Getting there
A high pass beyond Ollantaytambo, reached from the Sacred Valley or Cusco
Best for
High-Andes endemics, polylepis birds, the royal cinclodes, páramo, cloud-forest birding
The land
A high Andean pass with polylepis woodland and cloud forest
Good to know
Abra Malaga's polylepis groves hold some of the rarest high-Andes birds
What it is
Abra Malaga is a high Andean pass above the Sacred Valley — polylepis woodland, endemic birds and a world of high-altitude specialities.
Climbing beyond Ollantaytambo, the pass of Abra Malaga drops through high polylepis woodland and cloud forest on the eastern Andean slope. Its rare groves shelter high-Andes endemics — the royal cinclodes, white-browed tit-spinetail, Andean specialities — and the descent yields a wealth of cloud-forest birds, a key stop for serious birders.
The reason to come
The high pass
Abra Malaga holds rare polylepis and cloud-forest endemics.
Polylepis birds
The royal cinclodes and other rare high-Andes endemics.
Cloud-forest descent
A wealth of birds down the eastern slope.
High-Andes scenery
Polylepis woodland beneath the peaks.
Worth knowing
The polylepis specialists
Abra Malaga's rare polylepis groves shelter some of the most sought-after high-Andes birds on earth.
When to come — honestly
A high-Andes pass.
May – October
Best
The dry season — the best high-pass access and birding.
Year-round
Good
A year-round high pass; endemics are resident.
November – April
Good
Wetter and mistier at altitude.
At over 4,300 m the pass is very high and cold — acclimatise well before birding here.
Context
The high pass
Abra Malaga adds high-Andes polylepis endemics to a Peru birding trip.
It pairs with Cusco and the cloud-forest descent.
We add Abra Malaga for its polylepis endemics, on the high pass above the Sacred Valley.
Beyond the obvious
More to Abra Malaga.
Polylepis birds
The royal cinclodes.
Cloud-forest descent
Eastern-slope birds.
High scenery
Polylepis woodland.
Why Wild Voyager
We pair the Andes and Amazon without the rush.
Peru's wildlife — Manu, Tambopata, the cloud forest — sits beyond its famous ruins. We build the route so the wildlife leads, with Machu Picchu and the Andes woven in at the right pace.
Handpicked stays
We choose the lodge and guides that fit your goals, not whatever is left.
We time it right
We build your visit around the season and the wildlife that delivers.
Journeys
Trips through Abra Malaga
Where to stay
Where you’ll stay in Abra Malaga
Classic Collection
Wildlife you may see
Plan your Abra Malaga trip.
Bird the high pass for polylepis endemics. Tell us your dates and we will build the route around it.
Plan a trip