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NORTH PERU BIRDING TOUR - Paradise of endemic birds
13 days / 12 nights
   

Peru is not only famous  for its great cultural prehispanic and colonial heritage and its marvelous landscapes, but it is also  the perfect destination for birdwatching. With over 1800 species, it has one fifth of the world's bird species and an impressive variety of ecosystems resulting in unique habitats with over 120 endemic species of birds, making Peru the second country in the world in bird diversity and the first for observable birds. The dry deciduous forest, coastal desert, cloud forest and the Marañon in North Peru is a paradise for both professionals and bird enthusiasts. The itinerary taken is designed around some of the most endangered and localized birds to be found in the neo-tropics. The beauty of this tour is that, although centered around certain special birds, we can see so much of more widely distributed species on the way with tremendous scenery and places little known by foreigners. Besides we will also visit the famous Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipan, considered one of the best archaeological museums of Latin America and the impressive, mysterious fortress of Kuelap in Chachapoyas. The biggest part of the tour we will drive on good, paved roads

   

DAY 1:   LIMA - CHICLAYO

Morning transfer to airport and flight to Chiclayo. On arrival we bring you to selected hotel and after a short rest we depart to Batan Grande, the biggest algarrobo woodland in the world. . Here we will bird the Tumbes Swallow, Rufous Flycatcher, Necklaced Spinetail, Peruvian Plantcutter, Supercilliaried Wren, Coastal Miner, and more. Afterwards we drive to Lambayeque to have a delicious lunch at a good local restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the excellent Museum of the Royal Tombs. Hundreds of gold, silver and ceramic treasures of the Lord of Sipan and other important Moche governors are exhibited here. Overnight at Hotel WinMeier**** (B/L)

   

DAY 2:  CHAPARRI

After breakfast we drive to the Chaparri Ecological Reserve, a privately funded conservation project in the middle of an ecuatorial dry forest, owned and administrated by the local community of Santa Catalina de Chongoyape. En route we stop at the Tinajones reservoir to see black-faced Ibis. After lunch we will walk around to see the spectacled bear and the endemic white-winged Guan, which was critically threatened and successfully reintroduced in their natural habitat in Chaparrí. In the evening we look for Peruvian Screech Owl and spend the night at Chaparrí Lodge*** (B/L/D)

   

DAY 3:  CHAPARRI – OLMOS

 In the morning we will have a lot of time to observe several species of hummingbirds – depending on the weather and season – like Purple-collared Woodstar, Tumbes and Amazilia Hummingbirds, Long-billed Starthroat, Short-tailed Woodstar Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail and Little Woodstar. In a water seep below the lodge we can see groups of Sulphur-throated Finch and Cinereous Finch. In the scrub we will bird for Tumbes Tyrant ( endemic ), Tumbes Sparrow, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Gray and Gold Warbler, Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Gray and White Tyrannulet and some more. Afterwards we´ll head for Olmos ( around 3 hours ), stopping for lunch in Lambayeque and stay overnight at ecological Hotel El Remanso.** (B/L/D)
   

DAY 4:  OLMOS – JAEN

Today we leave behind the coastal strip and go up to Abra Porculla, the lowest Andean pass at 2137 m. Along the way we make some stops in order to look for Piura Chat-Tyrant, a very rare, local endemic species. Other birds we may see are Black-cowled Saltator, Andean Tinamou, Elegant Crescentchest, Three-banded Warbler, White-winged and Bay crowned Brush Finch’s Chapman’s Antshrike, Ecuadorian Piculet, yellow-bellied and Black and White Seedeaters and Rufous-necked and Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaners. In the afternoon we will arrive at Jaen where we stay overnight at Hotel El Bosque***.(B/BL)

   

