THE CENTRAL HIGHWAY OF PERU
LIMA TO HUANUCO

Puna Grassland and Cloud Forest Specialties

14 DAYS

The Peruvian Central Highway runs due east and then north, from the coast, starting at the capital - Lima, and over the Andean ranges and onto the east slope cloud forest. On this trip we will go only as far as the east slope of the Andes at Huanuco. This trip is a great introduction to the cross section of birds to be found from sea-level to the high Puna grasslands at over 4000 meters and on the eastern Andean slopes in the Cloud Forest. It's also designed to enter one of the, up until now, inaccessible sites - Bosque Unchog - where some of the worlds most sought after birds exist in this treeline elfin forest and Paramo.

Day 01 : On arrival in Lima, we'll transfer to our hotel in Lima. For those who wish, an optional excursion to the nearby Villa marshes or agricultural areas south of Lima is available for in the afternoon for typical coastal passerines and waterfowl. Night at the Hotel in Lima.

Day 02 : Full day excursion with a picnic lunch to the Lomas de Lachay nature reserve north of Lima. We'll bird a cactus clad canyon for the endemic Cactus Canastero. We should also pick up Grayish Miner (endemic) here. Moving on to greener areas of the reserve, we'll be on the lookout for Thick-billed Miner (endemic). Here also we may see Least Seedsnipe, Amazilia Hummingbird, Raimondi's Yellow-finch, Collared Warbling-finch ( June - October), and Coastal Miner. If time permits in the afternoon we will visit some nearby coastal lagoons or bird some agricultural areas on the way back to Lima for Short-tailed Field-tyrant and Peruvian Thicknee. In the late afternoon we’ll traverse Lima to Santa Eulalia to put is a good position for the next day. Night at a Hotel in Santa Eulalia.

Day 03 : To-day we'll set off early for the road from Santa Eulalia to Casta. We'll bird the arid xerophitic vegetation in search of the endemic Great-Inca-finch (endemic). Birding the hill slopes and watching for mixed species flocks, birds of particular interest we may encounter include : Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail , Rusty-bellied Brush-finch, Striated Earthcreeper , Black-necked Woodpecker , Canyon Canastero. (All endemics). We have seen the rare Rufous-breasted Warbling-finch (endemic) here in the past. On the lower streams we may see Torrent Duck. We'll look for Collared Warbling -finch also. In the evening we'll return to our Hotel in Santa Eulalia for the night.

Day 04 : Leaving early we'll try to get to Marcapomacocha as the sun is illuminating the hill slopes and bird activity begins at these extreme altitudes. Birds on the grassy slopes include White-winged Diuca-finch, Dark-winged (endemic) and Common Miners, Plain-breasted Earthcreeper, Peruvian and Plumbeous Sierra-finches, Junin Canastero and several species of Ground-tyrant. Walking the wet valley bottoms, we'll search for one of the three pairs of breeding Diademed Sandpiper-plovers in the area and also the endemic White-bellied Cinclodes, perhaps the most elegant of all the Cinclodes. We'll visit a deep lake nearby for Silvery Grebe and Giant Coot and look for other species of waterfowl here. Black-breasted Hillstars (endemic) are quite common here. In the late afternoon we'll return to the main hi-way and on over Ticlio pass at 4843 meters and down to Tarma for the night. Night at the Hotel Los Portales

Day 05 : To-day we'll spend all day at Lake Junin and our quest will be for the endemic and endangered Junin Grebe. This flightless Grebe lives and breeds in the floating reed beds in the middle of the lake and we will have to contract local (very basic) boats to see the birds (we'll provide life jackets). We should with any luck be able to scope the birds from the reed islands. On this quest we will see a wide variety of other waterfowl as well, and in the surrounding fields and meadows we'll see many terrestrial species including Sierra-finches, Pipits, Ground-tyrants and maybe a Tinamou or two. In the late afternoon we return to our hotel in Tarma. Night Hotel de Turistas.

