Manu Reserved Zone 8D/7N
Activity Level
Moderate
Group Size
Max 12 People
Locations Visited
10 Places

Manu Reserved Zone 8D/7N

The Manu Biosphere Reserve is one of the most pristine areas of rainforest in the Amazon and consists of the entire drainage basin of the Manu River. There are very few human settlements in the park, and there is no hunting or fishing. Tourism is strictly controlled and visitors are only allowed into the park if accompanied by a registered guide and with a registered tour operator. Tours must be organised in advance, and all of the agencies have offices in Cusco. It is also possible to organise tours from Lima or abroad, although all operators work with one of the ten official operators allowed into the park. It is possible to visit the Manu area without entering the reserved zone, and much good wildlife can still be seen. However, there is less control on human activity in the area outside the park.

The Manu Biosphere Park consists of two zones: the Manu National Park, which can only be entered by professional biologists with a special permit; and the Manu Reserved Zone, which can be entered by tourists, but only with an organised tour. There are buffer zones around the park, often referred to as the Cultural Zone, although this is no official protection for this area. The Manu National Park covers 1,532,860 hectares, and the Manu Reserved Zone another 260,000 hectares. Manu contains 13 different ecological zones ranging in altitude from 200m to 4,000m, meaning that it has an incredible variety of flora and fauna.

In 2000, almost 3,000 visitors entered the Manu reserved zone compared with 20,000 who visited the Puerto Maldonado area. Although there are no official limits of the number of visitors, the expense of visiting Manu means that numbers are self-limiting. Additionally, agencies are strictly controlled and are only allowed to visit certain parts of the reserved zone, and even then only allowed in for three days at a time.

Tours to the Manu reserved zone are expensive, ranging from about $500 for the cheapest, taking the bus in and out, to almost $2,000 when staying in one of the lodges. The reason for this is that the transport costs are expensive due to the distances involved.. However, it is sometimes possible to get discounts on official prices. If an agency has a tour leaving in a day or two and still has spaces, it may be willing to offer a discount to try and fill a place. It can be worth shopping around the see if this is the case.
Our fixed departure date 2013 ( we need just two of you to open a new departure date) our prices depend on the number of people you are at the time of leaving on the tour we leave with a minimum of 2 paxs and as maximum 10 paxs in each of our group.

Tour Price

8 Days, 7 Night

Manu Reserved Zone 8D/7N
Price from

$1500USD

Per Person

Itinerary

Day 01

Cusco - Bambu Lodge

On the first day of our adventure into the Jungle of Manu, we will pick you up around 6:00 AM from your Hotels in Cusco, using the private transport of Bioandean Expeditions. 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 –Inca 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 to one of the most protected natural areas in South America. We will continue on in our private transport down 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 sounds and colours that can only be found in the jungle. For our first night, we will stay at Bambu Lodge.

Day 02

Bambu Lodge - Ecological Dorado Lodge

Very early at 06:30 a.m., we will leave in the direction 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 birds such as parrots, 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 Dorado 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.

Day 03

Ecological Dorado Lodge - Casa Matsiguenka

Well fed and rested we leave Dorado Lodge, leaving the relatively clean waters of the Madre de Dios River behind; we enter 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 but a few. Some beaches will host sunning White and Black Caimans 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 one time, three times 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 lunched by the river we arrive at Casa Matsiguenka. We’ll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest in the area.. Before or after dinner an optional excursion into the forest at night is available with your guide in search of nocturnal creatures. Night at the Casa Matsiguenka, a rustic native owned lodge run by the Matsiguenka’s themselves, with its own exclusive trail system. There are flush toilet and shower facilities and screened twin rooms, with comfortable beds and mosquito nets. B: L: D.

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

Day 04

Casa Matsiguenka - Cocha Salvador

After breakfast we’ll spend the morning at the lake of Cocha Salvador. Some of the time will be spent canoeing the 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 largest freshwater 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.

Day 05

Casa Matsiguenka - Cocha Otorongo

Today we’ll walk very slowly from camp for 4-5 hours through the forest to Cocha Otorongo. We may encounter troops of Monkeys. 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 animals 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. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit this lake.

Day 06

Casa Matsiguenka - Dorado Lodge

Today very early, we will head of to visit another small lake so we can see Aguila Arpia which means “Matsiguenka expression”, is an as of yet, still unknown and unvisited palace that will one day be a highly sought after tourist site. after that, our group starts the travel by boat from Otorongo Lake towards Boca manu offering us to watch more wildlife. In the way , we can observe different paths and other kinds of mammals our motorized dugout for the 4 hour trip down river to Boca Manu for the night. The river trip may hold surprises and we’ll be attentive for any wildlife on the beaches. Night at the lodge at Dorado lodge.

Day 07

Dorado Lodge - Soga De Oro or Bambu Lodge

Leaving the lodge we’ll head up the Madre de Dios River for three hours to the comfortable lodge facility Soga De Oro Lodge- r. 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 visitors wanting to explore the rainforest. We should arrive in time for lunch and a shower and get to meet whichever researchers are onsite. The afternoon is set aside to relax or, if you want, 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 animals. Night at Soga de Oro Lodge or Bambu Lodge.

Day 08

Soga De Oro Lodge - Cusco

We will leave from Soga de OroLodge early in the morning to see a small parrots Clay lick and then towards the Port Atalaya from here; we will take the van directly to Cusco passing through Cloud Forest.In the case that you come back by Plane you will get to the airstrip we board our aircraft for the 35 minute flight over seemingly endless rainforest and then over the Andes, passing glaciers and snow peaks to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco where our staff will be waiting to take you to your hotel.

Includes / Not includes

Included

Professional bilingual guide (Spanish - English).

Private bus

A cook to prepare all meals.

Meals: 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners.

Lodging.

Snacks.

Entrance to the Natural hot springs.

Entrance to yanayacu reserved zone.

Entrance to Cocha Salvador.

Entrance to Cocha Otorongo.

Entrance fees to Manu Biosphere Reserve.

Boat.

Rubber boots.

Mineral water during the trip.

First aid kit.

Not included

First breakfast and last dinner.

What to bring

Binoculars.

Waterproof jacket / rain poncho.

Comfortable shirts and pants.

Sun protection cream (factor 35 is recommended).

Insect repellent minimum 30% DEET.

Toiletries.

Personal medications.

Camera.

Flashlight with spare batteries.

Water purification tablets (Micropur recommended).

Toilet paper.

Sandals, swimming suit and towels.

Shirt long sleeve and long pants.

Price

Price


Group Price

Price per person

USD $1,500.00 Per person

Required Pre-payment
USD $200.00

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