Early start from Cusco to Wayqecha via Pissac or Huancarani we will make some selected stops along the way – some of our main targets here include – Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch (endemic), Bearded Mountaineer (endemic), Rusty-fronted Canastero (endemic), Streak-fronted Thornbird, Slender-billed Miner, Common Miner, Andean Ibis. We should see Yellow-billed Teal, Andean Lapwing, Andean Flicker, Black-throated Flowerpiercer, Chuiguanco Thrush, Bright-rumped Yellow-Finch, Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch, and more. Our next stops it is above Paucartambo (the largest Town that we will pass by on the Manu Road) for Creamy-crested Spinetail (endemic), Diademed Tapaculo, Giant Hummingbird, before arriving at the last Andean pass – Acjanaco (3500 mts). If we do a detour to the Tres Cruces Road we may find Scribble-tailed and Line-fronted Canastero in the Puna grass land, inside of one corner of the highest elevation range of the Manu National Park, also the newly described Puna Wren and Puna Tapaculo. In the afternoon we will bird the upper limits of the eastern slopes of the Andes toward Wayqecha (2900 mts) we will look for some special targets such Undulated Antpitta, <em>occabambae</em> race Rufous Antpitta, Gray-breasted Mountain Toucan, White-collared Jay, Mountain Cacique and mix-species flocks with Tanagers and more. In the evening before or after dinner we will look for Swallow-tailed Nightjar, Rufous-banded Owl, White-throated Screech-Owl and Yungas Pygmy-Owl. <strong>Overnight at the Wayqecha Biological Station.</strong>

Today depends on what we had miss the previous day we may go back up to Acjanaco – the upper part limits of the eastern slope of the Andes. Several important targets to look for today between 3600 – 2600 mts during the all day that we will be moving from Puna grassland to cloud forest gradually as we go down the road (birding day above and below the Lodge), and some of the targets that we will be looking for are  Puna Thistletail, Golden-collared Tanager, Moustached Flowerpiercer, Tit-like Dacnis, Blue-backed Conebill, also we will be looking for mixed specie flocks that we could find Grass-green Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Black-capped Hemispingus, Barred and Band-tailed Fruiteater, Red-crested Cotinga, Pearl Treerunner, White-banded and White-throated Tyrannulet, Fulvous Wren and much more. Apart from mix feeding flocks we will look for Red-and-white Antpitta, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Crowned (Kalinowski’s) Chat-Tyrant, Trilling Tapaculo, Black-throated Tody-Tyrant and also we will look for very difficult targets such Greater Scythebill, Golden-plumed Parakeet and Andean Parakeet, Buff-throated (Peruvian) Treehunter.

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>(Birding elevation ranges between 2900 – 1300 mts)</strong>.</p> With many targets along the all way. Starting from bellow Wayqecha we will be focus in looking for mix-species flocks with different species at the different elevation range such Black-capped Hemispingus, Superciliaried Hemispingus, Gray-hooded Bush-Tanager, Hooded Mountain-Tanager, Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Buff-breasted Mountain-Tanager, Grass-green Tanager, and many more Tanagers, Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher, Handsome Flycatcher, Inca Flycatcher, Barred and Band-tailed Fruiteater, Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Bar-bellied Woodpecker, Marcapata Spinetail (endemic), Mountain Woodcreeper, Pearl Treerunner, White-throated Tyrannulet, White-banded Tyrannulet, Barred Antthrush, Variable Antshrike, Mountain Wren, Fulvous Wren, Black-faced Brush-Finch, Citrine Warbler, Barred Becard and apart from mix-species flock we will also be looking for Solitary Eagle, Black and Chestnut Eagle, Andean Guan, Scaly-napped Parrot, Pale-footed Swallow, Red-and-White Antpitta, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, White-throated Antpitta, Ochre-breasted Antpitta, Trilling Tapaculo, a wide variety of Hummingbirds including Collared Inca, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Violet-throated Startfrontlet and Amethyst-throated Sunangel, White-bellied Woodstar, and more. <strong>Overnight at the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge. </strong>

This is basically a travel day but we can put some time in the morning for birding near the Lodge for some birds that we didn’t see previously. Or we can also do more birding along the way as we travel back to Tarapoto. Night in Tarapoto.

