PERU

Northern endemics

12 October–1 November 2026

Days 1–2 Overnight flight from London to Lima. On arrival in Lima, we will connect with a flight to Tarapoto, where we will have lunch on arrival and then continue to Bellavista. In the afternoon we will visit the dry forest of the Huallaga Valley, where we will have our first opportunity to look for the specialities of this area. Overnight in Bellavista.

Day 3 We will leave early this morning in four-wheel-drive vehicles, heading to Flor de Café village (formerly known as Plataforma), which is located at 1400m in the foothills of the Cordillera Azul and will be our base for the next two nights. Birding stops en route might produce Hoatzin, Limpkin, Snail Kite, Grey-cowled Wood-rail, White-winged Swallow, Blackish Pewee, White-necked Puffbird, the obamai race of Striolated Puffbird and Lemon-throated Barbet. Our primary target in the Cordillera Azul area is the stunning Scarlet-banded Barbet, a bird that was discovered only in the 1990s and formally described to science as recently as 2000; we will start searching for it on our first afternoon here. Owling in the evening may yield the roraimae race of Vermiculated Screech-owl and Band-bellied Owl.

Day 4 The list of uncommon birds of this area is truly extraordinary and we will spend the whole of today searching for as many of them as we can. We have further chances to see Scarlet-banded Barbet as well as another recently discovered species, Cordillera Azul Antbird. Other species on our wishlist include Chestnut-tipped Toucanet, Scaled, Fiery-throated and Scarlet-breasted Fruiteaters, Northern Long-tailed Woodcreeper, Rose-fronted Parakeet, Foothill Mourner, Grey-tailed Piha, Yellow-throated Spadebill, Tawny-throated Leaftosser, Yellow-cheeked Becard, Jet, Yungas and Blue-rumped Manakins and Blue-browed Tanager.

Day 5 After some early-morning birding at Flor de Café, we will transfer via Bellavista to Tarapoto for an overnight stay, stopping en route to explore a number of lower areas with gallery forest and dry deciduous woodland. Birds we may encounter include Pheasant Cuckoo, the distinctive huallagae form of Northern Slaty Antshrike (sometimes split as Huallaga Antshrike), Southern Chestnut-tailed Antbird, White-bellied Pygmy-tyrant, Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant, Rufous Casiornis, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-manakin, Chestnut-throated Spinetail, Ashy-headed Greenlet and Band-tailed Manakin. Overnight in Tarapoto.

Day 6 This morning will be spent at a private reserve close to Tarapoto, where hummingbird feeders usually attract Koepcke’s Hermit, Gould’s Brilliant and sometimes Black-throated Brilliant, amongst others. Birding the trails should produce Golden-headed Manakin at a lek, and, with luck, the striking and unmistakeable White-plumed and Hairy-crested Antbirds attending an ant swarm. Later we will drive to Moyobamba, making a stop on the main road to see Oilbirds at what is surely the easiest place in the world to observe this extraordinary species. Two nights in Moyobamba.

Day 7 We will spend the whole of today birding around the lodge and its surroundings, but that does not mean our bird sightings will be any less spectacular. Among our key targets will be the delightful and even more recently described Painted Manakin and the local form of Mishana Tyrannulet. Other species here include Varzea Thrush, Buff-throated Tody-tyrant, Olive-chested Flycatcher, Dusky and Cinereous-breasted Spinetails, Red-shouldered Tanager and Lanceolated Monklet. In common with many South American lodges, hummingbirds are a feature and should include Rufous-crested Coquette, Black-throated Hermit and White-chinned Sapphire. In the afternoon we will visit a couple of lowland forests where Masked Duck, Russet-crowned Crake, Buckley’s Forest-falcon, Bluish-fronted Jacamar, Stripe-necked Tody-tyrant, Rusty-backed Antwren, Palmcreeper, Yellow Tyrannulet, Black-faced Tanager and Wedge-tailed Grass-finch all occur. Nightbirds are well represented here too and can include Stygian and Striped Owls, Tropical Screech-owl and Spot-tailed and Rufous Nightjars.

Day 8 Our first site today will be the Arena Blanca reserve, where we should encounter Cinereous and Little Tinamous and Rufous-breasted Wood-quail at the feeders. Hummingbirds can include Blue-fronted Lancebill, Many-spotted Hummingbird and the distinctive Wire-crested Thorntail. The stunted forests nearby are home to the localised Northern Chestnut-tailed (Zimmer’s) Antbird and the smart endemic Huallaga Tanager. Our next stop will be Afluente, where mixed flocks can hold Ecuadorian Tyrannaulet, Equatorial Greytail, Grey-mantled Wren and Bicoloured Antvireo, while Andean Cock-of-the-Rock and Ecuadorian Piedtail are also both present. Subsequently, we will drive to a lodge in Abra Patricia for a three-night stay.

