SANTA EULALIA BIRDING TOUR
2 DAYS / 1 NIGHTTOUR SUMMARY
This 2-Day tour from Lima is the continuation of our Santa Eulalia 1-Day Tour to include higher elevations and different habitats, including a patch of polylepis forest where we will be looking for the main target: The White-cheeked Cotinga. Traveling from 800m to 4200m in just two days, we’ll have great chances to find species like Bronze-tailed Comet, Striated Earthcreeper and Rusty-crowned Tit Spinetail. At the higher elevations, we will be very keen to look for Giant Coot, Diademed Sandpiper Plover, Andean Snipe, and even Andean Condors!
About Santa Eulalia
This area is one of the most accessible birding spots in the Andes from Lima and goes from approximately 2,953 feet (900m) up to 14,108 feet (4300m.) At this route approximately 200 species of birds have been recorded, many of which are endemic.
The vegetation is one typical of the west slope of the Andes, going from agricultural lands, through dry scrublands and barren landscapes, Polylepis forest all the way to bunchgrass know as ichu and the meadow bogs.
The lower part of the road might yield species such as Scarlet-fronted Parakeet, Giant Hummingbird, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Torrent Duck, Black-necked Woodpecker, White-capped Dipper, Purple-collared Woodstar, Andean Condor, and Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch among others.
At the higher part of the road, Black Metaltail, Olivaceous Thornbill, Bronze-tailed Comet, Peruvian Sheartail, Common Miner, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, Streak-thorated and Junin Canastero, Thick-billed and Common Miner, White-bellied Cinclodes, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Dorbigny’s Chat-Tyrant, Black-crested Tit-Tyrant, White-cheeked Cotinga, Giant Conebill and other possibilities.
# Recorded Bird Species: 180
Habitats visited: arid montane scrubland, agricultural, polylepis forest, puna grassland
4:00 AM – We will start with an early departure from Lima to the Santa Eulalia valley to avoid the chaotic traffic of Lima. We will drive for approximately 2 hours until we reach our first birding spot at 2,953 feet above sea level (900 meters).
6:00 AM – picnic breakfast, then birding up along the Santa Eulalia Road.
12:00 PM – lunch, then continuing to bird further up the Santa Eulalia Road.
The main targets on the first day will be the endemics Rufous-breasted Warbling-Finch, Great Inca Finch, Bronze-tailed Comet, Black-necked Woodpecker, Striated Earthcreeper, Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail, Thick-billed Miner and Rusty-bellied Brush-Finch. During this outing we may also spot: Andean Tinamou Canyon Canastero, Peruvian Pygmy-Owl, and Andean Condor.
Other species that we might expect to find are Bare-faced Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Andean Swift, Sparkling Violetear, Giant Hummingbird, Peruvian Sheartail, Purple-collared Woodstar, Pied-crested Tit-Tyrant, White-browed Chat-Tyrant, House Wren, Long-tailed Mockingbird, White-capped Dipper, Chiguanco Thrush, Cinereous Conebill, Blue-capped Tanager, Mourning Sierra-Finch, Band-tailed Seedeater, Golden-billed Saltator and Scrub Blackbird.
4:00 PM – After a full birding day, we will trace our tracks back to Santa Eulalia where we will have dinner and spend the night in a local hotel.
DAY TWO
5:00 AM – wake up and depart hotel to have a picnic breakfast at a point from which we may see condors. After breakfast, we’ll continue birding until we reach the polylepis forest. From here, we will walk to look for species like white-cheeked cotinga, rust-crowned tit spinetail.
12:00 PM – picnic lunch, after which we’ll drive towards the bogs to look for diademed sandpiper plover and white-bellied cinclodes.
We will take our time birding this area, being aware of altitude and taking precautions to drink lots of water and take rests when needed. We will eventually reach 4,300 meters in elevation, which is the highest point on the tour.
2:30 PM – after another very full day of birding we will begin the drive back to Lima.
6:00 PM – arrival to hotel in Lima.
*Times stated are approximate and will be adjusted based on our pace and the wishes of the group. Departure time on day one cannot be changed as it is critical we get beyond Lima before the morning rush of traffic.
PRICES 2019 (per person)
1 – $1,545
2 – $1,030
3 – $820
4 – $675
5 – $620
6 – $580
*Please submit a request for pricing on groups with more than six people.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- Private transportation (incl. driver) from/to your hotel for the duration of the tour
- Professional, English-speaking guide
- All meals: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner
- Unlimited snacks and bottled water
- One night stay in local, boutique hotel in Santa Eulalia
- Printed destination checklist
WHY PR BIRDING
+ Peruvian-owned company founded on 20+ years experience guiding international tours
+ Custom-designed birding itineraries & small-group tours
+ Secure and easy online booking process
+ Personalized customer service with 24/7 emergency travel support
+ Commitment to supporting local communities through birding tourism