DAY 5:   JAEN – BAGUA CHICA – CHACHAPOYAS

Pre-dawn start and breakfast in the field at first light. We'll drive to a side road where we have had spectacular success with the endemic Maranon Crescentchest. Here we will see other Maranon endemics including Chinchipe Spinetail, Marañon Slaty Antshrike, Marañon Spinetail, Marañon Thrush and Yellow-cheeked Becard. The distinct Maranon races of Speckle-breasted Wren and Black-capped Sparrows are here too as well as Tataupa Tinamou and, surprisingly, Miltary Macaw. After box lunch we continue to Bagua Chica, here is the Little Inca-finch (endemic), fairly common in the scrub. Here also are : Crimson Finch, Dull colored Grassquit, Drab Seedeater, Spot-throated We continue up the Utcubamba river, keeping an eye out for Fasciated Tiger-heron and Torrent Duck passing through Pedro Ruiz . Overnight at Casa Andina Chachapoyas *** (B/BL)

   

DAY 6: KUELAP

The Department of Amazonas, which includes Chachapoyas and the ancient walled city of Kuelap, is where the main trunk Amazon River violently carved out a valley in the Andes, deeper than the Grand Canyon. This is the land of the cloud people or Chachapoyans who lived in the cloud forest high in the Andes overlooking the Amazon Basin, hidden in a perpetual mist with orchids and bromeliads everywhere. After a late breakfast you will visit the Kuelap Fortress, a spectacular pre-Inca walled city hidden atop a precipitous mountain 3000 masl. Kuelap was discovered 60 years before Machu Picchu and was built in the 9 th century AD by the Chachapoyas culture. The citadel covers an area of about 14 acres with some 420 circular buildings that include a watchtower and a castle. The buildings have rhomboid friezes and vaulted niches in the walls A narrow walled tunnel-like passageways lead into the interior, strategically built to prevent invaders from entering. Recent amazing discoveries in nearby areas  to Kuelap have captured the attention of archaeologists, international magazines and film companies. We will spend another night at lovely Casa Andina Chachapoyas*** (B/L)

   

DAY 7: LEYMEBAMBA – CHACHAPOYAS

We follow the Utcubamba valley upstream, spotting herons and perhaps an Andean torrent duck in the river as we slowly ascend the valley. We continue our road journey to Leimebamba. This city retains much of this antique charm in its balconied houses with narrow streets. We go a little further up the highway and pull into the spacious garden environment of the Leymebamba Mummy Museum ( Centro Mallqui ), where we visit a delightful collection of extraordinary artifacts and around 200 mummies, recovered from another group of cliff tombs discovered as recently as 1997 at the remote Laguna de los Condores, high in the mountains east of the town. After our museum tour we visit the Kenticafé across the street, for a cup of the best coffee in Chachapoyas, where we may see dozens of the region's exotic hummingbirds flitting among the strategically placed feeders, perhaps including the dazzling and highly endangered Marvellous Spatuletail. Return to Casa Andina Chachapoyas for dinner and overnight. (B/BL)

   

DAY 8: POMACOCHAS

Early morning depart to the village of Florida where nearby Huembo Interpretation Centre is located within a conservation easement of 39 hectares This reserve protects remnant forest patches that provide habitat for resident and migratory birds and other wildlife. We'll give priority to Marvelous Spatulatail, but will also explore the San Lorenzo trail. Patches of good cloud forest remain and some of the possibilities here that we have seen in the past include : Torrent Duck, Speckled Hummingbird, Mountain Velvetbreast, Colared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Versicolored Barbet, Gray-breasted Mountain- toucan, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, White-tailed and White-banded Tyranulets, Inca Flycatcher (endemic), Chestnut-crested Cotinga, White-capped Tanager, White-collared Jay, Andean Solitaire, Silver-backed and Straw-backed Tanagers plus lots more. Overnight at Hotel Puerto Pumas*** , surrounded by a lush flower- and bird-filled garden, overlooking the lovely Pomacochas lake. (B/BL/D)

   

DAY 9: ABRA PATRICIA

Full Day at Abra Patricia. This famous collecting site is home of some of the least known Peruvian birds. We may bump into mixed flocks with Blue-browed, Metallic-green and other Tanagers. Exploring side trails we may see the new Lulu's Tody-tyrant, Tyrranine Woodcreeper, Spotted and Rusty-winged Barbtails. Overnight at Owlet Lodge*** Night birding is good here for Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Cinnamon Screech Owl and Long-whiskered Owlet. (B/BL/D)

