Wings Across Peru: A Fast-track Birding Adventure
Birding Escape from Cusco
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What's included
- Activities Listed in the Program
- Box Lunch
- Duffel Bags for Repacking
- Entrances Fees to the Birding Sites
- First Aid Kit (Antivenom)
- Free Storage Room in Cusco
- Meals (according the itinerary)
- Park Entrance Tickets
- Purified Water to Refill
- Rubber Boots
- Snacks (Fresh Fruits, Cookies Juices )
- Transport (Air Conditioned Minivan or SUV)
- Alcoholic Drinks
- Binoculars (Available to rent)
- First Day Breakfast
- Single Supplement Upgrade
Birding on Manu Road
A High-Speed Birding Expedition from the Andes to Amazon!
Discover the breathtaking diversity of birdlife in Peru on a thrilling birding express tour that takes you from the high Andes to the lush rainforests in just 3 days.
Departing from the vibrant city of Cusco, this tour is designed for avid birdwatchers who want to make the most of their time and witness an incredible variety of avian species.
Your journey begins with a scenic drive along the renowned Manu Road, a legendary transect that cuts through the Andes and descends to the Amazonian lowlands.
Manu Road is widely considered one of the best birding routes in the world, offering opportunities to spot a vast array of bird species unique to this region.
Peru’s Avian Express: A High-Speed Birdwatching Tour
As you leave behind the majestic mountain scenery of the Andes, the landscape transforms into a dense and verdant forest. Along the way, your expert birding guide will point out various species, sharing their knowledge and expertise with you. Keep your binoculars ready and your camera handy, as you never know what incredible bird you might encounter next.
As you descend further into the rainforest, different habitats come into view, each boasting its own distinct set of bird species. From cloud forests to bamboo patches, and from river edges to oxbow lakes, the variety of
The Birding Habitats To be Explored!
In the cloud forests, you may have the chance to spot colorful species such as the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Golden-headed Quetzal, and various hummingbirds like the Booted Racket-tail and the Violet-fronted Brilliant. These striking birds with their vibrant plumages are sure to captivate your attention.
As you continue your journey, the bamboo patches offer a unique opportunity to observe specialized bird species such as the Chestnut-fronted Macaw and the Peruvian Piedtail. These birds have adapted to thrive in this particular habitat and can be found in abundance.
When you reach the river edges, keep an eye out for the stunning Torrent Duck, also known as the White-capped Dipper. This iconic bird is known for its ability to navigate fast-flowing rivers and waterfalls, making it a true spectacle to observe.
As you near the final destination of your tour, the oxbow lakes present an incredible opportunity to witness an array of waterbirds. From hoatzins and herons to kingfishers and jacanas, the lakes are teeming with avian life.
In addition to the diverse bird species, you may also encounter other fascinating wildlife such as monkeys, and sloths.
Birding on Manu Road Features
Join us on this special tour that combines adventure, expertise, efficient transportation, and stunning landscapes to create an unforgettable birding experience in Peru’s Andes and rainforest. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to witness the incredible diversity of birdlife in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
1. Expedited Birding:
This tour offers an express experience, allowing you to explore the diverse birdlife of Peru’s Andes and rainforest in just 3 action-packed days. We have carefully crafted an itinerary that maximizes your birdwatching opportunities within a limited timeframe.
2. Expert Guides:
Our specialized birding guides are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about Peruvian avian species. They will accompany you throughout the tour, sharing their expertise, and guiding you to the best birding hotspots. With their guidance, you’ll have a higher chance of spotting and identifying a wide variety of birds.
3. Iconic Bird Species: The tour focuses on the renowned Manu Road, considered one of the finest birding routes globally. This transect crosses diverse habitats, ensuring you encounter an impressive assortment of bird species. From the resplendent Andean Cock-of-the-Rock to the elusive Chestnut-fronted Macaw, you’ll have the opportunity to see some extraordinary avian species up close.
4. Unique Habitats:
As you journey from the rugged Andes to the lush rainforests, you’ll witness a remarkable transition in habitats. From cloud forests to bamboo patches, river edges to oxbow lakes, each ecosystem presents its own set of bird species. This tour provides a rare chance to explore and appreciate the incredible diversity of Peruvian habitats and the birdlife they support.
Wings Across Peru: A Fast-track Birding Adventure
5. Efficient Transportation:
Our ground transportation ensures a smooth and comfortable journey along the Manu Road. You won’t have to worry about logistics or driving, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the birding experience without any distractions.
