Manu Expeditions Birding 20 days

Manu Expeditions Birding 20 days

Manu Expeditions Birding  – For all those who find solace and wonder in the world of feathers, a new realm of discovery awaits. Introducing Manu Expeditions Birding, an odyssey that beckons enthusiasts

of avian observation to a haven of unparalleled allure. Brace yourself for a journey that intertwines passion with pristine landscapes, offering an experience both captivating and accessible.

Embark on a 20-day expedition that promises a panorama of avian marvels. From the bustling heart of Puerto Maldonado, situated at an elevation of just under 220 meters, to the ethereal Cock-of-the-Rock

Lodge perched at 1,500 meters, this expedition traces the iconic Manu Road. Here, the tapestry of birdlife unfurls through pristine cloudforests, offering you a front-row seat to one of nature’s most

captivating shows.

As you tread through this verdant realm, a parade of unique and elusive birds awaits your gaze.Manu Expeditions Birding.

Among them, the majestic White-rumped Hawk soars, the elusive Trilling Tapaculo graces the foliage, and the mighty Solitary Eagle commands the skies. The Andean Guan and the resplendent Scalynaped

Parrot paint the landscape with their presence, while a mesmerizing array of hummingbirds dance in the air.

Immerse yourself in the avian tapestry as you encounter the striking Black-streaked Puffbird, the regal Crimson-mantled and Bar-bellied Woodpeckers, and the endemic Marcapata Spinetail. The enigmatic

White-throated Antpitta emerges from the undergrowth, while the Barred and Band-tailed Fruiteaters punctuate the foliage with their vibrant hues. The melodious call of the Barred Becard resonates, and

the Pale-footed Swallow graces the skies. The Mountain Wren’s song echoes through the mountains, while the Citrine Warbler flits amongst the branches. And let us not forget the kaleidoscope of colorful

tanagers that adorn this landscape with their vivid plumage.

Manu Expeditions Birding – Puerto Maldonado 20 days

Prepare Manu Expeditions Birding – Puerto Maldonado for days drenched in color, melody, and the enchantment of discovery. Manu Expeditions Birding stands as an invitation to all who seek to unravel

the mysteries of the avian world. With each passing day, a new chapter unfurls, rich with encounters that resonate in the soul. Join us on this quest, where every observation is a step closer to the heart of

nature’s magic. Reach out to us and embark on this 20-day voyage of enchantment, connection, and a symphony composed of wings and song.

 1. Arrival in Lima

You will arrive at the Jorge Chávez International Airport near Lima and be transferred to your hotel.
Overnight: Casa Andina Miraflores, Lima

  Day 2. Flight to Cusco, Birding the Cusco Area .Manu Expeditions Birding

We will have an early flight to the city of Cusco and start our birding day with exploring some wetlands and marshes near the city, where we should find species such as Puna Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail,

Yellow-billed Teal, Andean Coot, Andean Lapwing, Plumbeous Rail, Cinnamon Teal, Andean Duck, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Andean Negrito, and other Andean wetland specialities. We will also

encounter the first hummingbirds of the trip, including Giant Hummingbird, Sparkling Violetear, Green-tailed Trainbearer, and the endemic Bearded Mountaineer. We will have an easy afternoon in

Cusco in order to rest well and acclimatize before starting our next day’s adventure.
Overnight: Casa Andina Hotel, Cusco

Day 3. Transfer to Pillahuata, Birding on the Way .Manu Expeditions Birding  .

Today we will leave Cusco to start exploring the famous Manu Road, one of the greatest bird-rich hotspots in South America. We will start looking for the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch

and the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail. Other targets include Band-tailed Seedeater, Peruvian Sierra Finch, Andean Flicker, Aplomado Falcon, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Black-throated

Flowerpiercer, Spot-winged Pigeon, Brown-backed and Rufous-breasted Chat-Tyrants, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Grass Wren, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Tyrian Metaltail,

Andean Guan, Grass-green Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Variable and White-throated Hawks, and many others. We will arrive in the Pillahuata area at 2800 meters elevation and stay at the

Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Station for two nights.
Overnight: Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Station

 Day 4. Birding the Pillahuata Area .Manu Expeditions Birding .

