We pick you up at 06:00 am from your Cusco hotel early as this is a long day with many birds and sights to see. Your bird tour leader will greet you after breakfast and we will then head out south of town to Huarcapay Lakes. The lakes are surrounded by Inca and pre-Inca ruins. Here we will make a brief stop for a variety of high Andean waterfowl including Puna, Yellow-billed and Cinnamon Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Andean Duck and other wetland-associated birds. White-tufted Grebe and Slate-colored Coot will be here too. Depending on the time of year migrant North American shorebirds (waders) may also be present. We will be specifically on the look-out for Wren-like Rushbird, Many-colored Rush-tyrant, Yellow-winged Blackbird, Puna Ibis, Plumbeous Rail and Andean Negrito. Birds of prey we may see include Aplomado Falcon, Cinereous Harrier, Variable Hawk and Black-chested Buzzard-eagle. In the surrounding arid scrub, we will look for the endemic Rufous-fronted Canastero and Streak-fronted Thornbird. Continuing our journey over the highest point of the journey above Huancarani. We should find the endemic Bearded Mountaineer feeding in the tree tobacco (Nicotania sp.), along with Giant Hummingbird and Trainbearers. Peruvian, Ash-breasted and Mourning Sierra-finches will also be here, as well as Greenish Yellow-finch, Golden billed Saltator and Blue and Yellow Tanager.

Later we’ll look for the endemic Chestnut-breasted Mountain-finch. We should see Andean Hillstar, Andean Flicker, Black-throated Flowerpiercer and Chiguanco Thrush and other high Andean birds including ground-tyrants and Canasteros. Our next stop will be to look for the endemic Creamy-crested Spinetail. Traveling on we will arrive at the last Andean pass, Ajcanacu, and if the weather is clear we will be able to look out over the Amazon basin as it stretches into the distance, just as the Incas did when they would worship the sun rising over the endless rainforest.

In the afternoon we’ll arrive at the Wayqecha Cloud Forest Birding Lodge at an altitude of 2,800 meters for the lunch (13:00h). Wayqecha boasts six freshly renovated cabins which offer from your balcony a magnificent view to watch clouds roll across the Andes and Cloud Forest. Each cabin features comfortable beds (your choice of single, double or twin) with private, well appointed, bathrooms with hot showers. A brand-new dining room, lounge and bar welcome you for meals and provide comfortable seating for reviewing your lists at the end of the day.

Before the dinner you’ll be treated a brief talk about the scientific research conducted by ACCA at Wayqecha, this activity is optional and you can arrange directly with you guide.

Early in the morning we will explore trails and visit the canopy walkway, which allows visitors to rise over 40 meters above the forest floor. Aside from the amazing views and fascinating insight into a hidden ecosystem, we’ll also look for birds up top such as the Mountain Cacique, Blue-and-black Tanager, and the Ochraceous-breasted Flycatcher. Also keep your eyes peeled for Rufous Antpittas, Band-tailed Fruiteaters, Masked Trogons, Crimson-mantled Woodpeckers, Streak-throated Bush Tyrants, Tufted Tit-Tyrants, Andean Swallows, and Black-throated Flowerpiercers. Before the lunch, we`ll explore the gardens once more hoping to pick up some hummingbirds we may have missed. We’ll then begin to take the Manu Road back towards Cusco.

We’ll stop frequently to bird and enjoy the views. On our way back through the cloud forest we’ll look for Andean Guans and Scaly-naped Parrots. We’ll arrive in Cusco in the afternoon.