Bird Tours Peru - North Peru
Main itinerary Northern Peru Circuit (18 days)
North Peru is home to a number of endemic birds. In this tour all nights can spend in hotels, but we prefer (only with small groups) to camp some nights, enjoying the ambience and doing some night birding.
Day 0- Lima-Cajamarca
Afternoon flight to Cajamarca, night in hotel. For people already in Lima we can arrange some birding near Lima
Day 1- Cajamarca
An early morning excursion to the Great Spinetail site near San Marcos. Returning to Cajamarca we will visit in the afternoon the site for Grey-bellied Comet. Hotel in Cajamarca.
Day 2- to Celendin
On route between Cajamarca and Celendin are different sites for birding. Near Encanada we search for Rufous-eared Brush-Finch and Jelkski´s Chat-Tyrant, while around the pass (Cruz Conga) the rare White-tailed Shrike Tyrant and the cajamarcae race of the Rufous Antpitta are possible. Less difficult to find are for instance Black-billed Shrike-Tyrant, Rufous-webbed Tyrant and Brown-backed Chat-Tyrant. Hotel in Celendin.
Day 3- to Leimebamba
A day with many special -endemic or near endemic- birds. First we go to El Limon where we can find Grey-winged Inca-Finch and Chestnut-backed Thornbird. Afterwards we descend into the Marañon Valley and near Balsas at the bottom we will search Marañon Thrush, Peruvian Pigean and Yellow-faced Parrotlet. Buff-bridled Inca-Finch and Black-necked Woodpecker are other endemics, that are rather easy to find. Hotel in Leimebamba.
Day 4- Barro Negro
Above the town of Leimebamba there is a small remnant patch of forest
which at first glance looks unpromising for birds but there is a surprisingly
interesting selection of birds to be found here not least of which are
the endemic Russet-mantled Softtail and Coppery Metaltail. The Softtail is now very difficult, probably because the habitat is now too degradated. Other interesting
hummers here are Rainbow Starfronlet, Purple-throated Sunangel and Sword-billed
Hummingbird. In the afternoon we drive to Chillo, a rustic "estancia" in
the Utcubamba Valley. Chestnut-crowned Antpitta, Buff-bellied Tanager,
Golden-rumped Euphonia and many others are possible. In this area there is also a confusing subsecies of Mitred Parakeet present, while Koepcke´s Screech-Owl rest regularly in the garden of "el Chillo".
(For people with cultural inrest the trip can be extended with one day by visiting the archaeological site of Kuelap).
Day 5- Marvelous Spatuletail
On our way to Abra Patricia we will stop at Pomacochas (Florida) where we search for the legendary and threatened endemic Marvelous Spatuletail. If we are fortunate enough to find an adult male this will undoubtedly be one of the trip highlights and indeed a lifetime birding high for even the best travelled birder.In the same area there is some excellent birding. . The night we spend at the new lodge of ECOAN near the Abra Patricia pass.
Day 6,7,8- Abra Patricia
This outstanding area of temperate and subtropical forest holds many rare and spectacular species, not the least of which is the unique Long-whiskered Owlet not recorded for many years but finally rediscovered in 2002. The list of birds found in this area is truly extraordinary and we will spend three days in this area to get a decent chance to explore the different altitudinal zones so that we may find as many of these fabulous species as possible. Over 400 species have been recorded in this area. On day 6 we return to the ECOAN place. Normally we camp on day 7 near Aguas Verdes and on day 8 we use a hostal in Nuevo Cajamarca. But the places where to bird and where to sleep are flexible.
Day 9- Morro de Calzada
On our way from Abra Patricia to Moyabamba we bird the isolated peak, called Morro de Calzada. Mishana Tyrannulet, Lafresnaye´s Piculet and Striped manakin are some of the specialities between the more than 100 species that we saw already in our trips before. On our way to Tarapoto we will stop on a place where we saw before Blackish Pewee. Hotel in Tarapoto for 2 or 3 nights
Day 10- Tarapoto- tunnel area
North-east of Tarapoto on the way to Yurimaguas there is good montane forest near a tunnel. In that area many species are possible, for instance: Black-and-chestnut Eagle, Maroon-tailed Parakeet,Koepcke´s Hermit, Rufous-winged Antwren, Lanceolated Monklet, Slaty-capped Shrike-Vireo. Lower on we found in the past goodies like Short-billed Honeycreeper and Dotted Tanager.
