BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY IN NORTHERN PERU
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- USD 2399
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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
Explore the captivating world of bird photography in northern Peru, where a tapestry of diverse ecosystems offers unparalleled opportunities to capture stunning bird moments where our main targets are Marvelous Spatuletail, Long-whiskered Owlet; Rusty-tinged, Chestnut & Ochre-fronted Antpittas; Jhonson´s Tody-flycatcher, Royal Sunangel, Rufous-crested Coquette, Painted Manakin, Mishana Tyrannulet, White-capped Tanager, among many.
We begin our journey in the Cordillera Escalera, a protected area teeming with life. In this lush paradise, you’ll frame your shots amidst dense rainforests, crystal-clear streams, and enchanting waterfalls; we will later venture later into Moyobamba, where Wakanqui lodge is great for photography in the trails, garden and hummingbird feeders are excellent.
Our lens then turns to the Reserva Arena Blanca with excellent trails, garden and hummingbird feeders and later ascending to Abra Patricia, you’ll set your sights on high-altitude treasures with dramatic vistas, intermountain valleys may bring us the emblematic Long-whiskered Owlet and Huembo Lodge is one of the greatest places for the wonderful Marvelous Spatuletail takes center stage.
This tour is designed specifically for bird photography, lodges and pace will create the chances for you and your camera to capture moments that transcend mere images, conveying the delicate balance of nature’s artistry.
See a Trip Report of one of our Birding Tours in Northern Peru here.
For some of our suggestions of Bird Photography see here.
Itinerary
Tarapoto and Cordillera Escalera
We begin the adventure in Lima with an early flight to Tarapoto, the gateway to the lush Amazon rainforest of Peru. Upon your arrival in Tarapoto, you'll immediately be immersed in the natural beauty of the region as we head to the Cordillera Escalera. This protected area is a haven for biodiversity, boasting dense rainforests, cascading waterfalls, and a rich variety of wildlife. Cordillera Escalera is home to a plethora of bird life for photography such as Koepcke´s Hermit, Hook-billed Kite, Lettered Aracari, Chestnut-throated Spinetail, Mishana Tyrannulet, White-bellied Pygmy-tyrant, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Black Antbird, Cliff & Brown-crested Flycatcher, White-throated Toucan, etc
After a day of exploration and adventure, return to Tarapoto, where you can savor delicious Peruvian cuisine, featuring fresh Amazonian ingredients.
Night in Tarapoto
Akonabikh - Moyobamba
We get back to the Cordillera Escalera to visit Akonabikh Reserve, where there are an impressive number of 22 hummingbirds present in the reserve such as Great-billed Hermit, Gray-chinned Hermit, Blue-fronted Lancebill, Black-throated Mango, Amethyst Woodstar, etc. Other residents are the stunning Golden-headed Manakin, Gilded Barbet, Opal-crowned Tanager, Green-and-gold Tanager, Curl-crested Aracari, Green-backed Trogon, Blue-capped Manakin, Dotted Tanager. Additionally Yellow-tailed Wooly-monkeys are often seen here.
Akonabihk ecotourism project initiative allows you to connect with the experience of the pristine beauty of the rainforest. We will photograph in the garden and feeders as well as explore the surrounding rainforest through the trails.
After our enriching visit to Akonabih and lunch in Tarapoto, we will continue our journey towards Moyobamba with a single stop to photograph the cryptic but awesome Oilbird along the road to end our day in Wakanqui Lodge where we may have the chances for Tropical Screech- Owl and Rufous Nightjar, etc.
Night in Wakanqui Loge.
Moyobamba
Moyobamba promises exciting encounters with the diverse avian species that inhabit this lush region of northern Peru.
After breakfast, we will explore the vibrant biodiverse known for its rich birdlife where Green, Blue-rumped, Blue-capped & the restricted Painted Manakins, Golden-collared Toucanet, Chestnut-eared & Lettered Aracari, Thick-billed Euphonia, Fiery-throated Fruiteater, Lined Antshrike, Mishana Tyrannulet and other spectacular tanagers such as Paradise, Turquoise, Green Honeycreeper, etc are present. While the hummingbird feeders show great chances for capturing the charming Rufous-crested Coquette, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Black-throated Hermit, White-necked Jacobin among others.
After lunch we will try for Stygian Owl, Russet-crowned & Rufous-sided Crake, Tataupa Tinamou, Great-billed Hermit, Long-billed Starthorat, Channel-billed Toucan among several others and night may reward with Tropical Screech Owl or Stygian Owl.
