Cuzco Birding Tour
2-Day Condors & Apurímac Endemics
Condors at eye level, the Apurímac endemics, a night in the countryside — and Koepcke’s Screech-Owl after dark.
Duration
2 days / 1 night
Departure
5:30 AM from your Cusco hotel
Elevation
2,600–3,900 m
Lodging
Country lodge near Mollepata, private room
Group size
1–6
Fitness level
moderate— Altitude up to 3,900 m, the ~7 km Chonta walk and one late night — acclimatize in Cusco for 24–48 h first.
Overview
2-Day Condors & Apurímac Endemics
Our one-day Chonta tour delivers the condor spectacle; this two-day version adds the two things a single day can’ : a real owling session and the high valleys above Mollepata. With a night at a country lodge near Mollepata, you watch condors patrol the canyon in the afternoon, call in Koepcke’s Screech-Owl — a Peruvian endemic — after dinner, and spend the next morning at Soraypampa, under the glaciers of Salkantay.
Day one mirrors the classic: endemic hunting on the dry Limatambo slopes (Apurimac Spinetail, Apurimac Brushfinch, Rusty-fronted Canastero), the 3.5 km walk to the Chonta overlooks and a long condor session 1,900 m above the river. But instead of racing back to Cusco, we drop to Mollepata for sunset, dinner — and torchlight.
Day two climbs to Soraypampa (3,900 m): Tit-like Dacnis in the shrubby quebradas, White-tufted Sunbeam on the flowering slopes, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, a real shot at Vilcabamba Tapaculo — and often the condors again, now with snow peaks behind them. We are back in Cusco by late afternoon, checklist heavy.
Highlights
- ✦Everything the one-day condor tour offers — without the evening deadline
- ✦Night birding for Koepcke’s Screech-Owl, a Peruvian endemic, near Mollepata
- ✦Soraypampa at dawn: Tit-like Dacnis and White-tufted Sunbeam under the Salkantay glaciers
- ✦Second chance at every Apurímac endemic, morning and evening light for photography
- ✦Country-lodge night in Mollepata — Milky Way included
Pricing
4.9(28)Per person by group size
- 1 traveller$1,250per person
- 2 travellers$720per person
- 3+ travellers$570per person
Book now with a 50% deposit — pay the balance later.
Prices in USD. Custom & private departures available.
Day by Day
Itinerary
Day 1 — Endemics, condors and owls
5:30 AM from Cusco with a boxed breakfast. Morning on the dry Limatambo slopes for Apurimac Spinetail, Apurimac Brushfinch and Rusty-fronted Canastero; midday walk to the Chonta overlooks for a long condor session and field lunch on the rim. At dusk we settle into a country lodge near Mollepata — and after dinner, go owling for Koepcke’s Screech-Owl and Band-winged Nightjar.
Day 2 — Soraypampa and the road home
Dawn drive up to Soraypampa (3,900 m), the trailhead valley of Salkantay: Tit-like Dacnis, White-tufted Sunbeam, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch, Stripe-headed Antpitta and a chance at Vilcabamba Tapaculo — with condors and Mountain Caracara overhead. After a picnic lunch we return to Cusco (~4:30 PM), with a stop at the Killarumiyoc Inca temple if energy allows.
The Route
Where this tour takes you
- 1Cusco (hotel pick-up)Start
- 2Limatambo dry slopes
- 3Chonta condor overlooks
- 4Mollepata (overnight & owling)
- 5Soraypampa (3,900 m)Turnaround
Round trip — the tour returns to Cusco. Schematic map — positions are approximate and distances not to scale.
What's included
- ✓Private transport from/to your Cusco hotel
- ✓Expert English-speaking bird guide
- ✓One night at a country lodge near Mollepata, private room
- ✓All meals from Day 1 boxed breakfast to Day 2 lunch
- ✓Chonta community entrance fee
- ✓Night-birding session with spotlight and playback used responsibly
- ✓Spotting scope for the group
Not included
- –Day 2 dinner
- –Travel insurance
- –Gratuities
What You'll See
Target species
Species shown in red are Peruvian endemics.
- Andean Condor
- Koepcke's Screech-Owl
- Apurimac Spinetail
- Apurimac Brushfinch
- Vilcabamba Tapaculo
- Creamy-crested Spinetail
- Rusty-fronted Canastero
- Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch
- White-tufted Sunbeam
- Tit-like Dacnis
- Stripe-headed Antpitta
- Band-winged Nightjar
- Giant Hummingbird
- Tyrian Metaltail
- Red-crested Cotinga
- Andean Flicker
- Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
- Mountain Caracara
- Aplomado Falcon
- Variable Hawk
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Travellers on Wild Andes
Rated 4.9 out of 5
from 28 verified Google reviews
“We just got back from a full day birding tour of the Sacred Valley with Wild Andes Tours. We couldn't be happier with the day. Our guide Frank was the perfect guide. He knows the exact areas to see specific birds which is major in leading these tours.”
Jan Espe
Google review
“Alfredo with Wild Andes provided a wonderful vacation for my sister, cousin, and myself. He volunteered to coordinate all the tour including the Amazon and Lima environs. We are birders and he ensured that we had the best birding experience. We saw over 240 species of birds!”
Debbie Jacquez
Google review
“I had a wonderful day out with Alfredo along the coast south of Lima, first targeting some lesser known wetlands that gave some unexpected surprises, then heading to Pucusana for a boat trip out to see the boobies, cormorants, and penguins.”
Chris Paci
Google review
Good to Know
Frequently asked questions
How long is the 2-Day Condors & Apurímac Endemics tour?
2 days / 1 night.
Where and when does the tour depart?
5:30 AM from your Cusco hotel.
How big are the groups?
1–6. Small groups keep the experience unhurried and photography-friendly.
How much does the 2-Day Condors & Apurímac Endemics tour cost?
Prices start at $570 per person and depend on group size — see the pricing table for details.
What is included in the price?
Private transport from/to your Cusco hotel, Expert English-speaking bird guide, One night at a country lodge near Mollepata, private room, All meals from Day 1 boxed breakfast to Day 2 lunch, Chonta community entrance fee, Night-birding session with spotlight and playback used responsibly, Spotting scope for the group.
Which species can I expect to see?
Key targets include Andean Condor, Koepcke's Screech-Owl, Apurimac Spinetail, Apurimac Brushfinch, Vilcabamba Tapaculo, among others. 8 of the tour's target species are Peruvian endemics.
Will we really hear the owl?
Koepcke’s Screech-Owl is regular around Mollepata and responds well on calm nights — our success rate is high, though owling is always weather-dependent. We use playback sparingly and responsibly, and a second attempt at dawn is possible if the night is windy.
Can this be combined with the Salkantay trek or Machu Picchu?
Naturally — Soraypampa is the Salkantay trailhead, and we can hand you over to a trekking operator there, or loop you back through Ollantaytambo for a Machu Picchu extension. Ask us for a combined quote.
How do I book this tour?
Reserve directly on this page with the Reserve Now form — we accept PayPal. A 50% deposit secures your tour date, and the remaining balance is payable up to two weeks before departure. See our Terms & Conditions for the full policy.
Have a different question? Get in touch — we answer quickly.
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