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7-day Southern Peru: Machupicchu and Malaga Pass, Cusco EndemicsThis seven-day trip provides a superb birding experience across one of the most famous Peruvian destinations: Cusco. This city famous for being the capital of the ancient Inca civilization has now become the place to see for thousands of tourists that visit the legendary ruins of Machupicchu. However, Cusco and its surroundings provide an excellent group of birds including several country endemics, hard to see anywhere else. Birding Ecotours invites you to visit Machupicchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and to look for treasures that are hidden far from the crowd such as the endemics Inca Wren, Masked Fruiteater, Cusco Brush-Finch and Green-and-white Hummingbird. In the gardens of our comfortable hotel, we will see several species of hummingbirds on the feeders including species like Booted Racket-tail and the beautiful Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. The forest near the hotel is the habitat of other species of birds such as Andean Guan, Speckle-faced Parrot, White-eared Solitaire and Ocellated Piculet. We will drive above the mountains of Cusco to explore the last forest of Polylepis that still stands at the base of the impressive snow-capped mountains. The set of birds of this site includes rare birds such as the endemics Royal Cinclodes, White-browed Tit-Spinetail, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and Giant Conebill. For those who enjoy scenery, they will have a great opportunity for pictures of the beautiful landscapes and Andean lakes where we may see a pair of Crested Duck and the majestic Andean Condor soaring above the mountains. DETAILED ITINERARY 01. Day Arrival in Lima. You will be met by the Birding Ecotours staff and transferred to the new Coastal del Sol hotel at the airport. 02. Day We will have an early start to tae our flight to the city of Cusco. Once in Cusco, we will go to the Huacarpay Lake. This typical Andean lake harbors an interesting set of waterfowls like Cinammon, Puna and Speckled Teals, Andean Duck, and Yellow-billed Pintail. We shall see many Andean Coot and Common Morhen on the quiet waters of the lake. The reeds around the ponds of water are the habitat of the secretive Wren-like Rushbird, the handsome Many-colored Rush-Tyrant and Yellow-winged Blackbird. We will focus on the sky for any sign of the Cinereous Harrier, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle and Aplomado Falcon. The dry slopes around the lake also provide an excellent set of birds like Band-tailed Seedeater, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, Green-tailed Trainbearer, Spot-winged Pigeon, Chiguanco Thrush, Black-throated and Rusty Flowerpiercer, Yellow-billed Tit-Tyrant, Blue-and-yellow Tanager, Andean Flicker, Streak-throated Thornbill, and the endemic Rusty-fronted Canastero and Bearded Mountainner, an endemic and restricted range species of hummingbird, which is often seen around the lake. Later, we will move to the small Andean town of Ollantaytambo. Hotel Ollantaytambo 03-04 Day The gardens of the lodge provide good sightings of birds like Golden-billed Saltator, Black-tailed Trainbearer and Giant Hummingbird, which is the largest hummingbird of the world. We will take our train towards the village of Aguas Calientes which is the gateway of the legendary Inca ruins of Machupicchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. We will spend two days around the area looking for a great variety of hummers such as the gorgeous Gould’s Inca, White-bellied Hummingbird, Sparkling and Green Violetears, Green Hermit, Speckle Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Booted Racket-tail, and the endemic Green-and-white Hummingbird. The flock of multicolored birds is also impressive including species like Beryl-spangled, Blue-necked, Fawn-breasted, Rust-and-yellow, Blue-grey, Blue-capped, Highland Hepatic, Saffron-crowned, Golden-naped and Silver-backed Tanager, Capped Conebill, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, Andean Cock-of-the Rock and Highland Motmot. We will visit the botanical garden looking for the Azara’s Spinetail, Gray-breasted Wood-Wren, White-winged Black-Tyrant, Ocellated Piculet, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Russet-crowned and Pale-legged Warblers, Tropical Parula, Mitred Parakeet, Andean and White-eared Solitaire, Yellow-bellied Seedeater and the endemics Inca Wren and Masked Fruiteater. We will return to the village by walking along the Urubamba River to look for a pair of Torrent Ducks and White-capped Dippers. After lunch, we will return to Ollantaytambo. 05. Day We will have an early start driving above Ollantaytambo on the way to the famous Malaga Pass. The landscape is quite impressive with amazing views of the snow-capped mountains. We will stop along the road to the pass for the endemics White-tufted Sunbeam, Creamy-bellied Spinetail and Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, others birds may include Andean Parakeet, Shinning Sunbeam and the majestic Andean Condor. Once in the pass, we will have to walk slowly and slightly uphill due to the high altitude of the pass 4 500msm. After a short walk uphill, we will reach the Polylepis forest for which this mountain pass is well-known among birders. Here we will look for the endemic and endangered Royal Cinclodes, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant and White-browed Tit-Spinetail. We will focus on the Puna Thistetail, Giant Conebill, Thick-billed Siskin, Blue-mantled Thornbill, and Diademed Tapaculo. We will return to Ollantaytambo for another overnight. 06. Day Today, we will explore the lower parts of the Málaga Pass, focusing on the forest below the pass. We will look for the endemic Parodi’s Hemispingus, Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant and Cusco race of Rufuos Antpitta. We should also see Scarlet-bellied Mountain-Tanager, Sword-billed Hummingbird, Yungas Pygmy-Owl, Undulated Antpitta, Grass-green Tanager and many more birds. Later, we will return to Cusco. Overnight in Cusco. 07 Day We will fly back to Lima and, if time permits, we will bird around the Olivar Park to see some of the species that occur around the gardens of the city like the Amazilia Hummingbird, Saffron Finch, Pacific Dove, Crocking Ground-Dove, Long-tailed Mockingbird, Red-masked and Canary-winged Parakeet and Harris Hawk. Overnight in Lima. 08. Day Transfer to the Airport. Flight Out. Tour Facts This trip provides excellent accommodation at three-star hotels during the whole trip The accommodation at the Machupicchu Pueblo Hotel is well known among birders for having nice gardens with several hummingbird feeders and fruiting trees that attract several bird species hard to see anywhere else around the area. This hotel is quite expensive but well worth the stay. If at the moment of booking, the hotel does not have available room for us, we will provide accomodation in another comfortable hotel but not necessarily with gardens around. Also, if the clients would prefer not to make use of the hotel, we will provide another good accommodation option. Meals are in first class restaurants. The tour includes “Plates a la carte or Buffet” depending on the taste of the client. We provide first class air conditioner vehicles and vistadome train service. This Trip is easily mixed with our Manu and Tambopata Premium itineraries to provide a great birding experience in Southeast Peru. Please contact the office for further details.
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Itinerary: Duration: 7 days Limit: 4-6 Date: TBA Start: Lima End: Lima Price: on request Price_Includes: All transfers Hotel/Airport/Hotel Meals Bottled water Accommodation Entrance fees to Machupicchu and the botanical garden Guiding fees & local guide All transport while on tour Flight and train tickets Only one ticket to visit the ruins of Machupicchu Price_Excludes: International flights International airport tax Personal Insurance Internet Access and phone calls Alcoholic Beverages Meals at the airports Gratuities Laundry Service City tours or other activities out of the itinerary Personal expenses such as gifts
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© 2008-2010 Birding Ecotours · www.birdingecotours.co.za was updated March 2010 |
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