Manu Amazon Rainforest Expeditions (7 Days)

Very early in the morning, we will depart the city of Cusco in a private bus. We will traverse the beautiful valleys of the Andes and the picturesque countryside communities. We will visit interesting places like the Chullpas of Ninamarca (a pre-Inca cemetery) and Paucartambo, a traditional colonial town, where we will visit a museum to learn about the culture there. We will eat lunch along the route in the cloud forest. Then, we will continue our descent through the cloud forest, a region rich in endemic species, such as the spectacles bear and the cock of the rock (the Peruvian national bird). Along the way, we will also see interesting plant species, such as orchids, bromelias, ferns, etc.  In the afternoon, we will arrive in Pilcopata, where we will spend the night in our lodge.

Very early in the morning, we will eat breakfast and then being our hike in the forest, where we will be able to observe the fauna of the forest, such as monkeys and birds. We will then visit a coca plantation and an animal rescue center. After, we will continue our trip by bus to Port Atalaya, situated along the riverbank of the Alto Madre de Dios River at 500 m.a.s.l. We will start our descent in boat, observing the enormous diversity of bird species, such as herons, vultures, and cormorants. We will make a stop to relax in hot springs, surrounding by the beautiful jungle. Then we will eat lunch and continue our journey until we reach Boca Manu, where we will spend the night in our lodge.

We will leave very early to see the parrot lick, which is located ten minutes down river from the lodge. We will then make a brief stop at the Limonal security checkpoint. We will continue our journey into the heart of the Reserved Zone for about 4 hours, when we will arrive at Casa Machiguenga, where we will spend the next two nights. During this trip, we will be able to appreciate an infinite number of bird species, such as macaws, vultures, eagles, toucans, and herons, as well as other animals such as capybaras, caimans, river turtles, monkeys, and, with luck, a jaguar sunbathing on the beach of eating in the trees. We will dedicate the afternoon to a walk in the forest to look for wildlife in this pristine jungle. We will spend the night in the rustic Casa Matsiguenka with shared bathrooms and showers.

The cry of the howler monkey will likely wake us up. Early in the morning, after breafast, we will take a hike because the temperature is more agreeable at this hour and we can often see animals in search of good. We will explore the impressive Lake Salvador where we will look for giant river otters (Pteronura brasiliensis), an endangered species. We will also look for black caimans, the different species of monkeys that inhabit Manu (13 species), the prehistoric bird Hoatzin, King Fishers, and many more magnificent species. We will return for lunch and then in the afternoon we will take a 3-hour hike to appreciate the diversity of flora and fauna. There is also the option to take a night walk to look for species of frogs, snakes, and insects.

Today, we will get a very early again to eat breakfast and take walks around our lodge and Lake Otorongo. There is an observation tower located 15 meters from the lake in order to allow us to appreciate the landscape of the surrounding primary forest and to have better opportunities to see the family of otters that lives in the lake. We will also observe the birds that live in the canopy of the forest. We will likely see surprising species, such as giant Ceiba trees, colorful butterflies, and various monkey species. After, we will board our boat which will carry us downstream as we continue to look for animals, such as caimans, turtles, and birds. When we arrive in the Limonal, we will take a walk to a platform that is excellent for viewing flora and fauna. Then, we will travel to Boca Manu, where we will spend the night.

Today we will board our boat in the Alto Madre de Dios River and travel against the current, observing the beautiful landscape of the Amazon Jungle and the enormous diversity of bird species. We will have the option to stop at the hot springs and, in the afternoon, continue on to arrive at Amazon Manu Lodge. Here, we will rest comfortable in our rooms and spend on last night surrounded by the magical sounds of the jungle. Optional night walk.

We will wake up early in the morning to continue our return trip toward Port Atalaya. Our car will await us there to take us back to Cusco, where will arrive in the evening.

Important notes:

Please note that the program may vary slightly so as to maximize your wildlife sightings, depending on the reports of our researchers and experienced naturalist guides based at the lodge.