The 7-day Manu Reserve program offers a comprehensive exploration of the diverse ecological ranges in the region, from the majestic mountains to the vibrant rainforest. Highlights include visits to the Mammals Clay Lick and the renowned Macaw Clay Lick, where you can witness a stunning array of wildlife. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore the famous oxbow lakes, Cocha Salvador and Cocha Otorongo, known for their rich biodiversity. The journey begins with a scenic bus ride from Cusco to Atalaya Port, followed by an exhilarating boat navigation along the Madre de Dios River and the Manu River. Throughout the program, you will discover the incredible wonders of Manu National Park, all while being guided by an official Manu Tour Operator. This adventure promises to immerse you in the breathtaking landscapes and unique wildlife that make Manu a truly exceptional destination.
Our adventure begins in the exciting Jungle of Manu; we will pick you up around 4:30 AM from your hotels in Cusco in our private transport. The first part of our excursion will take us through the majestic Andean mountains and afterward, we will pass throught town of Huancarani them we travel to Paucartambo a small traditional town which is know for its folklore. At midmorning, we will arrive at Acjanacu the entrance of Manu National Park here we will do a short hike exploring the Puna Grassland Paramo this place is considered as the continental divide there we might see the Andean Fox, Gray-tailed Deer and in a lucky day we might encounter the Andean Bear (Tremarctos ornatus). We will continue in our transport down throught Manu Road stopping at different ecosystems and ecological levels that contains waterfalls, open gaps, epiphytic forest and wonderfull views. Eventually we will come to the home of the exotic Peruvian National Bird the “Andean Cock of the Rock” you will be amazed by the spectacle in the Lek, we do have changes to see Gray Woolly Monkey and many others exotic birds like Blue-banded Tucanet, Golden-headed Quetzal, Crested Quetzal. After that we continue driving to Rainforest Lodge where we will spend our first night. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Very early in the morning we will depart to Atalaya port, on the way we will make a stop to sighting birds such Hummingbirds, Aracari Toucans, Amazonian Umbrella Bird. Later we will begin the boating part of our journey in river excursion on the Madre de Dios River a tributary of the famous Amazon River.We will make a stop at the natural hot springs to have a bath and relax, travelling by boat exist chances to see the famous Capybaras (worl’s largest rodents), Red Howler Monkeys, Rosiate Spoonbills, river scavengers like King Vulture, Caracaras, river Owls etc. After midday we will arrive to Bonanza Lodge after enjoying a short break we will start trekking through the jungle to hear the natural sounds of animals and see Monkeys like Dusky-titi Monkey, Brown Cappuchins, We will spend the night at our Tapirs Clay Lick. This Camouflage House is strategically located near to the Mammal’s Clay Lick where we will have the opportunity to see the Brazilian Tapir, Red Brocket Deer, and Porcupines during the night time. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Very early in the morning, living the relatively clean waters of the Madre de Dios River behind and enter the clay-laden waters of the Manu River with a brief stop at the park ranger station at Limonal to present permits. We will travel by boat (five hours) upstream Manu River which especially in 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 (Melanosuchus niger), South American relatives of the Alligators and the breeding Yellow-spotted River Turtles (Podocnemis unifilis), hundreds of Sand-colored Nightjars roost during the day on logs and beaches and there is a chance of encountering a stunning Jaguar (Panthera onca), the world’s third largest cat. We will see some species of primates on this river trip, possibly Red Howler monkeys, Squirrel monkeys, Tamarins monkeys. We’ll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the rainforest in the area. Before or after dinner, you will have chance to go on an optional night walk with your guide in search of nocturnal creatures. We will spend the night at Jaguar Ecolodge a new lodge run by Amazon Wildlife Peru. There are confortable facilities available, carefully implemented with fine furniture, spacious rooms and bathrooms with single, double and king sized beds, covered with mosquitos nets. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, we’ll spend the morning at the lake Cocha Salvador. We plan to paddle across the lake on a floating platform (catamaran) observing the animal life on the lake. We might encounter the Agami Heron (Agamia agami), Hoatzin, Osprey, Sungrebe, and there are also Spider monkey, Brown Capuchin monkeys, White-fronted Capuchin monkeys, who are usually feeding on fruits nearby and therefore are relatively easy to sight. A specially constructed platform that looks out to the lake, enable us to look for a family of Giant Otters (Pteronura brasiliensis the world’s largest freshwater carnivores) that lives here. This Otters are found in large families in Manu and each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish per day. So with that in mind, it’s most likely that they can be seen eating large fish on logs at the lakeside. After that we will continue exploring the forest, where we might encounter troops of monkeys. This is a particularily good trail to see 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 be try the presence of animals or large birds. Later we will visit Otorongo Lake where we can get up to 20 m high observation tower overlooking the lake to spot wildlife. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit in this lake. We stay overnight at Jaguar Ecolodge Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we’ll early depart trying to spot the elusive Jaguar, one of the jewels of the Amazonian wildlife. Manu River offers great animal sights in the mornings including Tapir, Anteater, Anaconda and Three-toed Sloth. After 4 hours downstream we will arrive at Limonal checkpoint, here we have short walk for covering ground in the area in search species of monkeys which can be found in the forest and your guide will explain some of the basics of rainforest ecosystems and point out some of the medicinal plants of the area that are used by indigenous groups. We may cross paths with a group of Peccaries, a species of wild boar found here. We might see some poisonous frogs too. Them we return upstream throught Alto Madre de Dios River arriving at Bonanza Lodge around midfternoon, during the afternoon we will visit our metal made 20 meters high bird watching tower from there we will have an unique view of the evergreen forest, enjoying the flights of Macaws and many other colorful birds, the sunset, later at night we will spot some caimans and there is also optional night walk (herping activities). Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We leave to explore the forest very early in the morning on our way we will experience the amazing sounds of birds like Tucans, Macaws, Motmots and different kind of Monkeys. Bonanza Ecological Reserve is located at 320 mts above sea level which contains different habitats from the floodedforest to terra firme forest this is a special place where the both animal and plant life are diverse. Afterwards we travel by boat upstream throught the Alto Madre de Dios river (4 hours) to Atalaya port, we will take our bus and drive to Rainforest Lodge where we will spend our last night. There is an optional night walk around the Lodge. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
1. Early Morning Forest Exploration: Begin your adventure with an early morning trek into the forest, where you’ll be captivated by the vibrant sounds of tropical birds such as toucans, macaws, and motmots, along with various species of monkeys. This immersive experience allows you to connect with the rich biodiversity of the Amazon.
2. Diverse Habitats at Bonanza Ecological Reserve: Visit Bonanza Ecological Reserve, situated 320 meters above sea level. This unique area showcases a variety of habitats, from flooded forests to terra firme forests, offering a remarkable opportunity to observe the diverse plant and animal life that thrives in this special ecosystem.
3. Scenic Boat Journey and Optional Night Walk: After exploring the reserve, enjoy a scenic four-hour boat ride upstream on the Alto Madre de Dios River to Atalaya Port. From there, we’ll travel by bus to the Rainforest Lodge for our final night. If you’re up for it, take part in an optional night walk around the lodge to discover the fascinating nocturnal wildlife of the rainforest.
We will leave from Rainforest Lodge early in the morning by van and head to Cusco, passing through the Cloud Forest, where we can do wildlife spotting and arriving in Cusco at approximately 3:30PM. Breakfast, Lunch
1. Farewell Journey: On our final day, enjoy an early morning trip upstream through the stunning cloud forest, spotting wildlife along the way, before returning to Cusco by late afternoon with cherished memories of your Amazon adventure