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PERU TRAVEL PLANNER
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Amazon
Birdwatching Holiday 8 days and 7 nights tour
Program Starts on Any Saturday
Price per person US$1400 based on Double Occupancy
Minimum 2 passengers
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Duration |
8 Days & 7 Nights |
| Price per person
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$1400 per
person based on double occupancy |
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Departures |
Starts on any Saturday |
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Airfares |
Not included, available upon request |
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Customizable |
YES, feel free to ask for extra
services |
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Explorama Lodges is sponsoring weekly Amazon Rainforest Birdwatching
Holidays. These holidays are led by native Amazonian Naturalist Guides
and feature Birdwatching from the Spectacular Amazon Canopy Walkway, the
longest walkway of its type in the world. Other habitats that will be
visited range from the Amazon River edge to interior black water lakes
and from pastures and small open fields to environments deep within the
Primary Rainforest.
Each program begins upon arrival in Iquitos on any Saturday, on any
airline flight, all year long!
Day 1 : (Saturday)
Upon arrival in Iquitos, you will be met and transferred to the Hotel
Dorado Plaza, a 5 star hotel in the very center of Iquitos. For early
arrivals there will be time to walk to the banks of the Amazon to see
your first Amazonian birds. In addition to the ubiquitous Greater
Kiskadee and Black Vultures you are likely to see several of the more
common seed finches. In the evening both the Plaza de Armas and the "Boulevard"
are great places to watch people strolling along and imagine yourself as
a great rubber baron.
Overnight at Dorado Plaza Hotel. (L, D) (If departure flight permits)
Day 2 : (Sunday)
After breakfast a short bus ride takes you to the Explorama boat docks.
A voyage down the Amazon (80 KM/50 mi/1½ hrs) takes you to Explorama
Lodge where you will have your first exposure to Amazonian forest birds
as you search the campgrounds for the Black-fronted Nunbird and the
Thrush-like Wren. Near the stream where the "La Tahuampa" Bar is located
you will likely see habituated Sun Bittern. Scarlet and Blue and Gold
Macaws, some of which have been coming to the feeding station near the
dining room for the Lodge's
38 year existence, will provide some spectacular shots as they fly
screaming along the Yanamono and Yanacaño Streams which pass through the
Lodge grounds. After lunch you will hike along the "Lake Trail" looking
for varzea (flood plain) specialists like the Silvered Antbird and
Pale-legged Hornero.
Overnight at Explorama Lodge. (B, L, D)
Day 3 : (Monday)
Before sunrise, take an early morning walk on the Bushmaster Trail in
terra firma forest where the highest diversity of tree species of any
location in the world has been discovered. With luck, a mixed flock of
birds feeding over an army ant column will be found. At times these
flocks have over 40 species of birds. After breakfast, you will return
to the Bushmaster to hopefully observe Golden-headed and Bearded
Manakins on their display leks.
During the afternoon, there will be an open boat trip on the Amazon
looking for river edge species like the Black-collared Hawk, Capped
Heron and three species of Kingfishers. We will also search for both
pink and gray freshwater river dolphins commonly found where tributaries
of the river meet. Overnight at Explorama Lodge. (B, L, D)
Day 4 : (Tuesday)
After breakfast, you will board an Explorama boat for a trip on the
Amazon and Napo Rivers (80 KM/50 mi/1½ hrs) to ExplorNapo Lodge. The
trails in the 250,000-acre reserve surrounding ExplorNapo are
innumerable and offer an opportunity for birdwatching in almost every
rainforest habitat. This is the best location in the world to see
rarities like Nocturnal Currasow and the Black-necked Red Cotinga. This
evening you will enjoy an open boat ride in search of caiman and frogs
while listening to the night sounds and, if it is a clear night, viewing
the overwhelming number of stars of the Southern sky.
Overnight at ExplorNapo Lodge. (B, L, D)
Day 5 : (Wednesday)
Early morning birding. Morning excursion in open boat and hiking to a black
water oxbow lake formed when water from the Napo River became separated from
the main flow of the river. These lakes are often covered with giant
Victoria Regia water lilies and sometimes offer a glimpse of the elusive
Hoatzin bird. Afternoon boating excursion along one of the Napo tributaries
spotting for sloth, birding and having a try at fishing for piranha.
Overnight at ExplorNapo Lodge. (B, L, D)
Day 6 : (Thursday)
Early morning birding walk. Morning hike to Amazon Conservatory Field
Station, and the Canopy Walkway, a suspended bridge spanning 500 meters
(one-third of a mile), connected by tree platforms and reaching a height
of over 35 meters (115 feet) above the ground. Here there is time to
observe a part of the rainforest rarely seen by man. Afternoon excursion
along the Medicinal and Useful Plants Trail where your guide will
explain the uses of many of the rainforest plants. In the late afternoon
you will be up at canopy level when the birds return to roost and to
watch the sunset from the treetops. After dark there is the opportunity
to rediscover the canopy dwellers at night. Overnight at Amazon
Conservatory Field Station. (B, L, D)
Day 7 : (Friday)
Departure to the Canopy Walkway in time to welcome the day from high in
the treetops, an unforgettable natural history experience, as mixed
species flocks form and their morning chorus begins. Motmots,
woodcreepers, antbirds, flycatchers, barbets, toucans and even
Red-Throated Caracara add to the cacophony. After breakfast you hike out
to the Sucusari Stream and board the boat to Ceiba Tops (120 KM/75
miles/2¼ hrs) where private air conditioned rooms and hot water showers
gently ease your way back to civilization. At Ceiba Tops you may see a
Great Potoo on the short walk between the boat dock and the main Ceiba
Tops building. After lunch, you will visit islands that were formed at
different times by the meandering Amazon River forming unique habitats
where some species of birds spend their entire lives. Returning to Ceiba
Tops you will travel close to the shore where both gray and pink
dolphins are often seen, and, with luck, there will be a colorful sunset
on the Amazon River. Overnight at Ceiba Tops. (B, L, D)
Day 8 : (Saturday)
Early morning birdwatching on a short walk to the huge Ceiba Tree for
which the lodge is named. Many organisms spend their entire lives in
this single rainforest giant. Depending on your departure flight from
Iquitos, there may be time for an open boat ride on the channels of the
Amazon in front of Ceiba Tops before lunch. Whatever your departure
flight, a boat ride will return you to Iquitos (40 KM/25 mi/3/4 hrs) and
then by bus you'll be at the airport in time for your departure flight
to Lima. (B, Lunch if flight travel permits)
END OF OUR SERVICE |
Click to Enlarge
Area map
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Birdwatching
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Explorama Lodge |
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Canopy walkway
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ExplorNapo Lodge
Ceiba s Lodge
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PLEASE NOTE:
Due to the everchanging nature of the rainforest, day-by-day activities are
subject to change due to weather, trail or river conditions. Bring rain gear and
sunscreen as for all Rainforest programs.
