Chonta – Salkantay Birding Expedition 3d/2n

Chonta – Salkantay Birding Expedition

Highlights:

• Apurimac Canyon
• Condor Sightseeing
• Nature
• Salkantay Glacier and Humantay Lake
• Endemic Birds

This trip will take you into a world dominated by spectacular landscapes and microclimates that follow each other with their own character and type of life; Beginning with the mountain valley, the high mountains with their unique birds and flora and the impressive Apurimac canyon, dominated by the majestic flight of the condor. Everything wisely articulated by the hand of the Andean man and his alive culture.

This is a new naturalist and adventure trip for photographers and birdwatchers travelers who want a little more wild and andean elfin forest. This place is located near to Salkantay  mountain, at the west slop of Vilcabamba mountain range.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Cusco – Chonta Condor View Point – Mollepata Ecolodge

Departure from the hotel at 5 am to driving through the highlands to Chonta community for a 3 hours. Once we get there we will have a cofee break before to start the trek at the direction of Apurimac Canyon and visualize the spectacular scenery, it takes 1:30 minutes. On the way we spot some highlands birds.This tour is an unforgettable experience to enjoy the condors fly over the Apurimac Canyon. The condors soar upwards by using the thermal wind currents. This will be the best time to use all your abilities to photograph the majestic condors flying.  After couple hours, we set back to Chonta community to have a lunch.

After that, we will drive in direction to Mollepata ecolodge, on the way to this village we stop in the route to spot some specific birds, like White-eared Puffbird and Creamy-breasted Canastero (Pale-tailed). Then we continue until arrive to our accommodations, this is one of the most comfortable and high quality ecolodge around Mollepata village. After your accommodation and dinner, we will look for two specific owls that life around the lodge, like Koepcke’s Screech-Owl (endemic)and Buff-fronted Owl.

Day 2: Mollepata Ecolodge – Soraypampa Ecolodge

Wake up early morning and walk around the ecolodge to observe some birds that lives into the unique semi tropical forest, after couple hours birding aroun we get back to have our breakfast.
After breakfast we will continue the journey in direction to Salkantay mountain, we will be able to stop and walk for an hour more or less to try to find another some specific birds that exists just on this enfin forest. We have our lunch in a specific point over the route. In the afternoon, we walk up hill for half an hour in order to get to the Inka channels, from this part, we will walk couple hours seeing some endemic birds until to get the lodge.

In this day we will see the next endemic and the hardest to find birds by listers:

• Koepcke’s Screech-Owl (endemic)
• Buff-fronted Owl.
• Vilcabamba Tapaculo (endemic)
• Apurimac Spinetail (endemic)
• White-tufted Sunbeam (endemic)
• Chestnut-breasted Mountain-Finch (endemic)
• Rusty-fronted Canastero (endemic)
• Creamy-crested Spinetail (endemic)
• Purple-backed Thornbill
• Mountain Velvetbreast
• White-belllied Woodstar
• Crimson-mantled Woodpecker and others

Day 3: Soraypampa Ecolodge – Umantay Lake - Cusco

Early in the morning after breakfast we will walk up hill for couple hours until to reach to the one of the most beautiful lagoons part of the Umantay glacier, this day is a little more relaxed and combines spectacular landscapes, nature, birding and a spectacular view of Humantay snow peak, this is a great moment to photography the nature and sunrise.  Finalizing our activities, we will come back to the ecolodge to enjoy lunch and farewell. Finally drive back to Cusco.

Note: If you want to upgrade your tour, you can aggregate one or two days to make the Short Inka Trail or visit the Sanctuary of Machupicchu.
         This tour can operate with accommodation in ecolodge or you can use camp sites, if you choose the second option, you can get a low cost.

Tour's Program includes

• Acommodation in Mollepata and Soraypampa ecolodges
• Picnic lunch on first and second day
• Ozonated water (we will provide it in all the tour, but you must carry your own canteen)
• Entrance tickets
• Professional guide birdwatcher
• Private transportation
• Camping equipments if it’s necesary
• Snacks on the route
• First aids kit

Not includes.

• Other requirements.
• Sleeping bag if it’s necesary
• Last dinner
• Birdiwatching equipment
• Gratuities recommended for staff.

List of Trip:
Photography equipment
A spotting scope, if you have one
Flash light for night birding
Binoculars
Tripod
Camuflage chothes
Passport or ISIC card OBLIGATORY
Sun block SPF 45 - 90
Canteen is oblligatory
Extra warm clothes
Extra battery
Sunglasses
Additional Snacks
Daypack
Hat or cap
Repellent
Slippers or tennis shoes
Raincoats or rain ponchos (November to April)
 
If you don’t have some of the required equipment, we can rent one