infrastructure for bird and wildlife photography, with hummingbird and tanager feeders.
Our tour starts in Huembo, with good chances to photograph the fantastic Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird. Then, we go to the famous Abra Patricia Owlet Lodge, where a myriad of hummingbirds attends the feeders. The gardens and trails are also good to look for flycatchers, tanagers, woodpeckers, and more. Here, we will also try to photograph some owls like Long-whiskered Owlet, Cinnamon Screech-Owl, and White-throated Screech-Owl. In the same area we also visit the Fundo Alto Nieva Private Reserve, for chances to photograph the Royal Sunangel hummingbird, along with other species of hummers, tanagers, and other wildlife coming to the feeders. We also do some short walks trying to photograph specialties like Lulu’s (Johnson’s) Tody-Flycatcher, or Yellow-Scarfed Tanager.
As we go down the Abra Patricia mountains into the Alto Mayo valley, we will found more hummingbird feeder stations. Up to 45 species of hummingbirds can be found attending these feeders, offering great chances for bird photography. First stop here is at the Arena Blanca Private Reserve. This place has tinamou feeders attended by Cinereous and Little Tinamous, along with Rufous-breasted Wood-quail, Orange-billed Sparrow, and several species of doves and pigeons. The fruit feeders here are regularly visited by Euphonias and Tangaras. The Arena Blanca hummingbird feeders also offers great chances to photograph special hummingbirds like Wire-crested Thorntail, Rufous-crested Coquette, or Blue-fronted Lancebill.
Before leaving the Alto Mayo valley we spend some time at the delightful Waqanki Lodge, the canopy tower, feeders, and trails offer the chance to photograph special birds like Black-throated Hermit (and some other 20 species of Hummingbirds !), Mishana Tyrannulet, or Fiery-thoated Fruiteater; also, the road just outside the lodge offers great chances to photograph Owls like Tropical Screech-Owl, Black-banded Owl, Band-bellied Owl, or Striped Owl.
We finish the tour around the Huallaga valley, at the relaxing Pumarinri Lodge. The surroundings of the lodge are good for bird photography, with several species of flycatchers, tanagers, trogons, and others. We flight back to Lima from the Tarapoto airport.
Birding and conservation: Cheqa Peru SRL, owner of Green Tours, will donate 50 US$ of its benefits per participant to “Asociación Green Tours” to support local conservation initiatives. If additionally, you wish to give a more generous donation, please send an email to wilson.diaz@greentours.com.pe
Arrival in Lima and transfer to the hotel at the airport.
Overnight at Wyndham Lima Airport Hotel****.
Meals: None.
This morning we take a flight to the city of Jaen. Then you will be transferred to Huembo.
Huembo is a nature reserve created to protect the endemic Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird; other hummingbirds attending the feeders might be Andean Emerald, Brown Violetear, White-bellied Hummingbird, Purple-throated Woodstar, Purple-throated Sunangel, and White-bellied Woodstar. The forest inside the reserve is also an excellent place to photograph Sickle-winged and Andean Guans, Black-billed (Southern Emerald) Toucanet, Speckle-chested Piculet, Rufous-capped Antshrike, White-sided Flowerpiercer, Silver-backed Tanager, and many others.
Overnight at Huembo Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Full day photographing around de lodge trails and feeders.
Overnight at Huembo Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Today we drive towards Abra Patricia Owlet Lodge. The lodge is strategically located inside the Abra Patricia Protected Area, surrounded by pristine montane cloud forest. We will spend the next four days birding in this kind of habitat.
We spend the full day photographing around de lodge trails and hummingbird feeders. Will have ample time to enjoy the myriad of hummingbirds coming to the feeders, only some of which may include: Green Violetear, Long-tailed Sylph, Speckled Hummingbird, White-bellied Woodstar, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, and Collared Inca.
