The Biggest Weekend Birding Sandwich on Manu Road

Hardcore birding on Manu Road, Abra Malaga, and Vilcabamba. Focusing on the endemics and the special birds of SE Peru, this hardcore 9 day birding trip sandwiched between two weekends, intends to give you a shot at all of them, at a very high pace. This is the second Weekend Birding Sandwich, that Kolibri Expeditions presents. The first one takes on Central Peru. Now it's time for a Peruvian classic - Manu Road and Abra Malaga. For good measure, we also include the seldom-visited Vilcabamba area for some additional endemics. Apart from many splendid birds, there will also be breathtaking scenery of cloud forests in mist, high lowland tropical rainforest in the Amazon, dry deep canyons, spectacular glacier-clad peaks, and wide altiplano landscape with wetlands and lakes full of birds. 
The focus is not only the many Peruvian endemics of the area, but also the many highly specialized bamboo-adapted species of SE Peru, and a large number of nightbirds such as owls, nightjars (both Lyre-tailed and Swallow-tailed Nightjars) and potoos. Of course, you will also see iconic species such as Sunbittern, Hoatzin, Horned Screamer, Andean Potoo, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Andean Condor, Torrent Duck, etc 

Expect high-intensity birding, pre-dawn breakfasts, field lunches, and owling sessions. The participants of these trips are those who have had exposure to high-paced tropical birding adventures before, and those who value MORE BIRDS more than sleep and sit-down lunches. The goal is to see as many species as possible and have a go at all the endemic and special birds of the region. Photography, while possible, and in some instances challenging, is still possible, but you have to be a species-hunting bird photographer and shoot fast when opportunity is given. Other species are waiting around the corner. 

There are two quite long drives. From Wayqecha on Manu Road to Quillabamba, the next day, when visiting Vilcabamba, and back to Ipal Lodge, and finally the drive from Ollantaytambo to Curahuasi on Day 8. 

We have also intended to minimize the cost of this tour by using budget accommodation where possible, without that affecting the species list. 

Note that you can add a day for more endemics in the Apurimac Valley. 

We recommend traveling only with a cabin bag and a personal item so we can start straight away when arriving in Cuzco. Should you have arrived in Cuzco before the start, then bringing a suitcase is not a problem. 

Day 1: Lima-Cusco to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

Starting with a flight from Cuzco at 5 AM, arriving in Cuzco at 6:20 AM, and driving right away to Pisac and the Sacred Garden feeders at San Salvador. Here, the starbird is Bearded Mountaineer. Other hummers like Black-tailed and Green-tailed Trainbearers occur. Also good for Andean Tinamou, Black-hooded Grosbeak, Rusty-fronted Canaster, Golden-billed Saltator, and Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch. We continue over the highlands, and look for Andean Goose, Andean Lapwing, Mountain Caracara, and Andean Flicker. The Manu Road drops into the Amazon, cutting through amazing habitats of cloud forest, ranging in altitude from 3,600m to 600m. At Wayqecha, we take lunch and check out their feeders for In the afternoon, we visit a Cock-of-the-Rock lek (Entrance fee $10) and spend the night at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

Day 2: Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge to the Villa Carmen

The morning at the feeders at the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge until lunch.
The veranda at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge has a number of hummingbird feeders and plants that attract hummingbirds, as well as fruit tables for tanagers. Some of these are Violet-fronted Brilliant, Many-spotted Hummingbirds, Speckled Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Wire-crested Thorntail, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, and with some luck, Buff-tailed Sicklebill and Peruvian Piedtail. Also it is not unusual to see Brown Capuchin Monkey, Woolly Monkey, Tayra and Brown Agouti at or near Cock of the Rock Lodge 

In the afternoon, we travel to Villa Carmen, where there is good bamboo. Species like Yellow-billed Nunbird, Pheasant Cuckoo, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Peruvian Recurvebill, Bamboo Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Ruddy-tailed Flycatcher, Ornate Antwren, Manu Antbird, Flammulated Bamboo-Tyrant, Large-headed Flatbill, and White-cheeked Tody-Tyrant can be seen here. Night in Pilcopata. Exactly where we stay depends on the size of the group. Small groups of max three can use the new cabin at the Pico de Hoz reserve. Larger groups will be based at budget accommodation in Pilcopata town. There is a daily $25 fee to bird at Villa Carmen. It is possible to upgrade the lodging for Villa Carmen for those who wish. 

Day 3: Villa Carmen - Cocha Machu Wasi

Apart from the birds mentioned above, Villa Carmen now has an Amazonian Antpitta coming to a feeding station, as well as a feeding station for Black-capped Tinamou, and other tinamous.  There is also a small pond good for photographing the Hoatzin and Sunbittern. Mammals include Red Howler Monkey, Saddle-backed Tamarins and Squirrel Monkeys, and Night Monkey.

We shall make an excursion to the small oxbow lake of Machu Wasi to get closer to some waterbirds such as Horned Screamer, Pale-eyed Blackbird, Black-capped Donacobius, and with some luck, Sungrebe and Rufous-sided Crake. Capibaras are often seen in the lake. En route to Cocha Machu Wasi, there are two excellent feeding stations for hummingbirds (entrance fee paid on the spot - around US$ 10).

