Chaparri BEARS & Birding Itinerary
Birding & wildlife-spotting in Peru's premier dry forest site.
Chance to glimpse elusive Spectacled Bear in the wild!
Accommodation is rustic, but homely & all meals are included.
Includes visit to Tinajones Reservoir for migrant shorebirds & waterfowl.
Overview
Elegant Crescentchest at Chaparri Ecological Reserve.
Chaparri Ecological Reserve in Lambayeque is one of the most extensive dry forest reserves in north Peru, with excellent birding opportunities and rustic - but charming and charismatic - accommodation run by the local community.
The area is c.80 km (50 miles) inland from Chiclayo and holds the largest protected population of the endangered White-winged Guan.
There is the chance to observe other dry forest specialities like White-tailed Jay, Elegant Crescentchest, Tumbes Tyrant and Tumbes Hummingbird.
You can also see mammals like Sechuran Fox, White-tailed Deer and Collared Peccary quite easily, and with a lot of luck, you might see a wild Spectacled Bear.
Chaparri Birding: 2-Day Itinerary Outline:
Day 1: Transfer from Chiclayo (or Cajamarca / Trujillo) to Chaparri. Overnight at Chaparri Ecolodge.
Day 2: AM. Chaparri Trails with guide. After lunch, transfer to Chiclayo, via Tinajones Reservoir.
Chaparri Birding: 3-Day Itinerary Outline:
Day 1: Transfer from Chiclayo (or Cajamarca / Trujillo) to Chaparri. Overnight at Chaparri Ecolodge.
Day 2: Chaparri Trails with guide. Overnight at Chaparri Ecolodge.
Day 3: Transfer to Chiclayo, via Tinajones Reservoir.
Chaparri Birding: 4-Day Itinerary Outline:
Day 1: Transfer from Chiclayo (or Cajamarca / Trujillo) to Chaparri. Overnight at Chaparri Ecolodge.
Day 2: Chaparri Trails with guide. Overnight at Chaparri Ecolodge.
Day 3: Chaparri Trails with guide. Overnight at Chaparri Ecolodge.
Day 4: Transfer to Chiclayo, via Tinajones Reservoir.
Prices
Below prices are per person, based on two people sharing a standard room, and include transfer from/to Chiclayo, all meals whilst at Chaparri Lodge & specialist, English-speaking guiding.
| Itinerary | Length | Prices From |
|---|---|---|
| Chaparri Birding | 3 Days | £223 / $310 |
| Chaparri Birding | 4 Days | £319 / $443 |
Please note that there is an additional fee to enter Chaparri Ecological Reserve, which is currently $10 per person approximately.
Itinerary
4-Day Chaparri BEARS & Birding Itinerary:
Day 1: Chiclayo (or Cajamarca) - Chaparri (Dinner)
Aplomado Falcon at Chaparri Ecological Reserve.
Today, we transfer you to Chaparri EcoLodge, a comfortable forest lodge, located in the Ecological Reserve of the same name, that offers a tranquil escape in a spectacular landscape of the foothills of the Andes ... with excellent wildlife-viewing opportunities.
If time allows, we will do some afternoon or evening birding in the grounds of the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Chaparri EcoLodge.
Possible birds: Andean Tinamou; White-winged Guan; Aplomado Falcon; White-tailed Jay; Elegant Crescentchest; Tumbes Tyrant; Superciliated Wren; Scarlet-backed Woodpecker; White-headed Brush-finch; Red-masked Parakeet; Scrub Nightjar; Tumbes Hummingbird; Baird's & Sooty-crowned Flycatchers; Tawny-crowned Pygmy Tyrant,;Grey & white Tyrannulet; Cinereous & Sulphur-throated Finches; Tumbes Sparrow.
Day 2: Chaparri Birding (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
Ecuadorian Piculet at Chaparri Ecological Reserve.
We spend the whole day birding the extensive trails around the Lodge, which is made up of hilly dry forest and scrub, in the company of an expert, local guide.
