Abra Malaga
&
Vilcabamba Mountains
4 days
DESCRIPTION:
This area, while geographically not too far from the Manu Road, is home to a quite different set of birds. The main focus is always on the endemics, but there are lots of other birds to be found as well.
Abra Malaga its one of the most popular birding spots close by Cusco and easily combined with any birding tour that we have, specially if you take one of Manu birding tours.
Abra Malaga has two different zones: East slope of the Andes well know like cloud forest and Polylepis forest located in high Andes, both locations are totally different one to each other, so endemic, local, small range species have as especial selection. to this amazing place we decided to add another location «Vilcabamba mountains», and there is no any other tour company that offer a birding tour to this area, Tanager tours crew are constantly exploring new locations offering new birding spots, in this isolated mountains inhabit, few, but very special endemic species: Vilcabamba Thistletail and Tapaculo, and rare and poorly know Vilcabamba Brushfinch, beside there are lots of Peruvian birds.
Day 1: ABRA MALAGA – POLYLEPIS FOREST.
we’ll drive until the Polylepis forest at Abra Malaga in the morning. The three best birds to be found here are Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and White-browed Tit-Spinetail. While these, especially the highly sought-after cinclodes, are sometime elusive, there are many other birds to see as well, including Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Puna Tapaculo, Blue-mantled Thornbill and Giant Conebill, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Red-rumped Bush-tyrant, in the afternoon we’ll return and stay in a hotel in Ollantaytambo, On the way back we visit a place called ¨Peña Ruins». This is the stake-out for the endemic White-tufted Sunbeam. Also Creamy-crested Spinetail, Rusty-fronted Canastero, Black-backed Grosbeak and, with luck, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch are possible here.
Night: Ollantaytambo. B:L:D.
Day 2: ABRA MALAGA – CLOUD FOREST (the other side of the pass).
We’ll make an early start from Ollantaytambo (if you come from Machu Picchu too) today we drive over the pass, where we will see a complete different habitat: the upper cloud forest. We’ll hope especially to encounter some good mixed flocks which could contain Parodi’s Hemispingus, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Marcapata Spinetail, Cusco Brushfinch, Inca Wren, White-browed Conebill, Tawny-rumped Tyrannulet, Tit-like Dacnis and many others. Undulated Antpittas are frequently heard calling but are very hard to see, same as Rufous Antpitta and endemic Red-and-white Antpitta as are Diademed Tapaculos. Hummingbirds to look for include Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Scaled Metaltail, Rufous-capped Thornbill and Sword-billed Hummingbird. late in the day will keep going down the valley where we have some chance for Swallow-tailed Hummingbird, Ocellated Piculet. Sclater’s Tyrannulet, Night can be very productive Tropical Screech-owl its around or even better rare and nomadic Buff-fronted Owl.
Night. Ipal. B:L:D.
Day 3 VILCABAMBA MOUNTAINS.
early in the morning we are going to drive toward Vilcabamba leaving the hotel before sunrise, we have quite long driving, in this isolated mountains we can find Peruvian endemic species resctrictied just to this area, Vilcabamba Tapaculo, Thistletail, and poorly know Vilcabamba Brushfinch, for several years our crew were exploring this mountains by different access looking for these rarities, oue rewards was to find this mithical specie, at the same time we could find some peruvian endemic located just in northern and Central Peru Johnson’s Tody-flycatcher, Marcapata Spinetail «Weskei» and many more are posible on this amazing forest.
Night: Ipal. B:L:D.
Day 4 BACK TO CUSCO.
We have a long driving until Cusco so depending of our missing species we´ll stop along the way looking for some mixed flock, bird stake-out that still we need. in Cusco we drop you at your hotel where its the of the tour.
if you have a domestic flight in Cusco, we can go direct to the airport
Night: Cusco. B:L.
What to Bring:
- During this tour we’ll not use a domestic flight, but please do not bring too much luggage. we’ll take flights to get Cusco, so you can hold 23 kg. ( 50.7063 lbs.) and 8 kg. (17.637 lbs.) in hand luggage. Extra costs run by yourselves.
- Lightweight comfortable clothing is recommended, i.e. standard field pants and shirts for the
entire trip, some jacket for cold places is enough. - You will need a fleece or other light jacket – NOT a heavy winter type coat/jacket, this is noted for the high elevations. If you are a person that gets cold easily – perhaps a little more clothing, like a warm hat or
light-weight gloves would be in order, at least for Polylepis forest - Sunblock and hat or cap.
- An umbrella and rain poncho, remember even if you have a goo weather forecast, this can change suddenly.
- Please using camouflaged clothing would be ok not really any military clothing avoid the second.
- Shower thongs / rubber flip flops will be useful.
Recommendation:
- Binoculars.
- Extra Batteries.
- Camera.
General:
- Birding will primarily be on along rail way and some trails – difficulty is easy to moderate level.
- We will be moving between 3400 – 2400 meters, asl (11154.86 – 7874.016 feet). Mostly around 2400 meters.
- We will experience all kinds of weather, but no special clothing is necessary.
- We will have electric power at all our destinations. There are sockets inside all rooms with 220 volt
electricity. - Internet service / wifi are available in your hotel.
Medical and Health Information:
High altitude information you may find useful. Arriving in Cusco is not a problem because you were already in this town, if you didn’t stay in Cusco yet, is not a problem because during our birding tour we acclimatize already, the highest point during the tour is 4316 meters, but probably not high enough to cause serious problems. Adjusting to higher altitude is a very individual thing.
Some may feel no effects at all, some may have minor effects, and others may experience great difficulty.
You may feel the lack of oxygen, and will easily get «out of breath» You may feel a little nauseous, have a headache, or tire easily.. You will acclimatize to it by producing more red blood cells, so you should make sure you stay well hydrated, avoid phisical efford as the extra cells thicken your blood. and Coca Tea its very helpfull.
Drink lots of water, while avoiding alcohol or caffeine. Dehydration can make any effects of altitude worse. Try to avoid overeating the first day.
your safety and well-being is of first importance above all else.
Therefore, I will be making frequent checks to make sure everyone is feeling well.
If someone in the group isn’t feeling well easily we can visit and small hospital to be sure that you are OK at the same time we can ask for some medicine at the drugstore after doctor diagnostic.
There are medications available for altitude sickness. Please check with your doctor. For the headache, you can take an over-the-counter medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve).
Travel insurance
Our suggestion is that you use travel insurance service. The normal price of this tour not cover travel insurance.
Books:
Birds of Peru is the best field Guide.
If you consider you can bring some other field guide are welcome.
+ Prices Include:
- private transport in all the way.
- All accommodations in all the tour ( Cusco / Cusco).
- Three meals per day (breakfast, lunch/ picnic or box lunch depending where we are, dinner, snacks, water available all the time).
- Bird guide specialist.
- Bird checklist per person.
- Entrances to all Birding spots.
- Transfers in Cusco.
- Basically full board in a private tour.
– Not included:
- Laundry, calls, medical costs or hospitalization, excess baggage charges, insurance, or other items of personal nature.
- Domestic flights are not include but we can assist you too.
What I (guide) will have with me.
- Recording stuff Roland R-05/Microphone SENNHEISER ME66/K6.
- Two iPods- speakers.
- A Swarovski ATX 80 scope 20-60 zoom
- Green laser pointer
- Owling light.
- GPS.
- Personal Swarovski Binoculars.
- I will be carrying the new field guide Birds of Peru this can be found on www.amazon.com.
Tour Calendar:
- Any time of the year, please contact for more information.
If you need private or customized tour please contact us directly to:
info@tanagertours.com