After an early breakfast we will be ready to look for birds around Pillahuata for species like Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Masked Trogon, the endemic Marcapata Spinetail, Golden-collared

Tanager, Hooded Mountain Tanager, the endemic Red-and-white Antpitta, Red-crested Cotinga, Masked Flowerpiercer, Trilling Tapaculo, Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant, Streak-throated Bush Tyrant,

White-banded, White-throated, White-tailed, and Black-capped Tyrannulets, Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager, Pearled Treerunner, Montane Woodcreeper, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Blue-backed

Conebill, Collared Inca, Barred Fruiteater, and Black-throated Tody-Tyrant. If we are lucky we might find the nocturnal Swallow-tailed Nightjar after dinner.

Overnight: Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Station

Day 5. Birding the San Pedro Area .Manu Expeditions Birding .

We will leave Wayquecha and descend to the cloudforest in the San Pedro area. We will look for mixed flocks along the road including species like Citrine and Three-striped Warblers, Andean Motmot, Blue-

banded Toucanet, Yungas Pygmy Owl, Andean and White-eared Solitaires, Great Thrush, Blue-and-black and Blue-capped Tanagers, Golden-headed Quetzal, Black-backed Grosbeak, White-collared Jay,

Southern Mountain Cacique, Superciliaried and Drab Hemispinguses, Pale-legged Warbler, and if we are lucky Solitary Eagle and Black-and-chestnut Eagle.

Overnight: Cock of the Rock Lodge

 Days 6 – 7. Cock of the Rock Lodge .Manu Expeditions Birding .

We will spend two full days around the Cock of the Rock Lodge, looking for a large selection of colorful species such as Paradise, Orange-eared, Golden, Spotted, Bay-headed, Blue-necked, Golden-eared,

Slaty, Silver-beaked, Magpie, Saffron-crowned, and White-winged Tanagers, Blue Dacnis, Golden-collared and Green Honeycreepers, Versicolored Barbet, Black-faced Dacnis, Fiery-capped and Yungas

Manakins, Black-eared Hemispingus, and others. In addition we should also find Scale-crested Pygmy Tyrant, Long-tailed Tyrant, Yellow-breasted Warbling Antbird, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, White-

backed Fire-eye, Stripe-chested Antwren, Slaty Antwren, Ochre-faced Tody-Flycatcher, Scaly-headed Parrot, Chestnut-breasted, Mountain, and Moustached Wrens, Slaty Gnateater, and with luck Brown

Tinamou around the lodge grounds. The hummingbird feeders attract Violet-fronted Brilliant, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Booted Racket-tail, Many-spotted Hummingbird, and Sparkling Violetear. The

flowering bushes are good for Wire-crested Thorntail, Green Hermit, and Wedge-billed Hummingbird. We will also try for Rufescent Screech Owl and Lyre-tailed Nightjar after dusk, and if we are lucky we

might find Andean Potoo at its daytime roost.
Overnight: Cock of the Rock Lodge

 Day 8. Cock of the Rock Lodge to Villa Carmen Biological Station .Manu Expeditions Birding .

Today we will enjoy the Andean Cock-of-the-rock display at the lek not far from the lodge, and after the show we will explore the area below the lodge, looking for the endemic Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher,

White-lined Antbird, Red-billed Scythebill, Rusty-fronted Tody-Flycatcher, Bamboo Antshrike, Golden-crowned Flycatcher, Lemon-browed Flycatcher, Streaked Flycatcher, and Bluish-fronted Jacamar. We

will pass the villages of Patria and Pilcopata, where we have chances to see Chestnut-bellied Seed Finch, Chestnut-bellied Seedeater, Plumbeous Kite, Roadside Hawk, Yellow-bellied Dacnis, Cinnamon-faced

Tyrannulet, Plain-crowned Spinetail, and others. We will reach the Villa Carmen Biological Station, where we will spend two nights. After dusk we will try for Tropical Screech Owl and Tawny-bellied Screech Owl.

Overnight: Villa Carmen Biological Station

Day 9. Exploring the Villa Carmen Area .Manu Expeditions Birding .

We have a full day to explore the area around Villa Carmen, especially the bamboo trail, where we should find Manu Antbird, Bamboo Foliage-gleaner, Flammulated Bamboo Tyrant, Bamboo Antshrike,

White-lined Antbird, Plain-winged Antshrike, Bluish-slate Antshrike, Ornate Antwren, Pygmy Antwren, Blackish Antbird, White-flanked Antwren, Black-throated Antbird, White-browed Antbird, Rusty-belted

Tapaculo, the endemic Fine-barred Piculet, Rufous-breasted Piculet, Orange-fronted Plushcrown, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Band-tailed Manakin, Yellow-

crowned Tyrannulet, Masked Tityra, Pectoral Sparrow, Collared Trogon, Amazonian Motmot, and with luck Blue-headed Macaw.