6. Time Optimization:
This express tour is perfect for bird enthusiasts who have limited time but still want to make the most of their birdwatching adventure. We have carefully planned the itinerary to cover significant birding hotspots, ensuring you can observe a wide variety of species within the short duration of the tour.
7. Breathtaking Landscapes:
In addition to the captivating birdlife, you’ll also be treated to awe-inspiring views of the Andes and the stunning rainforest scenery. The beauty of these landscapes adds an extra layer of enchantment to your birding experience.
8. An Immersive Birding Experience:
With a focus on birdwatching activities, this tour provides an immersive experience for birding enthusiasts. You’ll have ample time to observe, photograph, and learn about the unique behaviors and characteristics of the bird species you encounter along the way.
Birding Blitz: Exploring Peru’s Avian Diversity in 3 Days
*Please note that due to the limited time frame, this express tour focuses primarily on birdwatching activities. If you are interested in a more comprehensive exploration of the region including wildlife, jungle walks, and cultural experiences, we recommend considering a longer itinerary.*
This Tour is designed for?
This type of tour is ideal for birdwatching enthusiasts who are passionate about exploring new birding destinations and adding diverse species to their birding checklist. It caters to individuals who have limited time but still want to experience the rich avian biodiversity of Peru. Birders who have already been to other birding hotspots in the world may find this tour particularly appealing as it offers the opportunity to tick off unique and endemic bird species exclusive to the Andes and rainforests of Peru.
Additionally, this tour is suitable for those who enjoy the thrill of exploring remote and off-the-beaten-path locations. The adventure of traversing the Manu Road and venturing into the heart of the rainforest appeals to individuals who seek an authentic and enriching travel experience. It is also an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who share a passion for birds, conservation, and the natural world.
Overall, this tour accommodates birding enthusiasts of various skill levels, nature lovers, and adventure seekers who want to immerse themselves in the wonders of Peru’s diverse birdlife and natural landscapes.
Gualupe Lodge – Exclusive Location for Birding
During this incredible birding express tour, you will have the opportunity to stay at Guadalupe Lodge, a charming accommodation nestled at the foothills of the forest. Located at the base of the cloud forest, Guadalupe Lodge offers easy access to a range of complex habitats, including bamboo patches, foothill forests, palm forests, riverine areas, and second-growth areas.
The lodge’s strategic position, away from the main road, ensures a higher forest quality and enhances the chances of encountering a greater diversity of bird species.
With its idyllic setting and proximity to various habitats, Guadalupe Lodge provides an excellent base for your birdwatching adventure in Peru’s Andes and rainforest.
If you are looking for Longer Birding Tours. Please click below
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
Cusco - Guadalupe Lodge
This morning, we travel along the Andes. During our trip, we will pass through dry habitats, and this provides great chances to search for a couple of endemics; Bearded Mountaineer, Chestnut Breasted Mountain Finch, and other interesting birds for the high Andean Mountains such as; Andean Flicker, Mountain Caracara, Andean Lapwing, Giant hummingbirds, Rufous Webbed Shrike-Tyrant, Ground Tyrants and others.
We continue and pass by the Intermountain valleys, we stop briefly for the Undulated and Rufous Antpitta, Rust, and Yellow Tanager, Red Crested Cotinga, Creamy Crested Spinetail, Sword Billed Hummingbird, Brown Backed Chat-Tyrants, Flower piercers, and Flycatchers.
Driving uphill we will reach the high mountains which are locally known as Puna, we will be searching diligently for Sedge Wren, Line Fronted, and Junín Canastero while descending the Acjanacu Pass (1066 feet). The vegetation is scattered and we will look for birds of this habitat such as; chestnut-bellied, Hooded, Scarlet Bellied Mountain-Tanager, and the bird’s flocks that travel in this misty forest are quite productive also to find some specialists at this elevation, Crimson Mantled Woodpecker, Plush cap, White Banded & throated Tyrannulet, Pearled Tree runner, Puna Thistletail, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant, Sierran Eleania, Golden Collared, Grass Green, Blue Capped Tanagers, Band-tailed and Barred Fruiteater, Streaked Tuftedcheeck, Purple Backed Thornbill among others in the mixed flocks as they are more frequently to find them flying across the road.
Other interesting targets at Tuneles and Esperanza locations are; Gray Breasted Mountain-Toucan, Chestnut Crested Cotinga the Endemic Red and White Antpitta while transecting along the Cloud Forest as we keep driving down into the mountain. The vegetation will gradually change into more dense vegetation. It holds bird species like; Golden Headed Quetzals, Stripe-faced Wood-quail, Yungas Pigmy Owl, Blue-Banded Toucanet, Collared Jay Mountain Cacique, and Greater Scythebill.
