This special tour will start and finish in Cusco, city of the Incas, and take you through Manu over 8 days. Here you will be immersed in one of the world’s natural wonders, Manu Amazon basin, renowned for its unique inhabitants and biodiversity.

 

The Manu National Park is one of the most bio-diverse tourist destinations on the planet with an amazing number of plant, animal and insect species. As such, visiting the Manu area allows the tourist a window into an ecosystem like no other. It has a diversity and richness rare in the world, offering visitors many chances to see wildlife and incredible flora and fauna.

 

The selection of routes that we offer has been carefully planned in order to experience highlights for all kinds of expectations: historical, cultural, ornithological, anthropological and mystical. We strive to make your trip what you want it to be, and deliver.

 

OVERVIEW & ITINERARY

• Start: Cusco
• End: Cusco
• Style: Original
• Type: Adventure
• Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
• Age Minimum: 10 years with their parents, 18 without parents
• Group size: Minimum 2 Maximum 9

 

TOUR ROUTE

The map we see represents almost two millions hectares between the Andes, high and low forests. Our route in the minivan on the first day over a winding highway takes about 11 hours and on the way back to Cusco on the last day 6.

 

Our time on the boat will be about 23 hours total from the second to the last day. This time is dedicated to exploring the river and its environs in the Amazon jungle, our adventure through the rivers Manu. Madre de Dios and Rio Palotoa searching for the extraordinary wildlife around

 

IS THIS TRIP RIGHT FOR YOU?   

The Manu Biosphere Reserve 8 day’s tour is an adventure with many hours in transport, a minivan or boat, through the Andes, cloud forest, and the extensive plans of lowland forests. It requires little physical effort, at a rating of moderate to easy.

 

The first day we leave from the high Andean city of Cusco into the mountains where the air is thinner and cooler, so come dressed in a warm layer and drink plenty of water to acclimate. Coca tea can also help with symptoms. In the afternoon and after lunch we’ll arrive in a new clime of cloud forest where it will be hot and humid. Where light layers and keep hydrated. A strong insect repellant is also recommended. A hot day can reach 39° c and in the morning 27°c. The river water is around 24° - 26° c. During the day we’ll go on nature hikes for about 3 hours on even terrain. All in all, it’s a relaxing trip.

 

MEETING POINT AND PICK UP

The meeting point or pick up will be at your Cusco hotel, our Guide will meet you with our private minivan.

 

The tour begins and ends in the city of Cusco. If you're based outside of Cusco in Pisac, Urubamba or Ollantaytambo for example, you will be picked up much earlier to be brought to the city of Cusco to join the tour at its departure point. Please contact us to coordinate. This will have an additional cost, and schedule of pick up will be arranged.

 

TIME OF PICK UP

Pick up time is bright and early, at 4:00 in the morning, to give us more time to enjoy the places of interest on the way. And, leaving early we also take advantage of the fresh morning to see more wildlife on the way. Leaving early we also avoid traffic and other tour groups crowding our way.

 

AVAILABILITY OF TOUR

We normally run this tour from March to December (summer). For January and February, please inquire for availability as it is the rainy season and trips will be scheduled only when it is safe.

 

WE PROVIDE BINOCULARS

We don’t want you to miss out on the spectacular beauty of the flora and fauna Manu rainforest! While your zoom is a great way to catch animals at a distance, binoculars are a great way just to watch! Manu Rainforest Peru provides use of professional binoculars! The Nikon, Vortex 8 x 42 water resistant binoculars offer extended clear viewing and brings the action in close. Please note, while in your care, the binoculars are your responsibility, so please treat them with care as you are liable in the event of any damage or loss.

 

ITINERARY

Day 01: Cusco – Cloud forest - Bamboo Lodge

Leaving early in the morning from Cusco, we’ll head South East in our private minivan until Paucartambo, a quaint colonial village where we’ll stop for a coffee. Then we’ll travel onwards and upwards to the highest point on our journey, Acjanaco Pass at 4,000m (13,123 ft.) and enter Manu Biosphere Reserve (take a picture!). From here we descend into the cloud forest where we’ll take short walks searching for mysterious birds like the quetzal, motmot, trogon, toucan, tangara and especially the national bird of Peru, the cock of the rock (Rupícola peruviana). We’ll also see two species of monkeys typical of the cloud forest, the common wooly monkey and capuchin.

 

Overnight in Bamboo Lodge

 

Day 02: Bamboo Lodge – Machuwasi Lagoon

After breakfast, you’ll be guided through local plantations of local fruit, medicinal plants, and coca. Many exotic birds will be out as well. The journey continues into the Amazon jungle. Here in the small town of Atalaya we change transport to a motorized canoe to travel for two hours on the turbulent waters of the Alto Madre de Dios River, a tributary of the Amazon River. During the trip we will stop to visit the Laguna Machuhuasy, a favorite on any visit to Manu for its tranquil beauty and many birds and animals. In the afternoon we’ll arrive at our private reserve where we’ll explore the forest and have a chance to take a cooling dip in the river. After nightfall we offer a guided tour to see spiders, frogs, snakes, and other night active creatures and plants. Undoubtedly one of the best places to visit is our reserve since you will be the only visitors in it besides the animals!