Day 11- Tarapoto- Juan Guerra area:
south of Tarapoto we will search for Huallaga (Nothern) Slaty-Antshrike, Chestnut-throated Spinetail, Rusty-backed Antwren and Ashy-headed Greenlet amongst others. Depending the wishes of the participants we stay a third night in Tarapoto or we return already in the direction of Aguas Verdes.
Day 12- a day with different options
birding near Tarapoto or near Aguas Verdes/ lower part of Abra Patricia. Camping night at the restaurant near Aguas Verdes.
Day 13- Abra Patricia
we will bird early the area around km.400 , the best change to see Ash-breasted Antwren. In the same area are also possible: Ecuadorian Piedtail, Napo Sabrewing, Equatorial Graytail and Vermilion Tanager. En general we have second changes for whatever bird at A.Patricia, that we have missed before. The night we spend probably in Pedro Ruiz, but again we are flexible.
Day 14- Jaen
On the way to Jaen we will find Little Inca-Finch near Bagua. The afternoon we spend birding near Jaen where the most important species to find will be the Marañon Crescentchest. Hotel in Jaen.
Day 15- Jaen
1-hour drive from Jaen there is an excellent area to find Marañon specialties like Chinchipe - & Marañon Spinetails and Marañon Slaty-Antshrike. On this site are also possible Military Macaw anf Yellow-cheeked Becard. At midday we continue our journey to Olmos for a night in a hotel or we camp at Abra Porculla.
Day 16- Abra Porculla
At the Abra Porculla we can encounter all the special birds from this area: Grey-chinned Hermit, Rufous-necked - & Henna-hooded Foliagegleaners, Chapman´s Antshrike, Watkin´s Antpitta, Piura Chat-Tyrant, 3 species of Brush-Finches and Black-cowled Saltator. In the afternoon we drive already to Quebrada Limon, birding dry forest on the way in. Many birds here, amongts them Tumbes Sparrow and Tumbes Tyrant.
Day 17- Quebrada Limon
Today we are going to look for one of the rarest of Peruvian birds the critically threatened White-winged Guan. Only recently rediscovered in 1977 this dramatic species is truly bizarre in contrast to all other guan species with its broad white wing patches. We will have an outstanding chance of observing this species and many other Tumbes specialties. In the afternoon we drive to Chiclayo for a night in a hotel.
Day 18- Batan Grande
A early morning start will get us to Batan Grande/Bosque Pomac in good time to spend the morning searching the area for the rare endemics Peruvian Plantcutter and Rufous Flycatcher. Tumbes Swallow can be found along riverine vegetation. Around midday the tour ends in Chiclayo.
There are different possibilities:
- flying back to Lima in the late afternoon or going by bus (whole night)
- going back to Lima with us birding the Cordillera Blanca, San Damian and Lachay (5 days)
- a birding tour of 6 days to Tumbes
Extension Orange-throated Tanager
In the part of the itinerary of day 11+12 we do it faster in order to arrive on day 13 in Bagua Chica.
Day 14- to Imazita
The start of a special expedition to the legendary Orange-throated Tanager. We drive to Imazita spending half of the time on birdwatching at differetn places along the road. Hotel in Imacita..
Day 15- to the Aguaruni community of Chikais
A boat of 3 hours to the community. We put our tents up in a big building and our driver cooks these days for us. In the afternoon to the place for the Orange-throated Tanager. We are pretty sure that we will see the tanager in the 1.5 days that we are here.
Day 16- whole day in Chikais.
More than half a day to explore the area around Chikais. Before we have seen here Chetsnut-headed Crake, Black Bushbird, Purplish Jacamar, Neopipo, Moustached Antwren, Ecuadorian Cacique and many others. On our first (exploration) trip to this area the clients even claimed White-masked Antbird! Around 14: 00 p.m. we return by boat to Imacita.
Day 17- to Jaen.
The same way back to Bagua Chica and going on to Jaen. The next days 18,19,20,21 are the same as days 15,16,17,18 in the main program of 18 days (see before)
The flights are not included in the tour price
Extra nights in the ECOAN facility at A.Patricia : $ 70 per person per night
Price Information
| Price p.p. in US dollars | Nothern Circuit - 18 days | ||
| Number of pax | 2 | 3 | 4-7 |
| Bird guide included | 3970 | 2910 | 2390 |
| Without bird guide | 3200 | 2400 | 2000 |
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TANAGER TOURS | |
| La Estrella F-9 | ||
| J.L. Bustamante y Rivero | ||
| Trujillo - Perú | ||
| Phone: | +51 44 423752 | |
| e-mail: | info@tanagertours.com | |
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