CENTRAL PERU BIRDING TOUR
Santa Eulalia, Lake Junín, Bosque Unchog, Satipo Road
17 days
Best season from May to November
DATES
OVERVIEW
This tour is one of our favorites because it offers the opportunity to see endemic bird species from small, restricted ranges while experiencing Peru’s stunning and diverse landscapes at the same time: desert, high Andean mountains, dry valleys, puna grasslands, Polylepis forests, lakes, elfin and cloud forests, and the vast Amazon rainforest.
We will cross the Andes mountain range in central Peru from west to east, starting in the Lima region with many endemic species and other birds adapted to the dry Andean valleys, such as the endemic Great Inca Finch, Black-necked Woodpecker, and Thick-billed Miner.
From here we wind our way up into the high Andes, where we search for more endemic species in the puna grasslands and Polylepis forests, including Striated Earthcreeper, White-cheeked Cotinga, and Dark-winged Miner, as well as other rare birds such as the beautiful Diademed Sandpiper-Plover and the critically endangered White-bellied Cinclodes.
We will also visit the vast Lake Junín at 4,000 meters / 13,123 feet above sea level, home to the endemic and critically endangered Junín Grebe and Junín Rail.
After crossing the mighty Andes, we will spend a large part of the tour in the elfin and cloud forests, searching for some very restricted and endemic species, many of them only recently described by scientists. These include Jalca Tapaculo, Neblina Tapaculo, Rufous-browed Hemispingus, Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, and Oxapampa Antpitta.
Some of these species can be found in remote and spectacular locations such as Bosque Unchog, the Satipo Road, and Bosque Sho’llet.
A dream tour combining Peru’s spectacular landscapes with its extraordinary birdlife.
To learn more about the locations and potential species, you can read the detailed trip report we have written for this tour.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival at the international airport in Lima, where we will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Lima.
Day 2: Transfer by private vehicle to the Santa Eulalia area to spend the day in the dry Andean valleys. Overnight in Santa Eulalia.
Day 3: Full day birding in the upper Santa Eulalia area. Overnight in Huachupampa.
Day 4: Morning birding in the Marcapomacocha area, the highest point of this tour (4,800 meters / 15,748 feet) above sea level). In the afternoon, transfer to the valley of Concepción. Overnight at a hotel in Concepción.
Day 5: Birding in the district of Comas, where we will have our first contact with the cloud forest. In the afternoon, return to Concepción. Overnight at a hotel in Concepción.
Day 6: Full day in the upper part of the Satipo Road looking for endemic birds in the elfin and cloud forest. In the afternoon, transfer to Satipo. Overnight at a hotel in Satipo.
Day 7: Birding in the lower cloud forest along the Satipo Road. Overnight at a hotel in Satipo.
Day 8: Transfer to Villa Rica and full day of birding around Lake Oconal. Overnight at a hotel in Villa Rica.
Day 9: Full day birding around Bosque Sho’llet in elfin and cloud forest near the city of Villa Rica. Overnight at a hotel in Villa Rica.
Day 10: Morning birding around Villa Rica followed by transfer to La Oroya. Overnight at a hotel in La Oroya.
Day 11: Birding around Lake Junín (4,100 meters / 13,451 feet above sea level), home to several endemic species, including the Junín Grebe. Overnight at a hotel in Huánuco.
Days 12–13: Two full days birding in the mystical Bosque Unchog, one of the most important hotspots of this itinerary and the best place to find several remarkable endemic birds, including Pardusco, Bay-vented Cotinga, and Golden-backed Mountain Tanager. Overnight at a hotel in Huánuco.
Day 14: Morning birding around Tunnel Carpish. Birding stops en route to Tingo María, known as the gateway to the Amazon. Overnight at a hotel in Tingo María.
Day 15: Birding en route back to Huánuco with a stop at Tingo María National Park to see the spectacular Oilbird cave (Cueva de las Lechuzas). Overnight at a hotel in Huánuco.
