Soar for more—and see Peru like never before

As home to over 1,800 species of birds, Peru is like nowhere else when it comes to planning a trip filled with natural beauty and epic biodiversity. To help inspire your travels, we’ve compiled an itinerary to take you along the ultimate birding trip in Peru!

You can begin by flying into Puerto Maldonado, a city in southeast Peru and the gateway to the southern Amazon jungle and plan to stay at any one of the ecolodges that Tambopata has to offer. Depending on where you stay, reaching your accommodations will take around 45 minutes or slightly longer. As you make your way down the Tambopata River, expect to see native flora and fauna. Surrounding your accommodations are nature trails you can explore with an experienced nature guide. Keep an eye out for Hoatzins, Herons, Trogons, Toucans, nests of Oropendolas, and many other bird species.

Tree species you might see include capirona, strangler fig trees, palo santo, and even bamboo. Farther along the jungle trail, groups of scarlet and red-and-green macaws can be found. Howler monkeys and squirrel monkeys have also been seen around these trails! Nocturnal creatures you might spot along the river at night include Spectacled Owls, as well as snakes and capybaras.

If you choose to go even further into the forest to a more wetland ecosystem, you can visit locations like Lake Sachavacayac, or Sandoval and Valencia Lakes in the other direction. Surrounding forests are filled with birdlife, and black caiman and the green anaconda live in the water. If you’re lucky enough, you may be able to spot the rare Amazon giant otter.

Visit Tambopata National Reserve for the chance to be immersed in nature and see bird species like the bat falcon, the blue-and-yellow macaw, the mealy parrot, and the Orinoco goose.

Make your way to Cusco, one of the best destinations to observe the Peruvian hummingbird from the Sacred Valley. Nearby Cusco is Huacarpay Lake, a high Andean wetland and wonderful place to see species including the yellow winged blackbird, the wren-like rushbird, and even threatened species like the peregrine falcon.

Known colloquially as “Machupicchu town,” you can reach Aguas Calientes by hiking the Inca Trail (or as part of an organized tour) to see Peru’s national bird, the Andean cock-of-the-rock.

Wherever you go in Peru, you’re sure to soar higher than ever before.