Siberia

Sorry, I still need to work on this description- but at least here you have the info to get to this great spot. This is a beautiful area of Cloud forest just further west of the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve, along the old road to Cochabamba. Siberia has high Andes Yungas (2,500m- 2,000m). The Cochabamba Yungas are becoming less appealing with more habitat destruction. Better to visit the high Yungas of Siberia.

Logistics: We normally stay in the town of Comarapa (though the next time I will camp on the road, which is a pretty basic town with simple Alojamientos (motels). It is a 31 km (1 hour) drive from Comarapa to the best access road to the Siberia Yungas (Cloud Forest) at around 2,500 m. On the left there is an ankle high concrete barrier, and on the right is a football cleared pitch, a bit raised above the road. Just after the football field, is the small road travelling down to the town of La Fortaleza. This is a beautiful stretch of cloud forest with almost no traffic. We recommend birding this area in the morning, bird from the top coming down, as the sun will be at your back. You can easily stay a day on this smaller road with very little traffic. We travelled it down 6 km in very good habitat. The road continues down to La Fortaleza at 1,500 m which we have not explored. From this cross road, you can continue on the main road to Cochabamba climbing another 8 km to a small lake at around 2,900 m. In the scrub around the lake we found Black-throated Thistletail. There is also a road that goes off to the left into Puna habitat which has Hellmayr's Pipit. Further on is an excellent site for the Black-hooded Sunbeam. We did not find it, but Bird Bolivia guides know a great spot in the area. The town of Siberia is another 4 km from the small lake.