Birdwatching in Northern Peru 12D/11N

“Route of the Endemics”

Morning/Midday.

We get up very early.

• 05:00-08:30 Arrival in Lima. Reception of international passengers. During the flight, we will have a light breakfast.
• 09:30-11:15 Flight Lima – Tumbes. From the air, we can see the transition from coast to dry forest.
• 11:30-12:30 Reception at the airport by the specialized guide and private transfer to the Cerro de Amotape National Park area and lodge. We will make a brief stop along the way for snacks and water.
• 12:30-01:30 Lunch.
• We will enjoy a light menu recommended for hot weather.
• 14:00-17:30 Introductory afternoon birding – Tropical dry forest.
• We will take slow walks along flat trails and secondary roads. Focus on vocal birds and territorial species.
• Target species: Black-capped Sparrow, Gray-and-white Tyrannlet, Tumbes Tyrant, Ecuadorian Piculet, Superciliated Wren.
• Logistics: hot weather (30-35°C), mandatory use of hat, sunscreen, and 2-3 liters of water per person.
• Accommodation: lodge or ecolodge in Tumbes.

• At 5:00 a.m., we will have breakfast with light coffee, energy snacks, and prepare our field equipment.
• 5:30–9:30 a.m. Intensive Morning Birding
• Early entry to the park to take advantage of peak activity. To see a much greater variety of species. Tour of trails and secondary roads.
• Target species: Pale-browed Tinamou, Tumbes Hummingbird, Gray-backed Hawk, White-winged Guan.
• 09:30-10:30 Full Country Breakfast
• Hot breakfast at the lodge or country breakfast (option depending on the day’s logistics) in an authorized area.
• 10:30-13:00 Complementary Birding
• Observation of raptors and canopy species.
• 1:00-2:00 p.m. Lunch and rest
• 3:00-5:00 p.m. Afternoon birding
• In this place so attractive for its natural beauty, we will be able to appreciate greater activity of hummingbirds and furnarids.
• Logistical note: Dry and rocky terrain; light trekking shoes.
• Accommodation: Tumbes.

• 05:00-8:30 Transfer from Tumbes to Piura
• Overland trip with strategic stops so you can also have breakfast during the trip.
• 08:30-11:30 Birding in carob groves
• Open dry forest and traditional agricultural areas.
• Target species: Peruvian Plantcutter, Collared Antshrike, Henna-hooded Foliage Gleaner.
• 12:00-1:00 p.m. Local lunch
• Where you can enjoy a delicious local lunch.
• 3:00-5:30 p.m. Afternoon birding
• We will head to a place with more light to take pictures of the area and the birds. And thus take home beautiful memories.
• Accommodation: Hotel in Piura.

• 04:45 We wake up very early in the morning and then head out for a hot drink (coffee, tea, mate) + energy snack (fruit, cereal bar).
• 05:15–08:30 Transfer from Piura to Lambayeque.
• Road trip. Box breakfast to eat en route.
• 08:45–12:00 Morning birding – Pomac Forest.
• Flat walks along sandy trails and through dense carob groves.
• 12:00–13:00 Lunch.
• Local restaurant or organized picnic lunch (logistical option depending on heat).
• 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Afternoon birding
• Activity focused on vocal and perched species.
• Target species: Slaty Antshrike, Buff-bellied Tanager.
• Dinner: Restaurant in Chiclayo (light menu recommended).
• Accommodation: Chiclayo.

• 5:00 a.m. Early in the morning, we will have breakfast (coffee, tea, and a snack) and then head to a more remote location where we will enjoy breathtaking views.
• 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Intensive birding – Chaparri.
• There we will be able to take moderate walks on rocky terrain.
• 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Full breakfast.
• We will have breakfast at the lodge, which has a local dining room where we can enjoy the delicacies of the area in greater comfort.
• 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Complementary birding
• During this time, we will look for birds of prey and thermal flight. As the ground warms up, air currents are created, and we will be able to observe hawks, eagles, vultures, and falcons that begin their patrols and also tend to bathe.
•  1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch
• We will enjoy a regional lunch (vegetarian option available).
• After lunch, we will have:
• Target species: Marvelous spatuletail, Little woodstar, Emerald Toucanet.
• Dinner: Chiclayo.

• 05:00 We will wake up and have an early breakfast at the hotel.
• 05:30 – 11:30 Transfer Lambayeque – Cajamarca
• We will make a long trip and stop for coffee and restroom breaks.
• 12:00 – 13:00 Lunch
• We will visit a restaurant in Cajamarca
• to enjoy regional cuisine.
• 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Gentle birding
• Acclimatization adjustment. We will look for a suitable and strategic location near flowers or a water source. This allows the heart rate to remain low, ideal for acclimatization. Then we will walk along flat and short trails. The sun is lower, creating a golden light perfect for photographs without the physical effort of the morning.
• At this time, many species return to their roosts, and it is time for “contact calls.”
• Dinner: Hotel in Cajamarca.

• 4:30 a.m. We will wake up very early to enjoy this magical place, one of the most famous birding spots in Peru. We will also be able to enjoy a hot drink (coffee, herbal teas, snack).
• 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Transfer plus birding en route and box breakfast en route. Here we will be able to enjoy the scenery and take photos.
• 12:30 p.m. Lunch: we will head to the lodge for a regional lunch with a wide variety of dishes. In the afternoon, intensive observation in the cloud forest, roadside, and trails.
• Target species: Ochre-fronted Antpitta, Rusty-tinged Antpitta, Chestnut Antpitta. Here we will be able to observe these impressive local birds, and then head back to the lodge.
• 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Afternoon birding.
• Dinner: Lodge (included).
• Accommodation: Lodge in Abra Patricia.

