Itinerary of the Bird Watching Tour – Iquitos
DAY 1 :
10:00 Lima – Iquitos Airport – City
Una vez que llegues al Aeropuerto Internacional José Secada Vigneta de Iquitos, pasaremos por tí para el traslado al Hotel Victoria Regia, donde disfrutas un rico desayuno, para iniciar la caminata por el boulevard donde harás el primer avistamiento de aves.
The Malecón Tarapacá, on the banks of the Itaya River, is the scene of species such as Lesser Yellow Headed Vulture, Short-crested Flycatcher, Orange-headed Tanager, Yellow-headed Vulture, Purple Gallinule, Black throated Mango, Pale-legged Hornero, Greater, Purple-throated Euphonia.
After enjoying the beautiful walk, you return to the accommodation to enjoy a delicious lunch and in the afternoon observe more birds in the area and finally spend the night at the hotel.
DAY 2 :
4:30 Iquitos – Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve – Iquitos
The second day of the tour you must wake up very early, at 4:30 am, to leave for the Allpahuayo – Mishana Reserve, located in the province of Maynas; a place where 498 species of birds coexist, more than 500 species of butterflies, more than a thousand types of plants, amphibian species, reptiles, mammals and fish.
Starting at 5:30 a.m., a bird expert guides the tour in part of the more than 57 thousand hectares that make up this area widely known for its white sand forests or “varillales” and those flooded by the dark waters of the Nanay River.
475 types of birds inhabit the place, 6 of them totally new to science and 9 endemic; among them the recently described Perlita de Iquitos or Gnatctacher (Polioptila clementsi), Pearly Antshrike, White-plumed Antbird, White-browed.
In this reserve you spend the whole day and you can also see birds such as Ancient Antwren, Allpahuayo Antbird, Yellow-throated Flycatcher Gray-legged Tinamou (between December to March), Pompadour Cotinga, Mishana Tyrannulet, Zimmer’s Antbird, Safron – crested Tyran Manakin, Brown – banded Puffbird, Citron – belied Attila; among a great diversity of mammals and amphibians protected in the place.
Enjoy breakfast and lunch amid natural beauty. It is time to return for dinner and spend the night in the city of Iquitos.
DAY 3 :
Iquitos – Heliconia Lodge
This day you travel to the interior of the jungle, for this you embark at the Port of Iquitos in a fast boat that travels the Amazon River, heading to the Yanamono Communal Reserve; On the way you will see the demarcated line between the Amazon and Nanay Rivers, on one side with brown waters and on the other, almost black. You enjoy the flight of the Large-billed and Yellow-billed Terns; possibly you see the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture.
You arrive at your new accommodation, Heliconia Amazon River Lodge and on the nearby trails you look for birds such as Brown-chested Martin, Southern Martin, Violaceus trogon, Gray-breasted Martin, Pale-legged Hornero, Warbling antbird, White-eared Jacamar, Buff-throated Woodcreeper and Black-crowned Tityra.
You will also be able to observe species of Manakins, such as Golden-headed Manakin, replaced in southern Amazonia by the Red-headed Manakin, Blue-headed Manakin, Reddish Hermit, Golden-collared Toucanet, Fasciated Antshrike and Short-billed Antwren.
At night you return to the Lodge for dinner and rest.
DAY 4 :
Heliconia Lodge – Quebrada Cáceres – Lodge
At the beginning of the morning you sail to the Cáceres creek (it could be replaced by another creek according to the water level of the river) to spot birds such as Amazonian, antshrike, Amazonian-streaked Antwrent, Amazon Kingfisher, Black Caracara, Black-Collared Hawk, Black Capped Donacobius, Great Egret, Greater Ani, Green Kingfisher, Red Capped Cardinald, Ringed Kingfisher, Plumbeus Antbird, Squirrel Cuckoo, Oriole Blackbird, Wattled Jacana, White-eared Jacamar among other wonderful Amazon species.
This tour allows you magical contact in the middle of wetlands, rivers, jungles and an enchanting scene of fauna and flora, unique in the world.
In the afternoon it is time to board a fast boat to the Napo River, where it is possible to recognize birds at the edge of the waters, including Black – necked Red Cotinga, Swallow-wing, Chestnut – crowned Becard and Orange – eyed Flycatcher. From there you go to a lake to see the Hoatzins, Plum-throated Cotinga, Capped Heron, Black – collared Hawk, among other species.
In the late afternoon you enjoy dinner at the accommodation and a tour around the place to observe species such as the Great Potoo, Common Potoo, Tropical Screech owl, Laadder tailed nightjar, Pauraque and other nocturnal birds.
At night you return to the Lodge to enjoy dinner and rest.
DAY 5 :
Heliconia Lodge – Quebrada Cáceres
This day you visit the southwest of the Yamono Reserve, specifically the Hondo Cocha Lake; If the river level allows it, it will be chosen to do the hike or a canoe ride to identify birds such as Amazon Kingfisher, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Black Fronted Nunbird, Blue Gray Tanager, Roadside Hawk, Yellow Headed Caracara, Chachalaca, White-eared Jacamar, Black Capped Donacobius, Cuvier’s Toucan, Yellow Rumped Cacique, Wattled Jacana, Striped Woodcreeper, Band-tailed Manakin, Red Capped Cardinal, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, Black-Collared Hawk, Gilded Barbet, Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, among other species.
Finally we return to the Lodge for lunch and later return to the accommodation you have chosen in the City of Iquitos or directly to the Airport.
Like birds, let your dreams fly and define the date when you will live an unforgettable 5-day experience exploring the biodiversity and beauty of the Peruvian Amazon.
