2Days - 1Night
max 8 people
Adventure
Easy
There are many good reason to visit these Inca ruins and birding definitely adds to the long list. The habitat surrounding the ruins are probably the best place to see Inca Wren and another elusive endemic like Parodi’s Hemispingus. Many birders see their first Andean Coock-of-the Rock along the railway near Aguas Calientes and Torrent Duck by the Urubamba river. At the ruins, keep an eye open for flycatchers such as Streak-throated, Bush-Tyrant and White-winged Black-Tyrant.
Birding Tour in Machu Picchu is a unique and unforgettable experience. The cloud forest surrounding the stone city is full of beautiful and colorful bird species. The best birding near the ruins might be on the walk up to the Sun Gate, for Inca Wren and Brush-finches. Besides the ruins, you should spend at least one morning birding the humid montane forest in the Aguas calientes area (5,578 feets).
Machu Picchu has the most beautiful and astonishing scenery, in addition, has such rich biodiversity, among the 352.590 hectares that protects the citadel of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains, there are 406 recorded species, a spectacular number considering the small size of the sanctuary.
Birding in Machu Picchu is certainly, a must to do for every birder worldwide. Its large number of endemic bird species, and the long walks, that offers its surroundings, allow you to observe the great variety of birds, having great opportunities for bird watching, whether you are a beginner or a professional bird watcher.
Within the Sanctuary, there are more than 400 species of birds, around 700 species of butterflies and more than 400 species of orchids, that is to say up to 10% of all the biodiversity of Peru!
This is due to a combination of factors. The wide altitude range provides a great range of temperatures. In addition, the high mountain ridges create microclimates favourable to the evolution of certain species and subspecies. Other factor is the ever-present rainfall of the Amazon Basin and the mist that creeps up the sheltered valleys, there is humidity year-round.
This morning we will travel from Cusco to Ollantaytambo by Bus/Van two hours journey. To take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes town (2000 m). Travelling down the scenic Urubamba Valley, where Torrent Duck and White-capped Dippers can regularly be seen along the fast flowing river. This afternoon we spent birding at the botanic garden, we may see: Green Hermit, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Speckle-faced Parrot, Sclater´s Tyrannulet, Glossy-black Thrush and the endemic Masked Fruiteater, Torrent Tyrannulet, Fawn-breasted Tanager, Saffron-crowned Tanager, Slaty Tanager, Silver-backed Tanager, Capped Conebill, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Orange-bellied Euphonia and many more.
Birding and visit to the Citadel of Machupicchu (2400m) “lost city” of the Incas is so well known from the numerous photographs and articles that feature this extraordinary place that it seems almost unnecessary to describe its dramatic setting amongst the Andes. The city is perched on a narrow ridge high above the Urubamba River and on seeing the precipitous slopes on all sides one can easily appreciate why it remained undiscovered for so many years. The area around Machupicchu has been cleared of forest and so scrub and bamboo thickets are now the predominant habitat, inhabited by the noisy endemic Inca Wren, although some forest patches can be found along the river valley. Other species we may find in the area include Mitred Parakeet, White-tipped Swift, the endemic Green-and-white Hummingbird, Collared Inca, Ocellated Piculet, Streaked Xenops, Variable Antshrike, Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet, Rusty Flowerpiercer, Oleaginous Hemispingus, Yellow-bellied Seedeater and Hooded Siskin. In the late afternoon we will the train back to Cusco and we will drop you right at your hotel.
End of our services.
Explore the sites that you will actually see along your tours.
Cusco
Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu
Sam Corporations has flexible departure dates, willing to accommodate your needs and travel requirements as far as possible. We guarantee exclusive luxurious tours of the hidden gems of Peru, whilst providing the best quality and personalized service.
You can book confidently knowing we offer the best value for your money
Sam Corporations
Our company is 100% locally owned. We directly contribute to economic development and environmental sustainability in Peru.
The quality of our service is one of our most important values which demands all our effort, determination, and courage to be successful in what we are doing and the services we provide
We aim to have a positive impact in all the areas that we visit. Through our training sessions and social projects, we empower women, indigenous communities and children
Our groups never exceed 10 people, giving you a personalized tour in our small comfortable vans
Interested in visiting only specific destinations? No problem, all our packages can be fully customized to suit your budget and schedule. Contact our travel advisors to plan the most comprehensive trip of a lifetime.
We commit socially and culturally to the community and adapt our business strategies to the preservation of the environment
The Abra Málaga Private Conservation area is located in the Cusco region. Abra Malaga is at a height that ranges between 2200 meters at 4,400 meters above sea level, which allows observing a diversity of microclimates that go from the “Cloud Forest”, at the lowest altitude, to the feet of Nevado Verónica, at the highest. It is important to preserve, conserve the biodiversity and ecological processes existing in the Polylepis forest of the Abra Málaga Thastayoc, habitat of a diversity of flora and fauna.
In this area we can find many endemic birds, among them three endangered species: the Ash-breasted Tit-tyrant, White Browed Tit Spinetail and the Royal Cinclodes.
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