Birdwatching at Huacarpay Wetland in Cusco
Description
We will pick you up from your Cusco hotel at 06:00 am and head to the beautiful Huacarpay Wetlands, one of the most important birdwatching sites near the city. Surrounded by peaceful landscapes, this area is home to a rich variety of resident birds, including herons, colorful tanagers, hummingbirds, and seedeaters. Depending on the season, migratory species may also be present, adding even more diversity to the experience. Over approximately three hours, our expert local guides will take you to prime birding spots within the wetlands, maximizing opportunities to observe and identify Cusco’s birdlife. Special attention is given to endemic species such as the Rusty-fronted Canastero and the impressive Bearded Mountaineer, making this tour especially rewarding for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers. At the end of the tour, we return to Cusco, leaving you inspired by an unforgettable morning surrounded by nature and wildlife.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Many species of Cusco birds reside in the area, depending on the time of the year we can also find migratory birds. Cusco endemic birds as Rusty-Fronted Canastero (Asthenes ottonis) and Bearded Mountaineer (Oreonimpha nobilis) and more
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(6)
My wife and I took this tour with Jose Antonio and had a fabulous experience. Jose was early to pick us up from our Cusco Hotel and off we drove to the Wetlands. His English is excellent and his knowledge of the area and Birds was exceptional. He knows the birds by sight and sounds. Additionally, his excitement for the birds was very notable and enjoyable. I highly recommend this tour and Jose Antonio. Additionally, setting up and coordinating the tour with the company was very easy. We did extensive research on the area and after seeing all the YouTube videos this company does under the name of AvistandoPeru made it an easy choice to select them and this tour.
Dear Jeff Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We also appreciate your mention of our Avistando Perú videos — it means a lot to know that our efforts to share Peru’s birdlife and promote conservation inspired your choice. Wishing you many more beautiful birding adventures, and we hope to welcome you back to Peru again soon!
What an incredible tour, my friend and I couldn't stop talking about it for the rest of our visit to Peru. We booked a last-minute tour of Huacarpay Wetlands. We both enjoy birding back at home, and wanted the opportunity to see the nature and wildlife that Peru has to offer. And of course, add a few more birds to our life lists -- though we're also happy just to see birds doing bird things. Jose was prompt in picking us up from our hotel. Even from our conversation on the drive to the wetlands, his passion for the birds and other wildlife of Peru was apparent. He was knowledgeable about the area, and skilled at locating and identifying the local bird species. We saw about 36 species, and enjoyed learning about their behaviors and ecological importance. In addition to the tour itself, we were intrigued to learn about Jose's project where he and his team create videos to increase awareness and interest in nature and conservation among Peruvians. We really had a wonderful time and can't recommend this tour and company enough to anyone with an interest in the birds and nature of Peru.
I had a great time birding with Jose. His companies main focus is in education and conservation. This company has tours and experiences to fit anyone , a great way to spend time in Peru!
Jose does a great birding tour! His English is very good . On my birding trip I logged about 50 birds on ebird. His company does all kinds of trips even cooking classes!!
I purchased this outing on TripAdvisor, and got a message that my trip was booked, but then several days I received a pro forma email informing me that the outing could not be confirmed and that my payment would be refunded. What a disappointment. So undeterred, I decided to go anyways, and took the collectivo from Cusco to Huacarpay. From Huacarpay walked myself around the wetlands, visiting the observation towers. Even though the footpath is not very clear, it was still an easy walk around the lake, and I was able to meet nearly 30 different species of birds. I finished my walk at the pueblo of Lucre, which has some lovely restaurants. And then I caught a taxi from Lucre back to Huacarpay, and a collective from Huacarpay back to Cusco. Overall, I saved myself a lot of money. The trip that I got refunded was priced at US$120. I ended up spending less than 20 soles on the collectivos and taxi, and my lunch cost me 40 soles. No doubt, with a professional birdwatching guide I would have learned a lot more about the wetlands and the birds. But I still had a good experience with my DIY tour.
We didn't know what to expect since the wetlands and lake we only 30 minutes from Cusco. However, the amount of birds we saw in just a few hours was amazing. We saw more birds than expected (40+) and our guide Oscar was excellent and knew a lot about all the birds. He even maintained a list of the birds we saw and gave it to us at the end of the trip.
