Lima Birding Tours: La Punta - Arenilla & Palomino Inlets

If you have some hours to kill before your flight, or want to do a morning tour that gives great birds before another activity, this is it. 

Join us on a remarkable adventure near the Lima airport, where we start our day with an early breakfast at 7:15 AM before embarking on a scenic journey.

Along the way, we make a stop to witness the magnificent Inca Terns and Peruvian Pelicans, offering an ideal opportunity for capturing stunning photos. Our next destination is a beautiful Lima park, where we’re often rewarded with sightings of Vermilion Flycatchers -includying the dark morph unique to Lima- , Scrub Blackbirds, Croaking Ground-Doves, West Peruvian Doves, and Amazilia Hummingbirds. We will also have the chance to see some non-native colorful birds like Red-capped Cardenals, Saffron Finches, Blue-gray Tanagers, Pacific Parrotlets, Red-masked Parakeets, Canary-winged Parakeets, Scarlet-fronted Parakeets. With some luck we can spot Harris’ Hawks, or hear a cryptic Pacific Pygmy-owl up in the canopy.

As we reach La Punta, we make a stop at the small man-made pond named Poza Arenillas. During peak migration season, this place is home to great numbers of North American shorebirds like Semipalmated Plovers, Gray Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Least Sandpipers, and several thousands of Franklin’s Gulls. 

Keep an eye out for Andean Gulls, Gray-hooded Gulls, Belcher’s Gulls, Kelp Gulls, Blackish Oystercatchers, American Oystercatchers, Black Skimmers, and Peruvian Pelicans. After enjoying the birds for a couple of hours, we embark on a three-hour boat ride to Palomino Island, circling San Lorenzo Island. During the journey, you’ll get up close and personal with Gray Gulls, Red-legged Cormorants, Guanay Cormorants, Humboldt Penguins, Peruvian Boobies, and, of course, more Inca Terns. The highlight of the boat ride is witnessing the massive South-American Sea-Lion colony, boasting over 4,000 individuals, where you may have a good chance to spot the Peruvian Seaside Cinclodes (aka Surf Cinclodes). During the cold water season (June-September), we often spot pelagic species such as Elliot’s Storm-Petrels. The tour concludes between 1-2 PM, giving you the option to indulge in an authentic lunch at one of the renowned Ceviche restaurants before returning to the hotel or airport. An additional cost of $20 applies for this optional activity. 

• 3 hour Boat Tour around the Palomino Inlets
• Bilingual guide (Spanish/English) specialized in marine birds 
• Water and snacks
• Life vests of different sizes, if you travel with children or people smaller than normal let us know to provide a vest according to their size
• Transfer to and from the Hotel/Airport

• Tips