Manu Special Experience

BIRDING MANU WAYQUECHA - CLOUD FOREST 4D/3N

4 days / 3 nightsMADRE DE DIOS8

Price per personFrom USD 1,399

Plan My Trip

Tour overview

A closer look at the journey.

Zone: Special Experience
Difficulty: Ask us
Languages: English
Group: 8

Description

Day 01: CUSCO - HUACARPAY LAKE – WAYQECHA LODGE

We'll spend the morning birding at Huacarpay Lake, looking for wetland species like Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Plumbeous Rail and searching the adjacent scrub for Rusty-fronted Cana

Day 02: WAYQECHA TO COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE CLOUD FOREST

After a morning around Wayqecha, looking for more high-elevation species like Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Red-and-white Antpitta (E), Puna Thistletail, Marcapata Spinetail (E),

Day 03: COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE CLOUD FOREST

This is tanager paradise! Depending what birds we need, we'll visit elevations from 1000 m. - up to 2400 m. We can expect at least a couple great mixed flocks during our stay which

Day 04: COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE TO CUSCO

After early breakfast we will take our van to drive back to Cusco, birding and looking for missing species. Our trip ends in Cusco depending your preferences we can drop you at you

Day by day

Your itinerary.

Description

1
Day 1
Day 01: CUSCO - HUACARPAY LAKE – WAYQECHA LODGE
We'll spend the morning birding at Huacarpay Lake, looking for wetland species like Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Plumbeous Rail and searching the adjacent scrub for Rusty-fronted Canastero (E), Streak-fronted Thornbird and a variety of others. We'll then make the drive through the dry Andes towards Manu´s cloud forest, hoping to find three endemics in route: Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, Bearded Mountaineer and Creamy-crested Spinetail. In The afternoon we'll have our first crack at the humid forest, hoping for treeline specialties like Golden-collared Tanager, Moustached Flowerpiercer, and - with lots of luck - the rare Scribble-tailed Canastero. Late in the day, we will have our first chance for one of the enigmatic and endemic red-and-white Antpitta. We spend the night in the humid montane forest, enjoying the stars with the opportunity to look for some nocturnal birds located in this area: Yungas Pygmy-Owl, Rufous-banded Owl, White-throated Screech-Owl, Swallow-tailed Nightjar.Night in Wayqecha Lodge.
2
Day 2
Day 02: WAYQECHA TO COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE CLOUD FOREST
After a morning around Wayqecha, looking for more high-elevation species like Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Red-and-white Antpitta (E), Puna Thistletail, Marcapata Spinetail (E), Rufous-capped Thornbill, and many others, we'll work our way down the Manu Road, birding the most productive areas. Possibilities are nearly endless, from relatively common specialties like Blue-banded Toucanet and Handsome Flycatcher to mega-rarities like Greater Scythebill and Andean Potoo. We should encounter some good flocks that could include a variety of tanagers as well as Versicolored Barbet, Striped Treehunter, Inca Flycatcher (E), and even Band-tailed Fruiteater if we're lucky. In the not-so-rare but difficult category are Hazel-fronted Pygmy-Tyrant, and White-throated Antpitta. We will spend the night in cloud forest, in more temperate environment at 1400 meters of height less than the previous night (4593,176 ft,) in the ideal habitat for the Cock of the rock. Night in Cock of the Rock Lodge.
3
Day 3
Day 03: COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE CLOUD FOREST
This is tanager paradise! Depending what birds we need, we'll visit elevations from 1000 m. - up to 2400 m. We can expect at least a couple great mixed flocks during our stay which could include Golden-eared (uncommon), Golden-naped, Black-goggled, Orange-Eared, Fawn-breasted, Yellow-throated, Spotted, Paradise, Golden, Bay-headed Tanagers, Golden-olive Woodpecker, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Grey-mantled Wren, Streak-necked, Slaty-capped and Lemon-browed Flycatchers, the restricted-range Bolivian Tyrannulet, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Tropical Parula, Russet-crowned and Three-striped Warblers, Slate-throated Whitestart, Golden-eyed (or Deep-blue) and Bluish Flower-piercers, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, the restricted-range Slaty Tanager, Yellow-throated and Common Bush-Tanagers, and Black-faced (or Dark-faced) Brush-Finch (split from Rufous-naped). Yellow-rumped and Yellow-breasted Antwren, Ash-browed Spinetail, and many, many more. Away from flocks we'll search for Crested and Golden-Headed Quetzal, Andean and White-eared Solitaires, Amazonian Umbrellabird, and Solitary and Black-and-chestnut Eagles. Rare and difficult to detect Black-Streaked Puffbird. The lodge gardens are visited by Many-spotted Hummingbird, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Booted Racket-Tail, and others, sometimes including Wire-crested Thorntail and the rare Buff-Tailed Sicklebill and of course Andean Cock-of-the-Rocks are frequently seen in the area and we can visit a lek! Night birding is usually slow, but we may see Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Band-Bellied Owl and Rufescent Screech-Owl is also a possibility. Night Cock of the Rock Lodge.
4
Day 4
Day 04: COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE TO CUSCO
After early breakfast we will take our van to drive back to Cusco, birding and looking for missing species. Our trip ends in Cusco depending your preferences we can drop you at your Hotel or Airport.

Trip details

Included and not included.

Included

✔ Service contract
✔ Oficial Tour Guide/Naturalist in English and Spanish
✔ Pro Binoculars (not sharing)
✔ Pro Scope to setup at the platforms of observation
✔ Informative plates about flora, wildlifeand culture
✔ Transportation from Cusco and back to Cusco by private bus
✔ Transportation by privateboat
✔ A-1 First Aid kit
✔ Overnights in lodgesand bungalows
✔ Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
✔ Mineral water at any time and warm drinks or lemonades with meals
✔ Manu Park entrancefee
✔ Rubber boots

Not included

✖ Soft drinks and beer
✖ Personalexpenses

Prepare well

What to bring.

This is a practical starting point. Confirm the tour-specific packing list before departure.

◼ Metalcanteen 1lt01
◼ Towelfor face and hands02
◼ Toiletries and personal medicines03
◼ Trekking shoes, tennis shoes and flip flop04
◼ Flashlight, spare batteries, adaptorand recharger05
◼ Hut or cap, sun glasses,sunblock06
◼ Insect repellent (recommended with 40% or more DEET) in a plastic bag07
◼ Insectsafter bite in a plastic bag08
◼ Raincoat, poncho and umbrela09
◼ Baggy clothe with environment friendly colors (not white): long sleeve shirts,long pants, cotton socks and under wear, swimming suit.010
◼ Warmclothes when cold fronts011
◼ Binoculars; minimum 8x25 magnification, with strip to wear them hanging on our neck012
◼ Camerafor pictures, adapterand recharger; with strip to wear them hanging on our neck013
◼ Largebackpack and daypack,plastic bags014
◼ Toiletpaper for the first day of the trip, in a plastic bag015
◼ Small denominations moneyfor extra expensesand tipping016