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Moderately difficult birding.
On these trips it is birdwatching all the time, but we make all the effort to get to the hotel before dark. The birds are in general easy to see, but the diversity can often be extreme making the species richness quite overwhelming. The pace is usually not overly intense, yet, some trips may have new hotel nights every night, so pace can at times be intense due to this fact. We concentrate on good views and even though these trips are not labeled as photography trips, opportunities for photography are frequently given. Sometimes there may be walks or hikes on these trips but rarely for full days. There is no camping involved.
Ask us about traditional cultural programs in Peru by sending an email to kolibriexp@gmail.com
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SOUTH PERU |
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| The best full day birding tour one can make in Arequipa is to Laguna Salinas and Chiguata to see all three species of flamingos and birds of the Polylepis scrub, as well as Tamarugo Conebill and White-throated Earthcreeper. . |
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| Day trip to Abra Malaga to sample some of the best birds of Peru. Trip starts preferably from Ollantaytambo, but if needed be it can also start from Cuzco. |
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We recommend to do SE Peru in 22 days for Manu and 4 days for Abra Malaga and Machu Picchu if SE Peru is to be done properly. However, if you want to concentrate on the species you cannot see elsewhere you may strip down the trip to only 13 days, and keep a very high pace. The reason why this is possible is that there are relatively few endemics and specialities in the lowlands apart from the bamboo birds. Since many of the bamboo birds can be gotten near Pilcopata relatively close to the road, it is possible to skip lowland Manu completely and still get most of the special birds.
The other SE Peru species are found in high Andean forests (Abra Malaga), in the cloud forest and in the foothills (on Manu road). |
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| Apurimac is only a stone-throw away from Cusco, yet very few birders bird there. At Bosque Ampay the key birds are Apurimac Spinetail and Apurimac Brush-Finch. High altitude and some strenuous hiking. |
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| Bird watching at Abra Malaga while you get accustomed to altitude before hiking the Inca Trail. Don't stay in Cusco feeling miserable at 3450m before Inca Trail. Better to work high and sleep low as the pro mountain climbers. Birding at Abra Malaga |
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| 5 days recommended, but shorter trips are possible. Excellent birding in the magic environment of the Incas. |
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MANU ROAD |
| No other road in the whole world covers so many different altitudinal eco-systems such as Manu road. The road pass highland lakes, Puna Grassland, deep dry scrubby gorges, semi-deciduous forest, Polylepis forest, temperate, subtropical and upper tropical cloud forest to eventually reach savanna and lowland amazon rain forest with all its riches. It is the most diverse place on earth. Over 1000 species of birds have been recorded along the road and the lowlands in the Manu National Park. Apart from gaudy birds such as Cock of the Rock found at a lek right by the road, trogons, toucans and tanagers, there are many lodges with Hummingbird feeders and a wide array of endemic birds. Trips range from 5 days on Manu road to combinations over 18 days that also include the lowlands and the macaw lick at Cocha Blanco in the ecotourism buffer zone of Manu National Park. Manu road should best not be attempted in the rainy season mid-December to mid April, as it is prone to landslides. |
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Manu with limited time. If this 10 day itinerary is placed to start on Friday or Saturday, it would allow you do to this program with only 6 days off from work. |
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| 17 days birdwatching in South East Peru on the famous Manu road and the best lowland Manu lodges with the famous Macaw lick and Giant Otter lake. |
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Fågelskådning i Manu National Park i sydöstra Peru för skandinaver. |
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We recommend to do SE Peru in 22 days for Manu and 4 days for Abra Malaga and Machu Picchu if SE Peru is to be done properly. However, if you want to concentrate on the species you cannot see elsewhere you may strip down the trip to only 13 days, and keep a very high pace. The reason why this is possible is that there are relatively few endemics and specialities in the lowlands apart from the bamboo birds. Since many of the bamboo birds can be gotten near Pilcopata relatively close to the road, it is possible to skip lowland Manu completely and still get most of the special birds.
