Birding in Manu Reserve Zone 12 Days & 11 Nights
manu tours birding 12 days
Manu Road is a famous Bird Watching Route that starts in Cusco and leads us to the Manu National Park. This road crosses beautiful villages with zones of amazing wildlife and diversity of birds, where 558 bird species were recorded.
This tour will embark you in a journey full of excitement and nature among the many birds that we can watch is the macaws clay lick full of parrot and colourful macaws.
manu tours birding 12 days
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Cusco – Wayquecha Biological Station
Our adventure begins in the exciting Jungle of Manu, we will pick you up around 04:30am from your hotels in Cusco in our private transport. Today’s destination is the lush cloud forest region where the Andes meet the Amazon basin. It’s a day of scenic drama and striking contrasts. Our first stop is Huacarpay, a mountain wetland habitat, with numerous bird species such as the endemic Bearded Mountaineer, Rusty-fronted Canastero as well as non-endemic flycatchers, coots, teals, egrets, hummingbirds, raptors, and seedeaters, between the Cusco Valley and the Paucartambo valley. Our next stop is for the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail, before arriving at the last Andean pass – Acjanacu. On a clear day, we’ll be able to look out from the last range of the Andes over the Amazon basin stretching into the distance. A side stop may find us Scribble-tailed and Line -fronted Canasteros and maybe Puna and Diademed Tapaculo. In the afternoon we will bird the upper limits of the eastern slopes. Working our way down the eastern slope of the Andes, the forest becomes more continuous and we will spend the afternoon birding to our accommodation at 2800 meters above sea level above Pillahuata. Possibilities are many but we hope to encounter mixed-species flocks of Mountain Tanagers, Flycatchers, and Ovenbirds. Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Collared Jay, and Mountain Cacique are among some of the many species we may find. In the evening we will go to a favorite spot where we have had luck calling the Swallow-tailed Nightjar. Night at Wayquecha Biological Station.
Day 2: Wayquecha Biological Station full day birding
After breakfast, we will be greeted with a varied dawn chorus and Red and White Antpitta should be calling. We will spend all day birding from the biological station at 2800 meters to our next stop at 1300 meters. This is a pristine forest on a short bus drive some of the special birds on this stretch which we will look for include: White-rumped Hawk, Trilling Tapaculo, , Andean Guan, a wide variety of Hummingbirds including Collared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Violet-throated Startfrontlet and Amethyst-throated Sunangel, Purple-backed Thornbill, Scaled Metaltail, White-bellied Woodstar, Mountain Parakeet, Andean Pigmy Owl, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, the endemic Marcapata Spinetail, Andean Parakeet, White-throated Antpitta, Barred and Band-tailed Fruiteaters, White-throated Tyrannulet, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Barred Becard, Pale-footed Swallow, Mountain Wren, Citrine Warbler and many Tanagers. Night at Wayquecha Biological Station.
Day 3: Wayquecha Biological Station - Cock of the Rock Lodge
After breakfast, we will depart for long birding day, having the following species: Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Sierran Elaenia, Black-Throated Toody-Tyrant, Golden-Crowned Flycatchers, White-Crowned Tapaculo, Yellow- Throated Tananger, Common Hemisphingus, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Scaly-naped Parrot, Speckle-Faced Parrot, Stripe-Faced Wood-Quail, Black and Chestnut Eagle, White-Throated Hawk, Solitary Eagle, Spotted Barbtail, Golden-Headed Quetzal, Highland Motmot, Strong-Billed Woodcreeper, Black-Streaked Puffbird, Versicolored Barbet, Blue-Banded Toucanet. During the afternoon we will arrive at Cock of the rock Lodge, we will enjoy the feeder for hummingbirds the Wire-Crested Thorntail, Green Hermit, Green Violetear, Sparkling Violetear, Speckle Hummingbird, Many-Spotted Hummingbird, Violet-Fronted Brilliant, Fawn-Breasted Brilliant, Bronzy Inca, Booted Racket-Tail. At night time we have good chance to see Vermiculated Screech-Owl, Rufescent Screech-Owl, Band-bellied Owl, and Rufous-Banded Owl. Night at Cock of the Rock Lodge.
