Birding Northern Peru – the endemic frenzy

Northern Peru is home to some 1,400 bird species of which 137 are considered to restricted-range species, those that are confined to one of the seven Endemic Bird Areas that occur in the region, and 65 are considered to be globally threatened. This tour moves across the various endemic bird areas found in northern Peru giving an opportunity to find many of these specialities of the region. EBAs visited on this tour: Tumbesian Region, Marañón Valley, Cordillera Colán, East Andean Foothills, Andean Ridgetop Forests, Napo Lowlands.

Highlights include the Marvellous Spatuletail, probably the most spectacular hummingbird in the world, and the critically threatened White-winged Guan. These and other endemics are complemented by incredible mixed flocks of tanagers, a good diversity of hummingbirds and a host of other species. Expect 550 plus species in the two week tour.

The standard two week tour can be complemented with a number of extensions to other nearby areas including: a pelagic trip (1 day), the Upper Marañón Valley (3 days), the semi-deciduous forests of Cerro de Amotape National Park and mangroves near Tumbes (3 days), the Amazonian flooded forests of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (5 days).

 

Northern Peru Birds and Archaeology

This tour visits many of the same sites on the birding tour but is at a slightly slower pace, though we make sure we get to see most of the specialities such as marvellous Spatuletail. As well as the natural habitats we visit this tour also takes in some of the best archaeological sites in northern Peru including the museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipan, the adobe pyramids of Sican and Tucume, the ancient city of Chanchan and the temple of the moon and the sun, the impressive Chachapoyas fortress of Kuelap, and cliff tombs of Karajia. The tour starts in Trujillo, moves north to Chiclayo and then crosses the Andes to Chachapoyas before finishing in Tarapoto in the Amazon lowlands.

Scheduled Departures for 2006:

anahi@ultimatevoyages.com