INCLUDES: All hotel and lodge accommodations based on double occupancy. All
scheduled land, lake and river transportation. All transfers. All scheduled
excursions with English-speaking guide services. All entrance fees. Meals as
specified in the itinerary. B=Breakfast;L=Lunch;D=Dinner.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE
International or Domestic airfares,airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess
baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations,
alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any
kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of
International or Domestic flights and items of personal nature.
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Mon-Fri 9 Am - 6 Pm ET
please allow pop-ups
Published articles and reviews about us
2009
Testimonials
Noelle Melnychuk
Calgary, AB
Our tour to
the islands on Lake Titicaca was a
wonderful day. We had great weather and the people that we met
were very friendly. The island of Taguile was a beautiful little
paradise. The hotel in Puno was very good, with a great
breakfast. It is too bad we could only stay one night. We kept
the room for the second night so that we could freshen up before
going on the bus to Cusco Peru.
Thank you for everything that you have done to make our trip so
enjoyable. Please pass along to Christi our thanks for the great
job that she did in organizing our tour. She was able to
assemble an itinerary that included everything that we asked for
and still was not too rushed. It was an enjoyable, informative
and relaxing time.
Thank you again to all of the staff at
Peru travel Gateway
and your suppliers for making this a wonderful experience.
Peggy Chang
McLean, VA
US
I always wanted to write
you a line and let you know my husband and I had a great time in
Peru. Thank
you so much for the arrangement; everything was really smooth! The
guide in
Cusco, Eriksson, was really great. thank
you also for helping me with all
the reservation and all the changes!! Cusco and
Machu Picchu were all
fantastic, I"m sure we will want to go back to Peru at some point
again, and
I"ll definitely contact you again!! Thank you!!
Sincerely,
Peggy Chang
Mary W. Earp
WINNALSAW, NC
US
We had a very nice trip to Peru.
Thanks for you help. Our hotels in Peru
were what we expected, very nice and the hotel help went out of
their way to make sure we were comfortable and had what we needed.
Our guides were outstanding. Always on time and catered to our
needs. Our groups were small except for the Sacred Valley tour where
we had 25 members. Food was plentiful and tasty at each restaurant.
The Hotel Casa Andina in Cusco gave us an upgrade when we returned
from MP which was very nice. Also, the Radisson gave us an upgrade
when we returned to Lima although we stayed only 6 hours.
Again, thanks for your services. I feel very fortunate that I
selected your travel services, because of the services. Several on
the trip thought I was mighty brave to select an unknown agency. I
was impressed with Ivan during our first emails and phone
conversations. I trusted him and he trusted me, this makes for happy
results for everyone.
Sincerely, Mary Earp.
Wendy Feldman
Los Angeles, CA
US 90025
I just returned back to the US from my trip to Peru. I wanted to let
you know how grateful I am for the wonderful experience that you
help me coordinate and plan. I loved all of the sites and felt I had
a unique experience that I will never forget.
The tour planners and the tour
guides were all wonderful and extremely helpful. Each of them were
very polite and knowledgable about their subjects and locations. I
learned alot about Peru and its customs.
The hotel on Machu Picchu (Sanctuary Lodge) and the hotel in Puno
(The Libertador) were excellent and I would recommend anyone to stay
in each of those locations. The San Augustin El Dorado was just
adequate; I found the hotel to be clean and the staff helpful, but
there is too much noise during the evening and mornings; this is
because many of the rooms overlook the central lobby of the hotel
and the acoustics create echos of sound from the front desk and
those people having conversations in the lobby area. Also, the space
heaters in each of the El Dorado rooms I stayed in did not work at
all. I do not think I would recommend the hotel to people unless
they didn't mind a noisy atmosphere.
The Posada del Inca hotel in Bolivia was very nice; I really liked
the rustic feel and intimate setting and the private gardens--the
views of Lake Titicaca and the mountains were spectacular. Although
I didn't realize it would be a hike (literally) up to it. One of the
couples I was travelling with on the first day in Bolivia had
trouble making it up the hillside (they didn't know they would have
to hike to the top to get to the hotel). I would recommend letting
potential guests know that it is a 40 - 45 minute hike from the dock
to the hotel itself. The guides were very helpful and it was good
that our luggage was carried up separately.
The trip was amazing and I just wanted to thank you for all of your
planning. I would recommend you and your staff to everyone I know
who wanted to plan a trip to go to Peru.
Have a wonderful new year!
Regards,
Wendy
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