Manu, Yanayacu & Blanquillo

Day 01: … / LIMA

Arriving to Lima we transfer to our hotel in Lima.

Day 02: LIMA – CUSCO

Transfer to the airport flight Lima/Cusco.

Arrival and transfer to the hotel in Cusco.

Day 03: CUSCO – HUACARPAY LAKE – PAUCARTAMBO (Pumachaca Ranch)

We depart from Cusco around 04:30 a.m. arriving at Lake Huarcarpay 30 minutes later. Here we take time and spend the entire day observing highland lake and marsh birds. The best is to follow the road that goes around the lake and start seeing most of the waterfowl typical of Andean wetlands including grebes, ducks, gallinules and coots.

The wet grasslands in front of the marsh are good for shorebirds and Andean Negrito. We can look for occasional migrants such as the Hudsonian Godwit (rare) and Baird’s Sandpiper. The many- coloured Rush- Tyrant and two endemic, the Rusty-fronted Canastero that can be seen around the ruins on the hillside above the Lake and a spectacular hummingbird, the Bearded Mountainner.

We continue to the interesting tombs of Ninamarca, commonly known as “Chullpas”. A brief stop at Paucartambo, a picturesque Spanish colonial town, and then continue to Pumachaca Ranch though a beautiful narrow road and semi-humid montane scrub where a Taczanowski’s Tinamou has been reported here. Common to see around Pumachaca are: White-rufted Sunbeam, Creamy-crested Spintail, Cinereous Conebill, Torrent Duck. Relax this night in the Chimney and spend the night at the comfortable accommodations.

DAY 04: PUMACHACA – ACJANACU – PILLAHUATA – SAN PEDRO.

After early wakeup and walk around the interesting trails, we continue up to Acjanacu pass with its elfin forest marks the beginning of the Cultural Zone of Manu Biosphere Reserve. Birders love this place because it is possible to see White-browed chat-tyrant, the Chestnut-breasted mountain-finch, Puna Thistletail, Paramo Pipit, Diademed Tapaculo, Puna Tapaculo, Masked flowerpiercer, Golden-colared Tanager, Drab hemispingus and small mixed flocks with among others, then walk down to Pillahuata site located in upper montane humid forest also known as the Coshñipata Valley where the bird species are quite different from Acjanacu.

It’s possible to see many different species of birds such as the Hooded Tinamou, Stripe-faced Wood-Quail, Golden plumed parakeet, Yuungas Pygmy-Owl, Gould’s Inca, Blue-banded Toucanet, Crimson mantled Woodpecker, Sierran Elaenia, White-collared Jay, Mountain Cacique.

Again, it is the best simply to bird your way slowly along the road. There will be plenty of activity, with several specialities to look for. After the first tunnel, we stop at the mixed bamboo patch on the left and try for Rusty-breasted Antpitta, and the endemic Red-and White Antpitta, which is often quite vocal in the morning. At the second tunnel the vegetation becomes more lauxuriant, look for the Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager, Tawny-rumped tyrannuler, Band-tailed Fruiteater and the barred Fruiteater in the mixed flocks, as well as Gray-breasted Mountain Tucan.

One bird to look out for in mixed folcks is the vividly-colouder Ochraceous-breasted Flicatcher and the same thing for the spectacular Greater Scythebill. Overnight at Orquídeas de San Pedro Lodge.

DAY 05: SAN PEDRO.

Here, a thick cloak of clouds provides perpetual humidity and makes an ideal habitat for epiphytic plants such as bromeliads. This varied and fascinating world is home of the Cock of the Rock, Spectacled Bear, Orchids, Tree Ferns (one of the oldest living plants), mosses and lichens. This cloud forest exists between 2,000 and 3,500 m.a.s.l., and at least 50% of the plant species found here are endemic to this region.

Today we wake up very early to observe the Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruviana), Peru’s national bird from a platform. The male birds are a vibrant reddish orange, and as many as several dozen come together for an exhibition of a mating ritual dance in a place called Lek. The males display their crest, showing off and posturing for the females. The females, fewer in number, watch to select the most suitable males. After breakfast spend the entire day birding walking on the road. Overnight at Orquídeas de San Pedro Lodge.

Day 06: SAN PEDRO.

The Manu road provides one of the best opportunities in Peru to bird upper tropical forest. Many of the most interesting and sought-after birds in the Manu road occur in this zone from about 900 – 1,700m.a.s.l. We have to concentrate on the good lower montane forest along the road, looking for mixed folcks of brilliant-spoted Humingbirds. The Peruvian Piedtail is common to see.

This day we spend all day birding and we hope to see Andean and White- eared solitaires, the Green Jay, the Blue-banded Toucanet, the Yungas Manakin, the astonishing Versicolored Barbet and arrange of tanager species. Overnight at Orquídeas de San Pedro Lodge.

