BIRDING IN NORTHERN PERU: The Classic Tour
- From
- USD 3050
- Trip Type
- Activities
- Trip Duration
- Group Size
- 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
Northern Peru should be at the top of your list of must-visit destinations. With its incredible diversity, endemism, and rare species, it’s truly a paradise for birdwatchers. Our 10-day trip is designed to take you on an unforgettable journey through the region, allowing you to experience the best of what Northern Peru has to offer.
Our itinerary includes a visit to some of the most sought-after birding spots in the area, including Marvelous Spatuletail, Long Whiskered Owlet, several Antpitta and hummingbird feeders. We’ll also explore the Maranon Valley, Tumbesian endemics, High Andes, Cloud Forest, Amazon basin as well as the Pacific coast.
Our journey begins in Lima and later the dessertic Chiclayo from where we’ll gradually ascend the Andes through the dry slopes of the west Andes. The valleys in this area hold an incredibly high endemism, making it a prime location for birdwatching. Next, we’ll spend time at the pass and Cloudforest on the humid east slope of the Andes before descending to the foothills. Finally, we’ll end our trip at the lowlands in Tarapoto.
The road conditions and access to the main birding spots are excellent, making this the perfect way to explore the Coast, High Andes, and lowland Rainforest by car. Our trip is designed to help you see as many bird species as possible in just 13 days, with an easy and comfortable pace at an affordable price.
While our itinerary is a suggestion, we’re more than happy to adapt it to your needs, targets, or budget. So, whether you’re an experienced birder or a novice, our Northern Peru birding trip is the perfect way to experience the incredible birdlife that this region has to offer.
See a Trip Report of one of our Birding Tours in Northern Peru here.
Itinerary
Chiclayo to Chaparri - Peruvian Plantcutter and White-winged Guan
Early domestic flight from Lima to Chiclayo, we will head to a one of the few remains of Carob-trees wich can reward with Peruvian Plantcutter (E), Amazilia Hummingbird, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Coastal Miner, Tumbes Tyrannulet, Superciliated Wren, Cinereous Finch, Parrot-billed Seedeater, Necklaced Spinetail, etc.
After lunch, we will spend some time in TInajones where Comb Duck, White-cheeked Pintail, Paint-billed Grebe, Little-blue Heron or Black-faced Ibis are regularly seen. Finally we will spend the rest of the afternoon in the famous Chaparri Reserve where the emblematic and critically endangered White-winged Guan, once considered exctinct, is present since it was re introduced.
Night in Chaparri.
Casupe Road - Wild White-winged Guan!
After breakfast we will head towards Casupe Road where we will inicially look for one of the last habitat for wild populations of White-winged Guan. Other great species here are Guayaquil Woodpecker, Piura Chat-tyrant, Chapman´s Antshrike, Black-capped Sparrow, Ecuadorian Piculet, etc.
The afternoon will be spent in Chaparri for Lesser Nighthawk, Scrub Nightjar, Purple-collared Woodstar, Savanna Hawk, Red Masked PArakeet, Collared Antshrike, Pacific Hornero, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, Snowy throated Kingbird, White-tailed Jay, Tumbes Sparrow, Peuvian Meadowlark, White-edged Oriole.
After dinner we will look for Peruvian Screech-Owl
Night in Chaparri.
Santuario Bosque de Pomac
We will early head to Bosque de Pomac one of the last reserves for Carob-tree in the peruvian coastal dessert. The birds we can spot here is Peruvian Pantcutter (E), Variable Hawk, Peruvian Pygmy-owl, Lineated Woodpecker, Crested Caracara, Pacific Parrotlet, Coastal Miner (E) , Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Mouse-gray Tyrannulet, Short-tailed Field-tyrant, Rufous & Baird´s Flycatcher, Tumbes Swallow (E), Cinereous Finch (E), Tumbes Chat-tyrant (E) and Tumbes Swallow (E).
We can additionally spot the Sechuran Fox.
Dinner and Night in Olmos.
