The Route of Endemic Birds

Highlights:

1. Polylepis Forest
2. Bamboo and Cloud Forest
3. Ipal Dry Forest
4. Endemic Birds
5. Machupicchu

Abra Málaga and the Area of ​​Private Conservation is located in the north-eastern part of the Cusco region. Abra Malaga is at a height that varies between 2,200 and 4,400 m.a.s.l, which allow you to appreciate a great diversity of birds living in different ecosystems, ranging from the «cloud forest» at the lowest altitude, to perpetual snow at the base of Verónica snow mount, at the highest point.

Abra Malaga is also very important because it is an ecosystem that is made up of the last forests of Queuña (Polylepis sp.), extremely fragile, being also the place where the most endangered flora and fauna that live in South America.

Although the forests that are within this Conservation Area are popular and highly prized by specialists and amateurs for the practice of bird watching, the diversity of these has diminished considerably in recent years, even so endemic birds can be seen, such as: Inca wren, Marcapata spinetail, Creamy crested spinetail, White browed tit spinetail, Chestnut breasted mountain finch, Vilcabamba tapaculo, Royal cinclodes, White tufted sunbean, Beardered mountaineer, among others.

Finally, Ipal with its dry forest is becoming one of new best hot spots in all Cusco Region. The place is located in the province of La Convención, Huayopata District. Here we can be able to see a variety of birds proper of dry forest like: tanagers, falcons, seed eaters, and others.

We recommend to you lodge in Ollantaytambo or a near zone to have an earlier departure and have to possibility of cover more areas to observe some endemic bird in the way up to Abra Málaga.

The trip is crowned by the most famous and amazing natural, cultural and archeological place around the world, Machupicchu.

Day 1: Cusco or Ollantaytambo – Abra Málaga – Ipal Lodge

We pick up you at the hotel in our van at 5:00 am to drive in direction of Abra Málaga, in the route we will stop in several strategic points in order to see some endemic birds and other most difficult to observe, living in specific microclimates, like:

Endemic Birds:

• Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch
• White-tufted Sunbean
• Creamy-crested Spinetail
• Rusty fronted Canastero
• Bearded Mountaineer
• White-browed Tit-spinetail
• Royal Cinclodes
• Junín Canastero 

More complicated birds to spot

• Puna Thistletail
• Tawny Tit-spinetail
• Giant Conebill
• Blue-mantled Thornbill
• Ash-breasted Tit-tyrant
• Purple back Thornbill
• Olivaceous Thornbill
• Puna Tapaculo
• Black Siskin
• White wing Cinclodes and others

After our full birding day, we set up to Ipal lodge, where wait for us our accommodations and dinner. After dinner we will go to look for some owls near the lodge, like Tropical screech owl, Buff-fronted owl and others.

Day 2: Ipal Lodge – Ollantaytambo – Machupicchu

We will wake up early in the morning to prepare our birding equipment and leave to explore surround the lodge to observe the local birds feeding around the lodge and farming areas. There are identified more than 60 species of birds which make a very special area to spotting birds, like:

• Green and White Hummingbird (endemic)
• Red-crested Finch
• Swallow-tailed Hummingbird
• Blue-tailed Emerald
• Bronzy Inca
• White-lined Tanager
• Silvery Tanager
• Blue Dacnis
• Speckled Chachalaca
• Plumbeous Kite
• Barred Antshrike
• Bananaquit
• Palm Tanager
• Blue-black Grassquit, and others.

Finishing our morning birding we will be back to our lodge to have breakfast. After that we aboard the van to drive in direction to Carrizales route stopping in the Bamboo, cloud and polylepis forests, to spot some endemic birds and others, like:

Endemic Birds

• Inca wren
• Marcapata spinetail
• Unstreaked tit-tyrant
• Cuzco brush finch
• Parodi’s Hemispingus
• Vilcabamba tapaculo

Other Birds:

• Tit-like Dacnis
• Golden-collared Tanager
• Capped Conebill
• White-browed Conebill
• Masked flowerpiercer
• Ondulated Antpitta
• Red and White Antpitta
• Diademed Tapaculo
• Azara’s spinetail
• Crimson-mantled Woodpiecker
• Masked Trogon
• Sword-billed Hummingbird
• Sapphire-vented Puffleg
• Streaked Tuftedcheek and others.

After our birding day, we will back to Ollantaytambo train station to aboard the train to Aguas Calientes, passing the night in a hotel.

Day 3: Machupicchu – Cusco

Early in the morning, we take the bus ride up to Machu Picchu, where we will tour the amazing architecture and mysterious temples left by the andean masters and specialized stone masons. A professional bilingual guide will help us to understand the sophisticated technology of this highly-advanced culture. Finalized the guided tour we return to Aguas Calientes to get the train to Cusco in the afternoon.

Tour Program includes

• All transportations (pick up airport – hotel and viceverse included)
• Snacks
• Ozonated water (we will provide it in all the tour, but you must carry your own canteen)
• Round-trip train tickets Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes-Ollantaytambo
• Bus tickets to and from Machu Picchu
• Professional bilingual guide specialized birdwatcher
• All entrance fees
• Accommodation in Ipal lodge and Aguas Calientes
• Box lunch and dinner on first day
• Breakfast and box lunch on second day

Not includes

• Other requirements
• Breakfast on first day
• Dinner on second night
• Lunch on last day
• Birdiwatching equipment
• Gratuities recommended for a staff

List of Trip:

• Passport or ISIC card OBLIGATORY
• Binoculars
• Sun block SPF 45 – 90
• Canteen is obligatory
  Photograph camera
  Extra clothes
  Extra battery.
  Sunglasses
  Additional Snacks
  Daypack
  Hat or cap
• Repellent
• Slippers or tennis shoes
• Raincoats or rain ponchos (April to December)

If you don’t have some of the required equipment, we can rent one