Destinations:  Lima, Cusco & Puerto Maldonado
Length:  11 Days / 10 Nights


Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1
Arrival in Lima (-)
Arrival in Lima, reception by our representatives and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Lima.


Day 2
Villa Wetlands – City Tour: Colonial and Contemporary Lima (B/L)

Visit the natural marsh reservoirs of Villa, to the south of Lima, where from a very close distance you can observe resident and migratory birds.  The migratory birds are best seen from December to March, period in which large flocks of birds stop and rest here on their voyage from Canada and the United States towards the south of the continent.  You can also observe other different types of animals and plants that live in this fresh water sanctuary.

Lunch at selected restaurant

In the afternoon a trip to the essential Lima, “The City of Kings” including the most important architectural icons of the city, such as the Main Square, where you can find the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Then, we continue with a visit to the San Francisco Convent, an architectonic jewel dating back to the 16th century. On our way to the modern area of the city, we will cross the exclusive district of San Isidro, the new financial heart of the city, to take a look at pre-Inca Huaca Huallamarca. Finally, we conclude our circuit in Miraflores, where we will visit the “Parque del Amor” (Love Park) an excellent spot to enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean.

Overnight in Lima


Day 3
Cusco - City Tour: Sacsayhuaman and Nearby Ruins (B)

At scheduled time transfer to the airport to take your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, reception by our representative and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the morning is free to rest and get acclimatized to the altitude. In the afternoon, we will visit the Imperial City, living example of the mixture of the Andean and Spanish cultures. We start our trip visiting the Santo Domingo Convent, built over the Koricancha, and ancient Inca palace and main worship center of the Sun God. Later, we will stop at the Main Square, where you can find the Cathedral and the beautiful Church of La Compañía. Going on with the tour, we will visit the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, imposing sample of military Inca architecture which domains the city. Finally, we will take a look at the archaeological sites of Qenko, Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay.

Overnight in Cusco.


Day 4
Morning at Leisure – Bird watching at Lake Huacarpay (B)

Lake Huarcarpay and its surroundings, located just 30 minutes from Cusco, is an excellent place to watch birds during the afternoon. Here, you will find the greatest concentration of Andean water fowl (ducks, moorhens, and grebes) in addition to endemic species such as the Bearded Mountaineer. Common species found here are the Giant Hummingbird, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Andean Negrito, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Plumbeous Rail, Rufous-naped Ground-Tyrant, Rusty-fronted Canastero, Streak-fronted Thornbird y Golden-billed Saltator. 

Overnight in the Sacred Valley


Day 5
Bird watching at the Malaga Pass (B/L)

This is one of the most well known destinations for bird watching in Cusco, made popular by the legendary ornithologist Ted Parker. This tour allows you to travel the brush covered area of the Vilcanota Valley and to ascend to the Malaga Pass (4,230 m.a.s.l.) so you can descend to the dwarf forests and mountain jungle, or cloud forest. It promises to be a complete day of fascinating discoveries and plenty, and we mean plenty, of new species for your list.
Among the ‘stars’ of the day are: White-tufted Sumbeams, Shining Sumbeams, Great Sapphirewings, Creamy-crested Spinetails, Black-throated Flowerpiercers, Cinereous Conebills, Junin Canasteros, Tit-like Dacnisses, Chesnut-breasted Mountain-Finches, White –winged Diucas, Giant Conebills, Blue-mantled Thornbills, Puna Thistletails,  Stripe-headed Antpittas, Puna Tapaculos, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrants, Pale-footed Swallows, White-browed Conebills, Slaty Tanagers, Three-stripped Hemispinguses, Plush-capped Finches, Scaled Metaltails, Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucans, Marcapata Spinetails, Diademed Tapaculos, Golden-collared Tanagers, Parodi’s Hemispinguses, and many others.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley


Day 6
Machu Picchu: Bird Watching in the Areas near the Hotel and Ascent to the Citadel (B/L)