The other SE Peru species are found in high Andean forests (Abra Malaga), in the cloud forest and in the foothills (on Manu road). |
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CENTRAL PERU |
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| Main target: Junin Grebe and birds often missed in the Santa Eulalia Canyon. |
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| An epic birding trip to the backyard of Lima, with no need for internal flights and a good price. Some of the best birds of Peru can be seen on this trip. Birding Central Peru: Star birds include Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager, Cloud-Forest Screech-Owl and Black-spectacled Brush-Finch, Diademed Sandpiper-Plover and White-bellied Cinclodes. Visiting Cordillera Blanca, Satipo road, Junin Lake, Unchog, Marcapomacocha and Santa Eulalia. |
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| A short 5 day trip which aims to see Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager at Bosque Unchog and the other Carpish endemics, Paty trail, and Junin Grebe and Junin Rail at Lake Junin. On the way back to Lima we stop for White-bellied Cinclodes and Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. |
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| Promoting the recent community project at Satipo road we introduce this short trip that contains both excellent cloud forest birding and the endemic specialties which can not be seen on a short Carpish/Unchog trip. |
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LIMA AREA |
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| Diademed Sandpiper-Plover and White-bellied Cinclodes |
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| Main target: Junin Grebe and birds often missed in the Santa Eulalia Canyon. |
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| Classic Lima excursion for two or three days up into the Rimac drainage wiht 18 endemic species possible including White-bellied Cinclodes and White-cheeked Cotinga. Also one of the best places in South America to see Diademed Sandpiper Plover. |
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Fågelskådning i Manu National Park i sydöstra Peru för skandinaver. |
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NORTH PERU |
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| Our most intense North Peru program trying to get more birds at a faster pace. Particular focus on hummingbirds and endemic species. |
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| The 16 day tour that covers all the main birding sites and the species along the Northern Peru territories. |
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AMAZON LOWLANDS |
| The Peruvian Amazon for birders is separated into two main areas. Iquitos region in the North and Manu-Tambopata areas in the South-East. The SE Peruvian Amazon rain forest is perhaps one of the less known gems of South America. It is outstanding for bird and nature watching and still very pristine in spite of being close to Puerto Maldonado served with flights from Lima and Cusco. Nowhere in South America is wildlife so easily accessible at relatively inexpensive rates. Here you may see up to 10 species of monkeys in a week (of 15 possible), Tapir at nightly clay licks, Giant Otters in the oxbow lakes, sometimes jaguar on the sandbanks (May-August) and the famous colorful Macaw-licks where hundreds of colorful parrots, parakeets and macaws gather to eat clay for digesting toxic leaves and fruits. The Iquitos area is less wild, but has a number of endemic bird species in the white sand forests close to the town and many different birds if one goes north or south of the Amazon. There are also many river island specialists and of course Pink River Dolphin. Rainy season (Dec-April) birding in the SE Amazon, can actually be very good, since the rain mostly comes in showers. Right after a shower the birding is fantastic. In the Iquitos region the rain is more spread out through the year with no marked rainy season. However, the river floods from December-April, so access to river islands is difficult this time of year. |
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| 9 days. This trip concentrates on the birds that are difficult to see elsewhere in the Amazon basin. It is possible to add days for other lodges. One can easily spend up to 3 weeks in the Iquitos area |
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| 17 days birdwatching in South East Peru on the famous Manu road and the best lowland Manu lodges with the famous Macaw lick and Giant Otter lake. |
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Fågelskådning i Manu National Park i sydöstra Peru för skandinaver. |
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| Incredible diversity with good bamboo, varzea and terra firme. Thus you can get all Manu and Tambopata specialists at a very decent price. Departures from Lima on Thursdays. Perfect for someone who only wants a short stay. |
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MACHU PICCHU |
| Visiting Peru without visiting Machu Picchu is like going to Egypt and not seeing the pyramids. Combo: Machu Picchu combined with Manu Road or Tambopata. Stand-alone trip: (especially in rainy season) combined with a trip to the north. Peru has several itineraries that lend themselves to combinations of culture, archeology and gastronomy. Archeology and Birding Itineraries especially South: (classic Peru tour) Lima, Paracas, Nazca Lines, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno and Titicaca Lake, before ending in Cusco and Machu Picchu
whilst birding and enjoying nature. North: Moche, Chan Chan, Sipan & Chachapoyas cultures with excellent birding. |
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| 5 days recommended, but shorter trips are possible. Excellent birding in the magic environment of the Incas. |
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5-DAY TRIPS |
We have noted that people have less and less time and problems to get away for a 2-3 week holiday and in the wired day and age simply cant disconnect for such long periods of time. To solve this problem we have ns to a completely different part of the country if you are looking to boost the species list in as short time as possible. Currently the 5 day trips include Central Highway, Abra Patricia area (with Marvelous Spatuletail), Machu Picchu&Abra Malaga, Manu road, Amigos Research Center in the Amazon, Iquitos, Chaparri and Marañon Valley, Tumbes and Arequipa-Colca-Puno. From this (9x5 = 45 days) - you realize that no matter how you bend it, Peru is not one time destination if you are a birder.
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| A short 5 day trip which aims to see Golden-backed Mountain-Tanager at Bosque Unchog and the other Carpish endemics, Paty trail, and Junin Grebe and Junin Rail at Lake Junin. On the way back to Lima we stop for White-bellied Cinclodes and Diademed Sandpiper-Plover. |
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| Promoting the recent community project at Satipo road we introduce this short trip that contains both excellent cloud forest birding and the endemic specialties which can not be seen on a short Carpish/Unchog trip. |
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| Incredible diversity with good bamboo, varzea and terra firme. Thus you can get all Manu and Tambopata specialists at a very decent price. Departures from Lima on Thursdays. Perfect for someone who only wants a short stay. |
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| 5 days recommended, but shorter trips are possible. Excellent birding in the magic environment of the Incas. |
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