Marvelous Spatuletail
HUMMINGBIRD PHOTO TOUR
Northern Peru
14 Days
Best season from April to November
DATES
8 – 21 DECEMBER 2024 (sold out)
8 – 21 MARCH 2025 (sold out)
5 – 19 DECEMBER 2025
OVERVIEW
The north-east slope of the Andes Mountains in Peru, with lush Cloud and Amazon Forests, is home to a rich variety of unique bird species, among them many hummingbirds.
This tour is especially designed to photograph around 50 species of these fascinating, tiny birds. One of our main targets will be one of the most beautiful hummingbirds in the world, the Marvelous Spatuletail. This hummingbird with its unique long tail is endemic to a small area in Northern Peru, and is listed as an endangered species by IUCN. Also the tiny Rufous-crested Coquette, Royal Sunangel, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Long-tailed Sylph, among many others, are a delight to photograph.
In addition, we will have good chances to photograph many other interesting species, like the endemic Chestnut Antpitta, Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Rusty-tinged Antpitta, and the elusive and the endangered Long-whiskered Owlet and Johnson’s Tody-Flycatcher.
We finish the tour with a short boat trip on the Pacific Ocean close to Lima, where we can photograph interesting sea birds, like the Humboldt Penguin, Peruvian Booby, and the beautiful Inca Tern.
Without a doubt, a great tour with many unique hummingbirds and other bird species to photograph in a variety of environments.
We have written a blog about three of the highlight hummingbirds of this tour: the Marvelous Spatuletail, Rufous-crested Coquette, and the Royal Sunangel.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival at the airport in Lima and transfer to the hotel. / Night at a hotel in Lima.
Day 2: Transfer to the airport in Lima for a flight to Tarapoto and transfer to the Waqanki Lodge in Moyobamba. / Night at the Waqanki Lodge.
Day 3, 4: Two full photography days around the Waqanki Lodge. / Night at the Waqanki Lodge.
Day 5: Transfer to the Owlet Lodge in Abra Patricia with photo stops at the Yacumama Lake and the Arena Blanca Reserve. / Night at the Owlet Lodge.
Day 6, 7: Two full days around the Owlet Lodge and the Alto Nieva Reserve to photograph the Royal Sunangel and some endemic antpittas. / Night at the Owlet Lodge.
Day 8: Transfer to the Huembo Lodge to photograph the Marvelous Spatuletail. / Night at the Huembo Lodge.
Day 9, 10: We will be photographing around Pomacochas and the Huembo Reserve. / Night at the Huembo Lodge.
Day 11: Transfer to Tarapoto with a photo stop at the Ricuricocha Lake. / Night at a hotel in Tarapoto.
Day 12: Full day photographing around the Aconabikh Garden and the Cerro la Escalera Reserve. / Night at a hotel in Tarapoto.
Day 13: Photography morning around the Ricuricocha Lake and transfer to airport for a flight to Lima. / Night in Lima.
Day 14: Transfer to the Pucusana Port in the morning for a boat tour at the Pacific Ocean. In the afternoon a transfer to the hotel and then to the airport in Lima for a flight back home.
KEY SPECIES
Brown Violetear, Lesser Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Golden-tailed Sapphire, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous-throated Saphire, Blue-tailed Emerald, Andean Emerald, Blue-tailed Emerald, Tawny-bellied Hermit, Black-throated Hermit, Rufous-breasted Hermit, Black-throated Mango, Wire-crested Thorntail, Blue-fronted Lancebill, Black-throated Brilliant, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Pink-throated Brilliant, Royal Sunangel, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Purple-throated Sunangel, White-belllied Woodstar, Little Woodstar, Amethyst Woodstar, Rufous-crested Coquette, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Long-tailed Sylph, Booted Racket-tailed, Rufous-vented Whitetip, Bronzy Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Marvelous Spatuletail, Black-bellied Thorntail, Gould’s Jewelfront, White-necked Jacobin, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, Violet-headed Hummingbird,.
Chestnut Antpitta, Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Rusty-tinged Antpitta, Johnson’s Tody Flycatcher, Cinereous Tinamu, Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail, Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, Orange-billed Sparrow, Inca Tern, Peruvian Booby, Blue-footed Booby, Humboldt Penguin, Surf Cinclodes, Red-legged Cormorant, Guanay Cormorant.
TOUR DETAILS
Group Size: Max 6 + photography guide.
Accommodation: Basic to comfortable.
Transportation: Private car/van, boat.
Habitats Covered: During this tour we will be going through different environments and landscapes: Elfin Forest, Cloud Forest, Amazon Forest, and the Pacific Ocean.
Climate: Variable – cold and humid in the upper area of the Cloud Forest and the Elfin Forest, temperate in the middle part of the Cloud Forest, and warm in the Amazon Forest.
Altitude: 400 – 2200 meters above sea level.
Possible extensions:
– Machu Picchu Cultural Photo Tour
– Lima: Villa Marshes
Suggested Equipment:
– Digital SLR or Mirrorless camera
– At least 300 mm lens
– Wide angle lens
– Macro lens if you are interested in macro photography
– Tripod or monopod
– Flash
For the detailed itinerary, prices, or if you have questions, please get in touch with us.
PHOTO IMPRESSIONS
Kuntur Nature and Adventure EIRL
Company Address: Av. Industrial Conj. Hab. FOVIPOL. Nr 104 – Santiago – Cusco – Peru
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