Overnight: Villa Carmen Biological Station

 Day 10. Hacienda Amazonia .Manu Expeditions Birding .

Today we will transfer to the Hacienda Amazonia for an overnight. The place is very good for hummingbird species, including Koepcke’s Hermit and also Rufous-crested Coquette, Gould’s

Jewelfront, Golden-tailed Sapphire, and Wire-crested Thorntail, all easily seen from the lodge balcony. Other birds include Grey-necked Wood Rail, Speckled Spinetail, Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird,

Blackish Rail, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Chestnut-eared and Lettered Aracaris, Black-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Black-banded Woodcreeper, Lineated, Little, Yellow-tufted, and

Crimson-crested Woodpeckers, Fasciated and Rufescent Tiger Herons, Crested, Casqued, and Russet-

backed Oropendolas, and Sand-colored Nighthawk. At night we will try for Great and Common Potoos.
Overnight: Hacienda Amazonia

 Day 11. Boat ride to the Manu Wildlife Center .

After breakfast we will transfer by boat to the Manu Wildlife Center. The boat ride along the Madre de Dios River takes seven hours. During the boat trip we might see Black Skimmer, Pied Plover, Swallow-

winged Puffbird, Great Black Hawk, Blue-throated Piping Guan, Red-and-green Macaw, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, and Scarlet Macaw.

Overnight: Manu Wildlife Center

Days 12 – 14. Manu Wildlife Center .

We will spend three full days here, looking for Amazon lowland species like Razor-billed Curassow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Musician Wren, Southern Nightingale-Wren, Red-necked Woodpecker, Festive

Coquette, Reddish Hermit, White-chinned Sapphire, Great Jacamar, Pavonine Quetzal, Grey Antbird, Dusky-throated Antshrike, Common Scale-backed Antbird, King Vulture, Black-fronted and White-

fronted Nunbirds, Western Striolated Puffbird, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher, and Dusky-tailed and Large-headed Flatbills. The macaw clay lick will provide great views of

all local macaw species, such as Scarlet, Blue-and-yellow, Red-and-green, Chestnut-fronted, and Red-bellied Macaws. Other parrots include Southern Mealy Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot, Orange-cheeked

Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Rose-fronted Parakeet, and White-eyed Parakeet.
Overnight: Manu Wildlife Center

 Days 15 –16-  17. Los Amigos Biological Station .

Today we will leave the Manu Wildlife Center and travel along the Madre de Dios River for about two hours, looking for Orinoco Goose and also for Yellow-billed and Large-billed Terns and Pied Plover, and

with a lot of luck we might find the elusive jaguar resting along sandbars. We will continue our boat trip on the Los Amigos River, which is a tributary of the Madre de Dios River. Here we will look for the

localized Red-billed Pied Tanager, Long-crested Pygmy Tyrant, Black-billed Seed Finch, Pale-eyed Blackbird, Rufous-fronted Antthrush, Black-faced Cotinga, and Varzea Schiffornis.

This location is particularly good for mammals, including more primates than other lodges with species like emperor tamarin and black-faced black spider monkey. Elusive mammals that can be seen at the

Los Amigos River include ocelot, tayra, nine-banded armadillo, and with a lot of luck the seldom-seen short-eared dog.

Nocturnal hikes could provide sightings of Crested Owl, Spectacled Owl, Amazonian Pygmy Owl, and Tawny-bellied Screech Owl.

Overnight: Los Amigos Biological Station

Day 18. Transfer to Puerto Maldonado .

We will have a long day to transfer by river and land to Puerto Maldonado. We will stay at the comfortable Cabaña Quinta Hotel.

Overnight: Cabaña Quinta Hotel, Puerto Maldonado

19. Birding the Puerto Maldonado Area .

We have a full day to explore Puerto Maldonado and surroundings, looking for the localized Purus Jacamar and White-throated Jacamar and also for Black-faced Tanager, Red-breasted Blackbird,

Grassland Sparrow, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Rusty-backed Antwren, Barred Antshrike, Picui Ground Dove, Southern Crested Caracara, and with luck the localized Rufous Twistwing.

Overnight: Cabaña Quinta Hotel, Puerto Maldonado

Expeditions Birding Day 20. Departure .

We will transfer to the Puerto Maldonado airport to connect with our flight to Lima. We say farewell, and you connect with your international flights.