Explore Manu National Park 6 Days

Depending on arrival time in Lima we either transfer to our hotel in Lima or connect to Cusco.

We pick you up at your hotel and transfer to the airport in Cusco to take the first commercial flight. Arriving to Puerto Maldonado, you will be transferred by bus or van to Santa Rosa village and Puerto Carlos, we will get there in about 3 hours journey (approx). We will cross the Inambari River for a 15 minutes by local boat,then we have 1 hour more by local car to Boca Colorado village (Port), followed by 3 hours motorized boat journey ride up Madre de Dios River in between we plan on a delicious boxed lunch at the beginning of the boat journey to Manu Birding Lodge. On the river journey we will see our first Amazonian wildlife a Capybara, the world’s largest rodent and riverside birds such as Skimmers, Terns, Herons, Egrets and Orinoco Geese. In the afternoon we explore the trails and we may encounter a troop of monkeys in the forest. Those who wish can do a optional night walk with your Natural History Guide in search of nocturnal creatures of the amazonian rainforest or spend the night on the platform at the Tapir clay lick. Night at Manu Birding Lodge.

Today we shall continue our river journey. Eventually we will reach the clay-laden waters of the meandering Manu River and head upstream. Here in the strict confines of Manu National Park, Black spider Monkeys, Bolivian squirrel Monkeys and the bizarre Orinoco Goose nest on the sandbars, whilst Black Caiman and White Caimans lazily sun themselves nearby. Careful scanning of the river edge may reveal the awkward shape of a Great Black-Hawk, the flash of a Sunbittern or the reddish brown of a Capybara, the world’s largest rodent. With just a little luck on our side we should also be able to spot the stately Jaguar (Panthera onca), a species driven to near-extinction in large parts of Amazonia but still reasonably common here. Raucous Blue-and yellow, Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws float overhead, clothed in a riot of colours. Today before to arrive to our camping lodge we will explore the trails and the small tower good place to enjoy the scenery at Otorongo Oxbow Lake. Late in the afternoon we will arrive to the comfortable Matsiguenka Camping Lodge for a two nights stay, with optional night walks. Here we will meet the Matsiguenka natives

We strart with a Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta sara) announcing the new day with its loud song. During the first hours of the day many shy understorey denizens proclaim their territorial rights with their characteristic songs. Located in the vast virgin rainforest of Manu National Park, the Matsiguenka  Camping Lodge gives access to several distinct habitats including the nearby Salvador oxbow lake. Here a small catamaran allows us to float gently by the lake edge and marvel at its sensational bird and animal life. We even have a very good chance of encountering a friendly family group of the endangered Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) actively fishing in their aquatic environment, Clumsy Hoatzins clamber about in giant arum plants and Black-capped Donacobiuses perform their loud duets, whilst overhead Blue-headed, Yellow-crowned and Mealy Parrots squawk their way to or from their roosts. Entering the primeval Amazonian forest is a strange and captivating experience. Lianas hang in loops and tangles from the canopy, through which the biggest trees emerge to stand in full sunlight. We shall rise early each morning as most forest inhabitants are at their peak of activity from around dawn to about midday. Mammals too roam the forest and Manu National Park is probably the best place to see a large variety of New World primates. As many as thirteen species of monkey share the canopy and regularly seen species include the Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys, the curious Brown and White-fronted Capuchin Monkeys, the acrobatic Black Spider Monkey, the little Saddle-back Tamarin and the lethargic Red Howler. These forests are the most accessible in all of Amazonia for the incomparable Emperor Tamarin. Night at Matsiguenka Camping Lodge, optional night walk.

After some final in Manu National Park we will travel back down the Manu River to its junction with the Alto Madre de Dios River. Here the water changes from quiet and tea brown to clear and fast-flowing. After travelling down the Madre de Dios River we will come to Manu Birding Lodge, with a bird list over 652 species, situated just upriver from the Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick. The rest of our time will be spent exploring the extensive trail systems which have been designed to visit different forest types. There will be an optional visit to the large mammal clay lick here, which can attract Tapirs, Peccaries and maybe even a Jaguar, also attracts Guans, Curasows, Chachalacas as well as Rose-fronted and Rock Parakeets and Dusky-billed Parrotlet. Manu Birding Lodge our base for the next three nights, with optional night walks.

We start early morning, 40 minutes downriver to the most spectacurar and the bigest Macaw Clay lick, this one featuring up to 100 Red-and-green Macaws and observe the spectacle of hundreds of Parrots and Parakeets very close from our blinds. Red-and-green Macaw is a highlight. Here we will see the beautiful Orange-cheeked Parrrot, Blue-headed Parrot as well as Mealy and Yellow-crowned Parrots. Smaller visitors include White-eyed, Cobalt-winged and Tui Parakeets. We’ll use a blind (hide) to get close to the birds. Breakfast at the blind. The noise alone is incredible and the sight of these brightly colored birds at the lick is a sight not to be forgotten. This afternoon we will walk about 50 minutes through the forest is a large mammal clay lick where Tapirs ( Tapirus terrestris), the largest South American land mammal, regularly come for minerals. At night Red-brocket Deer, Bicolor-spined Porcupine, Paca and other animals share this necessary ingredient to the digestive system. There is a large, raised blind here equipped with mattresses and mosquito nets for those who want to spend the night in comfort observing these nocturnal creatures. During the day several species of Rose-fronted and Rock Parakeets and Dusky-billed Parrotlet as well as Spix’s and Blue-throated Pinping Guans, Ruddy and Plumbeous Pigeons, Pale-winged Trumpeter, Razor-billed Curassow and White-lipped and Collared Pecaries, Southern Amazon Red Squirrel, Amazon Dwarf Squirrel, Brown Agouti, Red Howler and Black Spider Monkeys regularly visit the clay lick. Night at Manu Birding Lodge.

Starting early this morning on our comfortable boat we will have one last look at the numerous parrot flocks for which Manu is famous. The first part of our journey down the Madre de Dios River will give us another opportunity to see riverside wildlife activity. Leaving our boat, we will take a local car from Boca Colorado to pto Carlos and we will cross the Inavari River with a local boat then we’ll drive to Puerto Maldonado airport and arriving to your destination in Cusco, transfer to your Hotel and your tour Manu National Park ends.