• 5:00 a.m.: We will have a hot drink to warm up in the morning, followed by specialized sessions searching for rare species.
• 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. We will have specialized birding as this time is strategic. Sunrise is the time of the morning chorus, when birds are most active, defending their singing territory and going out to feed. As the sun warms up.
• 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Full breakfast
• We will enjoy a hot breakfast at the lodge, with typical flavors of northern Peru. It includes local coffee, natural juices, and local specialties to start the day with energy.
• 12:30 p.m. Lunch After a morning in the field, lunch at the lodge is the perfect time to recharge your batteries before searching for the “crown jewels” of the area.
• Afternoon/Evening
• Optional nighttime owl watching activity. This is undoubtedly the most eagerly awaited activity in Abra Patricia. The search for the Long-whiskered Owlet is almost a rite of passage for birdwatchers in Peru, as it is one of the smallest and most enigmatic owls in the world.
• Target species: Long-whiskered Owlet, Koepcke’s Screech-Owl, Bar-winged Wood-Wren.
• These birds are not only rare, but also require very specific habitats within the reserve.
• 7:00 p.m. Dinner.
• Included. Optional nighttime activity.
• Accommodation: Owlet Lodge or similar.

• 05:00 We will wake up very early, then have a hot drink (coffee + snack). We will descend towards Moyobamba with frequent stops.
• 05:30 -09:30 Birding on the descent.
• This is one of the most spectacular changes in altitude gradient for birding in the world. In a few hours, you will go from the moss-saturated cloud forest to the high jungle (low yungas).
• 09:30 – 10:30 Breakfast
• This breakfast is usually taken near Moyobamba or at a strategic spot along the route (such as a tributary area or a local rest stop).
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch
• For lunch on this day, we will meet at a restaurant in Moyobamba, where you will find yourself in the heart of Moyobamba, the “City of Orchids.” At this time (12:30 pm), the heat of the jungle is at its peak, so lunch is not only for eating but also for hydrating and recovering in the shade.
• Afternoon: We will visit hummingbird gardens and private reserves, as you are in one of the world’s hummingbird capitals. The transition to the high jungle (low yungas) allows for an astonishing density of species per square meter, especially in strategic locations.
• Target species: Marvelous Spatuletail, Rufous-crested Coquette, Wire-crested Thorntail.
• Dinner: hotel.
• Accommodation: Moyobamba.

• At 5:30 a.m., we will wake up and have some coffee or tea to warm up before starting at one of the most iconic points on the northern route: Waqanki Hummingbird Center. Although you had an introduction to the gardens the day before, this morning will be spent looking for forest species and specialists that only become active at first light.
• 6:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Birding in Waqanki
• Before the heat sets in, the ideal thing to do is walk along the trail that climbs up to the forest hills. Here, the target is not only hummingbirds, but also understory and canopy birds. As the sun illuminates the Stachytarpheta flowers (purple verbenas), the show begins.
• 09:30 -10:30 Full Breakfast
• This is the perfect time to relax. Unlike the quick snack in the early morning, this is a full breakfast designed to give you energy for the second expedition of the day to Arena Blanca. Breakfast is usually served in the reception area or the open dining room of the reserve. The best thing about this moment is that the birding doesn’t stop.
• 12:30 PM Lunch
• We will probably be finishing your transition from Moyobamba to the Arena Blanca Reserve area (near the town of Aguas Verdes). Lunch at this point is strategic: you need a meal that keeps you alert but comfortable, as the afternoon requires a lot of patience and silence in the hides. Lunch is usually fresh and energizing.
• Afternoon
• Exploration of the Arena Blanca Forest.
• This is a technical and fascinating experience. This varillal ecosystem (forests on nutrient-poor white sand soils) is home to specialists that have evolved to survive in very specific conditions. These acidic soils create lower, denser vegetation, ideal for the following species: Target species: Mishana Tyrannulet, Citron-bellied Attila, Mishana Antbird.
• Dinner: Moyobamba. The culinary offerings combine Amazonian tradition with a more sophisticated urban touch. Here’s what you can expect from your dinner in the “City of Orchids.”
• Accommodation: Moyobamba

• Breakfast: hotel
• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel for a leisurely start to the day. In Moyobamba, even hotel gardens are often very productive. While you eat breakfast, look for the Pale-breasted Thrush, the Silver-beaked Tanager (very common in the bushes), and the Blue-gray Tanager.
• Farewell coffee: Don’t leave without one last cup of the area’s high-altitude coffee, recognized as one of the best in Peru.
• Lunch: Local restaurant
• For your first lunch in Tarapoto, be prepared for a change in intensity, not only in flavor but also in climate. The midday heat is noticeable, so local restaurants are designed to be cool and airy. In Tarapoto, the food is vibrant and uses many ingredients from the Amazonian plains, and you will have many options to choose from.
• Dinner: Hotel.
• This is the best option to rest, process the photos of the day, and organize your equipment for the next stage of your expedition

• Breakfast at the hotel. Take advantage of this last Amazonian breakfast to enjoy local fruits (such as cama-camu or papaya juice) and coffee from the region. You will then be transferred to the airport, where you can see the Cerro Escalera mountain range that surrounds the city, and fly back to Lima.