Early start  and transfer to the Ollantaytambo train station to board our train to Aguas Calientes.  Arrival at Aguas Calientes and check inn into selected hotel.  After we check inn we will take a walk around the hotel to look at the local birds of this area.  We will continue on our ascent towards the citadel observing the local birds
No one doubts that many reasons exist for visiting Machu Picchu, and bird watching happens to be one of them. The mountain forest environment surrounding the citadel is replete with bird species of great beauty and color. A few examples are the famous Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and the native Inca Wren. Other important species common to the area are: Crowned Chat-Tyrants, Silver-backed Tanagers, Cusco Brush-Finches, Tricolored Brush-Finches, Hooded Tinamous, Sickle-winged Guans, Sapphire-vented Pufflegs, Rufous-capped Thornbills, Yellow-scarfed Tanagers, White-winged Black-Tyrants, Streak-throated Bush-Tyrants, Speckled-faced Parrots, and many others.

Overnight in Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel


Day 7
Bird Watching in the Surroundings of Aguas Calientes  (B)

This is a very good bird watching option with easy access and fabulous odds of finding two species of interest: Scalter’s Tyrannulet and the endemic Green-and-white hummingbird. The possibility is also high for seeing Torrent Ducks, Mitred Parakeets, Yungas Pigmy-Owls, White-bellied Hummingbirds, Highland Motmots, Ocellated Piculets, Variable Antshrikes, Masked Fruiteaters, Inca Flycatchers, Golden-headed Quetzals, Versicolored Barbets, and more.
Return to Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco


Day 8
Puerto Maldonado: Reserva Amazonica 4 Days/ 3 Nights – Special Bird Watchers Program (B/L/D)

At the schedule time transfer to the airport to board your flight to Puerto Maldonado.  At your arrival, reception by our representatives and transfer by road to the port and continue on to the river on speed boats towards the the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge.  Lunch at the Lodge.
In the afternoon we will take an excursion on the different footpaths of the Lodge that are spread over 10,000 hectares of privately owned land.  Here we will enjoy a treat of the incredible and distinct flora and fauna of this incredible part of the world.

After an enjoyable and exotic dinner we will proceed to our night excursion on the river to spot caiman and other nocturnal animals.

Overnight at Reserva Amazonica   


Day 9
Lago Sandoval - Canopy Inkaterra (B/L/D)

Early start and transfer by boat and then by foot towards Sandoval Lodge, we will observe our surroundings taking special interest in the different bird species that habitat the Lake: Hoatzin or Shanshos, parrots, macaws, herons, caiman, fresh water beaver, as well as others.

Return to Lodge for Lunch

In the afternoon we take the boats to go to Inkaterra`s Canopy and Anaconda walks: Great opportunity to appreciate typical birds from the area; tucanets, cotingas, trogons, sparrow hawk as well as birds from other ecosystems like the ones from the Aguajales like: macaws, tanagers, different types of parrots and others animals.  You will have the time to observe these different animals from the top of the tree line.  Return at night to the lodge through the footpaths and going past the Botanical Garden.  Here you will have the chance to see diverse species of owls and other nocturnal animals.

Overnight at Reserva Amazonica.


Day 10
Collpa Cachuela / Rolin Island (B/L/D)

Taking with us a picnic breakfast we leave the lodge on the boats again through the Madre de Dios River towards the Collpa Cachuela that is nearby on the shores of the river and is 5 meters high and 10 meters wide, depending on the time of year – dry or rain season.  From here we will be able to see many types of parrot species.  We return down river stopping at the Concepcion Farm.  We also pass by a bamboo Forrest to check out other types of birds like ant eating birds and woodpeckers.  Return to the lodge after another look at some aquatic birds for some lunch.  In the afternoon, we invite you on a roofless boat trip to the great beaches of Rolin Island (in dry season from April to November) from where you ca appreciate the typical birds of the river shores like the fly-catchers, wood peckers, herons, chorlos, royal vultures, and a diversity of macaws that fly over the river.

Overnight at Reserva Amazonica


Day 11
Canopy at Dawn / Return to Lima (B)

As a we are bidding farewell, today will be an early wake up to experiment the canopy at dusk and observe the birds of the dosel in their splendor looking for their first bite to eat of the day.
Return to the lodge and transfer to the Puerto Maldonado port through the Madre de Dios River and then to the airport by road vehicle.  Stop at the Butterfly house before taking your flight back to Lima.

Upon your arrival to Lima you will receive assistance from our staff to board your international flight.


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