8-Day Manu Reserve Zone Tour

On the first day of our adventure into the Jungle of Manu, we will pick you up around 6:00 AM from your Hotels in Cusco, using the private transport of Amazon Wildlife Peru. The first part of our excursion will take us through the majestic Andean mountains. We will visit the town of Huancarani which contains the funeral towers of Ninamarca, a cemetery of the Lupacas Pre -Inca Culture, which we will visit briefly on our way to Paucartambo, which is known as the folkloric and Colonial town. At mid-day we will arrive at the entrance of Manu National Park and access to one of the most protected natural areas in South America. We will continue on in our private transport down a dust road and on through the thick fog from which this section of the forest takes it name Cloud Forest. Eventually we will arrive at the home of the exotic Peruvian National Bird, the “Cock of the Rocks”, where it is known to gather with others of its kind for some sort of social gathering that seems reminiscent of a large courtship. You will find that this is quite an amazing spectacle complete with an impressive array of sounds and colours that can only be found in the jungle. For our first night, we will stay at Bamboo Lodge. L: D

Very early at 06:30 a.m., we will leave in the direction of Port Atalaya; on the way we will make a few stops to visit the small Locals farmers who are known to be producers of many varieties of jungle fruits even the famous Coca plant. Later, we will begin the boating portion of our journey in a river excursion on the Madre de Dios, one of the tributaries of the mighty Amazon River. During our day we will have the chance to witness many types of colourful birds such as parrots, oropendolas, vultures and others species. We will have stop at the Natural Hot spring. Hopefully, we will make some sightings of some jungle mammals such as monkeys or the famous capybaras (jungle rodents that are as much as 2.5 ft long, Towards the late afternoon, we will arrive to our next sleeping destination Bonanza Lodge, the arriving approximately at 3:00 p.m. Here, there will be showers and services available. We will have night walk in the dark, best time to see many anthropoids, tarantulas, scorpions and snakes, of course is optional. B: L: D

Well-fed and rested we leave Bonanza Lodge, leaving the relatively clean waters of the Madre de Dios River behind; we enter the clay laden waters of the Manu River. With a brief stop at the park ranger station at Limonal to present our permits we travel for about five hours up the Manu. Beaches, especially in the dry season, are loaded with nesting birds and feeding Herons, Egrets, Orinoco Geese, Terns and Skimmers to name but a few. Some beaches will host sunning White and Black Caimans and breeding Side-necked Turtles. Hundreds of Sand-colored Nightjars roost during the day on logs and beaches and there is a chance of encountering a sunning Jaguar – the world’s third largest cat. In one time, three times of our trips saw Jaguar in Manu. We will see some species of primate on this river trip, possibly Red Howler Monkeys or the smaller Squirrel Monkeys. After having lunched by the river we arrive at Casa Matsiguenka. We’ll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest in the area.. Before or after dinner an optional excursion into the forest at night is available with your guide in search of nocturnal creatures. Night at the Casa Matsiguenka, a rustic native owned lodge run by the Matsiguenka’s themselves, with its own exclusive trail system. There are flush toilet and shower facilities and screened twin rooms, with comfortable beds and mosquito nets. B: L: D
The Casa Matsiguenka is designed using the indigenous people’s building techniques and counts on 12 fully screened twin rooms. Beds are furnished with mosquito nets. There is a private trail system and local Matsiguenka guides will accompany you on the trails. There is an interactive interpretation center and locally-madeManu souvenirs are for sale
manu national park.

After breakfast, we’ll spend the morning at the lake of Cocha Salvador. Some of the time will be spent canoeing the lake on a floating platform and observing ox-bow lake animal life from the water. We may encounter an Agami Heron or a Sungrebe and Brown Cappuchin Monkeys are usually feeding on fruits nearby. Specially constructed piers that jut out into the lake enable us to look for a family of Giant Otters that live here. These, the world’s largest freshwater carnivores, remain common only in Manu, having been hunted to extinction throughout most of their former range. Each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish daily and often they can be seen eating large fish on logs at the lakeside. The rest of the day will be spent walking the trails in the area in search of some of the 13 species of Monkey found in the forest here. Your guide will explain some of the basics of rainforest ecosystems and point out some of the medicinal plants of the area used by local, indigenous groups. We may cross paths with a group of Peccaries – a species of wild boar found here. A late afternoon enjoy the sun sets. Night at the Casa Matsiguenka. B: L: D

Today we’ll walk very slowly from camp for 4-5 hours through the forest to Cocha Otorongo. We may encounter troops of Monkeys. This is a particularly good trail for Woolly and Black Spider Monkeys. We’ll pay special attention to the plant life on this walk and take it slowly listening for the rustle of vegetation or the soft sound of fruits falling to the rainforest floor that may betray the presence of animals or large birds. A visit to the lake of Cocha Otorongo is planned, where observation piers and a 20 meter observation tower in the rainforest canopy overlooking the lake are available for observing wildlife. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit this lake. B: L: D

Today very early, we will head of to visit the Pakitza, which is known as one of the first Biological Stations created for the scientific studies being conducted in Manu. Aguila Arpia which means “Matsiguenka expression”, is an as of yet, still unknown and unvisited palace that will one day be highly sought-after tourist site. We will take you in and around its amazingly complex trail system as the forest exposes more and more of its natural beauty for us behind every bend. Maybe we will even have a chance to see a group of Tamarine Monkeys, which are the smallest monkeys in the entire world. Be aware of surroundings, because they could sneak up right behind you. Later on, afternoon, we will visit another system of trails with a completely different set of characteristics than the first. Our guide will explain to us why and show us native plants from the area that can be used as traditional medicines. We’ll be met at the river by our cook with a picnic lunch and then board our motorized dugout for the 4 hour trip down river to Boca Manu for the night. The river trip may hold surprises and we’ll be attentive for any wildlife on the beaches. Night at the lodge at Boca Manu. B: L: D

Leaving the lodge we’ll head up the Madre de Dios River for three hours to the comfortable lodge facility Bonanza Lodge- Wildlife Center. This strategically located lodge facility is jointly owned and run by Amazon Wildlife Peru a local conservation group and is a base for scientific birdwatchers research in the area and a center for visitors wanting to explore the rainforest. We should arrive in time for lunch and a shower and get to meet whichever researchers are onsite. The afternoon is set aside to relax or, if you want, to explore a trail through the untouched forest to a lookout point on a cliff over the river to watch roosting flights of Parrots and Macaws as the sun sets. Those who wish can participate in a night walk with your guide in search of nocturnal animals. Night at Bonanza Lodge B: L: D