Peru Birding Tours: Northern Route

Day 1 — Arrival in Lima

You are met at Lima's Jorge Chávez airport and transferred to a hotel in Miraflores to settle in before the birding begins. An easy start to a big trip.

Day 2 — The Lima coast

A full day on the coast — the Ramsar wetland of Pantanos de Villa for rails, waterfowl and the coastal Black Rail, a boat trip at Pucusana for Humboldt-Current seabirds and the endemic Surf Cinclodes, and the desert scrub of the Azpitia Valley.

Day 3 — Lomas de Lachay

North to the fog-oasis of Lomas de Lachay for its coastal endemics — Coastal and Thick-billed Miners, Cactus Canastero and Raimondi's Yellow-Finch — and the desert specialities of Quebrada Guayabito, before returning to Lima.

Day 4 — Fly to Tarapoto & Waqanki

A morning flight to Tarapoto and transfer to the Waqanki Lodge near Moyobamba, spending the afternoon at the famous hummingbird feeders for Rufous-crested Coquette and more, with night birding for owls and potoos.

Day 5 — Waqanki foothills

A full day at Waqanki — the Masked Duck hide, and the lodge trails and Quebrada Mishquiyaquillo ridge for foothill specialities including the endemic Painted Manakin and Ash-throated Antwren.

Day 6 — Arena Blanca to Abra Patricia

We visit the Arena Blanca feeders for tinamous, quail-doves and antpittas at close range, then climb into the cloud forest to the Owlet Lodge at Abra Patricia for the first afternoon in the high forest.

Day 7 — Abra Patricia & Alto Nieva

A full day birding the cloud forest of Abra Patricia and Fundo Alto Nieva — mixed tanager flocks, the endemic Royal Sunangel, and the antpitta feeding stations where Ochre-fronted and Rusty-tinged Antpittas come to worms.

Day 8 — Huembo & night owling

A day trip to the Huembo reserve for the Marvelous Spatuletail at its feeders, with more cloud-forest birding along the way, and a night search for the Long-whiskered Owlet and screech-owls.

Day 9 — Huembo & the canopy tower

A final morning around Huembo and the Abra Patricia canopy tower for a treetop view of the mixed flocks, tanagers and cotingas of the Alto Mayo.

Day 10 — Down to Tarapoto

We descend toward Tarapoto, stopping for an Oilbird colony and the Ricuricocha lake hide for waterbirds and marsh species.

Day 11 — Cordillera Escalera & return

A last morning in the Cordillera Escalera above Tarapoto and at the ACONABIKH feeders, before the flight back to Lima and onward connections.