6-Day Bird Watching Expedition in Tambopata with Collpa Chuncho Camp

6 Days Duration

Experiences

About This Tour

Sign up for a birdwatching expedition in the jungle of Tambopata to explore the Tambopata National Reserve and experience night camping in the Malinowski reserv...

Duration: 6 Days · Tour type: Private · Activity level: Easy · Accommodation: Included · Standard · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: Not applicable · Cities: Cusco, Puerto Maldonado, Lima, Tambopata National Reserve · Languages: Dutch, English, Spanish

Know before you go: All flights must arrive at Puerto Maldonado airport before 14:00 to be able to start the expedition.; All expeditions must be confirmed in advance and are subject to availability.; For birdwatchers, an Inotawa expedition in the Tambopata National Reserve (RNTAM) and its Buffer Zone (ZA) offers privileged places to observe a high diversity of birds, including parrots in their daily activities as they pick minerals from colpas or clay licks along the Tambopata, Chuncho, and La Torre rivers.; Six hundred different bird species can be spotted here. The presence of bamboo stands of weberbaueri shelters rare and exciting species such as the curved-beak recurvebill Ucayale, antbird Cercomacra manu, rufous-headed woodpecker Celus spectabilis, Bambucymbilaimus sanctaemariae, Percnostola lophotes, Poecilotriccus albifacies, Hemitriccus flammulatus, and others.; Inotawa has a network of 8 km of trails in the surrounding area. Hike with a guide to see birds such as the rare Hormiguero front rufa Formicarius rufifrons, birds that follow ants such as the Sooty Dendrocincla brown Trepador, and the Anthill white throat Gymnopithys Salvini. Depending on the time of year, we may also find boreal migratory birds, including the northern and southern Tyrannus, greyish cuckoo Coccyzus melacoryphus, Swainson's flycatcher Myiarchus swainsoni, striped flycatcher Myiodynastes maculatus, double-collared seedeater Sporophila caerulescens, and white-winged becard Pachyramphus polychopterus.

About Puerto Maldonado

Peru

Puerto Maldonado

One sleepy plaza and a range of backpacker guesthouses and lodges make Puerto Maldonado a fine gateway to the Amazon Basin. Get a local guide for all the local travel tips and tricks.

Explore Puerto Maldonado Peru All destinations

What's Included

Transportation to and from Puerto Maldonado airport
All transport by land, lake, or river
4 nights of lodging in a shared suite or bungalow
3 complete meals per day
All camping gear and setup for 1 night of camping
Bilingual professional Peruvian guide
All entry tickets to attractions
Telescope and binoculars to share

Not Included

Drinks at the bar
Lunch on the last day
Wi-Fi is only available at the bar in dry weather
Solar power is available in common areas only

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival at Inotawa and Birding Trails

Arrive and check in at Inotawa. Embark on an Inotawa expedition in the Tambopata National Reserve (RNTAM) and its Buffer Zone (ZA) to observe a high diversity of birds, including parrots in their daily activities as they pick minerals from colpas or clay licks along the Tambopata, Chuncho, and La Torre rivers. Among the birds are macaws such as Ara ararauna, A. macao, A. chloroptera, A. severa, red-bellied macaw, and A. nobilis, as well as Mealy Amazon parrots, A. ochrocephala, blue-headed parrots, and others. The reserve and its buffer zone are also a passage site for more than 40 species of migratory birds, including Pandion haliaetus, Buteo platypterus, leucorrhoa tachycineta, and others. Upon arrival at the lodge, we will receive you, and the guide will give instructions for a better stay before showing you the different areas of the lodge and your room. Trochas Inotawa: Hike with a guide to see birds such as the rare Hormiguero front rufa Formicarius rufifrons, birds that follow ants such as the Sooty Dendrocincla brown Trepador, and the Anthill white throat Gymnopithys Salvini. Depending on the time of year, we may also find boreal migratory birds. Inotawa has a network of 8 km of trails in the surrounding area.
2

