Kolibri Expeditions Birding Tours - More Birds

A. and B. programs for Machu Picchu and Abra Malaga

Day 1. After picking up early arrivers at the Cusco airport we will work our way to Ollantaytambo, via a short visit to the impressive Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman above town and then passing the Huacarpay Lake for Bearded Mountaineer, Rusty-fronted Canastero and wetland birds on our way.
After a buffet lunch we shall board the train to Aguas Calientes. From the train we shall look out for Torrent Duck and White-capped Dipper in the stream that runs along the railroad track. In the late afternoon we may take a walk up to the hot springs in the gorge above the village. We are not going to go swimming but to look for Swallow-tailed Nightjar that often do displays in this area at dusk. Night in Pachacutek Hostel.

Day 2. After some early morning birding along the uphill trail to the Machu Picchu ruins, we will visit the famed ruins. In close proximity to the ruins one can find the endemic Inca Wren, Cusco Brush-Finch and Green-and-White Hummingbird. The area below the ruins is rich with birds and many good species can be seen such as Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Mitred Parakeet, Barred Parakeet, Andean Guan, Cock-of-the Rock, Ocellated Piculet, White-eared Solitaire, Highland Motmot, Variable Antshrike, Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Black-streaked Puffbird, White-crowned, Sierran and Highland Elaenias, Masked Fruiteater, Saffron-crowned, Flame-faced, Rust-and-Yellow and Beryl-spangled Tanagers, Mottled-cheeked and Sclater´s Tyrannulet and many more.
At the ruins themselves we may hike up the Wiñay Huayna the "sugar-loaf" mountain in the background of all the postcards. On the back side at the moon temple there is good birding. In 2006 a pair of Rufous-breasted Falcons were nesting here.

Day 3. Additional day at Aguas Calientes picking up species we may have missed. We will bird most of the morning around Mandor valley which is the lowest section of the Machu Picchu sanctuary. This is the best place for Pale-legged Warbler. It is also usually possible to see Andean Cock-of-the Rock here. Train in the afternoon back to Ollantaytambo. Night in Ollantaytambo at Munay Tika hostel.

Day 4. We will get up very early for the drive up beyond the Abra Malaga pass at 4200m and continue to the north side of the pass and the wet temperate forest at Canchayoc. Here we may see Diademed Tapaculo, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Golden-collared Tanager, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Parodi´s Hemispingus, Marcapata Spinetail, Tit-like Dacnis, Slaty (Cusco) Brush-Finch sp. canigenis, Rufous-bellied Bush-Tyrant, Imperial Snipe  and many others. Rusty-breasted (Leimebamba), Red-and-White, Rufous and Undulated Antpitta are often heard and with some luck we may be able to lure some of them into view with play-back of its song. Returning to the pass around midday we will do a short, but quite strenuous walk to the quite disturbed Polylepis woodland on the ridge beside us. This is the most accessible high Polylepis woodland that holds the very rare Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and White-browed Tit-Spinetail. Among other specialties are Giant Conebill, Line-fronted and Junin Canstero, Puna (Andean) Tapaculo, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Thick-billed Siskin, Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, Puna Thistletail and various species of Ground-Tyrants. As we come out of the valley, we stand good chance of encountering Andean Parakeet and Tit-like Dacnis. Back on the main road in roadside scrub we often find Junin Canastero, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch and Golden-billed Saltator. Night in Ollantaytambo.

Day 5. Additional day on the Abra Malaga road. We will concentrate on birds we may have missed the previous day. Weather conditions - even snow sometimes - may make it impossible to visit the Polylepis forest on one of the days. By having two days at Abra Malaga with two days at Machu Picchu in between the risk of missing species because of bad weather is minimized. Above Ollantaytambo we will search for species like Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, White-tufted Sunbeam, Creamy-crested Spinetail, Giant Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing and White-bellied Hummingbird. We aim to be in Cusco around 1 pm, in time for the afternoon flight to Lima or fin time for those staying in Cusco to enjoy some sights of the city while it is still daylight .

C. More culture but still with the best birds.
We include some of the best archeological sites and make sure you get both culture and birding done with either two guides or a bird guide that knows enough about archeology to give a vivid description of the ruins. We can run this trip at any time. The program presented below is the C3 program. Let us know if you want extra days at Aguas Calientes and/or Abra Malaga and surroundings for more birds. It is possible to add either one day (Machu Picchu day - C2 program) or two days (one more day at Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes and one more day along the Abra Malaga road - C1 program). The latter option makes it possible to arrive earlier in Cusco on the last night - and considerbly slows down the pace. Thus we recommend the 7 day program for those that want a slower pace.