Night in Waqanki
Arena Blanca
After an early breakfast in Moyobamba, we will head towards Arena Blanca Reserve to spend our mourning in one of the most successful sites for photography and excellent local coffee. Rufous-breasted Woodquail and Little Tinamou can be easily photographed from a comfortable hide, a large set ot Tanagers can be found on the fruit feeders such as Paradise, Palm, Black-bellied, Yellow-bellied, Masked, Magpie, Golden, Blue-necked & Guira Tanagers, Blue & Black-faced Dacnis, Purple Honeycreeper and many others can be photographed from an adequate hide. Finally, flowers and hummingbird feeders attract Wire-crested Thorntail, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Sapphire-spangled Emerald, Little Woodstar, Violet-fronted Brilliant among others.
Trails and surroundings may reward us with White-browed Purpletuft, Fiery-capped Manakin, Gilded Barbet, Zimmer's Antbird.
Night in Arena Blanca
Foothills And Alto Nieva
After an early breakfast and extra time birding Arena Blanca, we will head towards the emblematic Abra Patricia. We will make an stop at the andean foothills photographing at comfortable feeders for Ecuadorian Piedtail, Green Hermit, Napo Sabrewing, etc. and the surroundings hold specialities like Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Andean Cock-of-the Rock, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Rufous-tailed Tyrant, Orange-eared Tanager, Sharpbill, Lanceolated Monklet, etc. Llanteria is also a great place to spot the endangered Yellow-tailed Wooly-monkey.
After lunch, we will depart towards the Andes, arriving in Alto Nieva at mid afternoon. Excellent time for preparing ourselves for one of the greatest nocturnal owling. This lodge is famous for two rare and restricted species, Long-whiskered Owlet and Cinnamon Screech Owl.
Night In Alto Nieva
Antpittas and Owlet Lodge
We will spend two days in Alto Nieva, where we´ll explore the diverse birdlife in the region. This area is known for its high biodiversity and is a haven for bird photographers. We'll traverse lush forests on a short hike seeking for two of the most restricted Antpittas in Peru, Rusty-tinged , Chestnut & Ochre-fronted Antpitta at lodge feeders. We will later spend time at tanager feeders where White-capped Tanager comes often and end the mourning at the excellent hummingbird feeders, well designed for photography, where the spectacular Royal Sunangel is one of the greatest resident; other species that comes are Peruvian Racket-tail, Long-tailed Sylph, Greenish Puffleg, Bronzy Inca, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Green-fronted Lancebill and other unique residents of the Peruvian rainforest.
Nights in Owlet lodge
Abra Patricia and Long-whiskered Owlet
As the second day here unfolds, we´ll head our way towards Abra Patricia, a renowned destination. On the way we will search for the beautiful and endemic Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher and Yellow-scarfed Tanager in the mixed flocks, other posibilities here are Green-and-black Fruiteater, Masked Trogon, Golden-headed Quetzal, Ornate Flycatcher, Rufous Spinetail. Among the several tanagers Metallic-green, Yellow-throated & Black-faced Tanagers, Blue-winged Mountain-tanager among many others.
We will leave the lodge at mid afternoon towards a little comunity nearby which showed to be the most reliable spot for the emblematic Long-whiskered Owlet.
Night in Pomacochas.
Back to Moyobamba
We will spend the mourning in Huembo with the spectacular Marvelous Spatuletail; other species coming to the feeders here are Bronzy Inca, Little Woodstar, White-bellied Woodstar, White-bellied Hummingbird, Andean Emerald and others.
Marvelous Spatuletail, is one of the world's most captivating and rare species. With its iridescent plumage and distinctive spatula-like tail feathers, spotting this bird is a true privilege for any birder and to procure photographs for the rest of the afternoon. At Huembo Lodge, you'll have the opportunity to observe the Marvelous Spatuletail up close as it visits the lodge's feeders.
After lunch, we will take the way back to the Amazon Rainforest towards Moyobamba. Throughout the day, we'll have opportunities to search for the missing species on the previous days and try for Foothill & Band-bellied Screech-Owl
Night in Waqanqui.
Tarapoto - Out
We´ll start the day at dawn with the very secretive and nocturnal Masked Duck to return to the lodge for breakfast. We will have an extra mourning at the garden and hummingbird feeders at the lodge and after lunch take our way (two hours approx.) to Tarapoto to finally catch our flight back to Lima or connect our 3-days Birding and Photography Extension seeking the rare and restricted Scarlet-banded Barbet at Cordillera Azul (See more details here).
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