Base at this lodge we will be going up and down the road to cover different elevation range looking for some special targets and mix-species flocks and apart from that, one morning we will be going up the road few minutes’ drive above Cock of the Rock Lodge it’s the spectacular Cock of the Rock Lek where we go to get inside of a hide to wait and observe the spectacular mating rituals in the early morning. And one of this day we will be going back up the road for a road section that we couldn’t spend birding properly in the way down the day before, because of the time (because it’s a quite long section in between Wayqecha and Cock of the Rock Lodge) which allow as to look again for some targets species that are at this elevation range such Solitary Eagle, Black-and-chestnut Eagle, White-rumped Hawk, Speckled-faced Parrot, Crested Quetzal, Golden-headed Quetzal, Masked Trogon, Highland Motmot, Blue-banded Toucanet, Black-streaked Puffbird, Chestnut-crested Cotinga, Long-tailed Sylph, Rufous-capped Thornbill, Green-fronted Lancebill, Olive-backed Woodcreeper, Uniform and Variable Antshrike, Olive-tufted Flycatcher, Bolivian Tyrannulet, Inca Flycatcher (endemic), Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager and more. The Lodge also have some Hummingbird feeders that it’s perfectly visible just from the dinner room where we can see Wire-crested Thorntail, Many-spotted Hummingbird, Violated-fronted Brilliant, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Booted Racket-tail, Green and Sparkling Violetear, Speckled Hummingbird and Peruvian Piedtail (endemic). The Lodge has a trail system behind the lodge that allow as to see some species not likely from the road such the Chestnut-breasted Wren, Scaled Antpitta, Rufous-breasted, Slaty Gnateater, Tawny-throated Leaftooser, Cerulean-capped Manakin (endemic) and Yungas Manakin. Some others important targets to look for from this Lodge are Saffron-crowned Tanager, Yellow-rumped and Slaty Antwren, Montane Foliage-gleaner, Deep-blue Flowerpiercer, Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, White-crowned Tapaculo, Versicolored Barbet, Lemmon-browed Flycatcher, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet and lots more. We will also do some night birding here and we have been lucky previously with Band-bellied Owl, Rufescent Screech Owl, Lyre-tailed Nightjar and Andean Potoo. <strong>Nights at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge.</strong>

Slowly birding between 1300 meters and 600 meters. On this stretch of road include: Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail, Chestnut-collared Swift, Peruvian Piedtail, Three-striped Warbler, Two-banded and Golden-bellied (Cuzco) Warbler, Lanceolated Monklet, Versicolored Barbet, Chestnut-backed Antshrike, Russet Antshrike, Cinnamon-faced Tyrannulet, Black-baked Tody-Flycatcher (endemic), Marble-faced Bristle-tyrant, Fulvous-breasted Flatbill, Golden-crowned Flycatcher, White-bearded Manakin, Russet Antshrike, Dusky-green Oropendola, Golden-collared Honeycreeper, Yellow-throated Bush-Tanager, Black-faced Tanager, Yellow-bellied Tanager, Amazonian Umbrellabird and much more. Some Seedeaters may be seen among other secondary forest species went we pass the small villages before arriving to the Lodge - once we reach the Lowland (bellow 700 mts). <strong>Overnight at Villa Carmen.</strong>

This area is the Lodge where there is a good patch of bamboo forest where we will be looking for some bamboo specialist including White-cheeked Tody-Tyrant, Flamulated Pygmy-Tyrant, Large-headed Flatbill, Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-headed Woodpecker, Manu Antbird, Goeldi’s Antbird, Red-billed Scythebill, Bamboo Antshrike, White-lined Antbird, Ornate Antwren and Dot-winged Antwren, Scarlet-hooded barbet is here too. After a leisurely lunch we’ll work the road to Atalaya where we often see Blue-headed Macaws and sometime Military Macaws. <strong>Overnight at Villa Carmen.</strong>