Day 4: Cock of the Rock Lodge full day birding
Cock of the Rock Lodge is situated in the pristine Cloud Forest of the Mountains of Manu just a few minutes’ walk from a spectacular Cock of the Rock Lek (Rupicola Peruviana) furnished with comfortable blinds (hides) which enable us to observe these colorful birds. There is trail system behind the lodge that enables you to see the under-story of the Cloud Forest first hand and facilitates seeing some species normally not seen from the road such as Chestnut-breasted Wren, Scaled Antpitta, Rufous-breasted and Short-tailed Antthrush’s, Slaty Gnateater and the endemic Cerulean-capped Manakin, Yungas Manakin, Fiery-Capped Manakin. Orchids are abundant with about 80 species recorded around the lodge. Montane Foliage-gleaner, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Uniform and Variable Antshrikes, Slaty Gnateater, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Scaled Fruiteater, Inca Flycatcher (endemic), Uniform Antshrike, White-throated Spadebill, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Yellow-rumped and Slaty Antwrens, Deep-blue Flowerpiercer, Peruvian Piedtail (endemic) and lots more. Nights at Cock of the Rock Lodge.
Day 5: Cock of the Rock Lodge – Bonanza Lodge
This family-run Lodge has a bird list of around 780 species and others are continually being added to the list. The lodge is situated in the buffer zone of the Manu National Park at 300 meters, where the last low foothills of the Andes begin to flatten out into the lowland Amazon Basin proper. There are Butterfly bushes that attract various Hummingbird species including the pretty Rufous-crested Coquette, Festive Coquette, White-Chinned Sapphire, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Blue-tailed Emerald. In Bonanza Ecological Reserve we have bird watching towers enables us to watch canopy flocks including numerous species of lowland Tanangers and Macaws. There are many types of habitats including floodplain, bamboo, and varzea forest, Bonanza Lodge is enormous private reserve, there are many species including Black-capped Tinamou, the strange Hoazin, Buckley’s Forest Falcon, Blue-headed Macaw, Pheasant Cuckoo, Koepcke’s Hermit, Rufous-webbed Brilliant, Bluish fronted Jacamar, White-Throated Jacamar, Purus Jacamar Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Striolated Puffbird, Fine-barred Piculet, Red-billed Scythbill, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Amazonian and Thrush-like Antpitta’s, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Red-billed Tyrranulet, Johannis’ Tody-tyrant, Yellow-browed Tody-flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Band-tailed and Round-tailed Manakins, Black-faced Dacnis – the bird list rises up…!! Large stands of Bamboo hold many local and much sought after species, and coupled with the extensive Varzea, Terra Firme, and Mature Transitional Floodplain Forest, this means a mind-boggling variety of bird-life. Night at the comfortable Bonanza Lodge.
Day 6: Bonanza Lodge full day birding
We will be searching for in the Bamboo include – Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Manu Antbird (common here), Flammulated Pygmy-tyrant, Bamboo Antshrike, White-cheeked Tody-flycatcher, Large-headed and Dusky-tailed Flatbills, Peruvian Recurvebill, Dusky-cheeked and Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaners, Ihring’s and Ornate Antwren, White-lined Antbird, Striated Antbird and more. We will certainly look for one of the singing Rufous-fronted Antthrush we have located on territory here. Some of the scarcer forest species we will be on the lookout for that we have seen here previously include: Cinereous Tinamou, Great Tinamou, Little Tinamou, Undulated Tinamou, Black-Capped Tinamou, Razor-billed Currasow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Sunbittern, Gray-cheeked Nunlet, Rufous–Capped Nunlet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Ocellated Woodcreeper, Collared Puffbird, Rufous-Vented Ground-Cuckoo, Ruddy Spinetail, Plain Softail, Plain-Crowned Spinetail, Striped Woodhaunter, Banded Antbird, Ash-throated Gnateater, White-throated Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Purple Throated Fruitcrown, Bright-Rumped Attila, White –Winged Becard, Black Capped Becard, Pink-Throated Becard, Golden Collared Toucanet, Plum-Throated Cotinga, Black-faced Cotinga, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Royal Flycatcher, Musician Wren, Pale-eyed Blackbird, Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak to name but a few. We will have the possibility of night birding here: Mottled Owl, Black-banded Owl, Tawny-bellied Screech-owl, Great, Long-tailed and Common Potoo. Here we will visit the large Tapir Clay lick (Camouflaged House-blind) located in the primary forest, apart from attracting Tapirs, Peccaries, Deers and maybe a Jaguar, also attracts Guans, Currasows, Chachalacas and monkey species. We will be reluctant to leave this very birdy place, but yet more awaits us in the Amazon lowlands. Night will be spent at Bonanza Lodge.
