A short flight from Lima takes us the Incan Capital city of Cusco and beyond. A few days in the scenic Apurimac River valley – source of the mighty Amazon, the world’s largest river system - in search of some highly localised and rarely-seen endemics: Apurimac Spinetail and Apurimac Brushfinch. Returning to Cusco, we climb the famous Manu Road before descending the eastern Andean slopes and birding through temperate zones and montane cloud forest, offering chances for an incredible variety of exceptional and endemic birds, including Cerulean-capped and Yungas Manakins, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Blue-banded Toucanet, Spotted Barbtail, the outrageous Amazonian Umbrellabird, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Inca Flycatcher, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer and Peruvian Piedtail. We also visit an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek site, where up to twenty males sometimes congregate, to watch the strange mating dance of these spectacular birds! With persistence, night birding in this area might yield the uncommon Napo and Rufescent Screech Owls, Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar and possibly even Andean Potoo.
Torrent Duck, Andean Condor, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Montane Solitary Eagle, White-rumped & White-throated Hawk, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Cinereous Harrier, Buckley’s Forest Falcon, Black-capped Tinamou, Puna & Andean Ibis, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Imperial Snipe, Rufous-breasted Wood Quail, Blue-headed Macaw, Mitred & Andean Parakeet, Fine-barred Piculet, Versicolored Barbet, Yungas (Andean) Pygmy Owl, White-throated & Napo Screech Owl, Lyre-tailed & Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Andean Potoo, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Pheasant Cuckoo, Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan, Blue-banded Toucanet, White-collared Jay, Southern Mountain Cacique, Andean Cock-of-the-rock, Crested & Golden-headed Quetzals, Yungas, Fiery-capped, Round-tailed & Cerulean-capped Manakins, Lanceolated Monklet, White-throated, Undulated, Stripe-headed, Rufous, Thrush-like & chances for Red-and-white Antpittas, White-capped Dipper, Black-streaked Puffbird, Olive-backed & Montane Woodcreepers, Spotted Barbtail, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Uniform & Variable Antshrikes, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Scaled & Band-tailed Fruiteaters, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Inca Flycatcher, White-throated Spadebill, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Koepcke’s Hermit, Sword-billed, Giant, Green-and-white, White-bellied & Oasis Hummingbirds, Mountain Velvetbreast, Shining & White-tufted Sunbeams, Great Sapphirewing, Scaled & Tyrian Metaltails, Green-fronted Lancebill, Black-tailed & Green-tailed Trainbearers, Bearded Mountaineer, Rufous-webbed Brilliant, Rufous-capped, Blue-mantled & Purple-backed Thornbills, chances for Andean Hillstar, Rufous-crested Coquette, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Peruvian Piedtail, Inca & Mountain Wrens, Cuzco Warbler, Apurimac, Marcapata & Creamy-crested Spinetails, White-breasted Tit-Spinetail, Parodi’s Hemispingus, Puna & Vilcabamba Thistletails, Peruvian Treehunter, Puna, Diademed, Trilling & chances for Vilcabamba Tapaculos, Rusty-fronted, Junin, Ayacucho (Pale-tailed) & Streak-throated Canasteros, chances for Royal Cinclodes, Streak-fronted Thornbird, Plumbeous Tyrant, Cinereous, Puna & White-fronted Ground Tyrants, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Kalinowski’s Chat-Tyrant, Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Giant, Blue-backed & White-browed Conebills, Black-faced & Tit-like Dacnis, Moustached & Golden-eyed Flowerpiercers, Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager, Paradise, Saffron-crowned, Golden-collared, Rust-and-yellow & Grass-green Tanagers, Andean Negrito, Peruvian Sierra Finch, Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch, Apurimac & Cuzco Brushfinches.
Tayra, Brown-throated Sloth, Saddle-back Tamarin, White-fronted & Large-headed Capuchin, Bolivian Squirrel Monkey, Geoffroy’s Woolly Monkey, Brown Titi Monkey, Bolivian & Southern Amazon Red Squirrels, Long-tailed Weasel, White-lipped Peccary, White-tailed Deer.
humid montane forest, foothill forest, tropical forest, high altitude lakes, polylepis forest
cold to cool in the highlands, hot & humid in the lowlands
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader
moderate, with some long drives and high altitude
comfortable
moderate with some challenging species
Cusco (the historical Incan capital city of Peru), Apurimac River valley (source of the Amazon), visiting an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek
excellent
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.
Rob Williams is right up there among the very best tour leaders. His vast experience from lots of research and conservation projects and intimate knowledge of the country add lots of value compared to a tour leader who is "just" a good organiser, birder and guide. He is also great company, with a sublime sense of humour.
It is terrific to have a bilingual guide in any country and one who knows the history and culture of the country is even better, thanks Rob! As always, terrific eyes, ears and birding skills.
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.
Successful and enjoyable. Rob proved his already high reputation. Special thanks to our driver Miguel - always helpful, always smiling.
24 May 2025 - 06 Jun 2025 (14 days)
USD7,000 - 1 Space Available
Tour Leader: Adam Walleyn
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD7,000 * GBP5,630 * EUR6,578 * AUD10,905
Can be linked with: Peru - Southern: Lima & Ancash Extension 2025
Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2023 - October 2023
Peru - Southern: Machu Picchu Extension 2023 - April 2023
Peru - Southern: Classic Andes & Manu Road 2023 - April 2023
Peru - Southern: Lima & Ancash Extension 2023 - April 2023
Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2021 - September 2021
Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2018 - September 2018
Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2016 - September 2016
Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2015 - September 2015
Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2014 - September 2014
Sign up now and get the best deals straight in your inbox!
1-888-990-5552
info@rockjumper.com
