Manu And Tambopata combo

Duration: 11 days/10 nights

One Departure : August 27

Guide: Thomas Valqui

Route: Lima /Cusco/Manu/Tambopata National Reserve (Sandoval Lake)/Lima

Highlights: Birding one of the world’s most diverse spots. Surprising comfort, no complicated logistics or bumpy roads. Macaw clay lick, 3 huge canopy towers for superb canopy birding,  8 distinctive habitats to bird (including bamboo), and some interesting birds in Tambopata National Reserve. A great way to learn about Amazonian birds and to see Sandoval Lake.

Includes: Guided tours by specialist (Thomas Valqui plus local guides where needed, transportation, entrance fees, Accommodation and meals according to program, transportation in Manu and Tambopata (boat and plane), entrance fees, accommodations at hotels and lodges.

Not included: International airfare Domestic airfares Lima-Cusco-Lima (ca. 250 US$), airport taxes (ca. 40 US$), personal expenses. Not included are two lunches and two dinners (ca. 60 US$), which are all in cities, to give you freedom of choice and because some people skip meals. Also not included meals in day 1 and last day where you might not be in Lima depending on your international flight schedule.

Day 1 (27th August)
Arrive in Lima, reception and transfer to hotel.
Overnight at Sonesta El Olivar*****

Day 2 (28th August)
Visit to the Villa marshes. Birds we will be looking for in this typical coastal marshes are Peruvian Thickknee, 5 species of Ducks, Great Grebe, Gray-hooded Gull, Many-colored Rush-tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, etc. If time allows we will then head to the port of Pucusana for some gulls, terns (Inca Tern), the Humboldt Penguin, the Seaside Cinclodes, and other seabirds. We will also stop at desert scrub for seedeaters, hummingbirds, miners, and others. Overnight at Sonesta El Olivar*****.
Meals : B

Day 3 (29th August)
Early morning flight to Cusco and transfer to hotel. Afternoon birding at the Huacarpay lake and marshes. These Wetlands, a RAMSAR site, will show us a nice complement to the coastal Villa marshes in Lima. In the marshes we will look for Puna Teal, Andean Duck, Sivery Grebe, Yellow-winged Balckbird and many more, and in the surroundings our champions will be the Rusty-fronted Canastero and the Spectacular Bearded Mouintaneer, Overnight at Novotel**** or similar
Meals : B

Day 4 (30th August)
Short flight to Boca Manu where you will join your guide for a 2-hour birding boat trip to the lodge. This trip will only take 2 hours, but will give us an opportunity to see typical river birds (hopefully the Orinioco Goose and Muskovy Duck), over-flying raptor, parrots, macaws, etc. as we relax on the boat. Afternoon walk on the MWC trail system, which includes “the grid”. Overnight at Manu Wildlife Center.
Meals : B, L, D

Day 5 (31th August)
Early morning visit to the spectacular macaw clay lick, a short boat trip from the lodge. From a specially designed blind we will witness this colorful display of hundreds of macaws and parrots, of up to 10 species. After the birds leave we will visit an oxbow lake on our way back to the lodge for a late lunch, followed by an afternoon of birding on the trails.  Overnight at Manu Wildlife Center.
Meals : B, L, D

Day 6 & 7 (1st and 2nd September)
We will spend the next 5 days birding in a variety of habitats. Our activities will include extensive birding in terra firme forest, where the grid will give us access to several known territories of hard to get birds, follow mixed species flocks and spend time in flooded forest. We will also visit the bamboo island for almost all of the specialists of this unique habitat, look for the Rufous-fronted Antthrush in the Heliconia thickets by the Antthrush trail, and visit a typical large oxbow lake. Since we will be based at the comfortable lodge, if someone wants to sleep in, take a morning or afternoon out, or bird alone, it will be easy to catch up with the group at any time. Overnight at Manu Wildlife Center.
Meals : B, L, D

Day 8 (3st September)
Travel to Tambopata, starting with a long but comfortable boat trip that will take us to Laberinto, arriving in mid-afternoon. From Laberinto, a small minibus will pick us up and take us to Puerto Maldonado. On the way we will stop for some birding and do a little side trip to interesting grassland habitat. A one-hour boat trip brings us to the Sandoval dock, from where we will slowly bird our way on a 2.7 km walk to the Sandoval Lake Lodge, while our luggage is taken by cart to the lodge. The final stretch to the lake we will do on a catamaran. Overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge.
Meals : B, L, D

Day 9 (4th September)
We will spend the early morning in the flooded forest on the other side of the lake where our highlight will be the Black-faced Cotinga. Then we spend some relaxing time in a catamaran exploring the shores for Hoatzin, herons, canopy and fly over birds. The afternoon will be spent on the trail system through terra firme behind the lodge. Overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge.
Meals : B, L, D

Day 10 (5th September)
An early morning bird-walk will take us back to the port on the Madre de Dios River for the one-hour boat trip back to Puerto Maldonado. A commercial flight will take us to Lima (or Cusco) early in the afternoon. Overnight at Sonesta El Olivar*****
Meals : B, L, D

Day 11 (6th September)
Transfer to the airport to take the international flight.
Meals: B

Prices 2007