Morning travel to the comfortable Amazonia Lodge to arrive before lunch. The lodge is a very good place for Hummingbird species including the pretty Rufous-crested Coquette, Koepcke's Hermit (endemic), White-bearded Hermit, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Gould’s Jewelfront, Fork-tailed Woodnymph, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Blue-tailed Emerald, Black-eared Fairy, Gray-breasted Sabrewing, White-necked Jacobin, Sapphire-spangle Emerald, Long-billed Starthroat, Amethyst Woodstar, and more. <strong>Overnight at Amazonia Lodge.</strong>

The  surrounding of the Lodge has a variety of habitats (foothill forest, flood plain forest, bamboo forest, small lagoons and old grown secondary forest) that encourage a very good number of birds species such Uniform Crake, Blackish Rail, Black-capped Tinamou, Hoatzin, White Hawk, Buckley's Forest Falcon, Wattled Guan, Military Macaw, Blue-headed Macaw, Scarlet-hooded Barbet, Lemon-throated Tanager, Little Cuckoo, Bluish fronted Jacamar, Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Fine-barred Piculet (endemic), Plain Softtail, Red-billed Scythebill, Cinnamon Woodcreeper, Black-banded Woodcreeper, Plain-crowned Spinetail, Dusky-cheeked Foliage-gleaner, Rufous-tailed Antwren, Bamboo Antshrike, Amazonian and Thrush-like Antpitta, Rusty-belted Tapaculo, Mottle-backed Elaenia, Red-billed Tyrannulet, Johannes's Tody-tyrant, Yellow-browed Tody-flycatcher, Ornate Flycatcher, Band-tailed, Fiery-capped and Round-tailed Manakin, White-thighed Swallow, Golden-bellied (Cuzco) Warbler, Blue, Yellow-bellied and Black-faced Dacnis, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Carmiol’s Tanager,   White-winged Shrike-Tanager, Yellow-crested Tanager, Yellow-bellied Tanager, Mask-crimson Tanager, Silver-beak Tanager, Paradise Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Purple and Green Honeycreeper and more. Trogons and Kingfishers are here too.

Before departure to Manu Wildlife Center, we will search for species we have missed and about mid-morning we will head down the Alto Madre de Dios River and joint the Manu River and from there the river name is just Madre de Dios (Mother of God). The quite long boat ride it’s very pleasant and enjoyable. During the boat ride we will search for some Herons such Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Cocoi Heron, Capped Heron, Little Blue-Heron, and Egrets, plus some shore birds such Pied Plover, Collared Plover, Spotted Sandpiper and depending on the time of the year some migrants such Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper. Other bird to look for include, Orinoco Goose, Black Skimmer, Large-billed and Yellow-billed Tern, Drab Water-Tyrant, Southern Rough-winged, White-winged and White-banded Swallow and flyover of Macaws, Parrots and Raptors and the pretty’s Peruvian vulture - the King Vulture, and possible to find roosting on the stony/sandy beaches or locks the Sand-colored Nighthawk. We will arrive in the afternoon and relax the rest of the afternoon depending on the arrival time. <strong>Overnight at Manu Wildlife Center.</strong>

