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.  But there is more, including the Polylepis at Runtacocha and the dry scrub below Abancay.

Day. 1 Cusco-Abancay via Vilcabamba Tapaculo.

We shall set off from Cusco when the planes arrive. If time permits we will go via Salcantay Lodge near Sorayapampa for Vilcabamba Tapaculo. This is the only place where one can drive a car to see this species restricted to the Vilcabamba mountain massif.  If you come from Puerto Maldonado, we shall do the Tapaculo on the way back.

We shall cross the Apurimac valley and we will look for the Apurimac form of Peruvian Pygmy-Owl (quite possibly a good species). Night in Abancay.

Day 2. Bosque Ampay

We have a full day above Abancay at Bosque Ampay reserve. It requires some trekking (although it is possible to rent horses if you let us know in advance)

In the dry scrub above the visitor centre birds like Apurimac Brush-finch, Creamy-crested Spinetail and Sword-billed Hummingbird can be seen. In the Podocarpus forest we shall look for Apurimac Spinetail and a yet undescribed Tapaculo - tentavily now known by everyone as Apurimac Tapaculo. Undulated Antpittas are common but hard to see. There are also an undescribed blackish Antpitta and undescribed Hummingbird similar to Many-spotted Hummingbird here. Above the forest is a Thistletail, probably Vilcabamba Thistletail - or something undescribed and there is a chance for the rare Taczanowski´s Tinamou.

If you seriously want to try for all the undescribed forms, you will probably need a week.

At night we shall look for the Apurimac form of Peruvian Pygmy-Owl and Koepcke's Screech-Owl - both are possibly good species - below Abancay. Night in Abancay.

Day 3. Pale-tailed Canastero and back to Cusco or Ollantaytambo

Morning birding below Abancay for usheri race of Pale-tailed Canastero.
It is is quite possible that all the races of Creamy-breasted Canastero constitutes good biological species - there is simply noone who have yet looked closer at this complex, so this is one you want to have a go at.

Then we drive back to Cusco or Ollantaytambo to continue birding.

Four day program.

An extra day is added to explore Runtacocha and the Polylepis there. This forest is more accessible than the forest at Abra Malaga and much larger and requires less streneous walking - although all walking at 4200m is streneous.  BIrds to look for include Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, White-browed and Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant and many more.