Manu Zone

Our adventure into the Manu Jungle begins with a pickup from your Cusco hotel around 5:00 AM in our private transport. We will first traverse the majestic Andean mountains, with a technical stop in Huancarani for breakfast and a visit to the Ninamarca funeral towers of the Pre-Inca culture. We will then continue to Paucartambo, a small town renowned for its rich folklore. By midday, we’ll reach the entrance to Manu National Park, one of South America's most protected natural areas. We will proceed down a small road into the cloud forest, where you might spot the exotic Peruvian national bird, the Cock of the Rocks, among other bird species. This area is known for its incredible avian diversity and unique jungle sounds. Our first night will be spent at the Bamboo Lodge.

Early at 6:30 AM, we will depart for Atalaya Port, making a few stops along the way to visit local farmers who grow various jungle fruits, including the renowned coca plant. We will then embark on a river excursion on the Madre de Dios River, a tributary of the Amazon. Throughout the day, we'll have opportunities to see a variety of colorful birds and make a stop at natural hot springs. We may also spot jungle animals such as monkeys or capybaras. We will arrive at the lodge around 3:00 PM, where showers and other facilities will be available. In the evening, we'll take a night walk to observe nocturnal creatures like tarantulas, scorpions, and snakes.

We'll walk through the jungle to the camouflage house, bringing our dinner along. We will arrive late at the Papaya Eco Lodge, an eco-friendly reserve. In the evening, the most exciting activity will be at the camouflage house where we will spend the night. From this vantage point, we might observe tapirs coming to lick the mineral-rich mud. With a bit of luck, we could see this remarkable behavior multiple times throughout the night.

After a satisfying breakfast and a good rest, we will depart from Manu Eco Lodge. We’ll leave the clear waters of the Madre de Dios River behind and enter the clay-laden Manu River, making a brief stop at the Limonal ranger station to present our permits. We will travel approximately five hours up the Manu River, where, especially during the dry season, we can observe a variety of birds, including herons, egrets, Orinoco geese, terns, and skimmers. The riverbanks may reveal sunning white and black caimans and nesting side-necked turtles. During the day, you might see sand-colored nightjars resting on logs and beaches, and if we're fortunate, we could spot a stunning jaguar, the world’s third-largest cat. Primate species such as red howler monkeys or smaller squirrel monkeys might also be visible. In the afternoon, we’ll explore some of the trails through the rainforest. Optionally, before or after dinner, you can join a night excursion with your guide to search for nocturnal creatures. We will spend the night at Casa Matsiguenka, a rustic lodge operated by the Matsiguenka people. The lodge features modern facilities, including toilets, warm showers, screened twin rooms with comfortable beds and mosquito nets, and an exclusive trail system for your enjoyment.

After breakfast, we will head to Lake Cocha Salvador for the morning. We’ll navigate the lake on a floating platform, providing us with an excellent vantage point to observe the local wildlife. We might spot an agami heron or a sun grebe, and brown capuchin monkeys are often seen feeding on nearby fruits, making them relatively easy to spot. Specially constructed piers extend into the lake, giving us a chance to look for a family of giant otters, the world's largest freshwater carnivores. These otters, found only in Manu, consume between 4 and 5 kilograms of fish daily, and we might see them eating large fish on the lakeside logs. Afterward, we'll continue our exploration of the forest, where we might encounter troops of monkeys. This trail is particularly good for spotting woolly and black spider monkeys. We’ll take our time to observe the plant life and listen for signs of wildlife, such as rustling vegetation or fruits falling to the rainforest floor. We’ll also visit Lake Cocha Otorongo, where observation piers and a 20-meter tower in the rainforest canopy offer great views for spotting wildlife. We’ll keep an eye out for the large family of giant otters that inhabit this lake. We’ll spend the night at Casa Matsiguenka, with meals provided (B: L: D).

Today, we'll spend our time exploring the area in search of some of the 13 species of monkeys that inhabit the forest. Your guide will provide insights into the rainforest ecosystem and highlight medicinal plants used by indigenous groups. Keep an eye out for peccaries, a type of wild boar, and potentially poisonous frogs. After lunch, we'll travel downstream at a steady pace to spot wildlife in and around the water. In the afternoon, we'll focus on finding the majestic jaguar, a highlight of Amazonian wildlife. After approximately four hours on the river, we will arrive at Hummingbird Lodge, located near Boca Manu village. Here, you can enjoy the sunset and, if you wish, join us for an optional night walk to further explore the jungle.

We'll depart from Manu Eco Lodge early in the morning by van and head directly to Cusco, traveling through the cloud forest where we'll have opportunities for sightseeing. We expect to arrive in Cusco at approximately 8:30 p.m.