   

DAY 10: ABRA PATRICIA – RIOJA – MOYOBAMBA

This day we will explore other trails around Owlet Lodge, trying to see Ash-throated Antwren here. Target birds - some very rare -we hope to see also Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Bar-winged Wood-wren, Royal Sunangel, Equatorial Graytail, White-capped and Scaly-naped Parrots, Straw-backed, Metallic-green and Blue-browed Tanagers, White-capped Tanager, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Crimson- mantled Woodpecker, Montane Woodcreeper.  After lunch we will keep descending to around 1000 m and  we will visit the Aguas Verdes bridge. One of our targets will be the endemic Black-bellied Tanager (also known as Huallaga Tanager). On some trails we will enter shortly we might see Zimmer's Anbird, Equatorial Gaytail, Plain-backed Antpitta, Burnich-buff Tanager, Dusky Spinetail and many others. At dusk we will go to Moyobamba. Overnight at Hotel Puerto Mirador*** (B/L)

   

DAY 11:   MOYOBAMBA – TARAPOTO

Early in the morning we will visit Morro Calzada, an isolated peak easily visisble at the west of Moyobamba. A locally managed reserve here contains an interesting set of birds. At dusk and predawn, Spot-tailed, Blackish, and Rufous nightjars are common here. In the daytime it can be very quiet, but dawn chorus will provide Lesses Elaenia, Mishana Tyrannulet, The Amazonian form (olivaceum) of Southern Beardless – Tyrannulet, Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrant, Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, White-browned Purpletuff, and Palebreasted Thrush. In the afternoon we go to Waqanki, a private family-run reserve in the Mayo valley on the outskirts of Moyobamba. There is an orchid garden with several hundred os species, trails and a hummingbird garden with many flowering bushes, feeders and a three-story observation tower. Over 25 hummingbird species have been recorded here so far. Birding highlights by habitat/area at Waqanki include ridge, forest and shade coffee uphill: Rufescent Screech Owl, Band-bellied Owl, Rufous Potoo, Ash-throated Antwren, Stripe-chested Antwren, Foothill Antwren, Feiry-throated Fruiteater, White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant, aureopectus subspecies of striped Manakin, Feiry-capped Manakin, Black and white Tody Flycatcher, and more. Waqanki is also next door to the popular San Mateo thermal baths. In the early evening we will arrive in Tarapoto where we stay overnight at the Hotel Rio Shilcayo.  (B)

   

DAY 12: TARAPOTO

After breakfast we drive to a dry forests south of Tarapoto. Here we can look for Northern Slaty-Antshrike and do some general birding, looking for Mishana Tyrannulet, and Chesnut-throated Spinetail. Afterwards we visit the lovely waterfall Ahuashiyaku only 14 km from Tarapoto, where you can take a refreshing bath in the natural pool beneath the fall.  There is a lush vegetation and you can observe a variety of  birds and butterflies. Not far from here we will bird an area known as “The Tunel” on the road to Yurimaguas at “Cerro La Escalera”, a ridge visible from east of Tarapoto. Here we have a chance of seeing Koepckeʼs Hermit, Rose-fronted Parakeet, Golden-collared Toucanet, Dusky-chested Flycatcher, Blackish Pewee and Dotted Tanager, among many others. Overnight at Hotel Rio Shilcayo*** (B)

   

DAY 13: TARAPOTO – LIMA

We spend the day in the large, tropical garden of the hotel and in the afternoon we bring you  to Tarapoto airport for he flight to Lima. Here comes this phantastic trip to its end and in the evening you take your international flight home.

   
 

Price in US $ per person  ( double room )                   

2 pax 4 pax 6 pax
3.950,- 3.600,- 3.200,-
   
 

SERVICES INCLUDED:

12 overnight stays in 3* and 4*hotels with breakfast ( 1 night in 2*hotel ),  all mentioned meals,  prestigious English speaking birding guides, entrance fees ,  private transportation with experienced drivers, transfer Lima airport - hotel.

SERVICES NOT INCLUDED:  

Flights, not mentioned meals, beverages, tips, insurance.

   
 
   


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