PERU - Manu Biosphere Reserve With Dr. Keith Wade

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Itinerary (subject to minor changes)
Sun. Sept. 8:Departure day
Airfare is not included in the program but a traditional routing to Peru would be with Air Canada to Toronto and connecting service to Lima. Late evening arrival in Lima and overnight at an airport hotel.

Mon. Sept. 9:Lima-Cusco
Morning flight to Cusco where we meet our Peruvian guide.We head south of town to Huarcapay lakes, surrounded by Inca and pre-Inca ruins.Here we see a variety of high Andean waterfowl including Puna, Yellow-billed and Cinnamon Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Duck and other wetland associated birds.Birds of prey we may see include Aplomado Falcon, Cinereous Harrier, Variable Hawk and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle.We should also find the pretty, endemic Bearded Mountaineer feeding in the tree tobacco with Giant Hummingbird and Trainbearers.We return to Cusco and overnight at the Casa Andina.B,L,D

Tue. Sept. 10:Cusco-Wayqecha
Leave Cusco in our expedition bus.We make several stops – possibilities here being the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch and the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail.At the Ajcanacu Andean pass, we look out over the eastern slopes of the Andes as the Incas did in ancient times, worshipping the sun rising over the endless rainforest.A side stop along the Tres Cruces road may find us Scribble-tailed and Line-fronted Canasteros, the newly described Puna Wren and maybe Puna and Diademed Tapaculo.In the afternoon we bird the upper limits of the eastern slopes until we reach our accommodation at Wayqecha Biological Station, 2800m above sea level.Tanagers, Flycatchers, Ovenbirds, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, Collared Jay and Mountain Cacique are among some of the many species we may find.This evening we go to a favourite spot looking for Swallow-tailed Nightjar.B,L,D

Wed. Sept. 11:Wayqecha-Cock-of-the-Rock
This morning we are greeted by a varied dawn chorus of several antpitta species.We spend all day birding from the biological station to our next stop at 1300m.This is pristine forest on a little travelled road.Some of the special birds include White-rumped Hawk, Trilling Tapaculo, Black and Chestnut Eagle, Andean Guan, Scaly-naped Parrot and a wide variety of Hummingbirds.Four nights at the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge.B,L,D

Thu. Sept. 12 – Sat. Sept. 14:Cock-of-the-Rock
Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge is situated in the pristine Cloud Forest of the Mountains of Manu just a few minutes’ drive from a spectacular lek furnished with a blind enabling us to observe these colourful birds during their dawn mating rituals.The lodge has a large dining/lounge area overlooking a feeding station for Large-headed Capuchin Monkeys and Tayras (a large mustellid related to the Martens).Hummingbird feeders attract several species right into the dining room including Rufous-webbed Brilliant and Peruvian Piedtail.There is a trail system behind the lodge that enables us to see the under-story of the Cloud Forest first hand and facilitates observing some species not found from the road. There are many spectacular waterfalls in the area and orchids abound with c.80 species recorded.One day is devoted to the 2500m altitude zone and one day to the 1500m zone.B,L,D

Sun. Sept. 15:Cock-of-the-Rock-Amazonia
After a dawn breakfast accompanied by the singing of Andean Solitaires and Paradise Tanagers, we leave San Pedro at 1300m and spend the day birding slowly down to 500m.We pay particular attention to the stretch between 1500m and 800m.This upper tropical zone forest has disappeared on much of the Andean slopes in South America due to its suitability for cash crops such as tea, coffee and coca but, in this part of Peru, the forest remains untouched.A spectacular new Tanager to science, yet to be described, has been seen along this stretch.This afternoon we work the road to Atalaya where we often see Blue-headed Parrots and Military Macaws from lookouts.Two nights at Amazonia Lodge.B,L,D

