Photo Birding Tour Coast-Northern – South of Perú 16 Days/15 Nights

Day 1   Arrival in Lima and transfer to Hotel

Upon arrival, we will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. The drive from the airport to the hotel takes approximately 40 minutes.

Overnight: Casa Andina Miraflores
Elevation: Sea level

Day 2   Hotel in Miraflores, Pantanos de Villa y Pucusana

After breakfast, we will head south along the Pan-American Highway to the artisanal fishing port of Pucusana, where we will take a boat trip to observe and photograph seabirds.

After lunch, we will return to Miraflores, stopping at the Pantanos de Villa wetlands.

Possible species include Inca Tern, Peruvian Pelican, Red-legged Cormorant, Guanay Cormorant, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Surf Cinclodes, White-cheeked Pintail, Black Skimmer, and Andean Ibis.

Overnight: Casa Andina Miraflores
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: Sea level

Inca tern

Day 3   Flight Lima to Tarapoto then visit to Koepckes hermit place.

Morning flight from Lima to Tarapoto. Upon arrival, we will drive approximately 45 minutes to the Koepcke’s Hermit reserve, where we will spend the afternoon photographing hummingbirds.

Possible species include Gould’s Jewelfront, Koepcke’s Hermit, Blue-fronted Lancebill, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, Blue-crowned Trogon, White-tailed Trogon, and Golden-tailed Sapphire.

Overnight: Hotel Rio Sol, Tarapoto
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 356 m

Goulds jewelfront

Day 4  Tarapoto to Waqanki Lodge

Drive to Moyobamba and Waqanki Lodge, birding along the way.

Possible species include Oilbird, Black-bellied Tanager, Paradise Tanager, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous-crested Coquette, White-necked Jacobin, White-tailed Trogon, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Great-billed Hermit, Black-throated Hermit, Amethyst Woodstar, and Gilded Barbet.

Overnight: Waqanki Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 860 m

Day 5   Waqanki Lodge full day Birding

Early in the morning, we will begin our photography session around the lodge grounds and hummingbird feeders.

Most of the day will be spent at the main hummingbird observatory, where we will have excellent opportunities to photograph a variety of hummingbirds and other colorful birds from this elevation. Species such as Black-throated Mango, Rufous-crested Coquette, and several tanagers are regular visitors to the area.

The lodge is also home to Saddle-back Tamarins, which are frequently seen around the grounds and provide additional photographic opportunities.

Overnight: Waqanki Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 860 m / 2,752 ft

Rufous crested coquette

Day 6  Waqanki to Owlet Lodge

We depart early in the morning and travel toward Aguas Verdes, one of the best hummingbird photography locations in Northern Peru.

Highlights include Wire-crested Thorntail and Blue-fronted Lancebill, while the feeders may also attract Rufous-breasted Wood Quail, Cinereous Tinamou, and Little Tinamou.

After our photography session, we continue ascending through the Alto Mayo Valley, stopping at different elevations along the route for birding and photography opportunities before arriving at Owlet Lodge.

In the afternoon, we will spend time photographing birds in the lodge gardens and around the feeders.

Overnight: Owlet Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 2,300 m / 7,360 ft

Paradise tanager

Day 7   Owlet Lodge full day activities

This morning we will visit several birding locations near the lodge in search of specialties such as Chestnut Antpitta, Rusty-tinged Antpitta, and Green-and-black Fruiteater.

The remainder of the day will focus on hummingbird photography, with species including Long-tailed Sylph, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Collared Inca, and several other cloud forest hummingbirds.

In the late afternoon and evening, we will make our first attempt to observe the endemic Long-whiskered Owlet.

Overnight: Owlet Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 2,300 m / 7,360 ft

Day 8  Owlet Lodge full day activities

Today we visit the Alto Nieva Reserve, an excellent location for hummingbird photography and one of the best places to search for the endemic Royal Sunangel.

Other species may include Booted Racket-tail, Greenish Puffleg, White-bellied Woodstar, Bronzy Inca, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, and Violet-fronted Brilliant.

The reserve offers outstanding photographic opportunities in a beautiful cloud forest setting.

Overnight: Owlet Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 2,300 m / 7,360 ft

Long whiskered owlet

Day 9  Owlet Lodge to Huembo Lodge

Today we travel toward Huembo, stopping along the way at Lake Pomacochas and other birding locations.

Huembo is world-famous as one of the best places to photograph the endemic Marvelous Spatuletail. Other species include Little Woodstar, White-bellied Hummingbird, White-bellied Woodstar, Lesser Violetear, Silvery Tanager, and Streaked Saltator.

Overnight: Huembo Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 2,000 m / 6,400 ft

Day 10  Full day activities

A full day dedicated to bird photography at the Huembo Interpretation Center and surrounding habitats.

Our main target is the spectacular Marvelous Spatuletail, one of the world’s most extraordinary hummingbirds. Additional hummingbird species and tanagers provide excellent photographic opportunities throughout the day.

Overnight: Huembo Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 2,000 m / 6,400 ft

Marvelous Spatuletail

Day 11  Huembo Lodge to Waqanki lodge

Today is a longer travel day as we return from Huembo to Waqanki Lodge.

Depending on weather conditions and available time, we will stop at selected locations along the route to photograph additional bird species before arriving at the lodge.

Overnight: Waqanki Lodge
Meals: B, L, D
Elevation: 860 m / 2,752 ft

Day 12  Tarapoto Lima to Cusco city to Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley

After breakfast we drive approximately three hours to Tarapoto Airport for our flights to Lima and then Cusco.

Upon arrival in Cusco, we continue to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Along the way, we may stop at high-elevation lakes and scenic viewpoints before reaching Ollantaytambo in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Pakaritampu Hotel
Meals: B, L
Elevation: 2,700 m / 8,640 ft

Sword billed hummingbirds

Day 13  Ollantaytambo to Machupicchu

This morning we visit Ensifera Camp, one of the finest hummingbird photography sites in the Sacred Valley.

Possible species include Giant Hummingbird, Sparkling Violetear, Green-and-white Hummingbird, Black-tailed Trainbearer, White-bellied Woodstar, Shining Sunbeam, Golden-billed Saltator, and the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch.

After lunch, we board the train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.

For this portion of the trip, participants should bring a small overnight bag, while larger luggage will remain stored at the hotel.

Overnight: Casa Andina Machu Picchu
Meals: B, L

Torrent duck

Day 14  Machupicchu  Exploring the Machupicchu Inca city &  full day birding

This morning we enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Machu Picchu Inca Citadel.

After lunch, we will spend time birding along the Urubamba River, searching for Torrent Duck, White-capped Dipper, and other Andean bird species.

Overnight: Casa Andina Machu Picchu
Meals: B, L, D

Machupicchu

Day 15  Machupicchu and  then Cusco city.

Morning birding around Aguas Calientes and surrounding cloud forest habitats.

Later, we board the train back to Ollantaytambo and continue by road to Cusco.

Overnight: Cusco Hotel
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 16 Cusco to Lima

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima.

End of Tour