Wildlife TV Presenter Nigel Marven and Gunnar Engblom team up in Peru

Published: Thu, 04/19/18

A few weeks have past since my last email/blogpost. We had a long Easter weekend with some Quality Time with the family on the beach at Puerto Inca some 600 km south of Lima, and a few busy weeks following that. Now I am back in Lima summing up the news of the last couple of weeks. In this newsletter, I will concentrate on our major birding news and some upcoming trips. A longer version of this, together with all other non-birding tidbits I have dugged up, shall appear by tomorrow or Saturday on GunnarEngblom.com

There is quite a lot to tell you about only concerning birding with Kolibri Expeditions. As you know, we are celebrating 20 years this year. I'll talk about some amazing Bird Photography Tours in Peru and Brazil, Kolibri Expeditions's Big Month in Peru in October and Birding with TV WildLife presenter Nigel Marven and Gunnar in Peru in late November-early December..... but first some good news.

Cheap Flights Right Now.

Amazing deals up to 50% off right now until April 23, for flights from North America to Lima with INTERJET between now and October. For instance New York-Lima June 7-17 for only $590, so you can join our short Manu road trip with Machu Picchu and Lima excursions confirmed for this time. This particular departure is guided by our legendary native bird guide Alex Durand, who started with Kolibri Expeditions carrying my scope, a year later was showing me lifers, and now is the #1 birder in Peru with 1750 species or so on his Peruvian Life List of seen birds. Alex is known for working extremely hard to get you the birds.

Other airports included in the Interjet offer include for instance Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami.

Check the Website calendar of Kolibri Expeditions and find an already confirmed trip and buy your tickets. When surfing, you may want to mask your IP address and use a VPN (check for an updated list of VPN services here) or TunnelBear (free) to put your IP as Mexico or Peru if you don't find the right price on the US/Canada website (yes, they can perfectly well charge anyone buying the ticket from a computer in the US more than buying it from a computer in Mexico).

Bird Photography Tours

It is becoming clear that tours that focus on photographing birds are becoming more and more popular. We'd like to promote some upcoming trips in Peru and Brazil, which especially are set up for bird photographers. It does not mean that you shall not enjoy these trips if you are a birder who mainly uses binoculars. On the contrary, you will see the birds extremely well and get time to learn theml.

However, these trips are probably not for the most hard core birders who want to optimize total number of birds rather than good views. Having said that, we will do an effort to see (and photograph) all the endemics en route.

Bird Photography in Peru

Andean Cock of the Rock. Manu road Carlos Altamirano

A Swedish bird photographer Lars Olof Johansson asked me to set up the Perfect Bird Photography Tour to Manu Road and the Amazon Lowlands for him and his friend starting September 9 for 14 days. Unfortunately, the friend had to cancel, and he is now alone with his wife and the tour is a bit too costly with just two people. Anyone interested, should contact me immediately. L-O will look for other tours if there is not a trace of interest by tomorrow Friday, April 20. Note that the Interjet offer above may have good priced air tickets. Click the link above to learn more about the trip. UPDATE: We need one more person to sign up and this is a definite go! There is maximum number of 6 people for this trip.

Bird Photography in Brazil

Swimming Jaguar in Pantanal

Do you want to see and photograph a Jaguar? There are more in life than birds, you know. We have just got confirmation to run our amazing Pantanal Bird and Jaguar Safari first week of October. This is just a good trip for Bird and WildLife Photography, as it is for general birding. Close to magic.
In conjunction of this trip there is a 8 day SE Brazil Bird Photography pre-trip with many endemic birds. Although, there is no Harpy Eagle actually nesting at this point, there may be later on our Chapada do Guimaraes and Harpy extension that can be added after the Pantanal. Regardless, it is great birding. Let us know if this is if interest for you. Prices of these tours are being added, but please give us a few days.

Big Month Peru - October 2018. +1100 species in 31 days.

Sorry guys, still no complete write up, but it should be ready in just a few days.
But the overview plan is the following below and the price for the whole thing including the 4 prep days (making it 35 days in total) is $7500 including all the flights. Gunnar will be guiding but local guides will also help out as we go along.

