We depart early (06:00 AM) from Cusco for a full day of birding.

Huacarpay Lakes: Our first stop is Huacarpay Lakes, surrounded by Inca and pre-Inca ruins. We’ll scan the wetlands for high Andean waterfowl and waders, including:

• Puna, Yellow-billed, and Cinnamon Teal
• Andean Duck, White-tufted Grebe, and Slate-colored Coot
• Specialties: Wren-like Rushbird, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Puna Ibis, and Andean Negrito.
• Raptors: Aplomado Falcon, Cinereous Harrier, and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle.

High Andean Slopes: Crossing the highest point above Huancarani, we’ll look for the endemic Bearded Mountaineer feeding on Tree Tobacco, alongside Giant Hummingbirds and Trainbearers. We’ll also search for the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, Creamy-crested Spinetail, and Andean Hillstar.

Ajcanacu Pass: At the last Andean pass, if weather permits, we’ll gaze out over the Amazon basin just as the Incas did.

Accommodation: We arrive at Wayqecha Cloud Forest Birding Lodge (2,800m) for lunch. The lodge features renovated cabins with private bathrooms and hot showers, offering magnificent views of the cloud forest.

• Evening: Optional talk on ACCA scientific research.

Overnight: Wayqecha.

We wake to a varied dawn chorus and spend the day exploring humid temperate forests from the tree line down.

Lodge Grounds: Enjoy the hummingbird feeders and the worm feeder for the elusive, endemic Urubamba Antpitta.

Forest Exploration: We will bird downhill through the forest, looking for mixed feeding flocks containing:

• Grass-green Tanager & Hooded Mountain-Tanager
• Barred Fruiteater & Black-throated Tody-Flycatcher
• Target Species: Peruvian Treehunter, Golden-plumed Parakeet, and Greater Scythebill.
• Other Wildlife: Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan and Mountain Cacique.

Nightlife: One evening, we may visit a spot to call in the Swallow-tailed Nightjar.

Overnight: Wayqecha.

After breakfast, we leave the lodge to spend the day birding down a little-travelled road bordered by pristine forest.

Target Species: As we descend, we’ll look for:

• Black-and-Chestnut Eagle & Andean Guan
• Endemics: Marcapata Spinetail and Fulvous Wren.
• Hummingbirds: Gould’s Inca, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, and Amethyst-throated Sunangel.
• Tanagers and Flycatchers: Barred Becard, Pale-footed Swallow, and various Tanagers.

We arrive at Cock of the Rock Lodge (1,300m) for the night.

Morning Lek Visit: We start early at the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek for a spectacular display and photo opportunity. After breakfast overlooking the bird-rich garden, we descend towards our next lodge.

Upper Tropical Zone: We focus on the stretch of forest between 1,500m and 800m—a habitat that has disappeared elsewhere due to cash crops.

• Rare Sightings: In winter, we look for the newly described Inti Tanager.
• Key Species: Lanceolated Monklet, Versicolored Barbet, Rufous-lored Tyrannulet, and the endemic Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher.

Accommodation: We arrive at Manu Biolodge (500m) in time for garden birding. The independent cabins feature floor-to-ceiling screened windows and luxurious private bathrooms.

Overnight: Manu Biolodge.

We spend two days exploring the lodge grounds (bird list of 650+ species) and surrounding habitats, including floodplain, hill forest, and bamboo stands.

Lodge Gardens & Feeders: Butterfly bushes attract hummingbirds like Rufous-crested Coquette, Golden-tailed Sapphire, and Wire-crested Thorntail. Ground feeders attract Tinamous and Antpittas.

Bamboo Specialists: We’ll target bamboo-specialist species, including:

• White-cheeked & Flammulated Tody-Tyrants
• Large-headed Flatbill & Rufous-headed Woodpecker
• Manu, White-lined, and Goeldi’s Antbirds.

Trail Birding: We look for Wattled Guan, Military Macaw, and endemic Koepcke’s Hermit.

Atalaya Excursion: One day we’ll visit the Atalaya lookout over the Madre de Dios River and stop at hummingbird feeders to boost our list.

Nightlife: Optional night birding for Mottled Owl, Black-banded Owl, Great Potoo, and Long-tailed Potoo.

Overnight: Manu Biolodge.

After breakfast, we head back up the east slope of the Andes with a packed lunch. We’ll make strategic stops for any species missed on the descent.

• Arrival: We arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon.

End of Tour