Night at Posada Manu Rainforest

 

Day 03: Posada Manu Rainforest – Casa Machiguenga

Today is a wonderful day for us because we continue downstream in our motorized river boat to reach one of the tributaries of the Madre de Dios River to Rio Manu, one of Peru’s longest with a total length of 356 km. Originating in Manu National Park, it empties into Madre de Dios River near the same named town of Boca Manu. Riding Manu River offers more than a few pleasant surprises such as alligators sunning on white sand the beaches, groups of capybara, turtle congregating in rows on tree trunks and perhaps a majestic jaguar lazing on the trunks. By mid-afternoon we arrive at our Lodge in the heart of the Manu National Park.

 

Overnight in Casa Machiguenga: this rustic lodge is in the midst of the immense forest of Manu, built with materials from the area, being in harmony with nature. It is run by the natives of the area themselves.

 

Day 04: Cocha Salvador – Cocha Otorongo (oxbow lakes)

Awakened early by the powerful howls of howler monkeys or maybe , by capuchin or spider monkeys, we’ll have breakfast then visit the Cocha Salvador, best known for its resident giant otter population. As you’ll see they spend most of their time fishing, playing with their young or resting on the trunks. A great photo op! Their diet is based on four to five kilos of fish daily! So mostly they’re fishing and eating. A fraction of these playful mammals are left, as most were poached for their tough water resistant skin and are on the IUCN vulnerable list. We’ll travel by catamaran for a few hours paddling along the lake, in this natural paradise that offers easy sighting of strange prehistoric birds called hoatzin, herons, caiman and thousands of plant and butterfly species.

 

Overnight in Casa Machiguenga

 

Day 05: Casa Machiguenga – Dorado Lodge

We’ll get an early start on our return journey following the course of the Manu River. In the morning wildlife sightings abound. From the comfort of your seat you can spot the magnificent jaguar resting on the edge of the forest, or probably caiman sunning on the white sand banks, capybaras foraging on the edge of the river or terns skirting the shore. Mist over the distant forest makes this a dramatically beautiful trip. In the afternoon we arrive at the lodge, with still more time to explore or take a rest. After nightfall we have a good chance to find more amphibians, arachnids (arachnids), snakes and some nocturnal monkeys.

Overnight in Dorado Lodge

 

Day 06: Dorado Lodge –Robles Tree House

Early morning is a great time to see wildlife! We’ll take some short walks on some of the Lodge’s 4 km trail network – your guide will help you spot birds, animals, and unique plants in the dense foliage. Keep your eyes open for tracks from animals that were on the hunt the night before. So we don’t miss anything, we’ll have breakfast on the boat cruising down Madre de Dios River, taking in the magical scenery and watching out for wildlife. Finally, a good soak in thermal baths awaits us, where we can rest our muscles in the natural hot, curative waters.

 

Overnight at Robles Tree House

 

Day 07: Parrot and Macaw Clay Lick – River Tubing

Just before daybreak, we’ll head to the clay lick where hundreds of parakeets, parrots and pairs of macaws congregate to feast on the nutrient rich earth. It helps them to augment their diet as well as digest. Some say it even neutralizes any toxins they ingest while eating unripe fruits or other foods. Weather and timing play a big factor in viewing this extravaganza. With luck we might catch a glance at the otters fishing for their morning meal nearby.

 

After a delicious breakfast in our jungle house, we’ll take a walk back to the Hide in daylight – a totally different world of wildlife awaits! Back at the hide if we approach quietly we may catch the herd of peccaries that frequent the clay lick. We’ll also visit some of the enormous ancient trees (ficcus) and bamboo forests in the area which have all but disappeared in other parts of the Amazon. They provide unique habitat for Manu’s flora and fauna and a reminder of what the Amazon used to be. We’re likely to see troops of howler monkeys, and an amazing variety of birds and insects like no other in the world. After a typical jungle lunch it’s time to catch a siesta.

 

In the afternoon after lunch we do the tubing in the river Palotoa, a unique experience, you glide in the inner tube of a tractor tire, surrounded by lush nature, birds, monkeys and river visitors.

Overnight in comfy Posada Manu Rainforest with showers.

 

Day 08: Posada Manu Rainforest – Cusco

We leave the lodge after breakfast and head back to Cusco. The boat ride at this hour gives us opportunities to see birds on the river. Back on the road from Antalya, we’ll make stops along the way and have a scenic lunch al fresco in nature. We’ll arrive back in Cusco around 6 PM and drop you at your hotel. Thank you for enjoying Manu with us!.

 

INCLUSIONS

  Meals: 7 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners (vegetarian option available)

 Transport: Land transportation (minivan), river transportation (canoe motorized), Peke Peke (small boat motorized, perfectly designed for small rivers)

 Accommodation : At Bamboo Lodge (1 night), Posada Manu Rainforest (2nights), Robles Tree House (1night), Casa Machiguenga (2nights), Dorado Lodge (1night)