Lucre-Huacarpay Wetland Reserve
Just ten minutes by car from the church, the Lucre-Huacarpay Wetland sits at 3,020 metres and shelters more than 120 bird species year-round — Andean geese, puna ibis, black-necked grebes and the occasional flamingo among them. It is one of the most accessible birding spots in the Cusco region and almost nobody from the tourist trail visits it.
A High-Altitude Wetland Ecosystem
The Laguna de Huacarpay and its surrounding reed beds form a rare high-altitude wetland ecosystem in the South Valley of Cusco. The lake reflects the surrounding mountains in the early morning calm, and the air carries the calls of waterfowl long before you reach the shore.
Because the wetland sits along a migratory corridor, the species list shifts with the seasons — resident birds are joined by seasonal visitors from the Amazon basin and the Patagonian south. A local guide can identify species that a casual visitor would simply walk past.
Birding & Walking
The flat trail around the lake's edge is easy walking even at altitude and takes about 90 minutes at a relaxed pace. Dawn is the prime window: arrive before 7 am when the light is low and golden and the birds are most active along the reed margins.
The wetland is managed as a protected area, and local guides based in Andahuaylillas and nearby Lucre offer morning birding walks for a modest fee. They know exactly which reed beds hide which species at which time of year — worth every sol.
Combining with Pikillacta
The Wari archaeological site of Pikillacta lies just a few minutes beyond the wetland, making a logical half-day loop: wetland birding at dawn, then Pikillacta's extraordinary grid-planned stone city before the tour buses arrive from Cusco.
Pikillacta was built by the Wari culture between 800 and 1100 AD, with walls reaching up to 12 metres high and a geometric urban plan that predates the Inca Empire by centuries. The combination of natural and archaeological wonder in a single morning is hard to beat anywhere in the Cusco region.
More of Andahuaylillas
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Andahuaylillas →
