Birding and Trekking: Salkantay to Machu Picchu

Peru is one of the best birding countries in the world: more than 1,800 species live between the Pacific coast, the high Andes and the Amazon rainforest. Few routes show this diversity as well as the Salkantay Trek – in a few days you walk from icy passes down into the humid cloud forest above Machu Picchu.

Peru's bird highlights

• Andean cock-of-the-rock: Peru's national bird, bright orange-red, at home in the cloud forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes.
• Andean condor: One of the largest flying birds on earth, with a wingspan of up to three metres – best seen in the Colca Canyon.
• Marvellous spatuletail: A tiny hummingbird from northern Peru with two racket-shaped tail feathers – a dream bird for many birders.
• Hummingbirds and tanagers: Dozens of colourful species along almost every cloud-forest trail.

Where to go birding in Peru

• Manu: From the Andes into the lowland rainforest – one of the most species-rich areas on earth, with cock-of-the-rock leks and macaw clay licks.
• Tambopata: Easy to reach from Cusco, with the famous Chuncho clay lick where macaws and parrots gather in the morning.
• Colca Canyon: The classic place to watch Andean condors gliding along the canyon walls.
• Machu Picchu and the Urubamba valley: Hundreds of species around the citadel, including the Inca wren, torrent ducks and white-capped dippers on the river.

The Salkantay Trek: from glaciers to cloud forest

The Salkantay Trek is the best-known alternative to the Inca Trail. It passes below Salkantay mountain (6,271 m), one of the sacred peaks of the Incas, crosses a high pass at around 4,600 m and leads past the turquoise Humantay Lake. Then the trail drops into subtropical valleys with orchids, coffee and fruit farms – and with every hundred metres of altitude the birdlife changes.

For birders, this is what makes the route special: in the high Andes you may spot birds of the puna grasslands and, with luck, a condor; lower down, the cloud forest brings hummingbirds, tanagers, flycatchers and, if you are lucky, a cock-of-the-rock.

Tips for birders on the trek

• Bring binoculars: A light pair (8×42 or 10×42) fits in every daypack.
• Start early: Birds are most active in the first hours after sunrise.
• Plan an extra day: A 5-day itinerary gives more time in the cloud forest and around Machu Picchu.
• Tell us in advance: Our guides know the best spots and adapt the pace for birding stops.

Trekking and birding with Incatrekkers

Do you want to combine birding with trekking, or plan a dedicated birding trip? Our local team in Cusco will put together the right route for you. See our Salkantay Trek in 5 days, our Amazon tours or simply contact us.