Moving from Lima to Cusco for our Classic Andes and Manu Road tour, we will take in the scenic Apurimac River valley - the source of the mighty Amazon, the world’s largest river system - in search of some highly localised and rarely seen endemics including Apurimac Spinetail and Apurimac Brushfinch. A full day up the might Abra Malaga will take our breath away – quite literally! The remnant patches of polylepis forest host both Tawny and endemic, White-breasted Tit-Spinetails, exhibitionist Stripe-headed Antpitta, endemic Junín Canastero, Puna Tapaculo, Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant, Blue-mantled Thornbill, and Red-rumped Bush Tyrant.

Returning to Cusco, we climb the famous Manu Road before descending the eastern Andean slopes, birding through temperate zones and montane cloud forest, offering chances for an incredible variety of exceptional species, including Cerulean-capped and Yungas Manakins, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Blue-banded Toucanet, Spotted Barbtail, the outrageous Amazonian Umbrellabird, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Inca Flycatcher, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Golden-eyed Flowerpiercer and Peruvian Piedtail. We will also visit an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek, where numerous males sometimes congregate and perform their strange mating ritual! With persistence, night birding in this area might yield the uncommon Napo and Rufescent Screech Owls, Rufous-banded Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar and possibly even Andean Potoo.

Tour Facts

Top Birds

Andean Condor; White-rumped & White-throated Hawks; Puna & Andean Ibis; Blue-headed Macaw; Mitred & Andean Parakeets; Versicolored Barbet; Yungas Pygmy Owl; Lyre-tailed & Swallow-tailed Nightjars; Andean Potoo; Grey-breasted Mountain Toucan; Southern Mountain Cacique; Andean Cock-of-the-rock; Crested & Golden-headed Quetzals; Yungas, Fiery-capped, Round-tailed & Cerulean-capped Manakins; Lanceolated Monklet; White-throated, Undulated, Stripe-headed, Urubamba, Thrush-like & chances for Red-and-white Antpittas; White-capped Dipper; Black-streaked Puffbird; Amazonian Umbrellabird; Scaled & Band-tailed Fruiteaters; Bolivian Tyrannulet; Inca Flycatcher; Koepcke’s Hermit; Sword-billed, Giant, Green-and-white, White-bellied & Oasis Hummingbirds; White-tufted Sunbeam; Great Sapphirewing; Scaled Metaltail; Bearded Mountaineer; Rufous-webbed Brilliant; Rufous-capped, Blue-mantled & Purple-backed Thornbills; Peruvian Piedtail; Inca Wren; Cuzco Warbler; Apurimac, Marcapata, & Creamy-crested Spinetails; White-breasted Tit-Spinetail; Parodi’s Hemispingus; Puna & Vilcabamba Thistletails; Peruvian Treehunter; Puna, Diademed, Trilling & chances for Vilcabamba Tapaculos; Rusty-fronted, Junin, Ayacucho (Pale-tailed) & Streak-throated Canasteros; chances for Royal Cinclodes; Streak-fronted Thornbird; Plumbeous Tyrant; Ash-breasted Tit-Tyrant; Kalinowski’s Chat-Tyrant; Many-colored Rush Tyrant; Giant, Blue-backed & White-browed Conebills; Black-faced & Tit-like Dacnis; Moustached & Golden-eyed Flowerpiercers; Chestnut-bellied Mountain Tanager; Paradise, Saffron-crowned, Golden-collared, Rust-and-yellow & Grass-green Tanagers; Andean Negrito; Peruvian Sierra Finch; Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch; Apurimac & Cuzco Brushfinches.

Top Mammals

Tayra; Brown-throated Sloth; Saddle-back Tamarin; White-fronted & Large-headed Capuchins; Bolivian Squirrel Monkey; Geoffroy’s Woolly Monkey; Brown Titi Monkey; Bolivian & Southern Amazon Red Squirrels; Long-tailed Weasel; White-lipped Peccary; White-tailed Deer.

Habitats Covered

humid montane forest, foothill forest, tropical forest, high altitude lakes, polylepis forest

Expected Climate

cold to cool in the highlands, hot & humid in the lowlands

Max Group Size

8 with 1 Rockjumper leader

Tour Pace & Walking

moderate, with some long drives and high altitude

Accommodation

comfortable

Ease of Birding

moderate with some challenging species

Other Attractions

Cusco (the historical Incan capital city of Peru), Apurimac River valley (source of the Amazon), visiting an Andean Cock-of-the-rock lek

Photographic Opportunities

good

What our clients say about us

PM, Peru

Rob Williams is the best guide I have ever birded with - wonderful birding and people skills.

MK, Peru 2022

Successful and enjoyable. Rob proved his already high reputation. Special thanks to our driver Miguel - always helpful, always smiling.

SB - Peru

It is terrific to have a bilingual guide in any country and one who knows the history and culture of the country is even better, thanks Rob! As always, terrific eyes, ears and birding skills.

PB, Peru 2018

Forrest Rowland is a terrific guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable of the birds we encountered on our trip. Further, he is very friendly, engaging and enthusiastic. I’d be quite pleased to join him again on any birding tour in the Neotropics.

GW, Peru 2022

This is my first birdwatching tour organized by a company such as Rockjumper, but I have been on tours organized by my local Naturalist Society. Both Rob and Miguel were excellent. They worked extremally hard to keep everyone happy, find as many species as possible and get everyone onto each sighting.

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2024 - October 2024

Peru - Northern: Scarlet-banded Barbet Extension 2024 - October 2024

Peru - Central: Rare Andean Endemics 2024 - September 2024

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2023 - October 2023

Peru - Southern: Machu Picchu Extension 2023 - April 2023

Peru - Southern: Classic Andes & Manu Road 2023 - April 2023

Peru - Southern: Lima & Ancash Extension 2023 - April 2023

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2021 - September 2021

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2018 - September 2018

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2016 - September 2016

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2015 - September 2015

Peru - Northern: Marañón Endemics & Marvelous Spatuletail 2014 - September 2014

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