DAY 1 - PUERTO MALDONADO TO TAMBOPATA
Our tour begins in the remote city of Puerto Maldonado, located in far southeastern Peru at the confluence of the Tambopata River and the Rio Madre de Dios not far from the border with Bolivia. After lunch, we'll drive 2 hours to the embarcation point and then take a 45-min boat ride to Sandoval Lake Lodge. It could take us longer on the boat if we stop to view wildlife en route. Once we arrive, we have about a 45-minute walk to reach Sandoval Lake. We'll no doubt do some birding along the way, which will increase this time. We'll be looking for Black-faced Cotinga, Band-tailed Manakin, which could be displaying on a lek, and perhaps the secretive Agami Heron, the scarce Long-billed Woodcreeper, and Point-tailed Palmcreeper.
Once we reach the lake we'll paddle across in a small boat to reach the lodge itself. We'll see plenty of water birds on the lake including egrets, Capped Heron, Cocoi Heron, Large-billed Tern, Yellow-billed Tern, Black Skimmer, Horned Screamer, Gray-cowled Wood-Rail, Sunbittern, Wattled Jacana, Hoatzin, and Blue-throated Piping-Guan.
Later in the afternoon we'll go out on the lake in a catamaran where we can usually find Giant River Otters and other wildlife such as Black Caimans, Squirrel Monkeys, Red Howler Monkeys, and Brown Capuchin Monkeys. At dusk we could see a Bicolored-spined Porcupine and Southern Tamandua. Overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge.
DAYS 2-3 - LAKE SANDOVAL
During the next two days we'll spend much of our time birding bamboo and varzea forest habitats. We'll concentrate on a long list of target birds including Rufous-capped Nunlet, White-throated Jacamar, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Bamboo Antshrike, Manu Antbird, White-lined Antbird, Goeldi's Antbird, Rufous-fronted Antthrush, Black-faced Cotinga, and Pale-eyed Blackbird. Other birds we'll be looking for include Striped Cuckoo, the secretive Pheasant Cuckoo, Rufous-breasted Piculet, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Ornate Stipplethroat, Dot-winged Antwren, Red-billed Scythebill, Brown-rumped Foliage-gleaner, Flammulated Pygmy-Tyrant, Large-headed Flatbill, and Dusky-tailed Flatbill.
Many other birds are possible including Gilded Barbet, Lemon-throated Barbet, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Red-necked Woodpecker, Long-billed Woodcreeper, Elegant Woodcreeper, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Musician Wren, Red-capped Cardinal, and a high diversity of flycatchers and tanagers. In the evening we have the chance to look for Great Potoo, Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, Crested Owl, Spectacled Owl, and Black-banded Owl around the lodge. Overnight at Lake Sandoval Lodge.
DAY 4 - LAKE SANDOVAL & POSADA AMAZONAS
During early morning we'll visit an amazing place in the swamp where over a hundred parrots visit to eat parts of decaying Mauritia Palm trunks because no mineral clay sites are nearby. The site is the only known place in the Amazon where this behavior occurs. It's believed the parrots do this to absorb sodium and other ingredients that aid their digestion. Birds visiting the lick typically include Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, and White-bellied Parrot. The very rare Red-shouldered Macaw, which feeds on Mauritia Palms is also possible. From there we'll take the boat back to Puerto Maldonado, arriving in time for lunch.
That afternoon we'll drive back to the Tambopata River Port. If we have time, we'll bird some secondary forest along the way to look for Scaled Pigeon, Pearl Kite, Purus Jacamar, White-throated Jacamar, and Red-breasted Meadowlark. While on the boat on our way to the lodge, we'll do some birding along the river. We could see Horned Screamer, Sand-colored Nighthawk, Collared Plover, Sunbittern, King Vulture, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Bat Falcon, Drab Water Tyrant, White-winged Swallow, Russet-backed Oropendola, and Olive Oropendola. After arrival we should have some time for birding around the lodge. Overnight at Posada Amazonas Lodge.
DAY 5 - POSADA AMAZONAS
We'll depart early our first morning and walk a half hour to the 37m tall canopy tower, where we'll wait for canopy mixed flocks to appear. Activity varies and is better some days than others. When mixed species flocks appear, birding reaches a whole new level. The flocks are comrised mostly of tanagers, including Flame-crested Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Opal-rumped Tanager, Opal-crowned Tanager, and Green-and-gold Tanager.
A long list of other species are often seen from the tower, including White-fronted Nunbird, Curl-crested Aracari, Red-throated Caracara, Gray Antbird, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Spangled Cotinga, Bare-necked Fruitcrow, White-browed Purpletuft, Crested Oropendola, and Rufous-bellied Euphonia. Occasionally other good birds are also seen from the tower, though less often, including Slate-colored Hawk, Pavonine Quetzal, Striolated Puffbird, Black-spotted Barbet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, and Crowned Slaty Flycatcher. The tower is also a good place to see Western Striolated-Puffbird, Gilded Barbet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, and Plum-throated Cotinga. We'll be on the lookout for raptors while on the tower, as they are more difficult to see soaring overhead from the ground. With luck we could see an Slate-colored Hawk, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Crested Eagle, or even the rare Harpy Eagle.