Days 9–10 These two days will be spent birding at Fundo Alto Nieva and around our lodge, trying for Rusty-tinged and Ochre-fronted Antpittas. Other species we will be focusing on include Royal Sunangel, Chestnut and Rufous-breasted Antpittas, Bar-winged Wood-wren, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-tyrant, Vermilion, White-capped and Yellow-throated Tanagers, Olivaceous Piha, Johnston’s Tody-flycatcher, Chestnut-belted Chat-tyrant, Black-throated Toucanet, Inca Flycatcher, Saffron-crowned, Yellow-scarfed and Grass-green Tanagers, White-collared Jay, Peruvian Tyrannulet, Olive Flycatcher, the endemic Rufous-vented Tapaculo, Streak-headed Antbird, Black-throated Tody-tyrant, Rufous Spinetail and Rufous-headed Pygmy-tyrant. Our lodge has some very attractive hummingbird feeders that are visited by Green Hermit, Speckled Hummingbird, Fawn-breasted Brilliant, Bronzy and Collared Incas, the exquisite Long-tailed Sylph, Emerald-bellied Puffleg, the amazing Sword-billed Hummingbird and White-bellied Woodstar. Another nearby set of feeders can attract a different set of hummingbirds, including the stunning peruanus race of Booted Racket-tail (often now split as Peruvian Racket-tail). Nightbirds could include Long-whiskered Owlet, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk, Rufous-banded Owl and Cinnamon Screech-owl.

Day 11 This morning will be spent around the lodge, searching for any species we might have missed. We will then transfer to Pomacochas for an overnight stay.

Day 12 An early start will be needed to reach a site for the elusive and spectacular Pale-billed Antpitta. As we hike up, we will try for White-throated Screech-owl. After the ascent, we will reach the highly fragmented forest patches in which our target bird lives. The distinctive Grey-browed Wren is also here as well as the superb Bolivian Starfrontlet. We will also have our first chance to see two further endemics: Russet-mantled Softtail and Unstreaked Tit-tyrant. In the afternoon we will visit El Refugio del Colibri Espatula, which is a private reserve on which we hope to find the incredible Marvelous Spatuletail. Other species such as White-bellied Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Little Woodstar, Andean Emerald and Sparkling Violet-ear will also be present at the feeders. Overnight in Cocachimba.

Day 13 After some final morning birding in the Huembo area we will drive to Leymebamba, stopping at Utcubamba Valley in search of Speckle-chested Piculet, Buff-bellied Tanager, Pacific Hornero and Marañón Wren. We will also have our first opportunity to try for Koepcke’s Screech-owl. Two nights in Leymebamba.

Day 14 A very early start will see us heading to the lower part of the Marañón Valley, where we will look for Yellow-faced Parrotlet and Peruvian Pigeon. Subsequently, we will continue to Hacienda el Limón, where our sights will be set on some special birds such as Buff-bridled and Grey-winged Inca-finches and Chestnut-backed Thornbird. Finally, we will head to Abra Barro Negro, where targets include White-chinned Thistletail, Coppery Metaltail and Blackish Tapaculo.

Day 15Our first port of call today will be the forest at Atuen Valley, where Grey-breasted Mountain-toucan, the leucoramphus subspecies of Mountain Cacique, Red-hooded Tanager and Rufous-backed Treehunter are all possible. Later we will transfer to Jaen for an overnight stay, with stops on the way to search for the Marañón form of Black-capped Sparrow, Marañón Thrush, Marañón Crescentchest, Little Inca-finch and Chinchipe Spinetail. Overnight in Jaen.

Day 16 Dawn will see us looking for the roboratus form of Peruvian Screech-owl, which possibly represents a distinct species – Marañón Screech-owl. Once it gets light, we will search for the uncommon Marañón Spinetail and Ecuadorian Ground-dove, while interesting subspecies include the isolated Marañón/Huallaga Valley race of Rufous-fronted Thornbird and the leucogaster race of Northern Slaty Antshrike. Afterwards we will drive to Chiclayo, stopping at Abra Porcuya to look for Piura Chat-tyrant and Henna-hooded and Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaners. Overnight at a hotel in Chiclayo.

Day 17 We will make an early-morning transfer to Bosque de Rafan, where Pacific dry forest specialities such as Rufous Flycatcher and Peruvian Plantcutter occur. A quick stop at Santa Rosa beach should produce Peruvian Tern, Least Seedsnipe, the kaleidoscopic and much sought-after Many-coloured Rush-tyrant and Coastal Miner. We will then move on to our base for the next two nights, Chaparri Lodge, where our main target will be the endangered White-winged Guan, but among the supporting cast will be Collared Warbling-finch, Elegant Crescentchest and Sulphur-throated Finch.

Day 18 The whole of this morning will be spent birding around the lodge. Many of the birds occurring in these woodlands are restricted to semi-arid habitats in northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador (the so-called ‘Tumbesian endemics’), and they include Ecuadorian Trogon, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Grey-chinned Hermit, Tumbes Hummingbird, Chapman’s Antshrike, Pacific Elaenia, Grey-breasted and Baird’s Flycatchers, Western Tropical Pewee, Tumbes Tyrant, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Black-capped and Tumbes Sparrows, White-winged Brush-finch, White-edged Oriole and Grey-and-gold and Three-banded Warblers. After lunch we will head towards Tinajones Lake, where we will search for Lesser Band-winged Nightjar in the evening.

Day 19 After some final morning birding in the Casupe area, where we will search for Ecuadorian Piculet, Ochre-bellied Dove and other Tumbesian endemics, we will head to Chiclayo Airport for a flight back to Lima, where we will spend the night at an airport hotel.

Day 20 Early morning international flight back to London, arriving on Day 21.

General Information The climate is highly variable, from cool in the mountains to hot and humid in the forests. There are a number of special health requirements, so please consult your GP. The itinerary is fairly intense and a reasonable degree of fitness for walking is required; however, those who wish to can opt to relax at feeders in some lodge grounds where the itinerary permits. Accommodation will mostly be in good quality hotels and in comfortable lodges with en-suite facilities but it is very basic at Plataforma with shared facilities for 2 nights.

Group Size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 4; maximum group size: 8 with 1 leader.