Heliconia Lodge - Bird Watching

5 Days / 4 Nights

Day 1: Lima-Iquitos (L, D)

Welcome to Iquitos, the gateway to the World’s Natural Wonder, Amazon River and Jungle. Upon your arrival at Iquitos International Airport, you will be greeted by our staff and taken to Victoria Regia Hotel. After checkin lunch will be served at your leisure. In the afternoon, you may walk along the town’s main boulevard to the Malecon, the river banks of the Itaya River, where you can start to observe shore birds of the Northern Amazon River such as the Lesser Yellow- Headed Vulture, Greater, Yellow- headed Vulture, Purple Gallinule, Black throated Mango, Pale-legged Hornero, Short-crested Flycatcher, Orange-headed Tanager, Purplethroated Euphonia. Returning to the Hotel, you will enjoy a dinner and restful night.

Day 2: Allpahuayo - Mishana National Reserve (RNAM) / (B, L, D)

Your wake-up time is 4:30 am. Then take your packed brunch and depart via the Iquitos-Nauta Highway to Kilometer 25. At 5:30 am, you will start your expedition with a Birding expert from Allpahuayo-Mishana; listen and learn from his talk about the varied vegetation, ecosystem and soil like the rare white sand (“varillal”) made up of almost pure quartz and nutrient rich lacustrine clay. You will easily observe some 15 – 20 species of birds, as well as animals such as amphibians and monkeys. Hike down a jungle path to an observation post and see more bird species such as the Ancient Antwren, Gray-legged Tinamou (between December and March), Mishana Tyrannulet, Zimmer’s Antbird, Pompadour Cotinga, Allpahuayo Antbird, the recently recorded Iquitos gnatcatcher, Brown-banded Puffbird, Citron-belied Attila, Safron-crested Tyran-Manakin, Yellow-throated Flycatcher, and the recently recorded Iquitos gnatcatcher (Polioptila clementsi), and other white white sand forest endemics such as the Pearly Antshrike, White-plumed Antbird, White-browed Purpletuft, among others.
Dinner and Overnight in Iquitos at Victoria Regia Hotel. (BOX.A.C)

Day 3: Heliconia Amazon River Lodge (B,L, D)

Early morning you will transfer from Iquitos to Bellavista Nanay Port. On this boat ride along the Amazon River towards the Heliconia Amazon River Lodge, you will observe some Large- and Yellow-billed Terns and maybe even a Light Yellow-headed Vulture. Arrive at the Heliconia Amazon River Lodge and take a jungle hike into the Yanamono swamps nearby looking for endemic species of the Várzea forest (seasonal floodplain forest inundated by white water rivers) like the Pale-legged Hornero, Warbling antbird, Violaceus trogon, Whiteeared Jacamar, Buff- throated Woodcreeper. On the upland (terra firme) forest, you will find some Manakin species, including Golden-headed Manakin (which is replaced in the south Amazon by Red- and Blue-headed Manakins), Reddish Hermit, Golden-collared Toucanet, Fasciated Antshrike and Short-billed Antwren.
Return to the lodge to relax and rest. Overnight in Heliconia Amazon River Lodge.

Day 4: Yanamono Rainforest (B,L,D)

Wake up very early to take the boat and start the bird watching expedition to Quebrada Cáceres (a gorge or ravine), during high tide. You will be looking out for birds such as the Wattled Jacana, White-eared Jacamar, Black-capped Donacobius, Red-capped Cardinald, Amazon Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, Black-Collared Hawk, Amazonian Antshrike, Amazonian-streaked Antwrent, Black Caracara, Plumbeous Antbird, Great Egret, Greater Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo and Oriole Blackbird.

After breakfast, take a walk along the Yanamono swamps on terra firme (non-flooded) forest where hopefully you will observe Black Fronted Nunbird, Blue and Gray Tanager, Roadside Hawk, Yellow-headed Caracara, Chachalaca, White-throated Toucan, Yellow-rumped Cacique and others. In the afternoon, a speed boat will take you to the Napo River, a smaller tributary of the Amazon River where you can view river shore species like Black–necked Red Cotinga, Orange–eyed Flycatcher, Swallow Wing and Chestnut - crowned Becard. Then proceed to one of the oxbow lakes to see Hoatzins, Plum- throated Cotinga, Black-collared Hawk, Great Black Hawk, Capped Heron and three species of Kingfishers (American Pygmy, Green and Rufous, Green and Amazon), White-eared Jacamar, Black-capped Donacobius, Red-capped Cardinal, Gilded and Scarlet-crowned Barbets, Crimson-crested and Cream-colored Woodpecker and Striped Woodcreeper, Band-tailed Manakin among other species. Overnight in Heliconia Amazon River Lodge.

Day 5: Yanamono Rainforest / Hondo Cocha (B,L)

Wake up very early to take the boat and start the bird watching expedition to Hondo Cocha and depending of the season you can go for a walk or otherwise canoes are used to watch birds such as Black Fronted Nunbird, Blue Gray Tanager, Roadside Hawk, Yellow Haded Caracara, Chachalaca, Cuvier's Toucan, Yellow Rumped Cacique, Wattled Jacana , White-eared Jacamar, Black Capped Donacobius, Red Capped Cardinald, Amazon Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Ringed Kingfisher, Black-Collared Hawk, Gilded Barbet, Scarlet-crowned Barbet, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Cream-colored Woodpecker, Striped Woodcreeper, Band-tailed Manakin, among other species. After lunch at the Lodge, we then go back to the Iquitos city by boat.
Our van will take you to the airport to catch your flight.

This program includes:

  • Transportation from the Airport/Hotel/Airport
  • Transportation from the Hotel to the Allpahuayo Reserve back to the Hotel
  • Lunch and dinner at the hotel
  • 2 Nights at Iquitos’s Hotel
  • 2 Nights at Heliconia Lodge
  • Bird Expert Guide
  • Checklist of birds

This program does not include:

  • Beverages: juices, sodas, soft drinks and any alcoholic drinks. (Tea and coffee are complimentary)
  • Flight tickets Lima/Iquitos/Lima and airport taxes.
  • Tips.

Important notes
Meet our driver in his booth # 5 at the luggage claim area.
Our Programs may vary according to flight arrival / departure changes or weather conditions.
For this program we recommend to take morning flights to Iquitos and your returning flight to Lima in the afternoon.
Departures from Iquitos to Heliconia Lodge: just in the morning (max. 09:00 am)
Departures from Heliconia Lodge to Iquitos is at 13:30 pm
Check in: 14:00 pm / Check out: 12:00 pm

What to wear
It is important that you bring only necessary clothing and travel gear to the lodge. Due to weight and space limitations on the domestic flight and on the boat to the Lodge, passenger luggage is limited to 10 kg. (22 lbs.) per person. You may store some of your luggage in our office in Iquitos City and take only the most essential during your stay

  • Light cotton clothes, pants and long sleeve shirts (preferably in earth colors: olive green, light brown/khakis of light, breathable, quick-dry material; please avoid using white color in the jungle)
  • Hiking boots or walking tennis shoes resistant to humidity; cotton socks.
  • Bathing suit
  • A light water proof parka jacket, raincoat or sweater (when the temperature goes down considerably or when it rains)

What to bring:

  • Hat / Cap (preferably with large visor)
  • Sunscreen / Sunblock.
  • Insect Repellent (with DEET)
  • Sunglasses.
  • Personal Medicines /medications; first-aid kit
  • Flashlight
  • Binoculars
  • Portable converter, rechargeable batteries, electrical adaptor for your charger
  • Camera with big memory card; preferably in waterproof case.