Mon. Sept. 16:Amazonia Lodge
A full day at family run Amazonia Lodge which has a bird list of around 650 species and others are continually being added to the list.The lodge is situated in the transitional zone at 500m where the last low foothills of the Andes begin to flatten out into the lowland Amazon Basin proper.There are Butterfly bushes that attract various Hummingbird species including the pretty Rufous-crested Coquette, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Blue-tailed Emerald, Black-eared Fairy and Wire-crested Thorntail.A canopy tower on the hill enables us to watch canopy foothill flocks.We visit a variety of habitats over the next few days including floodplain and hill forest.The possibilities around Amazonia Lodge are enormous.Night birding is also excellent and we could see Mottled Owl, Black-banded Owl, Tawny-bellied Screech-owl, Great, Long-tailed and Common Potoo.More awaits us in the Amazon lowlands.B,L,D

Tue. Sept. 17:Amazonia-Manu Wildlife Centre
Early morning birding in search of species we have missed.Then we head down the Alto Madre de Dios River in our motorised canoes to its confluence with the Manu River (about four hours) and then for another two hours to the very comfortable Manu Wildlife Centre.On the river journey we have an opportunity to see some of the typical riverside species.Flyovers include many species of Macaws and Parrots and this is our opportunity for some Bird of Prey observations.Five nights at the Manu Wildlife Centre.B,L,D

Wed. Sept. 18-Sat. Sept. 21:Manu Wildlife Centre
Four full days based at the Manu Wildlife Centre situated just upriver from the Blanquillo Macaw Lick.Nine species of primate also can be seen in this area. We visit the lick one morning and observe the spectacle of hundreds of Parrots and Macaws at close quarters.Here we see the beautiful Orange-cheeked Parrot, hundreds of Blue-headed Parrots as well as Mealy and Yellow-crowned Parrots.Smaller visitors include White-eyed, Cobalt-winged and Dusky-billed Parrotlets. The rest of the time is spent exploring the extensive trail systems.This area has the most forest types of anywhere in the Manu region and thus the highest biodiversity and the most species of birds.Large stands of bamboo hold many local and much sought after species and combined with the extensive Varzea, Terra Firma and Mature Transitional Floodplain Forests, this means a huge variety of birdlife – 600+.We spend time at a canopy observation tower accessed by a spiral metal stairway watching canopy flocks.Some of the scarcer forest species we look for here include Bartlett’s Tinamou, Razor-billed Curassow, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Sunbittern, Pavonine Quetzal, Purus Jacamar, Striolated Puffbird, Gray-cheeked Nunlet.We also visit ox-bow lakes where we see a variety of lakeside birds including Hoatzin, Sungrebe, Agami Heron, Black-billed Seed-finch, Silvered and Band-tailed Antbirds, Amazonian Streaked Antwren, Rufous-sided Crake, Gray-breasted Crake and possibly one of the two Giant Otter families that live in the area. The large mammal lick in the forest, apart from attracting Tapirs, Peccaries and maybe a Jaguar, also attracts Guans, Curassows, Chachalacas as well as Rose-fronted and Rock Parakeets and Dusky-billed Parrotlet.B,L,D

Sun. Sept. 22: Manu Wildlife Centre-Puerto Maldonado-Lima
Early start on our comfortable boats and our last look at early morning parrot flocks.Our two hour journey down the Madre de Dios River takes us past pristine forest to the town of Boca Colorado.It is a great chance to see riverside birds and raptors.Here we leave our boat and take local transport for one hour to the Inambari River.A 10 minute boat crossing of the river takes us to our waiting bus and we drive for another two hours, birding along the way, to the bustling frontier town of Puerto Maldonado.We take a late afternoon flight to Lima with onward connections toToronto or Montreal. B,L

Mon. Sept. 23:Toronto/Montreal-Vancouver
Arrive home.

• Escorted by Dr. Keith Wade
• Pre tour and on site lectures
• Peruvian bird tour leader
• Accommodation in hotels/lodges as per the itinerary, or similar
• All meals including some picnic meals
• Private ground transportation and boat crew
• Drinking water throughout
• Entrance fee to the Blanquillo Macaw Lick
• Entrance fee to the Cock of the Rock Lek and blind
• Airport transfers
• Domestic flights
• Tips to guide and lodges

• Airfare (approx. $1,500 economy)