On the first day of our adventure into the jungle of Manu, we will pick you up around 6.00 AM from your Hotel in Cusco, using the private transport of Bioandean Expeditions Peru. The first part of our excursion will take us through the majestic Andean mountains. We will visit the town of Huancarani which contains the funeral towers of Ninamarca, a cemetery of the lupacas pre-Incas Culture, which we will visit briefly on our way to Paucartambo, which is known as the folkloric and colonial town. At mid-day we will arrive at the entrance of Manu National Park and access tone of the most protected natural areas in South America. We will continue on in our private transport dawn a dust road and on through the thick fog from which this section of the forest takes it name cloud forest. Eventually we will arrive at the home of the exotic Peruvian national bird, the “cock of the rocks” where it is known to gather with others of its kind for some sort of social gathering that seems reminiscent of a large courtship. You will find that this is quite an amazing spectacle complete with an impressive array of sound and colours that can only be found in the jungle. For our first night, we will stay at Bambu Lodge.

Very early at 06:30 am, we will leave in the direccion of port Atalaya; on the way we will make a few stops to visit the small locals farmers who are known to be producers of many varieties of jungle fruits even the famous coca plant. Later, we will begin the boating portion of our journey in a river excursion on the Madre de Dios, one of the tributaries of the mighty Amazon River. During our day we will have the chance to witness many types of colourful bird such as parrot, Oropendolas, vultures and others species. We will have stop at the natural hot spring. Hopefully we will make some sightings of some jungle mammals such as monkeys or the famous capybaras (jungle rodents that are as much as 2.5 ft long, towards the late afternoon , we will arrive to our next sleeping destination Yanayacu lodge , the arriving approximately at 3:00 p.m here there will be showers and services available. We will have night walk in the dark, best time to see many anthropoids, tarantulas, scorpions and snakes, of course is optional.

Well fed and rested we leave towards Boca manu lodge, leaving the relatively clean of the Madre de Dios River behind we will stop in the bank of the river to spot the Parrots and Macaws Clay lick after we will be entering to the clay laden waters of the Manu River. With a brief stop at the park ranger station at limonal to present our permit 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 but a few. Some beaches will host sunning while and black caimans, and there is a chance of encountering a sunning jaguar – the world’s third largest cat. We will see some species of primate on this river trip, possibly red howler monkeys or the smaller squirrel monkeys. After having lunched by the river we arrive at our tended camp near the lake of Cocha Salvador. We’ll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest in the area.

The Casa Matsiguenka at Manu reserved zone is designed using the indigenous people’s building techniques and counts on 12 fully screened twin rooms. Beds are furnished with mosquito nest. There is a private trail system and local Matsiguenka at Manu reserved zone guides will accompany you on the trails. There is an interactive interpretation center and locally made souvenirs are for sale.

After breakfast we’ll spend the morning al the lake of Cocha Salvador. Some of the time will be spent canoeing he lake on a floating platform observing ox-bow lake animal life from the water. We may encounter an Agami Heron or a Sungrebe and Brown Cappuchin Monkeys are usually feeding on fruits nearby. Specially constructed piers that jut out into the lake enable us to look for a family of Giant Otters that live here. These, the world’s larges fresh water carnivores, remain common only in Manu, having been hunted to extinction throughout most of their former range .Each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish daily and often they can be seen eating large fish on logs at the lakeside .The rest of the day will be spent walking the trails in the area in search of some of the 13 species of Monkey found in the forest here Your guide will explain some of the basics of rainforest ecosystems and point out some of the medicinal plants of the area used by local, indigenous groups. We may cross paths with a group of peccaries – a species of wild boar found here. A late afternoon enjoy the sun sets. Night at the Casa Matsiguenka.

Today we’ll walk very slowly from The Lodge for 4-5 hours through the forest to Cocha Otorongo. We may encounter troops of Monkey. This is a particularly good trail for 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 betray the presence of animal or large birds. 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. W e will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit this lake.

Leaving the lodge we’ll head up the Madre de Dios River for tree hours to the comfortable lodge facility Dorado Lodge .This strategically located lodge facility is jointly owned and run by a local conservation group and is a base for scientific birdwatchers research in the area and a center for visitor wanting to explore the rainforest. We should arrive in time for lunch and a to explore a trail through the untouched forest to a lookout point on a cliff over the river to watch roosting flights of parrots and Macaws as the sun sets. Those who wish can participate in a night walk with your guide in search of nocturnal animal like tapirs. Night at Dorado Lodge.

We wake up very early to go to the Parrot nd Macaw claylick after this activity we will leave from Dorado Lodge to the port Atalaya from here; we will take the van directly to Cusco Passing through Cloud Forest and the Andes, arriving to Cusco by the afternoon.