Manu Zone

On the first day of our Manu Jungle adventure, we'll pick you up from your Cusco hotel around 5:00 AM using our private transport. Our journey will begin through the stunning Andean mountains. We will then visit the town of Huancarani to see the Ninamarca funeral towers, a cemetery from the Lupaca Pre-Inca Culture, before heading to Paucartambo, known as the folkloric capital of Cusco. This small colonial town has preserved its rich traditions despite modern changes.

By midday, we will reach the entrance of Manu National Park, one of South America's most protected natural areas. Continuing in our private transport along a dirt road, we'll traverse the thick fog that characterizes this part of the forest. We'll eventually arrive at the habitat of the exotic Peruvian National Bird, the "Cock of the Rock," known for its fascinating social gatherings that resemble a large courtship display. This spectacular sight, filled with vibrant sounds and colors, is a unique jungle experience.

For our first night, we'll stay at the lovely Pona Lodge, arriving around 5:00 p.m.

This morning, we will leave the clear waters of the Alto Madre de Dios River and enter the clay-laden waters of the Manu River. Departing from our lodge at 3:30 AM, we will head towards Atalaya Port and continue our journey by boat directly into the Reserved Zone of Manu Park. We’ll make a brief stop at the park ranger station at Limonal to present our permits before traveling approximately five hours up the Manu River.

During this journey, we’ll encounter beaches filled with nesting birds and feeding herons, egrets, Orinoco geese, terns, and skimmers, especially during the dry season. Some beaches may also host sunning white and black caimans (South American relatives of alligators) and breeding side-necked turtles. We might spot hundreds of sand-colored nightjars roosting on logs and beaches, and with some luck, we could see a sunning jaguar, the world’s third-largest cat—historically, one in three of our trips has spotted a jaguar in Manu. We may also observe primates such as red howler monkeys or the smaller squirrel monkeys.

After lunch by the river, we will reach our Safari Camp near Cocha Salvador Lake. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring trails through the pristine rainforest. We plan to visit Cocha Otorongo Lake, where observation piers and a 20-meter tower in the rainforest canopy offer excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. We will be on the lookout for a large family of giant otters that inhabit the lake.

In the evening, you have the option to join a night excursion with your guide to search for nocturnal creatures. The lakes are known for their eye-shine of large black caimans, and we might also encounter an olingo, kinkajou, or even an ocelot on the trails. The night-time sounds of tree frogs and insects will provide an unforgettable experience. We will stay at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge, which has flush toilets and shower facilities.

We will begin our activities early in the morning on Salvador Oxbow Lake using a floating platform known as a catamaran. During this time, we’ll have the chance to observe a variety of bird and mammal species, including herons, cormorants, eagles, hawks, squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and giant river otters. The Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), which can grow up to 6 feet (1.82 meters) in length and weigh up to 70 pounds (31 kilograms), consumes between 9 to 11 pounds (4-5 kilograms) of fish per day. Despite their rarity elsewhere, these otters are relatively common in Manu.

We’ll also seek out some of the 15 monkey species that inhabit the area. The eerie calls of red howler monkeys through the mist can be quite striking.

After viewing the giant otters, we’ll return to the lodge and then take a 30-minute walk to a Macaw Clay Lick. Here, we may see Scarlet Macaws and Red-and-Green Macaws. Around 10:00 a.m., the macaws begin to descend to the clay lick. This vibrant and noisy display lasts for 20 to 40 minutes as the birds consume clay, unless interrupted by a predator such as a hawk, eagle, or ocelot. This is considered one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world.

In the afternoon, we’ll return to Casa Matsiguenka Lodge for lunch. Afterward, we’ll explore one of the jungle trails to observe the complex ecosystem around us. Our guide will explain the interactions between plants and insects in the forest. We’ll be on the lookout for smaller jungle inhabitants like the Emperor Tamarin or the Saddle-Backed Tamarin, and we might encounter a group of peccaries, a wild boar species found in the area. We’ll spend the night at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge.

Early in the morning, we’ll have another opportunity for a nature walk or a final visit to the oxbow lake, where we can hear the chorus of birds singing to establish their territories. As the sun rises, the eastern sky will turn a soft yellow, and we might spot falcons or other raptors perched in the treetops, patiently hunting for prey.

After lunch, we’ll board our boat once more and travel downstream towards Boca Manu. From there, we’ll journey up the river to our lodge, where we’ll spend the night.

In the afternoon, we will arrive at our lodge and then head to the Tapir Clay Lick. Here, we’ll spend the night immersed in the heart of the jungle.

Today, we will begin our journey back to Cusco. The first leg of the trip will be by boat, and upon reaching Atalaya, we will continue by car. We expect to arrive in Cusco between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.