Day 16: Morning flight to Lima, followed by a visit to the Villa Marshes in the afternoon to look for shorebirds and seabirds. Overnight at a hotel in Lima.
Day 17: Transfer to Lima airport for your flight home. End of the tour.
KEY SPECIES
Endemic species: Black-necked Woodpecker, Great Inca-Finch, Bronze-tailed Comet, Thick-billed Miner, Rusty-bellied Brushfinch, Black-breasted Hillstar, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, Creamy-crested Spinetail, White-bellied Cinclodes, Striated Earthcreeper, White-cheeked Cotinga, Junin Canastero, Dark-winged Miner, Junin Grebe, Junin Rail, Bay-vented Cotinga, Rufous-browed Hemispingus, Pardusco, Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, Streak-crowned Mountain-Tanager, Bronze-tailed Comet, Black Metaltail, Black-breasted Hillstar, Coppery Metaltail, Jalca Tapaculo, Neblina Tapaculo, Tschudi’s Tapaculo, Rufous-vented Tapaculo, Large-footed Tapaculo, Brown-flanked Tanager, Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Slaty Brushfinches, Eye-ringed Thistletail, Cerulean-capped Manakin, Creamy-bellied Antwren, Masked Fruiteater, Peruvian Wren, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch,
Other species: Tschudi’s Nightjar, Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, Oasis Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail, Peruvian Pygmy-Owl, Collared-warbling Finch, Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe, Puna Tinamou, Black Siskin, Diademed Sandpiper Plover, Andean Goose, Andean Condor, Glacier Finch, Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch, Plumbeous Sierra-Finch, White-winged Cinclodes, Cream-winged Cinclodes, Streak-backed Canastero, Streak-throated Canastero, Puna Ground-Tyrant, Buff-breasted Earthcreeper, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, Giant Conebill, Thick-billed Siskin, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Spot-winged Antbird, Fiery-capped Manakin, Black-winged Parrot, Foothill Elaenia, White-bellied Pygmy-Tyrant, Versicolored Barbet, Masked Saltator, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Band-tailed Fruiteater, Golden-collared Tanager, Streaked Tuftedcheek, Pearled Treerunner, Powerful Woodpecker, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sapphire-vented Puffleg, Purple-backed Thornbill.
Villa Marshes: Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Peruvian Thick-knee, Peruvian Meadowlark, Least Bittern, Great Grebe, Belcher’s Gull, Andean Gull, Gray-hooded Gull, Gray Gull, Kelp Gull, Killdeer, Black Skimmer, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, American Oystercatcher, Peruvian Pelican, Peruvian Booby, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Blue-winged Teal, Upland Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Peregrine Falcon, Barn Swallow, Laughing Gull, Franklin’s Gull, Osprey, Sora, Bank Swallow, Lesser Yellowlegs, Greater Yellowlegs, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Willet.
TOUR DETAILS
Group Size: Maximum 8 participants + tour guide
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
Accommodation: Basic to comfortable (3-star hotels)
Transportation: Private vehicle with driver (car/minivan), plane, boat
Habitats Covered: Desert, Andean mountains and valleys, marshes, puna grasslands, elfin forest, cloud forest, and Amazonian forest
Climate: Variable – cold in the puna areas of Lima and around Lake Junín; humid and cold in the elfin forest; temperate in the cloud forest; warm in the Amazonian forest
Altitude: 0–4,550 meters / 0–14,928 feet above sea level
Guide: Experienced English- and Spanish-speaking birding guide
Possible extensions:
– Lima: Pacific Ocean boat tour Pucusana & Villa Marshes
– Iquitos: Amazon River
– Cusco: Birding and Machu Picchu
For the detailed itinerary, prices, or if you have questions, please get in touch with us.
Si desea recibir el itinerario detallado en español, no dude en hacérnoslo saber.
PHOTO GALLERY
Company Address:
Kuntur Nature and Adventure EIRL
Av. Industrial Conj. Hab. FOVIPOL. Nr 104
Santiago – Cusco – Peru
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