Day 1. Early flight to Cusco. City tour. Sacsayhuaman, Cathedral, Coricancha in this order. Lunch. Departure to Pisac. Visit Huacarpay on the way for lake birds and the endemic hummingbird Bearded Mountaineer. Other birds include the endemic Rusty-fronted Canastero, Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, Plumbeous Rail, Yellow-hooded Blackbird and many others. Overnight in Pisac. Charming town and charming small hotel.

Day 2. Early visit to Pisac ruins. Usually also some birding possible, especially if you decide to do the walk back down to Pisac town. Visit the Pisac market. Continue to Ollantaytambo via the salt-mines near Urubamba. Visit the archeological site of Ollantaytambo in the PM. Night in Ollantaytambo at Hostal Munay Tika. Birds during the day include Giant Hummingbird, Golden-billed Saltator, Black-backed Grosbeak and White-bellied Hummingbird.

Day 3. Full day to Abra Malaga. Temperate forest. Polylepis birds. Fantastic views of the Veronica massive. The Quechuas living in the area are dressed with their traditional cloths. We shall see plenty of alpaca herds as well. We will get up very early for the drive up beyond the Abra Malaga pass at 4200m and continue to the north side of the pass and the wet temperate forest at Canchayoc. Here we may see Diademed Tapaculo, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Golden-collared Tanager, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Parodi´s Hemispingus, Marcapata Spinetail, Tit-like Dacnis and many others. Rusty-breasted (Leimebamba), Red-and-White, Rufous and Undulated Antpitta are often heard and with some luck we may be able to lure some of them into view with play-back of its song. It is possible to do a walk through high Polylepis woodland for species like Royal Cinclodes, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Puna Tapaculo, and Stripe-headed Antpitta. In the afternoon we will look for the endemic White-tufted Sunbeam. We shall take evening train to Aguas Calientes. Night in Hostal Pachacutek.

Day 4. For birding and visit to ruins it is best to do birding in the morning and visit the ruins during midday when there are actually very few people there. However, for photography it may be worth to sacrifice the birding in the morning for a sunrise at the ruins. It is up to you. Afternoon train to Ollantaytambo and bus on to Cusco. Arrival at 8 PM. Hostal Emperador Plaza.

Day 5. Morning in Cusco. Shopping etc. Flight leaves in the afternoon (3.20 PM at present).

It is possible to upgrade the stay at Aguas Calientes to either Hostal Presidente or Rupa Wasi ecolodge for a cost of 15 dollars per night/person. Hostal Pachacutek is quite OK but Presidente is nearer the train station and Rupa Wasi is in a nicer surrounding. Let us know!

D program. 2 Days.
This program is suitable if you are doing a short Manu road tour and only have two weeks in total for your holiday. It is an intense program with immediate exposure to altitude (albeit this is only a couple of hours), but it gives the option for a non birder companion to visit Ollantaytambo ruins instead of Abra Malaga and have a sleep-in at Aguas Calientes before going up to the ruins.

Day 1. Arrival to Cusco with the earliest flight at around 6.50. A short visit to Sacsayhuaman area that can be photographed from a distance (entrance is fee is around 10 US$), where we shall do some initial birding. At 8.30 we depart to Abra Malaga and will be mainly birding the Polylepis for the specialties there such as the very rare Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and White-browed Tit-Spinetail. Among other specialties are Giant Conebill, Line-fronted and Junin Canstero, Puna (Andean) Tapaculo, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Thick-billed Siskin, Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, etc.
On the way back to Ollantaytambo we shall look out for the endemic White-tufted Sunbeam. After dinner we shall take evening train to Aguas Calientes. Night in Hostal Pachacutek (Hotel Presidente surcharge 15 US$).

Day 2. After some early morning birding along the uphill trail to the Machu Picchu ruins, we will visit the famed ruins. In close proximity to the ruins one can find the endemic Inca Wren, Cusco Brush-Finch and Green-and-White Hummingbird. The area below the ruins is rich with birds and many good species can be seen such as Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, Mitred Parakeet, Barred Parakeet, Andean Guan, Cock-of-the Rock, Ocellated Piculet, White-eared Solitaire, Highland Motmot, Variable Antshrike, Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Black-streaked Puffbird, White-crowned, Sierran and Highland Elaenias, Masked Fruiteater, Saffron-crowned, Flame-faced, Rust-and-Yellow and Beryl-spangled Tanagers, Mottled-cheeked and Sclater´s Tyrannulet and many more.
At the ruins themselves we may hike up the Wiñay Huayna the "sugar-loaf" mountain in the background of all the postcards. On the back side at the moon temple there is good birding. In 2006 a pair of Orange-breasted Falcons were nesting here.
In the afternoon we take the train back to Ollantaytambo and from there a transport will be awaiting us for the swift transfer to Cusco. Many choices of hotels at different rates in Cusco.