Day 1: Arrival in Lima . We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Night: Hotel Miraflores.

Day 2: We will take the first flight to Cusco in order to give us plenty of time to explore Huacarpay Lake, which is over 3,500 m. in elevation.

Our primary target bird will be the endemic Bearded Mountaineer, which frequents tobacco trees along with the Giant Hummingbird and Green-tailed Trainbearer. Around the lake we hope to find Speckled, Cinnamon, and Puna Teals; Andean Ruddy Duck; and White-tufted Grebe.

In the scrublands we will look for Streak-fronted Thornbird and Rusty-fronted Canastero. As we explore the area by vehicle . we will periodically stop to search for Andean Negrito, Wren-like Rushbird, Puna Ibis, and the spectacular Many-colored Rush-Tyrant. If we remember to "look up" amongst all the spectacular scenery . we may add Andean Swallow to the list as well!

After all this wonderful birding we will head for Ollantaytambo, stopping for a lunch of traditional Peruvian cuisine on the way. Arriving at the Pakaritampu Hotel in the afternoon, we'll have plenty of time to bird the gardens, which should yield Green-and-white and White-bellied Hummingbirds, amongst others.

Night: Pakaritampu Hotel.

Day 3: Early this morning we will take a short walk to the train station where we will take a 2.5 hour ride to Agua Calientes. The train travels along the Urubamba River where we will look for Torrent Duck and White-capped Dipper on the fly.

Once in Agua Calientes, we will take a bus to the famous archaeological complex of Macchupicchu, where we will take a tour of the ruins. While exploring this area we will look for Inca Wren and Mountain Caracara, among others. Afterwards we will return to Aqua Calientes and the train back to Ollantaytambo.

Night: Pakaritampu Hotel

Day 4: We will get an early start heading up to Abra Malaga Pass, at 3.900 m. elevation. On the way we will stop to look for the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch and Creamy-crested Spinetail. We will also have a good chance at adding White-tufted Sunbeam to the list.

Before actually reaching the pass we will stop to look for Streak-throated Canastero, Andean Flicker, and Andean Goose. Once across the pass we will look for a Polylepis forest where we hope to find White-browed and Giant Conebills, Tit-like Dacnis, and the endemic Parodi's Hemispingus. After thoroughly exploring this area we will start driving back to Cusco.

Night: Cusco

Day 5: Cusco/Wayqecha Biological Station. Note that sleeping arrangements and bathrooms are shared.

Our overland journey begins at 3,400m (11,150 ft.) with an early departure from the highland city of Cusco. Today's destination is the lush cloud forest region where the Andes fall away to the Amazon basin, and thus will be a day of scenic drama and striking contrasts! We will stop several times in the intermontane valley to look for four species of Sierra Finch (Mourning, Peruvian, Plumbeous, and Ash-breasted), Puna and Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrants, Slender-billed and Common Miners, Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, and hopefully Andean Condor. We will enjoy a box lunch overlooking the valley.

Upon reaching Acjanacu we hope to find a mixed flock containing Scarlet-bellied and Chestnut-bellied Mountain-Tanagers, Golden-collared Tanager, and Black-throated and Moustached Flowerpiercers. At dusk we will look for Swallow-tailed Nightjar.

Night: Wayqecha Biological Station

Day 6: After an early breakfast we will head for "the route" where the pristine forest provides ample opportunity to find mixed flocks. On the way to Cock of the Rock Lodge, we should find Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Blue-banded Toucanet, Golden-headed and Crested Quetzals, Inca Flycatcher, Andean and White-eared Solitaires, Marcapata Spinetail, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Trilling Tapaculo, Red-and-white and White-throated Antpittas, Red-crested Cotinga, Rufous-bellied Bush-Tyrant, Barred and Band-tailed Fruiteaters, Sierran Elaenia, White-collared Jay, Grass-green Tanager, and Dusky-green Oropendola. We will arrive at the lodge in the afternoon.

Night: Cock of the Rock Lodge .

Day 7- 8: We will spend two full days in the pleasant and comfortable Cock of the Rock Lodge. Early the first morning we will head to the lek of the lodge's namesake, the Andean Cock of the Rock, and enjoy the noisy display of these magnificent and bizarre birds; ideally, we'll see up to a dozen males hopping around and trying to attract a mate! Afterwards we will walk the trails [or is it a single road?] looking for mixed flocks containing half a dozen species of tanagers (including the unbelievable Paradise Tanager), and perhaps catch a Brown Tinamou crossing the trail ahead of us! After breakfast we will relax by the feeders, enjoying Violet-fronted Brilliant, Wire-crested Thorntail, Many-spotted Hummingbird, White-bellied Woodstar, Black-eared Hemispingus, Yungas Manakin, Slaty Gnateater, and Versicolored Barbet.

In the afternoon we will head up the road again looking for more mixed flocks, and at dusk we will search for Lyre-tailed Nightjar.

Night: Cock of the Rock Lodge

Day 9: Early this morning we will head down the road to Atalaya, where we will board a motorized canoe and cruise across the Madre de Dios River to our home for the next three nights , the Amazonia Lodge. En route we will look for a nice patch of bamboo where we will search for Black-backed Tody-Tyrant, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Rufous-breasted Woodquail, Red-billed and Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulets, Chestnut-breasted and Fulvous Wrens, and Golden-collared Honeycreeper.

Night: Amazonia Lodge.

Day 10 - 11:  The bird list for Amazonia Lodge boasts over 600 species, and with many good trails and tempting flowers, we hope to find a good number of these! From the balcony alone we could spot Rufous-crested Coquette, Gould's Jewelfront, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Long-billed Starthroat, and Amethyst Woodstar. The usually skulky Gray-necked Woodrail can be found running around the garden!

An excursion down the jeep trail should be very productive, with Hoatzin, Black-capped Donacobius, Ash-throated Gnateater, Cabinas (sp?) Spinetail, Plain Softtail, and Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner all possible. We'll scour the bamboo habitat for Manu Antbird, Peruvian Recurvebill, and Red-billed Scythebill, and at night we'll hunt for Long-tailed Potoo, Pauraque, and Black-banded Owl.

Nights: Amazonia Lodge

Day 12: We will spend the morning birding the trails around the lodge, then take a four-hour ride downriver to the Manu Wildlife Center, our home for the next four nights. On the way we hope to see Fasciated Tiger Heron, Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns, Bat Falcon, and Sand-colored Nightawk.

Night: Manu Wildlife Center

DAY 13 - 17: We will visit various habitats around the lodge. One morning will be spent at the Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick, enjoying these spectacular birds up close and personal! Red and Green, Blue and Yellow Macaw, Orange Checked Parrot During our stay we will also visit a couple of oxbow lakes looking for specialties such as Purus Jacamar, Black-billed Seedfinch, Pale-eyed Blackbird, and much more.

Nights: Manu Wildlife Center

Day 18: This morning we will leave for Puerto Maldonado, where we will catch our flight out tomorrow. Around town we will search for Red-breasted Blackbird, White-throated Jacamar, and more.

Night: Cabaña Quinta

Day 19:

Today we fly to Lima, where we will spend the night.

Night: Hotel Miraflores

Day 20: We return to the airport where we catch our respective flights home.
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