Manu Road Birding Tour 10 Days

Day 1: Cusco – Huacarpay Lake – Dry Andes – Wayqecha

After pickup at your hotel in Cusco, we spend the morning at Huacarpay Lake looking for wetland species such as Many-colored Rush-Tyrant and Plumbeous Rail, and in the surrounding scrub for Rusty-fronted Canastero and Streak-fronted Thornbird. We then drive across the dry Andes toward Manu, looking for three endemics on the way: Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, Bearded Mountaineer and Creamy-crested Spinetail.

In the afternoon we reach the humid forest at the treeline, with targets such as Golden-collared Tanager, Moustached Flowerpiercer and, with a lot of luck, the rare Scribble-tailed Canastero. Late in the day we have our first chance for the endemic Red-and-white Antpitta. After dark we look for Yungas Pygmy-Owl, Rufous-banded Owl and Swallow-tailed Nightjar. Night at Wayqecha Lodge.

Day 2: Wayqecha – Middle Manu Road – Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

After a morning around Wayqecha for high-elevation species such as Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Red-and-white Antpitta, Puna Thistletail, Marcapata Spinetail and Rufous-capped Thornbill, we work our way down the Manu Road, stopping at the most productive spots. Blue-banded Toucanet and Handsome Flycatcher are relatively common specialties, and there is always a chance of rarities like Greater Scythebill and Andean Potoo.

Mixed flocks can bring a variety of tanagers, Versicolored Barbet, Striped Treehunter, Inca Flycatcher and, with luck, Band-tailed Fruiteater, while Hazel-fronted Pygmy-Tyrant, Unadorned Flycatcher and White-throated Antpitta are not rare but hard to see. Night at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, in the cloud forest some 1,400 m (4,590 ft) below Wayqecha and in prime habitat for the Andean Cock-of-the-rock.

Days 3–4: Manu Cloud Forest – Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge (1,000–2,400 m)

Two full days around Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, birding between 1,000 and 2,400 m (3,280–7,875 ft) depending on which species we still need. This is tanager country: mixed flocks can include Golden-eared (uncommon), Golden-naped, Black-goggled, Orange-eared, Fawn-breasted, Yellow-throated, Spotted, Paradise, Golden and Bay-headed Tanagers, along with Golden-olive Woodpecker, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Gray-mantled Wren, the restricted-range Bolivian Tyrannulet and Slaty Tanager, Marble-faced Bristle-Tyrant, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Black-faced Brush-Finch and Yellow-rumped Antwren. Away from the flocks we look for Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Andean and White-eared Solitaires, Amazonian Umbrellabird, Solitary and Black-and-chestnut Eagles and the rare, hard-to-detect Black-streaked Puffbird.

The lodge gardens attract Many-spotted Hummingbird, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Booted Racket-tail and sometimes Wire-crested Thorntail. Andean Cock-of-the-rocks are seen often, and there is a lek we can visit. The trails behind the garden hold Scaled Antpitta, Short-tailed Antthrush, Slaty Gnateater and the very rare endemic Cerulean-capped Manakin. Night birding is usually slow, but Lyre-tailed Nightjar and Band-bellied Owl are likely and Rufescent Screech-Owl is possible.

Day 5: Lower Manu Road – Villa Carmen (500 m)

In the morning we bird the lower Manu Road for difficult endemics such as Black-backed Tody-Flycatcher, Cerulean-capped Manakin and Peruvian Piedtail, as well as an undescribed tanager known from this area, informally called the “Bamboo” or “San Pedro” Tanager, which appears to be very rare. Other targets include Lanceolated Monklet, Two-banded Warbler, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Stripe-chested Antwren, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill and Cabanis’s Spinetail. Around midday we take a quick look for open-country birds.

In the afternoon we arrive at Villa Carmen, a biological station at 500 m (1,640 ft) whose trails cross bamboo forest, a habitat of southeastern South America with many specialized birds. Night birding can produce Striped, Black-banded and Spectacled Owls, plus Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, a regular in the garden. Night at Villa Carmen.

Days 6–7: Bamboo Forest – Amazon Foothills – Villa Carmen

Two full days for the bamboo specialists: White-cheeked Tody-Flycatcher; Manu, Striated, Goeldi’s and White-lined Antbirds; Ihering’s and Ornate Antwrens, Bamboo Antshrike, Large-headed Flatbill, Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant, Rufous-capped Nunlet, Red-billed Scythebill and Rufous-breasted Piculet, and with great luck the rare Rufous-headed Woodpecker and Peruvian Recurvebill.

Outside the bamboo we look for Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Amazonian Antpitta, Striolated Puffbird and the rare, local Scarlet-hooded Barbet. The local endemic Fine-barred Piculet is usually found around the lodge, and Military, Blue-headed and Chestnut-fronted Macaws fly over. Monkeys are possible too. Nights at Villa Carmen.

Day 8: Villa Carmen – Atalaya Port – Amazonia Lodge

After breakfast we bird on the way, targeting Yellow-billed Nunbird and Plain Softtail, then take a short boat ride 10 minutes downstream from Atalaya Port to Amazonia Lodge. From the boat we look for Fasciated Tiger-Heron and White-banded Swallow, plus boreal and austral migrants in season.

The lodge garden attracts Rufous-crested Coquette, Gould’s Jewelfront, Sapphire-spangled Emerald and the endemic Koepcke’s Hermit, a rare visitor. A short afternoon walk brings our first Hoatzins, with chances for Black-capped Tinamou, Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Fiery-capped and Band-tailed Manakins, Bluish-fronted Jacamar and the rare, threatened Razor-billed Curassow. With luck we find Long-tailed, Great and Common Potoos at their roosts. In the evening Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl is likely, while Black-banded Owl is usually heard but much harder to see. Night at Amazonia Lodge.

Day 9: Amazonia Lodge – Lowland Forest – Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

We spend most of the day at Amazonia Lodge, starting in the hill forest, the most difficult forest birding of the trip. Flocks typically include Half-collared Gnatwren, Spectacled Bristle-Tyrant, Cuzco Warbler and Rufous-tailed Antwren, and with a lot of luck Foothill Antwren or Sapphire Quail-Dove. We also visit a White-browed Hermit lek, and Ringed Antpipit is possible.

Later we try the floodplain forest for Slender-billed Xenops, Black-faced Antthrush, Speckled Spinetail and Black-banded Woodcreeper. After lunch a 15-minute boat ride downstream takes us to a small oxbow lake with Horned Screamer, Pale-eyed Blackbird, Rufous-sided Crake and, with great luck, Agami Heron. Late in the day we return upstream to Atalaya, picking up river-edge species, and drive back into the Andes. Night at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge.

Day 10: Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge – Cusco

We make the 5–6 hour drive back to Cusco, stopping at a few selected spots for species we are still missing. We drop you off at your hotel or at the airport for your flight to Lima, or you can continue on one of our birding tour extensions.