BIRDING AND CULTURE IN CUSCO AND MACHUPICCHU
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- USD 1800
- Trip Type
- Activities
- Trip Duration
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- Habitats Covered
The price listed above is based on a minimum of 4 people in double occupancy. If you have any questions please refer to FAQ of send us a message.
Trip Outline
If you’re looking for a comprehensive birding and cultural experience in Peru, our Birding and Culture Tour is the perfect choice. In just one week, you’ll explore the best of the country’s culture and nature, from remote birding areas to significant archaeological sites and Inca monuments.
Starting in Cusco, the historic capital of the Inca Empire, you’ll discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where you can witness firsthand the rich cultural legacy of this fascinating civilization. Then, you’ll venture into the rugged Andean mountains, where you will explore the world-class birding area of Abra Malaga.
Throughout the tour, you’ll have the chance to observe some of Peru’s most beautiful and unique bird species, including the endemic Inca Wren, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, Unstreaked Tit-tyrant, Masked Fruiteater, Oibird and many others. In addition, you’ll visit local communities, learn about traditional Andean farming techniques, and sample delicious Peruvian cuisine.
Our expert guides are passionate about sharing their knowledge of Peru’s culture and wildlife with you, and they’ll ensure that you have an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re an avid birder, a history buff, or simply looking for an immersive cultural experience, our Birding and Culture Tour is the perfect way to explore the best of Peru.
Itinerary
In
Arrival to Cusco and transport to the Hotel. Due to the elevation it´s wise to take it easy in acclimatation with a guided cultural walking tour around the city with a beatiful blend upong Inca and Spanish cultures in Cusco.
We will be transported to a world where history whispers through the halls of the impressive collection of colonial art of indigenous artist in the Cathedral of Cuzco, we will later admire the stunning inca architecture in the Temple of the Sun in Qoricancha, one of the finest stone masonery and historically more important Inca temple. We will end our afternoon in San Pedro, a local market where we may find important elements for the Peruvian culture such as medicinal plants (some are hallucinogenic! used by local “Witch-doctors”) and great variety of potatos, corn, quinoa, local fruits and a large etc.
Huacarpay – City Tour.
After breakfast we leave Cusco in search of the wetland of Huacarpay, designated by UNESCO as a RAMSAR site. The place is suitable for a variety of water fowl, hummingbirds, few endemics and the largest hummer in the world. Puna Tinamou, Yellow Billed Pintail, Puna Teal, Andean Lapwing, Plumbeous Rail, White-tufted Greebe, Puna Ibis, Rusty fronted Canastero(Endemic), Giant Hummingbird, Many-colored Rush-tyrant, Andean Flicker, etc. In adittion Huacarpay receives austral and boreal several migratory birds thorughtout.
After lunch, we will spend the afternoon exploring one of the most impressive archeological site in the continent. Saqsaywaman is located near Cusco, not as famous as Machupicchu, it´s a true gem among archeological sites, constructed in megalithic style is a great site to appreciate the skills of the pre-hispanic cultures in the New World. We will end the day with some birding where we have chances for two very restricted endemics: Creamy-crested Spinetail and Chestnut-breasted Mountain-finch.
Night in Cusco.
Sacred Valley.
After breakfast we leave Cusco to Urubamba Valley, one of the most important tributary of the Amazon. The places are stunning here, Pisaq is an exquisite Inka construction, a dramatic terraced slope of ancient ruins which shows the skills of the inca engineers.
Machupicchu full day.
After an early breakfast you will meet our expert cultural guide and take a 20 minutes bus ride to finally visit one of the most famous 7 New World Wonders. Machu Picchu, the Inca wonder radiates an indescribable beauty. It's a place where history, nature, and human ingenuity converge to create an awe-inspiring spectacle. This UNESCO World Heritage Site enchants visitors with its mystical aura and unparalleled charm, leaving an enduring impression of the sheer beauty of ancient Peru, with more than 200 structures constructed covering more than 30 hectares over peaks and slopes makes of Machupicchu a dramatic experience. Birding possibilities are Rust-and-Yellow Tanager, White-tipped Swift, Tricolored Brush-finch and the beatuful endemic Inca Wren among others.
Train back to Sacred Valley and Night at Ollantayambo.
Birding at Abra Malaga
Once considered by Zimmer "The finest field birder / ornithologist that the world had ever seen", Ted Parker, showed a high preference for this site that shows a wide gradient habitat where the birds are rare elsewhere. Early morning, after 2 hours of car ride, we will start birding in the east slope of the cordillera covering Puna, Elfin and Cloud forest searching speciallities such as Taczanowski´s Tinamou, Sword-Billed Hummingbird, Amethist-throated Sunangel, Scaled Metaltail, Marcapata Spinetail(Endemic), Diademed Tapaculo ,Rufous Antpitta (occabambae form) (Endemic) , Red-and-White Antpitta (Endemic), , Parodi´s Hemispingus (Endemic), Unstreaked Tit-tyrant(Endemic), Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan, Inca Wren(Endemic), Black capped Hemispingus, Scarlet-Bellied Mountain-Tanager, Plushcap, Yellow-Billed Cacique, Among others. Lunch will be a picnic at the field and we will descend to the andean foothills for the dinner and night.
Night at Ipal Lodge
Ipal Lodge
Ipal presents excellent birding chances, a unique enviroment which allows chances for rarities such as Swallow-tailed Hummingbird (rare elsewhere in Peru), Red-crested Finch, Masked Fruiteater (Endemic), Black-streaked Puffbird and other excellent birds like Rufous-booted Raquet-tail, Andean Cock-of-the Rock, Oilbird, Scaled Antpitta, Unadorned Flycatcher, etc, Yellow-bellied Elaenia and a large etc.
We may get back to the Cloud forest in Abra Malaga for missing species or hike in the humid puna habitats in the pass itself birding at Thastayoq at 14,000 feet elevation (4300 meters). Patches of polylepis that hold some of the most endangered and restricted species in the Andes such as White-browed & Tawny Tit-spinetail, Ash-breasted Tit-tyrant and the mythic Royal Cinclodes.
Other species of interest are Line-fronted & Many-striped (urubambae) Canastero, Red-rumped Bush-tyrant, Boulder Finch, etc.
Night in Ollantaytambo.
Out
We leave the Sacred Valley towards Cusco.
We will visit Piuray and Huaypo lakes where Silvery Grebe, Andean Goose, Short-billed Pipit, Andean Flicker, Andean Teal, migratory shorebirds, Puna Plover, etc.
We additionally will visit Chinchero, and ancient town of alpaca shepherds and traditional weavers with one of the most beautiful colonial Church.
We will arrive to Cusco for lunch and later transfer to the Airport or Hotel.
END OF SERVICES.
