Peru

[Steve Keen]

Hi all,

I'm in the VERY early stages of planning a trip to Peru next autumn (Sept or Oct) and was wondering whether anyone can suggest sites which are easily reached by public transport and without forking out for expensive lodges. I will be on a tight budget and guides are probably out of the question too. Had sort of hoped to do Carpish and the road to Pucallpa and would be most interested in lowland sites around there. I don't mind slumming it with regard to accommodation. Is there anywhere good which can be visited in the same way as, for example, the Guyana Trail and La Escalera in Venezuela.

Thanks in advance

Steve Keen

[forktail]

Hi all,

I'm in the VERY early stages of planning a trip to Peru next autumn (Sept or Oct) and was wondering whether anyone can suggest sites which are easily reached by public transport and without forking out for expensive lodges. I will be on a tight budget and guides are probably out of the question too. Had sort of hoped to do Carpish and the road to Pucallpa and would be most interested in lowland sites around there. I don't mind slumming it with regard to accommodation. Is there anywhere good which can be visited in the same way as, for example, the Guyana Trail and La Escalera in Venezuela.

Thanks in advance

Steve Keen

Hi Steve

a trip to the Cusco region would be excellent value - there are many sites around the town itself that are fantastic. Huacarpay Lakes, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Abra Malaga and especially Macchu Picchu. Only Abra Malaga is a bit tricky to get too but I think the owner of the hotel in Ollantaytambo can arrange for a cheap taxi.

Additionally, you can take a bus down the Manu Road from Cusco. Get the Gallitos de las Rocas bus from their tiny little 'station' and off you go. It's a terrifying journey as you wind up ridiculously narrow roads but the views are stunning. You eventually reach the high pass at Ajanaco (c.4000m) and from here on it's awesome birding as you wind down the famous Manu Road. You can go as far down as you like - we spent two weeks and only went as far as Cock of the Rock lodge (c.1400m), you can camp by the road here for free, just down from the lodge. Also a bit further back up is a large wooden building at Pillhuata where you can sleep for a very small charge (Red and White Antpitta not too difficult here). You have to take your own food in but you are free to wander whereever you like on perhaps the most famous birding road in the world. Traffic is incredibly light with only a few vehicles a day.

Basically Manu Road can be done for next to nothing if you don't mind carrying food and camping - not a bad deal for one of the Earth's best birding sites!

F.

[Steve Keen]

Well that's a good start! Had been led to believe, evidently erroneously, that Manu Road was tricky to do, or at least had next to no traffic for getting up and down. Perhaps I should be targetting that area instead. What are the opportunities lower down the road, in the tropical zone, however?

[forktail]

Hi Steve

you can carry on down to Atalaya in the tropical zone (I think everyone on the bus will be going here except any birders) where there is the well-known Amazonia Lodge. The traffic is sp.... but we had no problem getting a lift back up, in fact we took a few and were offered others. We also stayed with the park rangers at Ajanaco Pass on the way back; two young Peruvian students who put us up for a few nights and cooked meals for us (we shared our food with them of course). They were extremely nice people and didn't want payment but we insisted they took a small amount to cover their costs at least. It's a cold place up there so you do need a decent bag. Trucks often stop here on their way back to Cucso so getting a lift is simple.

It's also possible to do the lowlands proper on a budget but it isn't easy. We hired a boat at Puerto Maldonado for a fortnight and set off up the Las Piedras (much less travelled and consequently has many more large mammals etc) staying in a new lodge that was being built, for $10 a night. I had a mate working in the area that made this easy and wouldn't really recommend it unless you are very confident or reckless! It was the journey of a lifetime though...! Manu Road is really straight forward though - you can hire a car in Cusco for a pretty good price I think as well and people often do that these days.

There are enough birds on Manu Road upper half / Cusco area to keep you going for weeks though!

[Steve Keen]

Much appreciated. Feet are starting to itch already, and it's still only a slim chance I'll get to go. Any specific gen emailed privately would of course be very much appreciated.

sg.keen@virgin.net

[Steve Babbs]

Hi all,

I'm in the VERY early stages of planning a trip to Peru next autumn (Sept or Oct) and was wondering whether anyone can suggest sites which are easily reached by public transport and without forking out for expensive lodges. I will be on a tight budget and guides are probably out of the question too. Had sort of hoped to do Carpish and the road to Pucallpa and would be most interested in lowland sites around there. I don't mind slumming it with regard to accommodation. Is there anywhere good which can be visited in the same way as, for example, the Guyana Trail and La Escalera in Venezuela.

Thanks in advance

Steve Keen

Are you still planning this trip? I've done Peru mostly by public transport if you still want gen.

Cheers