Travel Tips

Language

Spanish is spoken throughout. If you are traveling alone you will want to have a smattering of useful phrases at a minimum. Most tourist facilities normally have one or more staff members who speak English, including the airlines, larger hotels, and car rental agencies. This route is off the main tourist path so it may be harder to find English speakers even in hotels e.g. in La Oroya.

Weather and Clothing

You may well encounter a wide variety of weather during this trip. Rain gear (including rubber boots or the equivalent), as well as T-shirts are suggested. One warm fleece type sweater is also worth having. A wooly hat and gloves can be worth having too. Snow is possible in the highlands. Layer!

Food

Expect food to be basic. The local food around Junin is especially unlike a normal western diet! Sheep’s head soup for breakfast is definitely worth trying if you have the constitution for it! Unless indicated otherwise by an experienced guide, stick to cooked foods and avoid water and ice.

Transport

If you are traveling independently, we suggest that you hire a car or small van. Some side trips such as Marcapomacochas require 4WD. Bus transport is available, but not recommended unless you are a hardened backpacker potentially willing to wait for long periods in isolated areas. Road works are common e.g. to repair landslides, so allow plenty of time especially when returning to the airport in Lima.  

Birding Needs

There are two good field guides to the birds of Peru, one published by Princeton and one by Ibis Publishing (which lacks range maps). If you can still obtain the mostly out-of-print Where to Watch Birds in Peru by Thomas Valqui, that can be a great help, especially if you are travelling independently. Otherwise, Where to Watch Birds in South America by Nigel Wheatley has a good summary of this region. Waterproof binoculars are suggested, as well as at least one telescope per group, but not necessarily per individual. Bird recordings should be used sparingly and can be obtained from the Xeno Canto web site (though be sure to test the files before you leave, as we have found that some may temporarily jam your iPod). There is a full list of Peruvian Birds on Wikipedia, though the format is not field friendly.

Photography

Extra flash cards may be available in Lima, but the general rule is to take everything you need. British birders may require electrical adapters for battery recharge. Most areas have sockets that are compatible with regular U.S. electrical plugs, but you may want to pick up an adapter anyway – just to be 100% sure.

Passports and Visas

U.S. and British travelers do not require visas for stays of up to 90 days in Peru. A passport is required of course. Nationals of other countries should check with their Peruvian Embassy or consulate regarding visa requirements.

Health

Altitude sickness is possible along this route. Hardly anyone can do this route without experiencing some altitude-related issues such as slight shortness of breath, mild headache, or faster heartbeat. However, it is possible for altitude sickness to become very serious and the elevations along this route are extremely high. Please take all precautions necessary, and if you are doing this route direct from Lima, or even if not, it is worth considering having bottled oxygen available.

Security

The area is generally safe, but use the usual level of caution in crowds, or on isolated roads. Keep an eye on the media regarding any planned demonstrations, or talk to hoteliers to get the local information which is always the best. The areas around Carpish and Tingo Maria are known to have some security issues. At Carpish it is best to leave a driver and assistant with the vehicle. At Tingo Maria, be cautious along the road to the Oilbird cave and if in doubt request a policy escort. Bear in mind that ABC staff and other birders have done this route multiple times without problems however.