ABRA MALAGA - TUNKIWASI LODGE
Cusco - Huayopata
2 Days / 1 Night
Difficulty: Moderate
Private Service
The Area of Private Conservation Abra Malaga is located in the north-eastern part of the Cusco region. Abra Malaga is at an altitude ranging from 2,200 meters to 4,400 meters above sea level, which allows you to appreciate a great diversity of birds living in different ecosystems, ranging from the «cloud forest» at the lowest altitude, to perpetual snow at the base of Verónica snow mount, at the highest point.
Abra Malaga is also very important because it is an ecosystem that is made up of the last forests of Queuña (Polylepis sp.), extremely fragile, being also the place where the most endangered flora and fauna in South America live.
lncatambo with its dry and humid forest is becoming one of new best hot spots in all Cusco Region. The place is located in the province of La Convención, Huayopata District. Here we can be able to see a variety of birds proper of dry and humid forest such as: tanagers, falcons, seed eaters, and others. Incatambo is a very new point for birdwatchers and photographers, with its special cloud forest, combining primary and secondary forests among farming areas. In additions this place has a comfortable accommodation, Tunkiwasi Lodge.
This tour combines wild photography on the road and bird and hummingbird feeders in Incatambo.
We pick you up from your hotel in our van at 5:00 am to drive in direction of Abra Málaga, in the route we will stop in several strategic points in order to see some endemic birds and other most difficult to observe, living in specific microclimates, such as:
Endemic Birds:
- Chestnut-breasted Mountain Finch
- White-tufted Sunbean
- Creamy-crested Spinetail
- Rusty fronted Canastero
- Eastern Mountaineer
- White-browed Tit-spinetail
- Junín Canastero
- Inca wren
- Marcapata spinetail
- Unstreaked tit-tyrant
- Cuzco brush finch
- Parodi’s Hemispingus
- Red and White anpitta
- Urubamba anpitta
- Cuzco Star-frontlet
- Coppery Naped Pufflet
- Tit-like Dacnis
More complicated birds to spot
- Puna Thistletail
- Blue-mantled Thornbill
- Purple back Thornbill
- Olivaceous Thornbill
- Puna Tapaculo
- Black Siskin
- White wing Cinclodes
- Puna Snipe
- Gray breasted mountain tucan
- Short-billed Pipit
- White-winged Diuca-Finch
- Tufted Tit-Tyrant
- Red-Crested Cotinga, among others.
After our full birding day between Abra Málaga and San Luis cloud forest, we set up to Tunkiwasi lodge, where we wait for our accommodations and dinner.
In the second day, we will wake up early in the morning to prepare our birding equipment and breakfast. Once there, we begin to look for unique species of birds living in the area, such as:
- Green and White Hummingbird
- Red-crested Finch
- Blue-tailed Emerald
- Bronzy Inca
- White-lined Tanager
- Silvery Tanager
- Blue Dacnis
- Speckled Chachalaca
- Plumbeous Kite
- Bananaquit
- Palm Tanager
- Blue-black Grassquit
- Golden-headed Quetzal
- Crimson-bellied Woodpecker
- Green Jay
- Golden-naped Tanager (Rusty-naped)
- Versicolored Barbet (Blue mustached)
- Andean Motmot
- Andean Cock of the Rock
- Masked Trogon
- White-throated Quail-Dove
- Brown Tinamou
- Dusky-green Oropendola
- Gould’s Inca
- Speckled Hummingbird
- Rufous-booted Racket-tail, among others.
Finishing our photography morning we will have a lunch in the lodge. Then we will board the van to drive back to Cusco.
Includes:
- All transportations
- Snacks
- Ozonated water (we will provide it in all the tour, but you must carry your own canteen)
- Professional bilingual guide specialized birdwatcher and photographer
- All entrance fees
- Accommodation in Tunkiwasi lodge
- Lunch and dinner on first day
- Breakfast and lunch on second day
Not included:
- Other requirements not specified
- Breakfast on first day
- Dinner on second day
- Photography equipment*
- Tips for staff
- Services not mentioned
* If you don’t have some of the required equipment, we can rent one.
To enjoy our tour, don’t forget to bring:
- Passport or ISIC card OBLIGATORY
- Binoculars
- Photograph equipment
- Extra batteries
- Camouflaged clothes
- Sun block SPF 45 – 90
- Small backpack (canteen, snacks, etc.)
- Extra clothes
- Hat or cap for the sun and sunglasses
- Repellent
- Raincoats or rain ponchos (all year)
- Slippers or tennis shoes
- Extra cash in (soles and dollars, optional).
Frequently Asked Questions
The climate of this tour is varied, between a frigid climate with cloud and rain forests in the Abra Malaga area and semi-tropical rainforests in Incatambo.
Yes, it is very likely, because we will climb up to 4400 meters above sea level, so it is recommended to bring warm clothes and some medicines for the occasion.
You can do the tour all year round, however, we recommend choosing the best season, which is from March to December, because there is less rainfall and more bird migration.