Interoceanic Highway Manu
Bird tours in Peru usually are long, especially if we want to get lowland forest, so if you are in Cusco and you would like to birding Amazon forest, here is the best combination, short andean birding just focused on endangered and local endemic birds, without leaving aside the wonderful Andean landscape in a short trip to the tropical rainforest.
Tambopata Lowland Forest - 7 days
Chuncho Macaw clay lick is not to be missed, the biggest in the world, the only place where the 3 big Aras are together eating the clay, Red-and-Green, Blue-and-Yellow and Scarlet Macaw next to 8 species from Psittacidae family, visiting a protected lowland forest enjoying well protected area at the same time you can help this amazing job.
Day 1: ANDEAN INTEROCEANIC HIGHWAY.
We are going to pick you up from your hotel with the first light, driving ahead southern east with a private transport, on the way you will have a breakfast, quickly stop in Huacarpay Lake to look for some endemics species: Bearded Mountaineer, Rusty fronted Canastero, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-finch, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Streak-fronted Thornbird, and high wetland birds, we keep going by interoceanic paved route, in the high andes we have another birding stop, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Giant Coot, Andean Goose, Crested Duck, Ground Tyrants, and some other common andean species are part of bird list, scenery is so great, biggest southern Peru Mountain is just in front of us – Ausangate (6384mt. – 20944,88 ft.).
Road pass is 4725 mt. – 15501,97 enough high feel to touch sky, at this point we can see at the distance tropical Rainforest and start dropping down east slope on the andes, we have several birding stops, cloud forest, Bamboo chusquea and humid montane forest are waiting with excellent selection of mix flocks, Red-and-White Antpitta, Marcapata Spinetail, Blue-banded Toucanet, Chestnut-capped Brush-finch, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Mountain Caracara, Andean Cock of the Rock, Dusky-green Oropendola, going down mix flocks are richful in tanagers and flycatchers.
Night: Camanti – Quincemil. B:L:D.
Day 2: AMAZON FOOTHILL – CHUNCHO LODGE.
We’ll be birding up and down the road around quincemil,as forest is not pristine as Manu road, but some birds can be easier. Black-backed Tody-flycatcher, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet, Slaty Gnateater, and some other bamboo specialties, we start with lowland mix flocks, Paradise, Blue-necked, Bay-headed, Golden, Swallow, Orange-Eared tanagers are mix flocks members, we keep going into the lowland, habitats and birds will be changing together, late in the day we arrive to Chuncho lodge on Tambopata river bank, we’ll enjoy garden and trails system if time allows.
Night in Chuncho Lodge. B:L:D.
Day 3: CHUNCHO MACAW CLAY LICK – TAMBOPATA.
Early in the morning we sail upstream on Tambopata river, after 1.5 hours about boat ride we get the biggest Macaw clay lick in the world, where you can see the three big ARAS together, eating the clay Red-and-Green, Blue-and-Yellow, and Scarlet Macaw, in total 11 Psittacidaes, of course some other nice birds in the successional forest, along the river we have our best chance for the enigmatic Jaguar and some other wildlife: Capybara biggest rodent, monkeys and more.
After midday we enjoy the trails looking for first understory lowlands mix flock.
Night: Chuncho Lodge. D:L:D.
Day 4: TO CICRA – LOS AMIGOS BIOLOGICAL STATION.
After a morning birding we leave the lodge towards Laberinto village, where we take a boat, we sail up stream on Madre de Dios river, until to get CICRA Spanish acronym (Centro de Investigación y Capacitación Rio Los Amigos) – Los Amigos Biological Station, The station sits at the tip of a peninsula on a high terrace between the Madre de Dios and Los Amigos Rivers and provides easy access to various forest types terra firme, Bamboo forest and aquatic habitats and accessible from Puerto Maldonado, so after lunch we start with amazon birding, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Rufous-fronted Antthrush, Long-crested Pygmy-Tyrant, these are our main bamboo targets.
Night: Los Amigos Biological Station.Station.
Day 5 – 6: CICRA – AMAZON LOWLAND BIRDING.
