With more than 1,800 bird species, Peru remains one of the world’s greatest ornithological attractions—not only because of its high number of birds, but also due to its incredible biodiversity. We are pleased to offer you a fifteen-day tour through the northern part of this wonderful country, designed to allow you to observe most of the region’s endemic species. Among all of them, and especially considering their ornithological importance, we highlight four species of major international interest: the Scarlet-banded Barbet, a colorful bird described to science in 2000 with an extremely limited global range; the Long-whiskered Owlet, the second smallest owl in the world and the only representative of the genus Xenoglaux; the Cordillera Azul Antbird, described in 2018 and found only in a very restricted area; and the Marvelous Spatuletail, perhaps one of the most beautiful endemic hummingbirds in the world.
We will visit the rainforest in various natural sites such as Abra Patricia and Alto Nieva, the surroundings of Peru’s Cordillera Azul—where mass birding tourism has not yet arrived—and the dry areas of the Marañón Valley, home to very different bird species adapted to each of these habitats. We will explore several private reserves filled with hummingbird and tanager feeders that will allow us to photograph them freely and from very close range. We will also use a number of private hides where we’ll encounter several species of tinamous and mountain quails.
This tour has been fully designed for the demanding birder and photographer. It will be led by Alex Durand, one of Peru’s finest field ornithologists, together with Marcel Gil, a Catalan ornithologist with extensive experience in tropical regions.
Are you excited to join us?
See the full itinerary by downloading the PDF from our website.
Day 1 – Pick-up at Chiclayo airport and transfer to the hotel
Day 2 – Bosque de Pomac, Las Salinas, and Quebrada Limón
Day 3 – Quebrada Limón de Porcuya and transfer to Jaén
Day 4 – Uña de Gato Private Reserve, transfer to the Huembo Interpretation Center, and overnight in Pomacochas
Day 5 – San Lorenzo Ridge, Pomacochas Lagoon, and night visit to Yambrasbamba for the Long-whiskered Owlet
Day 6 – Abra Patricia and Alto Mayo, Owlet Lodge, and the hummingbird feeders of the Alto Nieva Reserve
Day 7 – Arena Blanca Reserve, Waqanki Lodge, and Indañe Wetland
Day 8 – Quebrada Mishquiyaquillo and transfer to Tarapoto
Day 9 – Quebrada Upaquihua and transfer to Plataforma / Flor de Café
Day 10 – Surroundings of Plataforma / Flor de Café
Day 11 – Transfer to Bellavista and arrival in Tarapoto
Day 12 – Transfer to Moyobamba and arrival in Leymebamba
Day 13 – Marañón Valley and arrival in Balsas
Day 14 – Quebrada Chonta and arrival in Cajamarca
Day 15 – San Marcos and transfer to Cajamarca airport
End of the tour.
Accommodation in hotels and lodges for all nights with double room (single-room supplement: 370 euros)
All ground transportation
All daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
Entrance fees to private reserves and natural areas
Peruvian guide: Alex Durand, plus Icaro Birding Experience guide: Marcel Gil
Local guides
Personal travel insurance
Peru bird species checklist
Shared eBird trip list
International and domestic flights (Lima–Chiclayo and Cajamarca–Lima)
Minibar consumption in hotel rooms
Personal expenses and phone calls
Trip cancellation insurance
Anything not explicitly stated in the “What’s included?” section
Daily start times will generally be around 05:00 or 05:30 in order to make the most of the day.
Transfers between the different areas will not be long, and in cases where a longer drive is necessary, we will make brief stops for bathroom breaks, stretching, and occasionally spotting additional bird species.
We will always travel in a multi-passenger vehicle equipped with air conditioning and plenty of luggage space.
Our walks will be easy, including those in mountain areas. Almost all birding activities will take place along dirt roads where we will generally be walking downhill, except for the ascent to the San Lorenzo Ridge.
Our tour takes place during the dry season, which begins in April, but it is not unusual to encounter some rain in the mountain areas.
All hotels and lodges offer electricity, private bathrooms, and hot water in the higher-altitude locations.
In general, Wi-Fi internet access will be available in all hotels, although sometimes only in common areas and with limited speed.
Meals will generally be taken at restaurants, hotels, or lodges, but also occasionally in the field.
On some nights we will make short nocturnal outings to look for owls and other nocturnal raptors.
We recommend that each participant bring a backpack for optical equipment (binoculars, cameras, etc.) and one suitcase for clothing and other personal items. We also recommend never checking your optical-equipment backpack in the airplane hold, thus avoiding unnecessary loss or damage. Don’t forget warm clothing for the colder days in high-altitude areas, as well as gloves or a wool hat. You will also need clothing suitable for warm temperatures, which will be the norm for most days. Do not forget a rain jacket, which should always be carried with you in case it is needed. Proper footwear for walking on dirt trails is also important.
Peruvian power outlets are type A, with two flat prongs, so you will need adapters to charge your mobile phones, batteries, or other electronic devices. If you have any questions about this, simply email us at info@birdingicaro.com.
The Peruvian currency is the Peruvian Sol, and the current exchange rate is approximately 1 euro = 3.9 PEN. You can exchange money upon arrival at Lima/Cusco airport, either at currency exchange offices or via ATMs using debit or credit cards. You will not need to declare any forms for bringing foreign currency into the country as long as the amount is below the equivalent of 10,000 USD.
No prior visa is required. It is very important to bring a valid passport with an expiration date at least 6 months beyond the entry date into the country.
To reserve a spot, you must first complete the pre-registration on the website by filling out the form and following the indicated steps. Once you receive the confirmation email, you will need to provide your full name, date of birth, and passport number in order to process your personal travel insurance. You must then make an initial payment of 600 euros via bank transfer to the account provided in the email, listing Icaro Birding Experience SL as the account holder and including your name and surname as the payment reference. Only after this first payment has been made will your spot be fully reserved.
The remaining amount of 3,075 euros, as the second payment—or, if you prefer a single room, adding the 370-euro supplement—must be transferred to the same bank account before the start of the tour, according to the instructions provided by the organizers.
Cancellations must always be communicated in writing, either by email or any other reliable means.
For more information, please consult the cancellation policy detailed in the Terms and Conditions section on our website.
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING FLIGHTS
As soon as the minimum number of participants required to operate the tour has been reached, we will notify you so that you may proceed with purchasing your flights. Should any participant buy flights before we issue this notice, Icaro Birding Experience SL will not be responsible for the cost of those tickets in the event of cancellation.
The starting point of the tour will be Chiclayo, at the José Abelardo Quiñones International Airport, and the tour will end at the Armando Revoredo Iglesias International Airport in Cajamarca.
Aeroport Internacional de Chicayo - José Abelardo Quiñones
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