7day Manu Park Tour by bus

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco - Paucartambo - Cloud Forest - Pona Lodge.

On the first day of our adventure into the Manu jungle, we will pick you up around 6:00 AM from your hotel in Cusco, using our private transportation service. The first part of our excursion will take us through the majestic Andean mountains, where we will have the opportunity to visit a beautiful lake called Hucarpay, a High Andean lagoon that boasts a variety of flora and fauna typical of the Andean mountains. Then, we will visit the town of Huancarani which contains the funeral towers of Ninamarca, a Pre-Inca cemetery of the Lupaca culture, which we will visit briefly on our way to Paucartambo, which is known as the folkloric capital of Cusco. In the face of modern times, this small colonial town has maintained its rich tradition for centuries. At midday we will arrive at the entrance to Manu National Park and access one of the most protected natural areas in South America. We will continue in our private transport, descending through a dense fog from which this section of the forest takes the name of Cloud Forest. Eventually we will arrive at the home of Peru's exotic national bird: the Cock of the Rock, where they gather with others of their kind for a sort of social gathering that seems to resemble a grand courtship. You will find that this quite amazing spectacle is complete with an impressive array of sounds and colors that can only be found in the jungle. For our first night, we will stay at the beautiful Pona Lodge, where we will arrive at approximately 5:00 p.m. (L+D).

Highlights of the Day:

1. Walk along the Cloud Forest of Manu Park
2. Visit the Peruvian National Bird LEK
3. Bird Watching along the Cloud Forest, at the cloud forest we will be able to see several species of colorful birds including Tanagers, toucans, barbets, hummingbirds, two species of quetzals, trogons, motmots, woodpeckers and hawks.
4. Tanager garden optional Visit, this visit is not included but its an excellent spot to photograph colorful birds.

Day 2 Pona Lodge – Yanayacu Lodge

This morning we will reach the clear waters of the Alto Madre de Dios River, after leaving our lodge at 3:30am we will head towards the Port of Atalaya, before reach Atalaya Port we will visit a Hummingbird Garden where we will see several species of Hummingbirds including, tanagers, barbets, king vultures, titi monkeys, etc.
From Atalaya we will continue our journey by boat towards a Hot Spring, we will spend about an hour at the hot spring and then we will continue to our next lodge. (B+L+D).

Highlights of the Day:

1. Hummingbird Garden Visit, at this place several species of hummingbird species are observed including tanagers, barbets, monkeys and the king vulture.
2. Visit a hot Spring, around noon we will stop at a hot spring where we will spend about an hour taking a relaxing bath.

Day 3: Yanayacu Lodge - Parrot Clay Lick – Reserved Zone – Casa Matsiguenka

Before we start our trip to the Reserved Zone of Manu Park we will visit a Parrot Clay Lick, at this parrot clay lick we will see several species of parrots, Parakeets, and Macaws. After this impressive nature spectacle we will head towards the Reserved Zone of Manu Park. We will travel from clear waters of Alto Madre de Dios River to 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 a few. Some beaches will host sunning White and Black Caimans (South American relatives of the Alligators) 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 1999 one in three 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 lunch by the river we arrive at our Safari Lodge near the lake of Cocha Salvador. We'll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest in the area. 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. Before or after dinner an optional excursion into the forest at night is available with your guide in search of nocturnal creatures. The lakes are full of eye-shine of the large Black Caiman and if we are lucky we may encounter an Olingo Kinkajou or even an Ocelot on the trails. Certainly the night-time noise of tree frogs and insects in the forest is an experience not to be forgotten. Night at Casa Matshiguenka lodge, there are flush toilets and shower facilities. (B+L+D).

Highlights of the Day:

1. Sail along Manu River, along the river we will have chances to see several species of animals including black caimans, white caimans, Turtles, monkeys, capybaras and deers
2. Jaguar Searching: At Manu River we will have our best chances to see Jaguars in the way up as well as in the way down.
3. Cocha Otorongo Visit, Cocha otorongo is a Oxbow lake, at this oxbow lake we will have our first chance to see giant otters and large black caimans.

