Classic North Peru

23D / 22NPeruSet tour

Overview

The classic northern Peru circuit, one of the richest birding routes on Earth, from the cloud forests of Abra Patricia to the Marañón and the dry forests of the coast.

Day-by-day itinerary

01
Day 1
Flight from Lima to Tarapoto. Birding the dry forests around the city.
Target species (9)
- Comb Duck
- Lafresnaye's Piculet
- Northern Slaty-Antshrike
- Ashy-headed Greenlet
- Rufous Casiornis
- Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant
- Chattering Gnatwren
- Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin
- Mishana Tyrannulet
02
Day 2
Very early departure to Flor del Café (Plataforma). Stops at the rice paddies and along the way.
Target species (5)
- Curl-crested Aracari
- Yellow-billed Nunbird
- Gray-tailed Piha
- Mishana Tyrannulet
- Blackish Pewee
03
Day 3
A day birding the cloud forests in search of the Scarlet-banded Barbet and the Cordillera Azul Antbird.
Target species (15)
- Buff-tailed Sicklebill
- Napo Sabrewing
- Subtropical Pygmy-Owl
- Scarlet-banded Barbet
- Cordillera Azul Antbird
- Chestnut-crowned Gnateater
- Rufous-breasted Antthrush
- Jet Manakin
- Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater
- Andean Laniisoma
- Yellow-throated Spadebill
- Roraiman Flycatcher
- Red-billed Tyrannulet
- Golden-rumped Euphonia
- Green-throated Tanager
04
Day 4
Morning birding in the cloud forest. Afternoon return to Tarapoto.
05
Day 5
Drive to Cordillera Escalera to watch specialities at hummingbird feeders and along cloud-forest trails.
Target species (7)
- Wattled Guan
- Long-tailed Potoo
- Fiery-billed Aracari
- Koepcke's Hermit
- Gould's Jewelfront
- Plumbeous Euphonia
- Dotted Tanager
06
Day 6
Very early departure to Moyobamba. Roadside stops to watch the Oilbirds. Afternoon birding nearby.
Target species (11)
- Oilbird
- Black-throated Hermit
- Rufous-crested Coquette
- Rufous-sided Crake
- Stygian Owl
- Cream-colored Woodpecker
- Zimmer's Antbird
- Painted Manakin
- Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant
- Red-shouldered Tanager
- Black-bellied Tanager
07
Day 7
Morning nearby. Afternoon birding the wetlands and rice paddies. On to Aguas Verdes.
Target species (3)
- Masked Duck
- Pale-eyed Blackbird
- Black-billed Seed-Finch
08
Day 8
Morning at the hides and feeders of the Arena Blanca reserve. Afternoon birding nearby.
Target species (23)
- Cinereous Tinamou
- Little Tinamou
- Lyre-tailed Nightjar
- Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail
- Green Hermit
- Wire-crested Thorntail
- Many-spotted Hummingbird
- Rufous-crested Coquette
- Uniform Crake
- Lined Antshrike
- Cerulean Warbler
- Black-bellied Tanager
- Ecuadorian Piedtail
- Russet Antshrike
- White-crowned Tapaculo
- Equatorial Graytail
- Scaled Fruiteater
- Ornate Flycatcher
- Ecuadorian Tyrannulet
- Ashy-throated Chlorospingus
- Golden-eared Tanager
- Orange-eared Tanager
- Golden-collared Honeycreeper
09
Day 9
Very early to Fundo Alto Nieva for antpittas and hummingbird feeders, with the option to walk the trails. Afternoon birding the feeders and the observation tower at Abra Patricia.
Target species (13)
- Tawny-bellied Hermit
- Royal Sunangel
- Greenish Puffleg
- Peruvian Racket-tail
- Green-backed Hillstar
- Rufous-vented Whitetip
- Rusty-tinged Antpitta
- Ochre-fronted Antpitta
- Green-and-black Fruiteater
- Red-ruffed Fruitcrow
- Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant
- Inca Flycatcher
- Bar-winged Wood-Wren
10
Day 10
A day birding the trails of Owlet Lodge. Night walk to look for the Long-whiskered Owlet.
Target species (17)
- Sapphire-vented Puffleg
- Fawn-breasted Brilliant
- Sword-billed Hummingbird
- White-faced Nunbird
- Long-whiskered Owlet
- Bicolored Antvireo
- Chestnut Antpitta
- Rufous-vented Tapaculo
- Tyrannine Woodcreeper
- Johnson's Tody-Flycatcher
- Sharpe's Wren
- Chestnut-breasted Wren
- Chestnut-breasted Chlorophonia
- Rufous-crested Tanager
- Yellow-scarfed Tanager
- Metallic-green Tanager
- Masked Saltator
11
Day 11
Morning at the San Lorenzo ridge searching for specialities. Afternoon on to Cocachimba to watch the Marvelous Spatuletail.