Abra Porculla - Jaen
Abra Porculla crosses the western Andes (at 2145 meters elevation) and is a semi-humed montane scrub habitat where Gray-chinned (Porculla) Hermit (E), Tumbes Hummingbird, Ecuadorian Piculet, Line-cheecked Spinetail, Black-cowled Saltator, Chapman´s Antshrike, Bay-crowned, White-winged & White-headed Brush-Finch, Henna-hooded & Rufous-necked Foliage Gleaner, Piura Chat-Tyrant, Marañon Tyrannulet, Tumbes Tyrannulet, Mouse-gray flycatcher, Tumbes Pewee, Three-banded & Gray-and-Gold Warbler, Chestnut-Crowned Antpitta, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Speckle-breasted Wren, White-browed Gnatcatcher, Blue seedeater among others are all good possibilities.
After lunch we will drive towards the upper Marañon Basin.
Night in Jaen
Dry Marañon Basin and Marvelous Spatuletail
Jaen is located in the Marañon Basin, well known for it´s high endemism and great birding with jems like Tataupa Tinamou, Paint-billed Crake, Chinchipe Spinetail (E), Marañon Crescentchest (E), Marañon Tyrannulet (E) are species very rarely found else where ; additionally Little Inca-finch (E), Northern (Peruvian) Slaty-antshrike, Red-crested Finch and Gray-breasted Crake are good possibilities here. After lunch, we will start gaining hight and drive now to the Eastern Andes to Huembo Reserve, a hummingbird feeding spot where the wonderful Marvelous Spatuletail is resident in its garden with other hummingbirds like Andean Emerald, Lesser Violetear, Bronzy Inca, Long-tailed Sylph and others may come too.
We will arrive to Pomacochas at mid afternoon for preparing ourselfs for a final drive to end the day in search for the mythic and spectacular Long-wiskered Owlet.
Dinner and night in Pomacochas
Chido Trail at San Lorenzo for Pale-billed Antpitta
An early short drive will take us to final short drive will take us to San Lorenzo for a whole-mourning hike to the habitat of the rare and endemic Pale-billed Antpitta. Other species here are the spectaculars Barred Fruiteater, Gray-breasted Mountain-toucan and Yungas Pygmy-owl. Some specialities such as Golden-plumed Parakeet, Rufous-capped Antshrike, Utcubamba Tapaculo (E), Russet-mantled Softail (E), Red-crested Cotinga,Unstreaked Tit-tyrant (E), Peruvian Wren (E), Coppery Metaltail (E), Black-crested Warbler, White-sided & Masked Flowerpiercers and the colorful Hooded & Lacrimouse Mountain-tanagers, Blue-and-black Tanager, etc
After lunch we will head towards the the emblematic Owlet Lodge, a private reserve at the pass of the western Andes where we will spend two full days birding up in this humide montane forest. The pass raises at 2300 masl has great forest and crosses the Andes towards the east side. This is one of the most productive and easy to bird road in the Neotropics. Owlet Lodge is a famous and confortable lodge, from easy birding in the garden where White-bellied Woodstar, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Fawn-breasted Brilliant and Lesser Violetear are residents to very good birding chasing tanager flocks where beauties like Grass-green, Yellow-scarfed (E), White Capped, Beryl-spangled, Yellow-throated Tanagers, or Rusty-breasted and Rusty-tinged Antpitta or the endemic Jhonson´s Tody-Flycatcher.
Night in Owlet Lodge
Owlet Lodge
Abra Patricia raises at 2300 meters elevation, it´s the pass that crosses the Andes towards the east side towards the Amazon.
This is one of the most productive and easy to bird road in the Neotropics. Owlet Lodge is a famous and confortable lodge, from easy birding in the garden where White-bellied Woodstar, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Bronzy Inca and Lesser Violetear are residents or birding in the trails with tanager flocks where beauties like Yellow-scarfed (E), Grass-green, Flame-faced, Black-faced, Metallic-green, Beryl-spangled, Yellow-throated Tanagers flocking with the endemic and restricted Jhonson´s Tody-Flycatcher (E).
This cordillera is wonderful for Antpittas since Ochre-fronted, Rusty-tinged and Chestnut Antpittas are being fed very close to the lodge and Leymebamba Antpitta can be seen at the trails.