An enormous variety of hummingbirds can be seen, such as Gould’s Jewelfront, Koepcke’s Hermit, Rufous-crested Coquette, Wire-crested and Black-breasted Thorntail, White-tipped Sicklebill, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Grey-breasted Sabrewing, and many tanagers such as Magpie Tanager and Masked Crimson-Tanager. Night in Pilcopata

Day 4: Villa Carmen to Bamboo Lodge

After the morning's birding on the trails of Villa Carmen, we continue to Bamboo Lodge near Chontachaca. We will bird the road between Bamboo Lodge and Cock-of-the- Rock Lodge in the afternoon.  We shall end the day around Chontachaca, where macaws fly to roost in the late afternoon. Also, a chance to see Point-billed Palmcreeper and Sulphury Flycatcher here.

Day 5: Bamboo Lodge to Wayqecha

If we have done well on the section of the road up, we shall bird the area above Cock of the Rock known as Rocotal. There is a feeder station here with several species of tanager coming to fruit, as well as the chance of seeing White-throated Antpitta and Slaty Tanager. The area also has a stationary Andean Potoo on a day perch. We continue to Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological Station (2,900m) in the temperate cloud forest zone, and at nightfall, look for the Swallow-tailed Gull. Wayqecha is managed by the conservation NGO ACCA. The cabins are comfortable and spacious.

Day 6. Wayqecha to Ipal Lodge

Early morning birding around Wayqecha. Departure from Wayqecha will be around 9.00 to allow for a few stops en route. The area near Wayqecha is very good for Red-and-White Antpitta and Rufous-capped Thornbill. There are also often good Tanager flocks that sometimes pass at close range for good photo opportunities. The flocks include Black-faced Brush-Finch, Grey-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Yellow-throated, Grass-Green and Golden-collared Tanagers, Scarlet-bellied and Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Masked Flowerpiercer, Yungas Pygmy-Owl,  Streaked Tuftedcheek, Pearled Treerunner, and many more. We may explore a trail to try to see Hooded Tinamou and Stripe-faced Brush-Finch. There is also a Urubamba Antpitta being fed here in the early morning.

There are hummingbird feeders that attract Gould's Inca and Amethyst-throated Sunangel. Nearby, we shall also look for Scaled Metaltail. On the way on the day of driving to Ipal Lodge, we will make selected stops for species we may have missed in the temperate zone. Night at Ipal Lodge.

Day 7. Vilcabamba and Ipal Lodge

Two species often missed on Cuzco trips are Vilcambamba Tapaculo and Vilcabamba Thistletail because the site is quite distant, but on this tour, they are included. Also in the same area is a site for Royal Cinclodes. In the afternoon, we backtrack to Ipal Lodge, where we will check the feeders in the afternoon. A star bird here is the beautiful Swallow-tailed Hummingbird. Other birds we shall call in with playback include Sclater's Tyrannulet and Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet.

Day 8. Ipal Lodge, Abra Malaga, and Ollantaytambo

Above Ipal Lodge, we often find Masked Fruiteater, Black-streaked Puffbird, Olive Flycatcher, and Pale-legged Warbler.

We continue to bird the Canchayoc area on the wet slope of Abra Malaga. Here we may see many Peruvian endemics and other rare birds such as Diademed Tapaculo, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant, Golden-collared Tanager, Violet-throated Starfrontlet, Parodi's Hemispingus, Marcapata Spinetail, Tit-like Dacnis, Cusco Brush-Finch, Rufous-bellied Bush-Tyrant, and many others. Rusty-breasted (Leimebamba), Red-and-White, Urubamba, and Undulated Antpitta are often heard, and with some luck, we may be able to lure some of them into view with playback.

In the late afternoon on the dry slope, we shall search for Andean Parakeet, Tit-like Dacnis, Junin Canastero, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, and Golden-billed Saltator. 

Day 9. Abra Malaga, high Polylepis, Ensifera camp, and Laguna Huaypo.

We will leave at 5 AM for the drive to the Abra Malaga pass at 4200m, where we shall make a short, but quite strenuous, walk to the Polylepis woodland full of endemic and rare birds such as Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, and White-browed Tit-Spinetail. Among other specialties are Giant Conebill, Line-fronted and Junin Canastero, Puna Tapaculo, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Thick-billed Siskin, Tawny Tit-Spinetail, Red-rumped Bush-Tyrant, and Puna Thistletail.

On the way to Cuzco, we shall pass the hummingbird feeders at Ensifera Camp, where several good birds can be seen, such as the Sword-billed Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, and White-tufted Sunbeam.

We end our birding at Laguna Huaypo for some marshland birding, including Many-colored Rush-Tyrant, Puna Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Lapwing, Andean Gull, Andean Flicker, Mountain Caraca, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Chilean Flamingo, and Andean Duck.

Then we return to Cuzco for a late afternoon flight to Lima. Some people may want to continue to Apurimac for an additional handful of endemics (see below).

Apurimac extension.

Day 9. Drive to Curahuasi.

We continue driving towards Curahuasi, a two-hour drive. En route, we shall do some owling for the Apurimac forms of Peruvian Pygmy Owl and Koepcke's Screech-Owl, and with lots of luck, perhaps Buff-fronted Owl. Night in Curahuasi

Day 10. Huanipata road

Huanipata road is the easiest accessible site for the newly described Apurimac Spinetail. In the same area, we find Apurimac Brush-Finch and Apurimac Spinetail.

As we drive back towards Cuzco, we will search for Pale-tailed Canastero and Spot-eared Puffbird. We will also be on the lookout for an undescribed resident subspecies of Chivi Vireo. The song is quite different, so the future will tell if this may be a split eventually. The cost for the extension, including hotel and food, is $320 regardless of the number of participants.