We will be birding the extend trail system of the Lodge that cover two main types of habitats (terra firme and flood plain forest). Some of these days we will be going to different birding sites such Macaw clay lick and Cocha Blanco by boat down river. Down at this elevation range has a large numbers of birds and some of the main targets that we will be looking for around the Lodge itself are: Great, Gray, White-throated, Bartlett’s, Little, Variegated and Undulated Tinamou,  and the very difficult one Brazilian Tinamou, Orinoco Goose, Spix’s Guan and Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Razor-billed Curassow, Starred Wood-Quail, King Vulture, this is the place where it’s been seen before Harpy and Crested Eagle also Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Black Hawk-Eagle and Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle, Swallow-tailed Kite, among other raptors such White-browed Hawk, Collared and Buckley’s Forest-Falcon, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Needle-billed Hermit, Festive Coquette, White-chinned Sapphire, Rufous, Broad-billed and Blue-crowned Motmot, Pavonine Quetzal, Green-backed Trogon, Great and Paradise Jacamar, Spotted Puffbird, western Striolated Puffbird, Collared Puffbird, Semicollared Puffbird, Gilded and Lemon-throated Barbet, White-throated and Channel-billed Toucan, Golden-collared Toucanet, Curl-crested Aracari, Brown-mandible, Lettered, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Emerald Toucanet, Ringed, Cream-colored, Green-and-gold, Red Stained, Scaly-breasted, Lineated, Red-necked and Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Red-throated Caracara, Bat Falcon, Long-billed Woodcreeper and lot of Antbird species such the Army ants followers, Hairy-crested Antbird, White-throated Antbird, Black-spotted Bare-eye, Common Scale-backed Antbird, Sooty Antbird and some Woodcreeper such White-chinned and Plain-browned Woodcreeper all this as long as we find swarming army ants, and in the understory mix-specie flocks we will look for Dusky-throated Antshrike, Plain-winged Antshrike, Red-crowned Ant-Tanager and Gray, Long-winged, White-flanked and Stippled-throated Antwren, White-eyed Antwren, Tawny-crowned Greenlet, Olive-backed Foliage-Gleaner, and more. Also in the canopy mix-specie flocks we may see Black-bellied Cuckoo, White-winged Shrike-Tanager, Sclater’s Antwren, White-shoulder Tanager, Paradise, Green-and-gold, Opal-crowned, Opal-rumped Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Red-billed Pied-Tanager, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, Chestnut-winged Foliage-gleaner, Lineated Woodcreeper, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Wing-barred Piprites, Blue and Black-faced Dacnis, Golden-bellied, Orange-bellied, Rufous-bellied and White-vented Euphonia, Green Honeycreeper and more. And at the spectacular “Blanquillo” Macaw clay lick we have Red-and-green Macaw, Scarlet Macaw and Blue-and-Yellow Macaw among good number of Parrots such Orange-cheeked Parrot, Blue-headed Parrot, Mealy Parrot, Yellow-crowned Parrot, Dusky-headed Parakeet, Cobalt-winged and Tui Parakeet, Dusky-billed and Amazonian Parrotlet some time is here too. All the rest of the Macaws are easy to see them around the area, and some of the Parrot and Parakeets are seen better around the Lodge itself such White-bellied Parrot, Rose-fronted Parakeet and Black-capped (Rocked) Parakeet. And while we are watching all this Macaws and Parrots at the Blanquillo clay lick we also can see others good birds such Barred Antshrike, Dark-breasted Spinetail, Great and Lesser Kiskadee, Smooth-billed and Greater Anni, Violaceous and Purplish Jay, Black-billed Thrush, sometime Black-billed Seed-Finch and more. At the Cocha Blanco ox-bow Lake we can see Horned Screamer, Sungrebe, Sunbittern, Wattled Jacana, Hoatzin, Least Grebe, Anhinga, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Cocoi Heron, Striated Heron and the rare Agami Heron it’s here too, Green Ibis, Osprey, Gray-breasted and Rufous-sided Crake, Muscovy Duck, Ringed Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Green-and-Rufous Kingfisher, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Purus Jacamar, Spot-breasted Woodpecker, Silvered Antbird, Band-tailed Antbird, Amazonian Streaked Antwren, Little Cuckoo, Ladder-tailed Nightjar, Pale-eyed Blackbird, etc. And apart from birds at this Lake some time we see Giant River Otters. <strong>All nights at the Manu Wildlife Centre.</strong>

In this journey we will be focus in making our way to the Airport which minds NOT specific birding sites to stop for birding but we will have the chance to see some raptors or parrots flying as we travel from the boat or the car/bus. <strong>End of the tour.</strong>