Andes and Amazon Birding Tour 10d/9n

Pre-dawn departure to **Abra Malaga (4,350 m)** to hike into an ancient **Polylepis forest**. We search for the critically endangered **Royal Cinclodes (*Cinclodes aricomae*)**, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, and Tawny Tit-Spinetail. We then drive across the high Andes to **Acjanaco Pass (3,800 m)**, entering Manu National Park and arriving at Wayqecha Biological Station for dinner.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Wayqecha Biological Lodge (2,900 m).

Full morning exploring the upper Manu Road around Wayqecha. We search for **Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan (*Andigena hypoglauca*)**, Marcapata Spinetail, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, Barred Fruiteater, and Golden-collared Tanager. In the afternoon, we bird along the road down toward San Pedro, encountering large mixed tanager flocks.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Bamboo Eco-Lodge in San Pedro (1,400 m).

Dawn visit to the active **Cock-of-the-Rock lek**, observing intense courtship rituals of Peru's national bird. We spend the day birding the rich middle subtropical forest, targeting Amazonian Umbrellabird, Crested Quetzal, Golden-headed Quetzal, Versicolored Barbet, Blue-banded Toucanet, and Highland Motmot. Lodge hummingbird feeders provide brilliant photographic opportunities.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Bamboo Eco-Lodge in San Pedro.

We bird the lower subtropical and foothill forest, looking for Lanceolated Monklet, Wire-crested Thorntail, and Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher. At Puerto Atalaya, we board our motorized boat and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River, spotting Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Amazon Kingfisher, and Black Caracara along the riverbanks, settling into our lodge by afternoon.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Amazon River Lodge (450 m).

At daybreak, we navigate **Machuwasi Lake** on wooden balsa rafts. We target Horned Screamer, Hoatzin, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Pale-eyed Pygmy-Tyrant, Black-capped Donacobius, and Sungrebe. Later, we explore river islands for early successional specialists: Lesser Wagtail-Tyrant, Castelnau's Antshrike, and White-bellied Spinetail.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Amazon River Lodge.

Dawn visit to a river **Parrot Clay Lick**, watching hundreds of parrots and parakeets ingest mineral clay. We spend the rest of the day exploring *Guadua* bamboo stands for bamboo-obligate species: **Manu Antbird (*Cercomacra manu*)**, Bamboo Antshrike, White-cheeked Tody-Tyrant, Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant, Dot-winged Antwren, and Large-headed Flatbill.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Amazon River Lodge.

We dedicate today to birding primary terra firme forest trails and climbing a **30-meter canopy tower**. From the tower, we observe canopy frugivores: White-throated Toucan, Spix's Guan, Black-faced Cotinga, and mixed tanager canopy flocks. On the forest floor, we search for army ant swarms and their attendant followers: White-throated Antbird, Hairy-crested Antbird, and Great Rufous Woodcreeper.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Amazon River Lodge.

A full day of targeted birding along river margins, oxbow lake edges, and transitional secondary forests. We search for Capped Heron, Sunbittern, Pied Lapwing, Muscovy Duck, and Bat Falcon. After dinner, our final night birding outing targets Crested Owl, Spectacled Owl, Black-banded Owl, and Common Potoo.

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• **Overnight**: Amazon River Lodge.

We take an early boat back up to Puerto Atalaya, where our private vehicle is ready for the return drive. We ascend the Manu Road, making select stops for birding and photography in the cloud forest. We cross Acjanaco pass back into the Andean valley, reviewing our master bird list (typically 450+ species) and arriving in Cusco by late afternoon (approx. 6:00 PM).

• **Meals**: Breakfast, Lunch
• **Drop-off**: Hotel in Cusco.