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
Guides were awesome. Found lots of birds; guide was way too knowledgeable about the bird species and taxonomy.
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.
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.
This was an excellent tour! We saw so many great birds, and had many delicious meals from pizza to ceviche. The time spent birding and touring Kuelap was a highlight. To top everything off, Forrest Rowland is an awesome leader. In addition to hearing, seeing and getting everyone on the birds, he told wonderful stories and kept everyone laughing. All in all, we had a terrific time.
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.
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 * GBP5,627 * EUR6,541 * AUD10,799
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
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