Overnight at Abra Patricia Owlet Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Morning photographing at the hummingbird feeders or gardens around the lodge. Regular visitors to the lodge gardens are White-sided Flowerpiercer, Yellow-bellied Brush-finch, Sierran Elaenia, Flame-faced Tanager, and many other colorful birds. A family of Tayras also walks around the gardens regularly.
Optionally, by mid-afternoon we could hike to the Long-whiskered Owlet place for photographs of this mythical owl (use of flashes won’t be allowed, we will use a high power torch and set our cameras to the higher possible ISO)
Overnight at Abra Patricia Owlet Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Today we spend the morning photographing at the hummingbird feeders at Fundo Alto Nieva. Usual visitors to the feeders are Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Royal Sunangel, Booted Racket-tail, Buff-thighed Puffleg, Rufous-vented Whitetip, and White-tailed Hillstar.
We will drive back to the Owlet Lodge for lunch.
Afternoon birding around the parking lot of the lodge trying to photograph the endemic Lulu’s (Johnson’s) Tody-Flycatcher, and (only if we are very lucky) the Yellow-Scarfed Tanager.
Overnight at Abra Patricia Owlet Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
The first hours of the morning we will have another chance to photograph Lulu’s (Johnson’s) Tody-Flycatcher and Yellow-Scarfed Tanager.
Then we drive down the mountains for a visit to the La Llanteria feeders, our targets are Grey-chinned Hermit, White-tipped Sicklebill, or Ecuadorian Piedtail hummingbirds.
We will take a boxed-lunch at La Llantería.
In the afternoon we will do a short walk around La Llanteria looking for special birds like Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Blue-cowled (Versicolored) Barbet, Collared Trogon, and maybe some woodpeckers, woodcreepers, and tanagers.
Overnight at Abra Patricia Owlet Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, boxed-lunch, dinner.
Today we drive towards the town of Aguas Verdes to visit the Arena Blanca Reserve. The reserve is located in a patch of white-sand forest.
Full day photographing at the hummingbird feeders and the trails in the reserve. Regular visitors at the hummingbird feeders are Blue-fronted Lancebill, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Wire-crested Thorntail, Rufous-crested Coquette, Black-throated Brilliant, just to mention a few. Northern Chestnut-tailed (Zimmer’s) Antbird, Huallaga (Black-bellied) Tanager, are quite common and easy to photograph in the reserve trails. If lucky enough, we could be able to photograph a Dark-breasted Spinetail.
We will take our lunch at the reserve. By mid-afternoon we will depart towards the next lodge near the city of Moyobamba.
Overnight at Waqanki Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Waqanki is a family owned reserve in the montane forests near the city of Moyobamba. We will spend the full day photographing at the hummingbird feeders and the trails in lodge’s property. At the hummingbird feeders the targets are Black-throated and Great-Billed Hermits, Black-throated Mango, Violet-headed Hummingbird, White-chinned Sapphire, Many-spotted Hummingbird, among others. From the canopy tower it is possible to photograph Mishana Tyrannulet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Crested Oropendola, and many others.
In the gardens of the lodge there are some feeders with fruit attracting different species of tanagers.
After dinner we can explore the road outside the lodge looking for owls like Tropical Screech-Owl, Black-banded Owl, Band-bellied Owl, or Striped Owl.
Overnight at Waqanki Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Morning photographing at the tanager and hummingbird feeders.
After lunch we will drive towards the city of Tarapoto, then we go on southwards to Pumarinri lodge.
Arrive to the Pumarinri Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
We will spend the day birding around the lodge, possible birds around the lodge are Black-fronted Nunbird, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Blue-crowned Trogon, Swallow-winged Puffbird, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Riparian Antbird, Spangled Cotinga, and much more.
Overnight at Pumarinri Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
This morning we will take a boat to explore the Huallaga river. Photo possibilities are Hoatzins, Sand-colored Nighjars, White-banded and white-winged Swallows, among others.
After lunch you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Lima.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Private departures under request, ask for a quotation
