MANU EXTREME BIODIVERSITY RESERVED ZONE & JAGUAR TOUR

DAY 01: Cusco – EcoManu lodge.

Early in the morning pick up from your hotel in Cusco, to travel through Andean mountains, beautiful landscapes, rural folkloric communities like Paucartambo and Ninamarca (chullpas or funerary tombs) that belong to the pre-Inca LUPACAS culture. Then we climb the last mountain to reach Acjanaco, entrance to the MANU NATIONAL PARK, where we descend to the lush cloud forest which houses a variety of flora and fauna. Being an ideal place for epiphytes, orchids, bromeliads, etc.. It is there where we will explore the cloud forest and we can appreciate the National bird of Peru, the colorful Cock of the Rock in its ritual mating dance, as well as toucans, trogons, quetzals, monkeys and hopefully the South American spectacled bear (Tremantus ornatos). Then we will return to the tourist port of Atalaya, where our motorized boat will be waiting for us to be transported down the Madre de Dios River towards the EcoManu lodge. To spend the night in our comfortable rooms. 

DIA 02: EcoManu lodge – Manu Dorado Lodge

In the morning we wake up to the sound of birdsong and the lush Amazon rainforest, it is time to enjoy our healthy breakfast to explore the lush Amazon forest through the different trails and appreciate the giant rubber trees, tonillos, ficus, which are home to groups of capuchin monkeys, woolly monkeys, squirrel monkeys and dozens of species of birds such as colorful parrots, parrots and woodpeckers. 3 hours of activity.

Return to the lodge to enjoy some drinks and lunch. It is time to continue our excursion to the deepest part of the Amazon, we board our comfortable boat to descend the winding Madre de Dios River towards Manu Dorado Lodge, a 5 hour boat ride. On the way we will make interesting stops to observe families of capybaras, red howler monkeys, herons, cormorants, and sparrow hawks. There are not many intact and remote jungles in the world that are home to tribes isolated from the outside world, the Manu is one of these few privileged Amazonian jungles, where live nomadic tribes who live by gathering and hunting, is the MASHCO PIRO tribe, who are currently shown on the banks of the Madre de Dios River, is a great opportunity to observe the families who come to collect bananas and hunt. It is the Mashco piro tribe (nomadic ethnic group isolated from civilization).    
In the afternoon it is time to get ready for a fabulous activity inside the Amazon rainforest, we will start exploring the trails in search of wild pigs called peccaries, owls and a lot of nocturnal creatures. Night walks or activities are possible every night, which will be at the disposal of our guides’ organization.

DAY 03: Manu Dorado lodge – Reserved Zone Casa Matsigenka lodge

After a healthy breakfast it is time to continue our excursion to the deepest part of the Amazon, we board our boat to descend the winding Madre de Dios River towards Boca Manu and from there continue along the Manu River in the Reserved Zone, boat trip. On the way we will make interesting stops to observe families of capybaras, howler monkeys, herons, cormorants, sparrow hawks, etc..

There are no longer intact and remote jungles in the world that are home to tribes isolated from civilization, Manu is one of these few privileged Amazonian jungles, where nomadic tribes live who live by gathering, hunting and fishing.

Here inhabit ethnic groups, who have no contact with the outside world. For several years we have been observing from our boat a tribe in initial contact with civilization called Mashco Piro. Information articles in Survival International, National Geographyc, the BBC and reference photos on our website.

After our check-in at the Park, we begin our expedition through the calm waters of the Manu River into the heart of the Amazon’s biological diversity of flora and fauna.  In the course of the journey we will carefully find white caimans and huge black caimans sunning themselves on the sandbanks, hundreds of turtles called “Taricayas” on the logs on the banks of the river, families of capybaras, flocks of parrots, macaws, hundreds of nightjars mimicking on the logs and hopefully the impressive jaguar (Pantera onca) the third largest feline in the jungle, every third trip to Manu is observed two.

At 17:00 hours we arrive at our typical and comfortable lodge Casa Matsigenka, where the families of the lodge are waiting for us to drive us to our accommodations and show us all the infrastructure and services for a pleasant stay.

DAY 04: Casa Matsigenka lodge in the Manu Reserved Zone

It is the most moving place for the sighting of wild flora and fauna in the Amazon. It is time to head through the primary forest in the direction of the most famous lake of Manu; Salvador Lake or Salvador oxbow lake and travel on a catamaran that will allow us to find a great variety of birds such as the Hoatzin, snake ducks, toucans, woodpeckers, macaws, eagles, the inevitable spider monkeys, emperor monkeys, squirrel monkeys, black caimans and the great family of black caimans, black caimans and the large family of giant river otters (Pteronura Brasiliensis), this endangered species is seen most of the day swimming, fishing, eating and playing with each other on the floating logs of the lake. After this fantastic sighting we will return to our lodge to enjoy an exquisite lunch typical of Manu.

In the mid-afternoon and following our plan to search for the largest feline in South America, it is time to board our boat to navigate upstream to the deepest part of the Manu Reserved Zone and with the help of our expert guide and local collaborators we will be able to observe this beautiful feline. Overnight at our comfortable lodge.

DAY 05: Casa Matsigenka lodge – Manu Dorado lodge

In the morning we start to slowly descend the currents of the impressive Manu River in our motor boat, giving us a chance to appreciate the different stationary birds that are occasionally found on the banks of the Manu River; osprey, jabiru, stork, roseate spoonbill and once we arrive at Boca Manu we will stop to enjoy some cold and frosty drinks.

DAY 06: Manu Dorado lodge – EcoManu lodge.

Very early in the morning we will head to the parrot clay lick, macaws (clay wall with mineral salts content) very important of the place, where many noisy parrots, parrots and small green and blue macaws or parrots ingest the clay as a final diet for their detoxification. After this fantastic show, we will enjoy our healthy breakfast at the Lodge. Then we return in our comfortable motorized boat, to enjoy the last hours of the last hours on board of our boat all the panorama and the lushness of the Amazon. Optional activity visit to the hot springs and enjoy this unique natural place. 

Arrival time to Eco Manu lodge to settle back into our rooms and mid-afternoon we head to the mammal lick, a very special place in the Amazon jungle. After a 35 minute walk in the middle of the forest we will arrive at the hide and as the day turns into darkness a truly fascinating and unforgettable new experience begins in which you will be completely in the Amazon world.

The hide is a wooden platform more than 4 meters high, it is perfectly camouflaged among the trees located in front of the mammal lick, there we will observe the mythical Amazonian tapir, peccaries, deer and hopefully the largest feline in South America Jaguar (Pantera onca). The observation platform includes mosquito nets and mats to wait for the arrival of the mammals.

DAY 07: EcoManu Lodge – Port of Atalaya – Cusco

After breakfast it is time to say goodbye to our team of guides, cook, boat drivers and EcoManu Lodge staff who give us all their support and skill in an excursion of adventure and practical knowledge of Amazonian life. 20 minutes return in our boat to the port of Atalaya and 6 hours return to the city of Cusco. On the way we will make interesting stops to appreciate once again the famous Cock of the Rock, Quetzals and the infinite landscapes of the Amazon. Arrival time at 16:00 hours directly to your hotel in Cusco.