Day 02

Collpa La Torre and Camp at Chuncho

Early in the morning, travel by boat for 10 minutes to Collpa La Torre, a ravine with streaks of clay needed in the diet of macaws, parrots, parakeets, and occasional mammals such as deer, capybara, squirrels, and others. You can observe the 30 m clay wall from a hiding place that serves as an excellent observation point. During the activity, you must follow the instructions given by the guide the night before. The activity lasts around 2 to 3 hours. Early in the morning, travel by boat for 10 minutes to Collpa La Torre, a ravine with streaks of clay needed in the diet of macaws, parrots, parakeets, and occasional mammals such as deer, capybara, squirrels, and others. You can observe the 30 m clay wall from a hiding place that serves as an excellent observation point. During the activity, you must follow the instructions given by the guide the night before. The activity lasts around 2 to 3 hours. Return to Inotawa for breakfast and then continue to Clay Lick Chuncho. Colpa Chuncho lies within the Tambopata National Reserve, and reaching it requires about 4 hours of sailing on the Tambopata River, with lunch served on the boat itself. The last leg of the boat ride takes about an hour on the Tambopata River. Along the way, see the many extensions that have formed islands with secondary forests, large gravel beaches, and views of Orinoco geese, cormorants, and more. Return to Inotawa for breakfast and then continue to Clay Lick Chuncho. Colpa Chuncho lies within the Tambopata National Reserve, and reaching it requires about 4 hours of sailing on the Tambopata River, with lunch served on the boat itself. The last leg of the boat ride takes about an hour on the Tambopata River. Along the way, see the many extensions that have formed islands with secondary forests, large gravel beaches, and views of Orinoco geese, cormorants, and more. After arriving at Colpa Chuncho, explore the surroundings near the camp. During this walk, we will track the footprints of mammals such as peccaries, tapir, and picuros on their routes to the colpas. Predators like jaguars often prowl behind their prey here. After arriving at Colpa Chuncho, explore the surroundings near the camp. During this walk, we will track the footprints of mammals such as peccaries, tapir, and picuros on their routes to the colpas. Predators like jaguars often prowl behind their prey here. Enjoy dinner and chat with the guide about the next day's activity at Colpa Chuncho. Enjoy dinner and chat with the guide about the next day's activity at Colpa Chuncho.
3

Day 03

Macaw Watching at Colpa Chuncho

Travel to the hiding place from which to observe the activity at the psittacid clay lick. You will spot several psittacine species such as macaws, parrots, and budgerigars. The most representative is the red-and-green macaw, Ara chloropterus, one of the largest species found in Peru. These birds come every morning to take clay from the ravine before feeding on berries. The activity lasts from 1 to 3 hours and happens in sequence: first the smaller parakeets and parrots arrive, followed by the macaws. The activity culminates in an exceptional spectacle of sound and colour. Return to camp for breakfast. Lunch will be at Inotawa Lodge, followed by a visit to an oxbow lake.
4

Day 04

Tres Chimbadas Lake and Bamboo Forest Walk

Enjoy a 15-minute boat ride from Inotawa and a 40-minute trail walk to experience the mirror-like character of the Peruvian Amazon waters at Tres Chimbadas Lake. Board a traditional catamaran paddle to explore the oxbow lake. During the boat ride, observe birds associated with the lake ecosystem, including the Least Grebe, Anhinga anhinga, osprey Pandion haliaetus, and others. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, walk along the trails surrounding the oxbow lake, where we can find the Peruvian curved-beak recurvebill Ucayale. See how it uses its beak to search for food by opening bamboo stalks. Depending on the habitat type, species such as Anthill Cercomacra manu can also be found here. One of the two places where we can record it is the rufous-headed woodpecker, Celus spectabilis. Some migratory species, such as the Eastern Wood-Pewee and yellow-green vireo, can also be seen here.
5

Day 05

Birding at Lake Cocococha

Hike and spot different species of birds at Lake Cocococha. Lake Cocococha is located in the Tambopata National Reserve and covers an area of 60 hectares, surrounded by palm swamps, shoals, and higher ground that create an ecosystem of high biodiversity. Little human intervention has made the place an essential habitat for the feeding and reproduction of several threatened emblematic species of the Amazon, such as macaws, black caiman, giant otters, and the rare Agami heron, which nests in the lake.
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Day 06

Return to Puerto Maldonado

After an early breakfast, return to the Inotawa office in Puerto Maldonado and then continue to the airport, where the guide will assist you with what is required for your return to Lima or Cusco.

Meeting Point

Meeting point: Rio Tambopata - Reserva Nacional Bahuaja Sonene, Puerto Maldonado 17000, Peru · Tour start: Rio Tambopata - Reserva Nacional Bahuaja Sonene, Puerto Maldonado 17000, Peru — Tour ends at the same location as the start point.