The trail leading to the tower is also very good for birding. It's a good place to find the shy Pale-winged Trumpeter. It's also very good for antbirds such as Fasciated Antshrike, Bluish-slate Antshrike, Pygmy Antwren, Banded Antbird, Black-faced Antbird, and Chestnut-tailed Antbird. Other possibilities include several species of trogons, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, Cinnamon-rumped Foliage-gleaner, and Grayish Mourner.
That afternoon we'll bird some forest trails where we could find Pale-winged Trumpeter, Pavonine Quetzal, Fiery-capped Manakin, and Round-tailed Manakin. In late afternoon we could visit a clay like that is just a 15-minute walk from the lodge. Visitors to the parrot clay lick can view dozens of parrots from a blind just 20m away, allowing superb photo opportunities. The main species visiting the lick are Chestnut-fronted Macaw, Red-and-green Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Blue-headed Parrot, Yellow-headed Parrot, and Mealy Parrot. Overnight at Posada Amazonas.
DAY 6 - POSADA AMAZONAS & RUFUGIO AMAZONAS
On our second day at Posada Amazonas, we'll spend the morning birding trails near the lodge. Numerous trails through primary and secondary forest offer many possibilities. Antbirds are especially prevalent but many other species are also of interest. The Yoji Trail to El Ceibo, a huge ceibo tree, is consistently good birding through terra firme forest. The trail is especially good for notable birds such as Bartlett's Tinamou, Starred Wood-Quail, Pheasant Cuckoo, Rufous-capped Antthrush, Black-faced Antthrush, Striated Antthrush, Ringed Antpipit, and Band-tailed Manakin. Other birds one can expect include Collared Puffbird, White-fronted Nunbird, Red-necked Woodpecker, Plain-throated Antwren, White-flanked Antwren, Long-winged Antwren, Ihering's Antwren, Banded Antbird, Black-faced Antbird, Band-tailed Antbird, Scale-backed Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Rufous-fronted Antthrush, and Golden-crowned Spadebill. There are a variety of mammals in the area, and we could encounter groups of White-lipped Peccary, the smaller Collared Peccary, Red-brocket Deer, and a number of different monkeys. That afternoon we'll take a 2-hour or so boat transfer to Refugio Amazonas. Overnight at Refugio Amazonas.
DAYS 7-9 - REFUGIO AMAZONAS & CHUNCHO CLAY LICK
During our stay at this wonderful lodge, we'll have plenty of time to hike and bird trails through the rainforest as well as visit the fabulous Chuncho Clay Lick. One day we'll bird the 4-mile long Castaña Trail through primary terra firme forest. Another day we'll hike through varzea floodplain forest that hosts a different set of species.
Along the Castaña Trail we could encounter Starred Wood-Quail, Pale-winged Trumpeter, several trogons and foliage-gleaners, Black-tailed Leaftosser, many woodcreepers, antbirds, flycatchers, manakins, tanagers, and more. Mixed species flocks organized around Dusky-throated Antshrikes and Red-crowned Ant-Tanagers are especially diverse, containing 30-40 species or more.
The trail through varzea frest leads to an old oxbow lake inhabited by Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Pygmy Kingfisher, and Green-and-rufous Kingfisher. We'll be especially looking for Pale-vented Pigeon, White-bellied Spinetail, Varzea Schiffornis, River Tyrannulet, Varzea Thrush, and will certainly see many other species as well.
One morning we'll visit the Chuncho Clay Lick, located about 2-hours by boat from the lodge. It's now the best clay lick in the Tambopata region. Hundreds of parrots and macaws congregate here to ingest clay that helps them neutralize the toxins from the seeds and fruits in their diet. The clay is also an important mineral supplement in their plant-based diet. Up to 15 species occur at this clay lick inclding Tui Parakeet, Cobalt-winged Parakeet, Orange-cheeked Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Yellow-crowned Amazon, Mealy Amazon, Dusky-billed Parrotlet, White-bellied Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Red-bellied Macaw, Blue-headed Macaw, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Scarlet Macaw, Red-and-green Macaw, Chestnut-fronted Macaw, White-eyed Parakeet.
We'll spend our afternoons birding around the lodge grounds where we can expect to see Speckled Chachalaca, Yellow-tufted Woodpecker, Cinnamon-throated Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Fiery-capped Manakin, Large-headed Flatbill, Russet-backed Oropendola, Crested Oropendola, Masked Crimson Tanager, Buff-throated Saltator, and Bluish-gray Saltator, among others. Nights at Refugio Amazonas.
DAY 10 - PUERTO MALDONADO
We'll spend this morning taking the boat back to the Tambopata River Port, followed by transfer back to Puerto Maldonado. The tour ends after lunch.
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