Day 06 : Leaving Tarma we drive past Lake Junin and drop into Northward flowing river valleys. On the way we'll make planned stops for special birds. There is a Polylepis woodland at 3700 meters where we'll look for Andean Tit-spinetail , Southern Line-cheeked Spinetail (endemic), d'Orbignys Chat-tyrant, Black Metaltail (endemic), Tufted and Pied-crested Tit-tyrant (endemic), Giant Conebill, Stripe-headed Antpitta, Red-crested Cotinga and more. Continuing our descent we'll stop at about 2500 meters for the endemic Brown-flanked Tanager. Lower still we should see Fasciated Wren and White-bellied Hummingbird. In the evening we'll drive into the bustling city of Huanuco for the night. Night Hotel de Turistas.

Day 07-09 : Three full days to bird the Carpish Tunnel area one hour north of Huanuco. As you leaves the arid Huanuco valley and pass through the Carpish Tunnel, you are suddenly in mossy cloud forest with incredible mixed species flocks. This is some of the best cloud forest birding in Peru! During the three full days here, we'll explore trails leading down into the forest and also bird from the road. Species possibilities are many and varied, apart from large canopy flocks of Tanagers, Flowerpiercers, Furnarids and Flycatchers, understory birds such as Woodcreepers, Antbirds, Tinamous and Quail-doves move through the undergrowth in large mixed flocks. A complete list would be impossible to include here but some of the more restricted central Peruvian specialties and unusual species we will look for are : Coppery Metaltail, Fire-throated Metaltail, Bay Antpitta, Peruvian Tyrranulet ( all endemics), Sickle-winged Guan, Barred Parakeet, Powerful Woodpecker, Rufous Spinetail, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Long-tailed Antbird, Masked Fruiteater ( endemic), Gray-breasted Mountain-toucan , Uniform Antshrike, Flavescent Flycatcher, Inca flycatcher (endemic), Rufous-crested Tanager, Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Rusty-breasted Antpitta, Unstreaked Tit-tyrant, Scarlet-rumped Cacique and a host of Tanagers. We have even seen Masked Saltator in the Chusquea bamboo here. One night we'll stay late for some nightbirding - Rufous-banded Owl and White-throated Screech-owl. For a complete list of birds of the Carpish area see "Birding" . We may want to do a day trip to the Oilbird cave at Tingo Maria for some of the specialties, Military and Blue-headed Macaw, Coraya Wren, Huallaga Tanager and a host of lowland species .

All nights in hotel in Huanuco..

Day 10 : We’ll start the adventure to-day, meeting our guide and horse handler - Reyes Rivera who was instrumental in finding the birds we are looking for with LSU expeditions in the past. At Pachachupan we'll leave our us and using tame, safe Andean saddle ponies and mules for the gear (no riding experience necessary but we must impose a body weight limit of 100 kilos) we’ll trek to Bosque Unchog - about 6 hours. In the late afternoon we may have time for some late birding as our camp crew set up our safari camp and prepare dinner for us. A hearty dinner prepared by our cooks will be accompanied by chat about the birds that await us the next day. Night in safari camp.

NOTE : For those who do not want to take the option of camping at Bosque Unchog, there is the option of returning to Lima on day 10.

Day 11&12 : Two full days birding the Bosque Unchog area. Here we will be looking for several species that only a handful of birders have seen before : Golden-backed Mountain Tanager, `Pardusco, Rufous-browed Hemispingus, Bay-vented Cotinga and Eye-ringed Thistletail - all endemics. There are many other birds in the area and it should be a stunning two days of dynamite birding. We will descend on trails into chusquea bamboo stands on one day - Greater Scythbill and White-capped Tanager have been recorded here. We'll return to camp each lunchtime and there will be time set aside for bathing in the rushing Andean streams or in the portable showers we will take with us. Both nights in safari style camp.

Day 13 : To-day we'll do a few hours early morning birding as our crew break camp and then head down to the hi-way at Pachachupan where our bus will be waiting to take us to Huanuco. We'll plan to be at the hotel early for showers and some time to relax. Night Hotel de Turistas.

Day 14 : Morning flight to Lima and connecting international flights. Day rooms or overnight at Hotel La Castellana in Miraflores, Lima if required.

NOTE : The very nature of the isolated areas we will be visiting at Bosque Unchog means we will have to camp for three nights. Our camp crew will take care of everything. However, everyone must bring a good sleeping bag and an inflatable sleeping pad (Therma-rest brand recomended),for the nights in camp . The camps are as comfortable as possible with dining tents and folding tables and chairs. Portable warm showers and a latrine tent will be available.

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