Dinner and overnight at Chaparri Lodge.
Possible birds: White-winged Guan; White-tailed Jay; Tumbes Tyrant; Elegant Crescentchest; Pacific Elaenia; Grey & White Tyrannulet; Baird’s Flycatcher; White-edged Oriole; Collared Warbling-Finch; Andean Tinamou; Short-tailed Woodstar; Tumbes Sparrow; Tumbes Hummingbird; Red-masked Parakeet; Pacific Parrotlet; Parrot-billed Seedeater; Cinereous Finch; Short-tailed Field-Tyrant.
Day 3: Chaparri: ‘Spirit of the Andes’ Trek Optional (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
Andean Spectacled Bear at Chaparri Ecological Reserve.
For an intense hiking and wildlife experience, early this morning we have the option of taking the trail, in the company of two park rangers, into the remote, higher reaches of the Chaparri Mountains.
With luck, we may see mammals including Collared Peccary, Sechura Fox, Spectacled Bear … and perhaps even a Puma. This is also the haunt of the Andean Condor, which may be seen in a cliffside nest or catching a thermal in the early morning sun.
NB. This hike is categorised as strenuous, so a good physical state is required.
For those not doing the Spirit of the Andes trek, there are lower-level trails that can be explored, such as towards Tocmoche.
Dinner and overnight at Chaparri Lodge.
Possible birds: as yesterday. Higher up the valley at Casupe, on the road to Tocmoche, we may find: Solitary Eagle; Grey-chinned Hermit; Rufous-necked & Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaners; Ecuadorian Trogon; Ecuadorian Piculet; Black-cowled Saltator; Piura Chat-tyrant; Rufous-winged Tyrannulet; Snowy-throated Kingbird; Grey-breasted Flycatcher; Pacific Elaenia; Chapman's Antshrike.
Day 4: Chaparri - Chiclayo (Breakfast)
Today, we make the journey from Chaparri to Chiclayo, making birding stops along the way, including at Tinajones Reservoir, where we might be rewarded with sightings of a number of migrant shorebirds and waterfowl in certain seasons; also Black-faced Ibis, Wood Stork, Great & Pied-billed Grebes, Andean Gull and occasionally Chilean Flamingo.
Afternoon transfer to Chiclayo airport or bus station for your onward journey.
Or you can hook up with our annual two-week Northern Birding Route itinerary, that goes from Chiclayo to Tarapoto.
Possible birds: as the other days and Least, Pied-billed & Great Grebe; Neotropic Cormorant; Tricolored Heron; Least Bittern; Yellow-billed & White-cheeked Pintail; Osprey; Aplomado Falcon; Andean Coot; Migrant waders; Lesser Nighthawk; Scrub Nightjar; Tumbes Swallow; White-headed Brush-Finch; Sulphur-throated Finch.
NB. Longer and shorter stays at Chaparri can easily be arranged.
Reviews
What our clients say about the Chaparri Birding tour:
“Many of the birds in Chaparri Reserve were ... rare and beautiful and we were able to see them at close range.”
“We had good birding throughout the trip, but Chaparri was amazing.
We had a local guide at Chaparri who was great.”
“We loved it! The folks there do such great work.
I was in bird heaven and the bears are adorable and seem happy. 😊”
“I just returned to the US from Peru and would like to let you know that the stay at Chaparri was the highpoint of my visit.
I saw lots of new birds plus fun animals, reptiles, butterflies and insects.
Ismael and Daniel Vallejos did a fantastic job of guiding me around the reserve and Elita prepared a series of excellent meals, each one better than the one before.
Fernando picked me up in Chiclayo right on time and dropped me back there at the end my visit.
I can only make one suggestion. I bought a copy of Birds of Peru to identify the species that I saw. It is a large, heavy book because it covers all of Peru.
Chaparri has a much smaller book which not only focuses on the birds found in the reserve but also has the animals and reptiles. I was informed that their book is available for sale to visitors.
Thank you for your help in organizing such a wonderful experience!”