Hooded Mountain Tanager
PERU PHOTO TOUR
Sacred Valley & Manu National Park
12 days
Best season from April to November
DATES
Scheduled departures:
12-23 July 2026
12-23 October 2026
Contact us to arrange your preferred travel dates.
OVERVIEW
A photography adventure to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and Manu National Park in Southern Peru. The “Manu Road” is one of the best locations in South America for bird photography, thanks to its wide range of altitudes and ecosystems, each supporting its own unique bird species.
This photo tour starts in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, near Cusco, where we will visit two beautiful gardens with bird feeders. These sites offer excellent opportunities to photograph a variety of hummingbirds, including the spectacular Sword-billed Hummingbird, Giant Hummingbird, and the endemic Bearded Mountaineer, as well as other Andean bird species such as the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch.
Our tour continues down the slopes of the Andes Mountains to the cloud and Amazon forests of the legendary Manu National Park. This 1.5-million-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most biodiverse areas on Earth. Of the more than 1,900 bird species recorded in Peru, over 1,000 can be found within Manu National Park alone.
Along the scenic Manu Road, crossing a wide range of altitudes and habitats, we can photograph fantastic birds, including Peru’s national bird, the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Crested Quetzal, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Versicolored Barbet, as well as a variety of colorful tanagers such as Hooded Mountain Tanager and Golden-eared Tanager, to name just a few.
We will stay at several comfortable lodges and visit beautiful gardens with feeders and photographic hides, offering excellent opportunities to observe and photograph birds at close range, such as a variety of hummingbirds like the tiny Rufous-crested Coquette, Butterfly coquette, Wire-crested Thorntail, Rufous-booted Racket-tail, and the endemic Koepcke’s Hermit.
One of the photographic highlights of the tour is the beautiful King Vulture. Manu National Park is one of few places where this magnificent species regularly visits a feeding station, allowing for exceptional photographic opportunities from a hide. If you like to know more about the King Vulture, you can read our blog.
There will also be good opportunities to see and photograph mammals in the park, including several species of monkeys such as Woolly Monkey, Toppins Titi Monkey, and Large-headed Capuchin.
We have written a blog about this tour, with more information about the locations that we will visit and birds that we can photograph.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival at Cusco airport, where we will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Cusco.
Day 2: Early morning transfer to the Sacred Valley to photograph hummingbirds at the feeders of two beautiful gardens: Sacred Garden and Santuario de Colibríes – Ensifera ensifera. Overnight at a comfortable hotel in Cusco.
Day 3: Transfer to Wayqecha Biological Station in Manu National Park, where we will spend the remainder of the day in the elfin forest. Overnight at Wayqecha Biological Station.
Day 4: Transfer to the San Pedro area, with photo stops along the way and a visit to Manu Bird Sanctuary with hummingbird feeders. Overnight at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge.
Days 5–6: Two full days of photography around our lodge, with visits to the beautiful Manu Tanager Garden for tanagers and hummingbirds, as well as to the spectacular Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek. Overnight at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge.
Day 7: Transfer to Bamboo Manu EcoLodge, with photo stops along the way and a visit to the hummingbird feeders at Manu Endemic Station. Overnight at Bamboo Manu EcoLodge.
Days 8–10: Three full days of photography along the trails, at the lake, and at the feeders of Manu Biological Station, as well as visits to two locally run gardens — Mirador Pico de Hoz and Inka Amazonia — offering excellent opportunities to photograph hummingbirds and the spectacular King Vulture. Overnight at Manu Biological Station.
Day 11: Early morning photography session at Manu Biological Station, followed by a transfer to Cusco with stops for photography along the way. Overnight at a comfortable hotel in Cusco.
Day 12: Transfer to Cusco airport for your departure, bringing this tour to an end.
KEY BIRD SPECIES
Endemic species: Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch, Urubamba Antpitta, Red-and-white Antpitta, Bearded Mountaineer, Green-and-white Hummingbird, White-tufted Sunbeam, Koepcke’s Hermit.
Other species: Golden-billed Saltator, Black-backed Grosbeak, Andean Guan, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Speckled Chachalaca, Black-faced Brushfinch, White-collared Jay, Inca Jay, Masked Flowerpiercer, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Blue-banded Toucanet, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crested Quetzal, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Pearled Treerunner, Barred Fruiteater, Barred Becard, Masked Trogon, Blue-crowned Trogon, Black-tailed Trogon, Dusky-green Oropendola, Orange-bellied Euphonia, Golden-bellied Euphonia, Blue Dacnis, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Red-capped Cardinal, Versicolored Barbet, Lemon-throated Barbet, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, King Vulture, Hoatzin, Greater Yellow-headed Vulture, Spectacled Owl, Tawny-bellied Screech-owl, Black-banded Owl, Scissor-tailed Nightjar, Silky-tailed Nightjar, Leymebamba Antpitta.
Hooded Mountain Tanager, Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Golden-collared Tanager, Beryl-spangled Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Golden Tanager, Golden-collared Tanager, Golden-eared Tanager, Orange-eared Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Green-and-gold Tanager, Blue-necked Tanager.
Brown Violetear, Lesser Violetear,Sparkling Violetear, Black-tailed Trainbearer, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Giant Hummingbird, White-bellied Hummingbird, Shining Sunbeam, Tyrian Metaltail, White-bellied Woodstar, Amethyst Woodstar, Long-tailed Sylph, Speckled Hummingbird, Bronzy Inca, Gould’s Inca, Gould’s Jewelfront, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Mountain Velvetbreast, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Great Sapphirewing, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Long-billed Starthroat, Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Buff-thighed Puffleg, Rufous-booted Racket-tail, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, Pale-tailed Barbthroat, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, Green Hermit, Rufous-breasted Hermit, White-bearded Hermit, Great-billed Hermit, Reddish Hermit, White-browed Hermit, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Peruvian Piedtail, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Wire-crested Thorntail, Butterfly Coquette, Rufous-crested Coquette, White-necked Jacobin, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Blue-tailed Emerald.
TOUR DETAILS
Group Size: Maximum 6 participants + tour guide
Physical Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Cusco; clean and comfortable lodges in beautiful locations within Manu National Park, all with private bathrooms
Transportation: Private vehicle with driver (car or minivan)
Habitats Covered: Andean mountains and valleys, puna grassland, elfin forest, cloud forest, and Amazon rainforest
Climate: The tour passes through many different landscapes: from the cold high Andes, through the humid elfin and cloud forests, to the warm Amazon lowlands of Manu National Park.
Altitude: 400–3,800 meters / 1,300–12,500 feet above sea level
Guide: Experienced English- and Spanish-speaking wildlife photography guide
Suggested Equipment:
– Digital SLR or mirrorless camera
– Telephoto lens of at least 300 mm
– Wide-angle lens
– Macro lens (for those interested in macro photography)
– Tripod or monopod
– Flash
Possible extensions:
– Cusco: Endemic birds of Abra Málaga (2 days)
– Cusco: Endemic birds & Andean Condors (2 days)
– Cusco: Wetland of Huayllarcocha (half day)
– Cusco: Cultural Tour & Machu Picchu
– Lima: Villa Marshes & Pacific Ocean boat tour (1 day)
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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