Bird Tours Peru - Puerto Maldonado

Lower rainforest near Puerto Maldonado

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We offer 2 short rainforest tours starting from Puerto Maldonado, one to las Piedras River and one to the Tambopata Reserve. These tours combine well with our short Manu tours where we don´t visit the lower rainforest.

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Option 1: las Piedras

Along the river las Piedras we will visit two lodges (ARCC and Tipishca). Bird guide: David Geale

Day 1
Flight to Pto.Maldonado. Leaving Puerto Maldonado by car, we'll spend the morning birding a newly-constructed road through terra firme forest. Though this forest has hardly been birded, we have recorded species indicating that an interesting avifauna is present, such as Ruddy Spinetail, Hairy-crested Antbird, and Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo – we'll see what surprises we can turn up. In the afternoon, we'll take a boat to the Amazon Rainforest Conservation Centre (ARCC), a picturesque lodge on the shores of an oxbow lake.
Day 2 & 3
Though this lodge has only been visited twice by birdwatchers – both times Tanager Tours – it has already produced some excellent species. There is extensive bamboo, home to most of the area's specialties such as Bamboo Antshrike, Peruvian Recurvebill, Ihering's Antwren, and many others. Of particular interest are the rare Rufous-fronted Antthrush, the poorly-known Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, and, best of all, the recently described Rufous Twistwing. Away from bamboo, the avifauna is composed of more widespread Amazonia species, but including such goodies as Semicollared Puffbird, Striated Antthrush, Curl-crested Aracari, and Banded Antbird. Nights at Amazon Rainforest Conservation Centre.
Day 4
After a final morning of birding at ARCC, we'll head four hours downriver to Tipishca Lodge, enjoying river birds like Horned Screamer and Pied Lapwing en route. We also pass a claylick for parrots and macaws (Scarlet, Blue-and-Yellow, Red-and-green). An afternoon walk at Tipishca will be aimed at locating fruiting trees and, with luck, a Black-faced Cotinga feeding at one!
Day 5
Tipishca Lodge has been visited by very few birders, but we have recorded some good birds here too, including the afore-mentioned Black-faced Cotinga, as well as more widespread Amazonian species like Long-tailed Woodcreeper, Pale-winged Trumpeter, and a variety of antbirds, tinamous, and furnarids. Of special note is the Humaita Antbird – a very poorly-known species – and a clay lick that is visited by Rock Parakeets at mid-day. There is also a pair of very tame Giant Otters living in the oxbow lake in front of the lodge. Night at Tipishca Lodge.
Day 6
We'll leave the lodge early making the trip back to Puerto Maldonado by river, arriving there in time for a mid-day flight back to Cusco or Lima. For people with more time we can spend the morning birding at Tipishca and go back to Puerto Maldonado at midday. Extra costs are only a dinner and a night hotel in Maldonado.

Option 2: Tambopata

In Tambopata we will the lodges of Rainforest Expeditions (Posada Amazonas and TRC). Bird guide from Rainforest Exp.

Day1
Flight to Pto.Maldonado The 45-five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas . In the afternoon the first walk on the grounds of this lodge.
Day 2
W we´ll visit a 30 meter tall scaffolding tower and wait for canopy mixed flocks to appear. Tanagers, Plum-throated Cotinga and Striolated Puffbird are some of the possibilities. Macaws and toucans/aracaris are seen flying by, After lunch we will bird the Shahue Trail, good for Round-tailed Manakin, Pale-rumped Trumpeter and Pavonine Quetzal amongst others.
A second night at Posada Amazonas.
Day 3
In the morning a visit to an oxbow lake. After lunch the transfer by boat to Tambopata Research Center (TRC)
Day 4
At dawn we will cross the river and enjoy the world's largest macaw clay lick where hundreds of parrots and macaws of up to 15 species congregate daily. We can expect to see ten to twelve of the following members of the parrot family: Red-and-green, Blue-and-gold, Scarlet, Red-bellied, Chestnut-fronted and Blue-headed Macaws; Mealy and Yellow-crowned Amazons; Blue-headed, Orange-cheeked and White-bellied Parrots; Dusky-headed, White-eyed, Cobalt-winged and Tui Parakeets and Dusky-billed Parrotlets.
After breakfast we will explore 2 long trails of TRC, the Ocelot trail and the Toucan trail. Taking a box lunch with us, it will be a whole day birding seeing members of all typical families of the Amazonian rainforest: tinamous, trogons, foliagegleaners, woodcreepers, antbirds, flycatchers and many more. The Ocelot trail also crosses some permanently flooded old ponds inhabited by Agami Heron, Rufescent Tiger-heron, Pygmy and Green-and-rufous Kingfishers, and Sunbittern. A second night at TRC.
Day 5
A five hour boat ride brings us to Posada Amazonas. Time to explore the grounds of this lodge.
Day6
Back to Puerto Maldonado, being on time to take the flight to Cusco or Lima.

Price Information (flights not included)

Price p.p. in US dollars	Manu- 12 days
Number of pax	4	5	6-7
option 1: las Piedras	980	930	910
option 2: Tambopata	1040	1020	1000

 

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