Bird feeders at Alto nieva, another spot nearby atract White-capped Tanager, Royal Sunangel (E), Peruvian Raquet-tail, Violet-throated Brilliant, Greenish Puffleg, Rufous-vented Whitetip, Collared Inca, Green-fronted Lancebill, Amethist-throated Sunangel, etc. The trail rewards with Bar-winged Wood-wren, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-tyrant, Rufous-vented Tapaculo, Inca Jay, Crimson-bellied Woodpecker, etc.
Nights are particularly active with Long-whiskered Owlet, White-throated & Cinnamon Screech Owl, etc.
Nights in Owlet Lodge
Alto Mayo
We leave the lodge after breakfast towards Arena Blanca reserve where we can find Rufous-breasted Woodquail and Little Tinamou at a feeder. Its garden is excellent for hummingbirds such as Blue-fronted Lancebill, Wire-crested Thornbill, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Black-throated Brilliant, Golden-tailed Sapphire and our firts attempt for the spectacular Rufous-crested Coquette. Bird feeders attract Black-bellied (Huallaga) Tanager (E) and Burnish-buff Tanager, other species include White-lined, Green-throated, Turquoise & Paradise Tanager. Finally we can also find White-browed Purpletuft, Russet-crowned Crake, Lanceolated Monklet, etc
We will explore Waqanki lodge in Moyobamba where we will spend 2 full days birding where birding in the trails include include: Painted (E), Golden-headed & Fiery-capped Manakins, Fiery throated Fruiteater, Lafresnaye´s, Piculet, Riparian Parrotlet, Foothill Stipplethroat, Zimmer´s Antbird, Wing-barred Piprites, Golden collared Toucanet, RufousNightjar, Cinereous-breasted Spinetail; Stripe-necked & Pearly-vented Tody-Tyrants, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet, Green-backed Trogon; Rufous & Broad-billed Motmot, among others.
The garden of the lodge is rewarding with Mishana Tyrannulet (E), Huallaga Tanager (E), Channel-billed Toucan, Lettered Aracari, Red-shouldered & Black-face Tanagers, and Pale-breasted Thrush.
Hummingbird feeders attract the spectacular Rufous-crested Coquette along with Rufous-breasted Hermit, Violet-fronted Brilliant, Blue-fronted Lancebill, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, among many others.
Road explorations regularly bring Russet-crowned Crake and and a short drive will take us to see the very rare and nocturnal Masked Duck.
Nights are productive as well since Foothill, Tropical & Band-bellied Screech-Owl and Stygian Owl are residentes here.
Nights in Wakanki Lodge
Tarapoto and surroundings
The climate conditions in Moyombamba is unique, Wakanki Lodge started being a reserve for orchids but later turned into a "must"place to stay if you are birding at northern Peru. Humminbird feeders in Moyobamba "The city of the Orchids" attract regularly Rufous-crested Coquette, Brown Violetear, Great-billed Hermit, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Gray-breasted Sabrewing
After an early morning birding at the lodge and late breakfast, we will take our way towards east and stop specifically for an Oilbird roosting place at the side of the road. After arriving to Tarapoto we will start birding close the town for Comb Duck, Planalto Hermit, Stripe-chested Antwren, Coraya Wren Stripe-Necked tody-Flycatcher, Pale, breasted Thrush, Rufous Casiornis among others.
Night in Tarapoto
Tarapoto & Cordillera Escalera
This is our last day of tour, after breakfast we will head to Cordillera Escalera and Aconabikh Reserve, where Koepcke´s Hermit, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Pink-thorated Brilliant, Hook-billed Kite, Lettered Aracari, Mishana Tyrannulet, White-bellied Pygmy-tyrant, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Black Antbird, Cliff & Brown-crested Flycatcher, White-throated Toucan, Black-faced Tanager, Ashy-headed Greenlet, Rufous-bellied Euphonia, Blue-capped Manakin, Dotted Tanager and we find here an active lek of Golden headed Manakin. Additionally Yellow-tailed Wooly-monkey are often seen here. We will turn back after lunch to get ready for our flight to Lima.
We recomend to continue our recomended birding extension of our SCARLET-BANDED BARBET Tour
We can also continue the way to Cajamarca in our full Northern extended tour.
