Chiclayo to Tarapoto (9 days)

                                                 NORTH PERU: FROM CHICLAYO TO TARAPOTO (9 DAYS)

Day 1. Transfer to the hotel in Miraflores.

Day 2. AM. City Tour. Fly to Chiclayo in the morning (or alternatively late night flight the night before and hotel in Chiclayo) and transfer to Chaparri. Excellent setting and prime birding with re-introduced White-winged Guan. Also Tumbes Tyrant, Tumbes Hummingbirds, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker, Sulphur-throated Finch and others. At night search for Scrub Nightjar, Peruvian Screech-Owl, Buff-fronted Owl and Striped Owl. Night at Chaparri Lodge.

Day 3. After watching hummingbirds bathing at Chaparri we shall continue to the Peruvian Plantcutter, Rufous Flycatcher, Tumbes Swallow and many more Tumbesian endemics at Bosque Pomac and then drive to Olmos. Afternoon will be spent at Quebrada el Limon looking out for White-winged Guan. Night in Olmos at Hospedaje Valle Grande.

Day 4. Monday. We continue to Abra Porculla. Targets here include Chapman's Antshrike, Bay-crowned Brush-Finch. Elegant Crescentchest, Rufous-necked and Henna-hooded Foliagegleaner, Black-cowled Saltator, Porculla Hermit and the rare Piura Chat-Tyrant. In the late afternoon we shall arrive in Jaen in the afternoon. Hotel Pym's

Day 5. Tuesday. Birding near Jaen for Marañon Crescentchest, Marañon Slaty Antshrike, Neclaced Spinetail and more.

En route to Pomacochas we shall look for Little Inca-Finch, Marañon Spinetail and Little Woodstar. Later in the afternoon near Pomacochas we shall visit Kolibri Expeditions private reserve to try to spot a male Marvelous Spatueltail. Sleep in

Pomacochas at very nice Puerto Pumas hotel.

Day 6. Wednesday. Most of day at Abra Patricia/Afluentes. A great number of good birds. Below the Abra Patricia pass at 2400m, possibilities include Rusty-tinged and Rusty-breasted Antpittas, Yellow-scarfed Tanager, Peruvian Rufous-vented Tapaculo, White-collared Jay and the recently described Lulu's Tody-Tyrant. The road then passes next to a series of low ridges cloaked in stunted forest. This is the type locality for the enigmatic Long-whiskered Owlet, one of the great ornithological mysteries of the continent, and one of the few localities where Ochre-fronted Antpitta has been seen. The Owlet was recently seen and photographed in the wild, so our chances are better than they ever were. Still it shall take some looking and some luck. In this dense habitat we stand a better chance of finding Bar-winged Wood-Wren, Royal Sunangel, and Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, whilst noisy flocks of White-capped Tanagers are regularly seen. Night at Abra Patricia Lodge.

Day 7. Thursday. Full day Afluentes/Abra Patricia. We shall start the days birding near Afluentes. Cock of the Rock lek nearby. Tanager flocks, Umbrellabird, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow possibilities. Ecuadorian Piedtail and Napo Sabrewing among the hummers. Black-mandibled Toucan, Equatorial Graytail, Gray-mantled Wren, Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Foothill Antwren, the endemic Speckle-chested Piculet, Versicolored Barbet and a wide variety of tanagers including the scarce Vermilion Tanager are other possibilities.

Day 8. Friday. Additional birding near Abra Patricia Lodge in the morning. In the afternoon we shall drive to Rioja. Near Rioja we shall look for birds in the vecinity of Yacumama, which is good for Buckley’s Forest-Falcon, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Blackish Nightjar, Fiery-capped Manakin, Yellow Tyrannulet, Rufous Casiornis and Great-billed Seed-Finch. In the late afternoon near Rioja we will be looking for Russet-crowned Crake. Night at Gran Bombonaje, Rioja

Day 9. Saturday. Birding savanna and deciduous forest at Morro de Calzada near Moyobamba. Birds include Tataupa Tinamou, Black-faced Tanager, Mishana Tyrannulet, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Cinererous-breasted Spinetail, Pale-breasted Thrush, Blue-crowned Trogon, Red-legged Honeycreeper and many more. Drive to Tarapoto and late evening flight to Lima.

Include: Hiteks and kidges, meals, guiding, transport flights Lima-Chiclayo and Tarapoto-Lima

Ask for day trips in Lima to travelingperu@gmail.com

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Prices: P/pax: 3,500 US$ Minimum 2 paxs