Owlet Lodge is nestled into cloud forests just above a pass in the eastern Andes of northern Peru in an area rich in endemic wildlife found nowhere else, within a protected area spanning 25,000 acres managed by the Peruvian conservation organization ECOAN. It is centrally located along a paved highway between other important birding destinations, anchoring the Northern Peruvian Birding Route.
The Owlet Lodge is an Eco-Tourism Hot Spot
Proceeds from tourism get reinvested by ECOAN into reserve management and their conservation programs. Furthermore, this reserve is at the epicenter of a culture of conservation spreading through northern Peru, resulting in additional protected areas being established and new hummingbird gardens for visiting bird photographers, serious birders and bird watchers.
Birding adventures await at Owlet Lodge
A typical day at this reserve might begin with an early morning visit to antpitta feeders to see these charismatic and normally skittish birds up close, followed by breakfast and then a morning walk along the reserve’s extensive trail network and some time atop the canopy tower a short walk from the lodge. Mid-day, one might bird the roadside areas of the reserve and stop at the Royal Sunangel Trail to see its namesake hummingbird and Bar-winged Wood-Wrens or relax on the veranda photographing hummingbirds visiting feeders and waiting for mixed flocks of songbirds to pass through. Grass Green Tanager is a large and spectacular member of these mixed species flocks. Late afternoon, reserve guards can guide groups downhill along the Owlet Trail to look for the Long-whiskered Owlet after dark, returning uphill for late dinner – which in typical Peruvian fashion starts with a hot soup, followed by main course, and then a small dessert.
Explore this remarkable birding destination again and again
All this can be done in a day at Owlet Lodge, but really 3-5 days is recommended for the full experience. With other locations like Huembo for Marvelous Spatuletail within an hour drive, Owlet Lodge is a great base for an extended time and there is always more to see on a repeat visit. For more information about this reserve, including additional photos, bird lists, and further details on the accommodations (e.g., hot showers available), please visit the profile for this lodge at ConservationBirding.org.
