The Santa Eulalia road gives us the opportunity to reach the high mountain located above Lima city. The road goes up through the massive Andean Cordillera offering an impressive landscape and good birding spots. The excursion starts at 840m of elevation reaching up 4,300m near the Puna plateau, over a lower pass to begin descending into the east slope foothills.
The Santa Eulalia road is only one section of 2 more excursions that can be offered, and it is no need to do the whole loop. It all depends of availability of time since anyone can turn back at any point. The incredible diversity of habitats and scenery creates an astonishing diversity of birds where several species are confined to this area and where you can find many endemic species like: Great Inca-finch, Black-necked Woodpecker, Rusty-bellied Brush-finch and Bronze-tailed Comet. Adding the extentions, we might see Black Metaltail, Striated Earthcreeper, White-cheecked Cotinga, White-bellied Cinclodes among others.
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We depart early to the Polylepis forest known as Japani at 4,300 masl. This is the habitat of the endemic White-checked Cotinga. Other birds that can be seen in this area includes Stripe-headed Antpitta and the endemics Striped Earthcreeper, Black Metaltail and Black-breasted Hillstar. Andean Condors had also been observed around this area.
Then we’ll stop at the Milpe bog looking for two uncommon birds, Diademed Sandpiper-plover and White-bellied Cinclodes. Towards the end of the day we will return to Lima using the Central Highway.
Other local fauna that we might observe during this tour includes the Peruvian Vizcacha (Lagidium peruanum), and with lucky the Pampas Cat (Leopardus pajeros).
Box Lunch / Lunch at local restaurant
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