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Peru - Southern Bird Photography Tour

© Grass-green Tanager by Clayton Burne
Peru - Southern Bird Photography Tour 2027

04 Jun 2027 - 16 Jun 2027 (13 days)

USD6,600 - Spaces Available

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Tour Leader: Robert Wilcox

Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change*

Tour price (Per person): USD6,600 * GBP4,895 * EUR5,781 * AUD10,136

Peru is one of the world’s top destinations for wildlife enthusiasts, combining breathtaking landscapes with incredible biodiversity. Stretching from the snow-capped Andes to the vast Amazon Rainforest, the country offers a rich tapestry of ecosystems, cultures, and experiences.

Birding along the Manu Road is widely regarded one of the premier birding experiences on the planet. We’ll descend the eastern Andean slopes, birding through temperate zones, montane cloud forest and Andean foothills, with chances to see an incredible variety of exceptional species. Highlights may include Cerulean-capped and Yungas Manakins, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Blue-banded Toucanet, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Inca Flycatcher, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer, and Peruvian Piedtail. We will also visit an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek, where numerous males sometimes congregate to perform their strange mating ritual. Optional night birding in this area might yield uncommon species such as Napo and Rufescent Screech Owls, Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar, and possibly even Andean Potoo. Recent improvements to the road as well as the establishment of several new feeding stations and photography blinds have only improved both access and enjoyment of this iconic road.

Highlights

  • Experience one of the world’s most legendary birding routes—Manu Road, descending from high Andean passes through lush cloud forest to the edge of the Amazon basin.
  • Unparalleled bird diversity, with chances to see rarities like Amazonian Umbrellabird, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Cerulean-capped Manakin, Golden-headed Quetzal, and Inca Flycatcher.
  • Multiple elevations visited (3,800m to 500m), each with distinct species and spectacular scenery, from snow-capped peaks to tropical lowlands.
  • Comfortable, birding-focused lodges with fruit and hummingbird feeders, blinds for lek viewing, and excellent photo opportunities.
  • Several spectacular hummingbirds including Giant Hummingbird, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Thorn-crested Wiretail and Rufous-crested Coquette.
  • New feeders showcasing several difficult species of tinamou (Cinereous, Undulated) and Antpitta (Urubamba, Red-and-white).

Top Birds

Cinereous & Undulated Tinamous; Urubamba & Red-and-white Antpittas; Giant Hummingbird; Violet-throated Starfrontlet; Thorn-crested & Black-bellied Wiretails; Rufous-crested Coquette; Bearded Mountaineer; Andean Hillstar; Scaled Metaltail; Purple-backed Thornbill; Tit-like Dacnis; Barred Fruiteater; Golden-collared, Saffron-crowned, Flame-faced, Rust-and-yellow & Beryl-spangled Tanagers; Marcapata & Creamy-crested Spinetails; Puna Thistletail;

Habitats Covered

humid montane forest, high altitude lakes

Expected Climate

cold to cool in the highlands, snow and even ice can be found around Abra Malaga

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader & Local Leader

Tour Pace & Walking

MODERATE TO CHALLENGING: This tour requires a good level of fitness, stamina, and overall health. It’s best suited for experienced birders who are comfortable with a more active itinerary. Please note that it may not be ideal for avid photographers, new birders, or those with mobility or health concerns.

Moderate paced tours suited for those in good health with good levels of fitness. Not suited for anyone with mobility challenges or serious medical conditions. Our Bird Photo Tours are a hybrid between our Classic birding tours and dedicated photographic tours. You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have the biggest lens; this is for everyone with an interest in photography and birding. Whether you’re using a bridge camera or the latest body and prime lens, our aims are the same. • These tours are not aimed at seeing the most species possible on the route, rather taking time to photograph key targets and any other interesting species we may find. Naturally, the overall species list will be lower than a comparable birding focused tour. • Whilst we may use blinds, feeders and hide setups on some of these tours, we will not be spending an entire day nor even several hours fixed in one spot. • These tours are suitable for photographers who prefer opportunistic photography over entire days in a hide. • Our leaders will assist in helping everyone secure good photographic opportunities and advise as much as they can on camera setup. However, they are not professional photographic tour leaders.

Accommodation

Good to very comfortable.

Ease of Birding

Moderate. Paramo, alpine & elfin habitat provides easy birding, cloud & foothill forest is more difficult. Night birding is optional.

Photographic Opportunities

Good. Several hummingbird, antpitta, tinamou & fruit feeders. Opportunistic roadside birding. Weather & habitat conditions can be challenging.

What our clients say about us

Robert Williams
CB - Peru 2022

Guides were awesome. Found lots of birds; guide was way too knowledgeable about the bird species and taxonomy.

Lev Frid
GM, Peru 2023

This tour and the extension tour were exceptional. Of course the birds were a real pleasure to view, scenery was unbelievable, food and lodging were excellent. The main highlight were the people. A wonderful, fun group to be with. Hope I see everyone on another trip. The driver not only carried us many miles safely, he did so many other things for us, making certain getting out of bus safely, setting up for meals, and on and on. The local guide got us onto so many birds with his x-ray vision (seemed that way) and was helpful in so many ways. He and the driver were simply put, very nice people. I addition to his obvious bird locating and identification skills, Lev has exceptional people skills with his attentiveness and humor. I had a problem with the altitude one day. I wa., to put it simply.. very slow..lots of breaks. Lev was with the whole way and made certain I was OK. I am very appreciative for that. Thanks again. Its things like that, to me, that makes a guide exceptional. Lev is an exceptional guide. Now to the office team. Wow. Tia and Sarah were so helpful to me with all the questions I had. Not only do they have the answers. the answers come quickly. And I thank them for their patience. As usual, a wonderful job. Thanks again. Lastly, to the Peruvian people, the tour group, the guides, drivers, cooks, office staff and to many others. Thank you. Take care everyone.

Robert Williams
PM, Peru

Rob Williams is the best guide I have ever birded with - wonderful birding and people skills.

Robert Williams
JH & CH, Southern Peru

Our guide, Rob Williams, was exceptionally well qualified, good humoured in all circumstances and remarkably diligent in accommodating all levels of birding skills within our group. He went out of his way to make sure that each member of the group realised their expectations for the trip. We would welcome the opportunity to join him on additional trips; he is a quality individual with sound values and a superb representative of Rockjumper Birding Tours.

Robert Williams
GW, Peru 2022

This is my first birdwatching tour organized by a company such as Rockjumper, but I have been on tours organized by my local Naturalist Society. Both Rob and Miguel were excellent. They worked extremally hard to keep everyone happy, find as many species as possible and get everyone onto each sighting.

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