Day 7: Bonanza Lodge - Casa Matsiguenka (Manu National Park)
After breakfast, we will start with a boat trip down river Madre de Dios, sailing for 2 hours until the confluence with Manu River, after registration at the check point of Limonal will take a walk the Aguaje Trail (mauritia flexuousa) where will easily find a lot of Antwrens, Antshrikes, Antbirds, Toucans and others, many hours of boat trip is planned on this day until we get Casa Matsiguenka Lodge, on the way by boat along Rio Manu we can find the famous Harpy Eagle, Crested Eagle, Black and White Hawk-Eagle, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Black Hawk-Eagle those raptor sometimes we can find on hunt or with prey, others river side birds are Orinoco Goose, Jabiru, Horned Screamer, Southern Lapwings, Black Skimmer, Sand-Colored Night-Hawk, Brown-Breasted Martin, Amazonian Swift, Short-Tailed Swift ; on the lucky day we can see Jaguar, Ocelot, Sloth, Black Caimans and White Caimans, arriving late in the afternoon, we have good time to relax or we can take some short walk around the lodge night at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge.
Day 8: Casa Matsiguenka full day Birding
The visit to an oxbow lake is planned, the mirror-like lake offers amazing sight to many birds’ species, including the Giant River Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) Easy chance to see Agami Heron, Zigzag Heron, Green Ibis, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Green and Rufous Kingfisher, Ivory-Billed Aracari, Curl-Crested Aracari, Hoazin, Gray-Necked Wood-Rail, Long-Tailed Tyrant, Black-Tailed Tityra, Masked Tityra, with good luck we can find the Anaconda (Eunectes marinus). During the afternoon birding activities will be on the other side of Rio Manu, on the Varzea Forest, Huicungo trail is great to find mixed flocks, Semicollared Puffbird, Great Jacamar, Screaming Piha, Cinereous Mourner, Short-Tailed Pygmy-Tyrant, Long–Crested Pygmy-Tyrant, Grayish Mourner, Brazilian Tinamou, Bare-Necked Fruitcrown, Spangled Cotinga White-Necked Thrush, Varzea Schiffornis, Thrush-Like Schiffornis, Wing-Barred Manakin, Blue-Crowned Manakin, Dwarf Tyrant-Manakin and other will surprise us. Night at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge.
Day 9: Casa Matsiguenka full day Birding
In the early morning we will leave to visit Macaw Clay Lick located at few minutes’ walk from the lodge, on the good weather we might see Red and Green Macaw, Blue and Yellow Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Blue-Headed Parrot, Orange-Cheeked Parrot, Mealy Parrot, Yellow-Crowned Parrot, Cobalt-Winged Parakeet, Tui Parakeet, Rose-fronted Parakeet, Amazonian Parrotlet and the large Blue-Throated Piping Guan, Spix Guan, Rudy-Ground Dove, Gray-Fronted Dove as the day warms, returning to lodge, after lunch we depart to Pakitza about 1 hours by boat, here there is a large bamboo forest, and we might cover species that we missed nights at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge.
Day 10: Casa Matsiguenka – Manu Wildlife Center
We left very early to take advantage of time since the cool morning offers good sights of birds, travelling for many hours by boat to reach Manu Wildlife Center, When we arrive at the lodge we have the option of visiting the Observation Tower where we can see specific birds of the canopy, the goal will be Pavonine Quetzal, Dusty-Chested Flycatcher, White-Browed Purple tuft, Salty-Capped Shrike-Vireo, Gray Elania, Forest Elania, you can enjoy the great sunset and see the flight of Macaws, Oropendolas, and toucans nights at Manu Wildlife Center.
Day 11: Manu Wildlife Center – Puerto Maldonado
Early start on our comfortable boats and our last look at early morning Parrot flocks. Our journey down the Madre de Dios River takes us past over the green forest until the town of Boca Colorado. It will be a great chance to see riverside birds and raptors. Leaving our boat we’ll take one hour drive in local transport to the Inambari River where our bus will be waiting on the other bank to take us, birding along the way like Black-Billed Seed-Finch, Chestnut–Bellied Seedeater, Saffron Finch, Point-Tailed Palmcreeper and more, arrival to the city of Puerto Maldonado at late afternoon, we spend the night at the hotel in Puerto Maldonado.
Day 12: Puerto Maldonado – Return to Cusco
After the breakfast we will leave for birding to the Pastora and Cachuela area, few minutes driving from Puerto Maldonado where we might encounter the Little Woodpecker, Spot-Breasted Woodpecker, Golden-Green Woodpecker, Rusty-margined Flycatcher, Boat-Billed Flycatcher, Great Jacamar, Paradise Jacamar, Elusive Antpitta, Moustached Wren, Buff-Breasted Wren, Scarlet-Hooded Barbet and etc. During the afternoon we will fly back to Cusco or Lima.