ECOTOURISM, BIRDWATCHING, AND NATURE TOURS
Peru is the most diverse ecological country on Earth. Its world records’ are innumerable. The coastal deserts, the imposing Andean geography and the exuberance of the Amazonian jungle comprise 84 of the 103 existing ecosystems, 28 out of 32 different climates and the greatest diversity of plants and animals in the world.
One of the most revealing examples of Peruvian ecological diversity is its birds. It is known that more than 1.701 species (19%) of the world’s birds live in Peru, with 1.678 officially listed in Parker’s “An Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Peru” (Britio Books, Vermilion, South Dakota).
The Tambopata Reserve zone houses the world’s most diverse inventory of mammals (91), butterflies (1.100), dragonflies (145), beetles (600), and birds (545), all in only 5,5 sq. km.
On the coast, at Paracas National Reserve, fauna is abundant in fish, marine cats, marine turtles, and sea lions due to a great extent to the surfacing of the Humboldt Marine Current in the Bay of Paracas.
The Andean highland species are represented by the vicuña, the Andean Deer, the Puma, the Andean Wolf, and the most impressive Andean Condor, the largest scavenger bird.
In the High Jungle may be found 90 species of orchids, ferns, palm and cedar trees, and fauna such as the small Rock Cock Bird, National Bird of Peru.
The following itineraries may be adapted to the special interests of participants. These can be taken independently, or the three of them as a comprehensive tour of 16 days and 15 nights.