Day 07: SAN PEDRO – ZONA DEL ERIKA LODGE.

As our lodge is very close to the Cock-of-the-rock Lek, we are able to visit it again and try to spot one of the females hidden in the forest. As we continue our journey to lowlands, we stop in Patria where the cattle peasures and secondary forest are good for seedeaters and other open habitat species of birds as the Orange-breasted Falcon, Military macaw, green-fronted lancebill, golden-collared honeycreeper and others.

Atalaya overlooks is outstanding for viewing macaws. From Atalaya port, we board our covered, motorized canoe and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River until Erika Lodge, where we will have the opportunity to walk through the interesting trails. Overnight at the lodge.

Day 08: ERIKA LODGE

This lodge is situated in the transition zone of the Andean foothills and the lowland rainforest. It has many more species of hummingbirds then is normally present in a rainforest lodge. Among 30 species of hummingbirds on their list is the endemic Rufus- webbed Brilliant. Here we find the Rufus –vented Ground Cuckoo, the gray-necked woddrail, Blackish rail and Rufus-sided cracked. Close to a small lake there are Purple Gallinules, Hoatzins, Lesser kiskades and occasionally Pygmy Kingfishers and sun grebes.

After lunch we follow an interesting trail, going up to the ridge at 1000 m.a.s.l. where we encounter mixed bird flocks. This higher area is also home of the emerald toucanet, ornate flycatcher, orange fronted plush crown and the uncommon tawny-faced gnat wren, umbrella bird among others.

Overnight at Erika Lodge.

Day 09: ERIKA LODGE

This day we will get up very early to board our boat, and after five minutes, we will arrive to a Parrot Lick “Collpa”, which is a wall of clay in the riverbanks, where many species of parrots such as the blue headed parrot, white-eyed parakeet, feed for mineral and salt supplements to their diet of seeds and fruits. After this we spend the day, as we bird the trails, remember that this site gets birds from the lowlands like the Amazonian Streaked-Antwren, as well as some species typical of high elevations.

Overnight at Erika Lodge.

DAY 10: ERIKA LODGE – YANAYACU PRIVATE RESERVE

Early morning we board our boat and continue down stream the Alto Madre de Dios River and observe rives species of bird life such as the Roset Spoonbill, Egrets, etc. toward Yanayacu Reserve strategically placed at the last Andean foothills has a great diversity of habitats. The rarely seen Peruvian Recurvebill and Dusky-tailed Flatbill are seasonal and August and September seems to be a good time to see them.

Overnight at the lodge.

Day 11: YANAYACU – BLANQUILLO PRIVATE RESERVE

Early morning after breakfast we board our canoe for the four-hour trip down the Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu’s town, during this boat ride we will have the chance to see Violaceus Jays, the beautiful Capped heron, Rosate spoonbill, Jabirú, Vultures, belted kingfisher, osprey, black hawck, black caracara, chestnut-eared toucan, from this small town we descend the Madre de Dios river for three hours to the private reserve of Blanquillo.

Overnight at the lodge.

Day 12: BLANQUILLO.

After a very early wake up, we board a camouflaged catamaran and go down the river to the “Collpa” macaw lick. We quietly observe the various parrots feeding on the clay for mineral and salt supplements to their diet of seeds and fruits. The brightly colored macaws usually wait patiently in the surrounding trees until the smaller parrot species have left the area. Slowly, the macaws come down to the clay wall to feed. We need a lot of patience and silence on the catamaran so as not o disturb them as they eat the clay.

During the afternoon we start walking on the interesting trails of the Lodge where we can see Jacamars, many different species pf hummingbirds, the Crimson- crested Woodpecker, tanager such as the paradise, the screaming Piha and many others.

This day we will use a strategically located observation tower rises 46 meters above Camungo Lake and the jungle floor, giving us more chances to observe wildlife including the Giant Otter and many different species of birds that are common to this altitude of the canopy such as macaws, toucans, woodcreepers, woodpeckers can be observed flying near this platform. Enjoy the spectacular view with large canopies from a tall Kapok tree with a 360 degree view.

A night birding can be productive with Great Potoo, Common Potto and even Long-tailed Potto.

Overnight at the Lodge.

DAY 13: BLANQUILLO – COLORADO – PUERTO MALDONADO – LIMA.

Very early in the morning after the breakfast we continue the trip by boat to the town Colorado continuing down the Alto Madre de Dios, where the bus will be waiting for us and drive to Puerto Maldonado.

(We arrange the transportation service ).

Transfer to the airport for the flight Puerto Maldonado/Lima. Arrival and transfer to the hotel in Lima.

Day 14. Lima – Lima /…

Transfer to the airport for the international flight.