We’ll have 2 busy days at CICRA. The terra firme forest here is excellent, with seemingly endless diversity; some targets include Banded Antbird, Ash-throated Gnateater,Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, White-bellied Tody-tyrant, Royal Flycatcher, Musician Wren, Great Jacamar and Pavonine Quetzal in addition to a great variety of foliage-gleaners and of course antbirds and flycatchers.
Black-faced Cotinga, White-throated Jacamar & Gray-bellied Hawk, rare local species are located in area, and canopy flocks can include White-winged Shrike-tanager, Lemon-chested Greenlet, Black-capped Becard, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Striped Woodhaunter Grey Elaenia, Lineated Woodcreeper, and of course lots of others.
so we’ll also watch for Spangled Cotinga, White-throated and Channel-billed Toucans, Ivory-billed and Curl-crested Aracaris, Plumbeous Kite, the noisy Red-throated Caracara, Bat Falcon, Sungrebe, Grey-necked Wood-Rail, , Black-tailed, Blue-crowned, Amazonian and Collared Trogons, and raptors. The ultimate prize here is Red-billed Pied Tanager, which although not common, is a good possibility.
This place is a paradise for mammals like, monkeys, Brazilian tapir and lots of wildlife.
Night: Los Amigos Biological Station. B:L:D.
Day 7: TO PUERTO MALDONADO – FLIGHT TO CUSCO / LIMA.
We leave the lodge after breakfast by boat downstream to get Laberinto and then to take a ground transport to get Puerto Maldonado airport and flight to Cusco / Lima.
We recommend to book midday flight in advance to have enough time to arrive Puerto Maldonado.
What to Bring:
- Please do not bring too much luggage. For domestic flights 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. - At Chuncho Lodge and Los Amigos Biological Station laundry can be done.
- Sunblock and hat or cap.
- Mosquito or insect repellent.
- An umbrella and rain poncho.
- Rubber boots / gumboots specially for Amazonian Tropical Rainforest area.
- Small flashlight for owling – I will have a strong owling light (guide).
- You will need a fleece or other light jacket
This is noted for the high elevations. We will be in all kinds of weather, but no special clothing is
necessary. 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, like heavy winter type coat/jacket. - 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 (Optional).
- Telescope (Optional).
General:
- Birding will primarily be on forested roads and some trails – difficulty is easy to moderate level.
- We will be moving between 3400 – 250 meters, asl (11154 – 820 feet). Mostly between 400 to 250 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. - Please note be sure and bring extra batteries as electricity may sometimes go out in sites like Amazon rainforest area Los Amigos Biological Station and Chuncho Lodge,
(in these places they have to use electricity generator 6 – 9 pm),
Medical and Health Information:
High altitude information you may find useful. Arriving in Cusco is not a problem because you will have some time to acclimate by yourselves , them gradually we will go to the andes, the highest point during the tour is 4700 meters, at hgte higher elevation will be moving slowly just roadside birding a physical effort its minimal, 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» for the first two or three days, so take it easy. 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, as the extra cells thicken your blood.
Drink lots of water, while avoiding alcohol or caffeine. Dehydration can make any effects of altitude worse. Try to avoid overeating the first day.
Please keep in mind our birding tour will be over a wide range of altitudes – and we will be acclimatizing as we move through the different habitats.
By the time we reach the very high altitude of the Paramo we should be adjusted to the altitude. We will be taking our time, birding slowly, and enjoying ourselves. That being said, 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 our driver will be ready to take the person or the group to lower altitude very quickly.
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/Puerto Maldonado).
- 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.
- Boat service in amazonian tropical rainforest area to get our accommodations.
- Entrances to all Birding spots.
- Transfers in Cusco and Puerto Maldonado.
- 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.
What I (guide) will have with me
- Recording stuff Roland R-05/Microphone SENNHEISER ME66/K6.
- Playback set ( 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 2023:
- 2nd May 2023.
- 24th June 2023.
- 16th August 2023.
- 7th October 2023.
- 30th November 2023.
If some our fixed departure doesn’t work with you, we can propose a fixed departure with your available dates , also if you need private or customized tour, please contact us for more information, all our tours are totally flexible and adjustable to your needs.
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- https://www.tanagertours.com
- info@tanagertours.com
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