The links to the different sections only gives an idea what birds are around, but exact itinerary the number of days may vary. The pages will eventually be updated to reflect this.

Sep 27 - Oct 1. Big Month part 1. The Biggest Day and 4 day prep.
We start preparing for the Big Day with four days of birding around Puerto Maldonado. Then you get to see the birds. During the Big Day attempt we will move fast and hearing the bird is enough for counting them on the Big Day as well for the Big Month. We aim to get off to a great start with +300 species on the first day only around Puerto Maldonado Maybe more....

Oct 1 - 6. Manu road, Abra Malaga and Apurimac endemics. Big Month part 2.
Arriving from Puerto Maldonado in the early afternoon we add a number species for the day at Huacarpay lake and later in the highlands on the road to Manu road to sleep in Wayqecha, arriving well after dark. This shall be an extreme Manu road trip as we shall also fit in Apurimac and Abra Malaga on the same trip. It will be very intense but lots of birds and chance on all the regional endemics in this short time.
In the evening of Oct 6 we fly to Lima and transfer to Paracas arriving close to Midnight.

Oct 7 Pelagic from Paracas. . Part 3.
In the afternoon birding for Peruvian Tern, Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes, Peruvian Pipit and Tschudi's Tapaculo. Also a number of waterbirds and shorebirds at Pantanos de Villa. Evening flight to Chiclayo.

Oct 8 - 17 North Peru Birding Blitz. Hummingbirds and Endemics. Big Month. Part 4.
Special 9 day version of the Birding Blitz which also includes Cajamarca and an additional night at Abra Patricia. Cost for only this part is $2150 including flight and hotel on Oct 8. Note that lodging upgrade is possible at Owlet lodge. Limited space at Fundo Alto Nieva (first come/first serve)

Oct 17 - 19 Scarlet-banded Barbet extension. Big Month part 5. Kolibri Expeditions 20 Years.
Shorter 3 day version of this trip. Fixed Cost. $835 including the cost of 4WD.

Oct 20 - 22 Iquitos. Birding Canopy walkway, river islands and white sand forest. Big Month part 6.
Departure from Tarapoto at 16:40 on Oct 19 or alternatively from Lima. Visiting ExplorNapo Lodge and Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve. Price for this part TBA.

Oct 23 Birding Arequipa 1 day. Big Month part 7 .

Flight to Arequipa 19:35 arr 21.05 on Oct 22. You need to be altitude adapted for this tour. Return to Lima at 21:40 arriving at 23:20 next day.

Oct 24 - 29 Birding Central Peru. Big Month Birding Peru part 8.
Celebrating 20 years of Kolibri Expeditions. Brutal pace. If you only want to take part in this section cost is $1880. Start on the 23 at night driving through the night to Andamarca.

Oct 30 - 31 Tumbes Big Month part 9.

A two day variant of of our 4 day trip principally visiting El Caucho 1 day and a half and the Tumbes mangroves half a day to end the BIG MONTH in Peru. No Pelagic on this trip alas. By now we shall have reached 1100 species for the month and a new record for a BIG MONTH in one single country.

Nigel Marven and Gunnar Engblom team up.

This shall be the major celebration event during this year. British Nature and WildLife TV presenter Nigel Marven and Gunnar Engblom, Director of Kolibri Expedition lead together an action packed 12 day tour, consisting of 5 days Manu road, 2 days Condor and Machu Picchu and ending with 5 days in Northern Peru. Let me know if you are interested? These departures will be marked up slightly, but still very good value.

Gunnar and Nigel have worked together before in 1999 and 2000, when Kolibri Expeditions arranged all the logistics for filming the Andean Condor and Army Ants. Check these clips below.

Nigel Marven in Colca Canyon with Andean Condor

Nigel Marven meets Army Ants

More bullets and tidbits you shall find within 48 hours on GunnarEngblom.com.

I will inform you of my speaking engagements this year, the birding festivals I am attending, loads of interesting health, conservation, and self development tidbits that are super useful for you, and of course some updates on my quest for the sub 3h marathon and why I, as a 57 year, decided to finally launch my Rock'n'Roll singing career again. Am I not too old for this?

Until next time.

Gunnar Engblom
Kolibri Expeditions