Target species (20)
- Rufous-capped Thornbill
- Coppery Metaltail
- Violet-throated Starfrontlet
- Mountain Velvetbreast
- Powerful Woodpecker
- Golden-plumed Parakeet
- Pale-billed Antpitta
- Utcubamba Tapaculo
- Russet-mantled Softtail
- Unstreaked Tit-Tyrant
- Smoky Bush-Tyrant
- Peruvian Wren
- Yellow-scarfed Tanager
- Gray-chinned Hermit
- Marvelous Spatuletail
- Speckle-chested Piculet
- Cordilleran Parakeet
- Marañón Thrush
- Marañón Crescentchest
- Silvery Tanager
12
Day 12
Very early departure to the Huaylla Belén valley to look for elfin-forest specialities all day.
Target species (15)
- Mountain Avocetbill
- Coppery Metaltail
- Rainbow Starfrontlet
- Powerful Woodpecker
- Pale-billed Antpitta
- Chachapoyas Antpitta
- Utcubamba Tapaculo
- Large-footed Tapaculo
- Russet-mantled Softtail
- Rufous Spinetail
- Peruvian Wren
- Red-hooded Tanager
- Streak-crowned Mountain-Tanager
- Yellow-scarfed Tanager
- Rufous-browed Hemispingus
13
Day 13
Very early departure to Jaén to look for Marañón specialities.
Target species (14)
- Ecuadorian Ground-Dove
- Spot-throated Hummingbird
- Peruvian Screech-Owl
- Peruvian Pygmy-Owl
- Marañón Antshrike
- Marañón Crescentchest
- Line-cheeked Spinetail
- Marañón Spinetail
- Chinchipe Spinetail
- Marañón Tyrannulet
- Marañón Gnatcatcher
- Marañón Thrush
- Marañón Sparrow
- Little Inca-Finch
14
Day 14
A day birding around Jaén.
15
Day 15
Very early departure to watch specialities at Abra Porculla. Afternoon on to Olmos with stops along the route.
Target species (10)
- Gray-chinned Hermit
- Peruvian Pygmy-Owl
- Chapman's Antshrike
- Collared Antshrike
- Piura Chat-Tyrant
- Marañón Gnatcatcher
- White-winged Brushfinch
- Bay-crowned Brushfinch
- Three-banded Warbler
- Black-cowled Saltator
16
Day 16
A day birding the ravines of the area in search of the White-winged Guan and other specialities.
Target species (15)
- White-winged Guan
- Tumbes Hummingbird
- Ecuadorian Trogon
- Whooping Motmot
- Ecuadorian Piculet
- Guayaquil Woodpecker
- Elegant Crescentchest
- Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner
- Necklaced Spinetail
- Pacific Elaenia
- Tumbes Pewee
- Tumbes Chat-Tyrant
- Tumbes Swallow
- Tumbes Sparrow
- Parrot-billed Seedeater
17
Day 17
Very early to the Bosque de Pómac in search of the Peruvian Plantcutter and other specialities. Afternoon option to head to the coast for seabird watching.
Target species (10)
- Peruvian Tern
- Peruvian Pygmy-Owl
- Peruvian Screech-Owl
- Peruvian Plantcutter
- Tumbesian Tyrannulet
- Rufous Flycatcher
- Tumbes Swallow
- Superciliated Wren
- Tumbes Sparrow
- Cinereous Finch
18
Day 18
Very early departure to Cajamarca, with stops along the route.
Target species (5)
- Oasis Hummingbird
- Black Metaltail
- Unicolored Tapaculo
- Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail
- Rufous-backed Inca-Finch
19
Day 19
A day birding around Cajamarca in search of the Gray-bellied Comet and others.
Target species (5)
- Gray-bellied Comet
- Black Metaltail
- Striated Earthcreeper
- Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail
- Black-crested Tit-Tyrant
20
Day 20
Very early departure to Celendín, with stops along the route for specialities.
Target species (6)
- Cajamarca Antpitta
- Rainbow Starfrontlet
- White-tailed Shrike-Tyrant
- Jelski's Chat-Tyrant
- Plain-tailed Warbling-Finch
- Rufous-eared Brushfinch
21
Day 21
Early departure to Balsas with stops along the route for the Yellow-faced Parrotlet and other specialities. Afternoon on to Leymebamba.
Target species (7)
- Yellow-faced Parrotlet
- Cordilleran Parakeet
- Neblina Tapaculo
- Many-striped Canastero
- Chestnut-backed Thornbird
- Gray-winged Inca-Finch
- Buff-bridled Inca-Finch
22
Day 22
A day birding around Leymebamba.
Target species (9)
- Koepcke's Screech-Owl
- Atuen Antpitta
- Powerful Woodpecker
- Utcubamba Tapaculo
- Large-footed Tapaculo
- Peruvian Wren
- Red-hooded Tanager
- Streak-crowned Mountain-Tanager
- Paramo Seedeater
23
Day 23
Early departure to Jaén or Tarapoto to take a flight to Lima.