Day 4: Matsiguenka Lodge – Salvador Oxbow Lake – Macaw Clay Lick

We will start our activity very early in the morning in the Salvador oxbow lake using a floating platform called a catamaran. This morning we will be able to see an infinity of species of birds and mammals, herons, cormorants, eagles, hawks, squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys, giant otters and giant river otters. The Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) can reach up to 6 feet or 1.82 cm in length and weigh up to 70 pounds or 31 kilograms. They consume between 9 to 11 lbs (4-5kilos). of fish per day. This is one of the rare animals on earth which are common in Manu. We will also look for some of the 15 species of monkeys which inhabit this place.
After Visit Salvador Oxbow lake we will head back to Casa Matsiguenka Lodge and from there we will walk to the Macaw Clay Lick. Scarlet macaws as well as red and green macaws are seen at this clay lick. Activity at the clay lick begins around 5:30 am as medium sized parrots arrive with the sunrise, pair by pair noisy, and land in the treetops above the clay lick. Several screechbirds climb the branches preparing for their descent to the riverbank. Finally, cascades of green, blue and red parrots circle down to the clay wall. Around 7:00 or 7:30 in the morning, large macaws begin to arrive. Around 10:00 a.m. the macaws begin to descend. This colorful and noisy scene continues for 20 to 40 minutes while the birds eat their ration of clay or until danger arrives in the form of a hawk, eagle or ocelot. This is one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in the world.
After lunch at our lodge we will explore one of the trails through the jungle and look at the complex ecosystem that surrounds us. Our ecologist guide will explain how plants and insects interact with the forest. We will be on the lookout for some of the smaller inhabitants of the jungle, such as the emperor pichico or the spotted-backed tamarin. On the way it is also possible to come across a group of peccaries, a species of wild boar found here. Overnight at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge (B+L+D).

Highlights of the Day:

1. Cocha Salvador Visit, Cocha Salvador is the largest Oxbow lake in Manu National Park at this oxbow lake we have a chance to see giant otters, Black Caimans, several species of birds and monkeys.
2. Macaw Clay Lick Visit, near our lodge we have a small macaw clay lick were two species of large macaws are observed, there we will see scarlet as well as red and green macaws.
3. Night Walk, during our night walks we can see several species of nocturnal creatures including insects, amphibians, reptiles, night monkeys and owls.

Day 5: Manu Biosphere Reserve – Tapir Clay Lick.

This day we will visit an oxbow lake which we will reach by walking through the forest.
Cocha Otorongo - "Jaguar Lake", where we will have the opportunity to see more of the wildlife of this place. We may encounter groups of monkeys, especially groups of common woolly monkeys. We will pay special attention to the plant life of the place, which will give us signals, noises of falling fruits and leaves which will indicate the presence of an animal or bird. After a relaxing lunch we will navigate Manu River downstream and then upstream Alto Madre de Dios until we reach the Tapir Clay Lick area.
From the river we will head towards a blind in the middle of the jungle where we will spend the night, the reason why we are going to this bling is because there we will have the chance to see tapirs at night. (B+L+D).

Highlights of the Day:

1. Sail Along Manu River, in the way our we will have our second chance to search for caimans, monkeys, turtles, capybaras, deers and green anacondas
2. Jaguar Search, this mooring we will search for jaguars along Manu river, the best chance to see jaguars is between July to October.
3. Tapir Clay Lick: In the evening we will visit a mammal clay lick where tapirs are seeing.
4. Spend a Night in the middle of the Jungle, In order to see the tapirs we will have to spend a night in a camuflaje house.

Day 6: Tapir Clay Lick - Pona Lodge

We will continue our trip upstream, and in Atalaya we will move to our car which will take us to Pona Lodge where we will spend the night (B+L+D).

Day 7: Pona Lodge - Cusco

This day we will travel to the city of Cusco where we will arrive around 3:00 in the afternoon. END OF OUR SERVICES (B+L).