Hi All,

I will have the welcome opportunity of joining a voyage that my company,
Zegrahm Expeditions, will operate this October from Trujillo, Peru to Puerto
Montt, Chile aboard the Clipper Adventurer. Prior to meeting the incoming
passengers for this trip, I will, of course, want to head out on my own into
the interior of South America for some jungle and high-elevation birding.
The problem, however, is that my time will be limited to only about a week
and so I am looking to maximize the birding experience.

One idea was to go to the Manu National Park area in SE Peru, perhaps
staying at the Explorer's Inn, Manu Wildlife Center or the Amazonia Lodge,
possibly combining two of these lodges.

I am also considering flying into Quito, spending a few days birding the
west slope of the Andes and then heading into Amazonian Ecuador, to either
Sacha or La Selva Lodge for some of that jungle birding.

Thus, I have the dilemma of which itinerary to pursue. Okay, I admit, it is
certainly not the worst dilemma one can have. Anyone out there who has had
experiences with either or both of these destinations, I would deeply
appreciate any insight you may have. I apologize for the somewhat off-topic
nature of this post, but I did want to tap into the vast knowledge bank of
the group.

Many, many thanks in advance for all help and information.

Cheers,
Ted Kenefick
Seattle, WA
tedk at nwlink.com