If lucky enough we may see the umbrella as far as driving down the mountains we will descend to 1,500 meters in elevation which is one of the best, to observe the Cock of the rock, (Peru’s national bird). It is easier to find them while they are displaying at their lek, (the male birds are a vibrant reddish-orange, and as many as several dozen get together for an exhibition of a mating ritual dance in a place called Lek) overnight at the Guadalupe Lodge.
Guadalupe Lodge
We will wake up with the amazing variety of birds calling that emerges out from the forest, the diversity of all is incredible here, the most frequently heard are specialists from bamboo forest, Mustached and Scaly Breasted Wren, Golden Bellied and Buff Rumped Warblers, Warbling Antbird, Dot Winged Antwren, Bluish Fronted Jacamar, Manu, Striated, White Line Antbird, Stripe Chested Antwren among others calls you heard coming just behind your cabins.
We also heard the calls of the Blue and Yellow Macaws flying over by sunrise. After Breakfast we will ultimate our birding experience here, exploring the bamboo forest interior that holds a unique collection of birds, our expert guides will do their best to show us the jewel of the dense bamboo thickets. "White Checked Tody-flycatcher" The birding at the bamboo Forest Patch is quite Interesting for cool and challenging birds such as; the Red-Billed Scythebill, Bamboo Antshrike, Ornate, White-Eyed and Dot Winged Antwren, Peruvian Recur bill, Dusky Cheeked, Ruddy, Buff Throated Foliage Gleaner, Large Headed Flatbill, Manu and Black Antbird, the Unmistakable Rufous Headed Woodpecker, Yellow Billed Nunbird.
During the afternoon we explore another complex forest type to explore would be the foothill forest which is quite good for spotting the Golden Collared Toucanet, Fasciated Antshrike, Red Billed Pied, Masked, Green and gold, Yellow-Bellied, Yellow Crested, Yellow Backed Tanagers all used to be spotted while flocking up and few other unexpected Forest Falcons and large predators such as Harpy Eagle. The understory of this type of forest holds incredible species like; Rusty Belted Tapaculo, Black Faced Antbird, and Golden Bellied Warbler.
The riverine forest also offers a great spot to look for the Fasciated Tiger-Heron and Sunbittern. Our target species this afternoon will be the Endemic Black-Backed Tody-Flycatcher which is commonly heard along the road, as well as the Rusty, Fronted Tody-Tyrant.
Before dusk, we look for nightjars, potoo, and owls, the road it’s by far the best place to see them. Overnight at Guadalupe Lodge.
Overnight at Guadalupe Lodge.
Guadalupe Lodge - Cusco
Early in the morning, we observe birds by the garden we get chances to spot the; Golden Tailed Sapphire, Blue-tailed Emerald, Rufous Breasted, White Bearded and White Browed Hermit, Gray Breasted Sabrewing, Buff Tailed Sicklebill, Rufous Crested Coquette, Golden Tailed Sapphire.
On our way back, we visit a lagoon that is packed with Hoatzins known as pre-historic birds due its appearance, most of the bird sights here are also; Brazilian Teals, Southern Lapwings, Flycatchers, Amazon, Green Kingfishers, Little, Lineated, and Spot Breasted Woodpeckers, Gray Breasted and Rufous Sided Crake Capped Heron, Little Cuckoo, Silvered Antbird, Amazonian Antpitta and many more. Continuing the journey back we start climbing the Andes and arriving in Cusco by 6:00 PM
Travelicious Review
"Discover the Manu Road Birds with our short tours from Cusco!" We are the most specialized birding Tour Operator along Manu Road!
More about this tour
Please find more information about this tour in the PDF version:
- Download the Itinerary
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User Reviews & Comments
Yvonne and Martijn
We had a great escape from Cusco for birding with Hebert. Thanks for the experience! 💚
25 February, 2024
Finola F
We went on the 3 day Birding escape from Cusco trip. It was great!! We saw birds from the Puna down into the jungle. Our guide Hebert was very familiar with species by sound and sight and he made a big effort for us to see the birds that we were most interested in. We stopped countless times on our way to and from the lodge for birding. The lodge is 8km outside of Pillcopata and beside a river. Birding from the road and trails was excellent. The food was good and staff were nice.
30 August, 2023
Claire_72
We went on the 3 days birdwatching tour from Cusco. The whole trip was amazing - I couldn't believe the richness of the birds we encountered. Herbert was a great guide, pointing out and explaining everything for us with clear enthusiasm for the rain forest. We saw a huge number of exotic bird species including several species of parrot and parakeet at the clay lick along the Manu Road
28 January, 2020