| Duration 6 days and
5 nights
Departures Wednesdays & Saturdays (From May
through November)
Activities Jungle excursion (see detailed program
below)
Airfares Included, Boca Manu - Cusco
Meals Included as specified below
Customizable YES, feel free to ask for extra
services
Day 1: Cusco to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge
Our overland journey begins at 3,400m/11,150 ft, with an early
departure from the highland city of Cusco. Today’s destination
is the lush cloud forest region where the Andes fall away to the
Amazon basin. This is a day of scenic drama and striking
contrasts. We first visit a mountain wetland habitat teeming
with migrant and local waterfowl, before crossing two mountain
ranges between the Cusco valley and the Paucartambo valley, to a
maximum altitude of 3,900m/12,790ft. Finally we follow a sinuous
ribbon of highway on its plunge through an extraordinary world
of forested cliffs, waterfalls and gorges. We take leisurely
stops to see mountain villages, a hilltop necropolis of chullpas
(pre-Inca burial chambers), and the abrupt ridgetop of Ajanaco,
which marks the final high point where the Andes begin their
swoop into the Amazon basin. In clear weather we will see a
breathtaking panorama of cloud forest and mountain giving way to
the lowland rainforest plains far below us.
After a picnic lunch near here we descend through the startling
and rapid environmental transformations characteristic of the
tropical Andes, passing from grassland and stunted trees through
elfin forest, until we wind through a lush and magical world of
overhanging trees, giant ferns, monster begonias, countless
orchids and bromeliads, and a diverse and teeming birdlife.
We make frequent spontaneous stops, perhaps spotting a
brilliantly feathered quetzal, a trogon, or the wild turkey-like
Guan. We reach the comfortable Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge in the
late afternoon, the best hour to visit the nearby viewing
platform for the display ground, or "lek". This is usually the
highlight of a long, full day, a chance to see Peru’s dazzling
national bird, the Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola) in full, raucous
courting display. (Box Lunch, D)
Day 2: Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge to Pantiacolla Lodge or Amazonía
Lodge
Rising early, we have a second chance to view the
Cock-of-the-Rock display, and then scout for birds, and perhaps
Brown Capuchin or Woolly monkeys along the nearby road. Or we
can take a secluded nature walk on a short trail loop to the
river and back. After breakfast we continue our drive, as
mountains give way to low rolling hills and farmland. At Patria
we visit a plantation of coca grown legitimately for the
Peruvian coca leaf market.
At midday we reach Atalaya, a tiny port where the Piñipiñi River
meets the Alto Madre de Dios. Now the lowland rainforest part of
our journey begins. Rivers are the highways of the rainforest,
and henceforth we will travel in large, comfortable dugout
canoes shaded by canopy roofs and driven by powerful outboard
motors.
During normal river conditions we arrive at our lodge in time
for exploration and wildlife viewing —which may include toucans,
kingfishers, a rare endemic hummingbird and a multitude of
butterflies— along one of its many forest trails. (B/Box Lunch/D)
Day 3: Amazonia Lodge or Pantiacolla Lodge to Manu Wildlife
Center.
There is time for another short morning hike on the lodge trails
before leaving early for Manu Wildlife Center.
As we follow the broad, rushing course of the Alto Madre de Dios
river past the last foothills of the Andes, our ever-changing
route offers sightings of new birds —terns, cormorants,
White-winged Swallows, and flocks of nighthawks flushed from
their daytime lairs by the sound of our engine. Splashes of
brilliant yellow, pink and red foliage dot the forest-clad
slopes around us, and the breeze is laden with the heady
perfumes of the tropical forest.
We pass the mouth of the Manu river, the gateway to the Manu
National Park. We pause during our journey to stretch our legs
and visit Boca Manu, the village a short way downriver, we visit
the boatyards where local people build the dugout boats so
essential to life on the river.
After a boat journey of approximately 6 hours, we arrive at Manu
Wildlife Center, one of the world’s top ten wildlife lodges.
After a reception and orientation we move into our private
bungalow and rest to escape the midday heat.
Later, we make our first acquaintance with the lowland
rainforest, learning about the plants and forest ecology as we
explore some of the 30 miles of trails that surround the lodge.
We have an excellent chance of encountering some of the 12
species of monkeys, including the Spider Monkey and Emperor
Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest. (B, Box Lunch, D)
Day 4: Manu Wildlife Center: the Macaw Clay lick, Canopy Tower &
Tapir Clay lick.
Another early start (inevitable on wildlife expeditions), is
followed by a short boat ride downstream. We take a 20-minute
trail through palm plantations to a cut-off channel of the
river, where we find the Macaw Lick. A spacious hide provided
with individual chairs and a convenient place for cameras and
binoculars is our ringside seat for what is usually a very
spectacular show. We enjoy a full breakfast here while waiting
for the main actors to arrive.
In groups of twos and threes the big Red-and-Green Macaws come
flapping in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main stage
below —the eroded clay banks of the old channel. Meanwhile the
supporting cast appears: these may included Blue-headed, Mealy,
Yellow-crowned, and Orange-cheeked Parrots— and the occasional
villain, a menacing and unwelcome Great Black Hawk.
The drama plays out in first in tentative and then bolder
approaches to the lick, until finally nearly all the macaws,
parrots and parakeets form a colorful and noisy spectacle on the
bare banks, squabbling as they scrape clay from the hard
surface. (Please note that the clay lick is most active from
August to October and less so during the months of May and
June.)
We return to the lodge for lunch, and then we continue to
explore and discover the rainforest, its lore and plant life, on
the network of trails surrounding the lodge, arriving in the
late afternoon at our 34m/112ft Canopy Tower. On its platform we
witness the frantic rush-hour activity of twilight in the
rainforest canopy, before night closes in.
Later we set off along the “collpa trail”, which will take us to
the lodge’s famous Tapir Clay lick. Here at the most active
tapir lick known in all the Amazon, our research has identified
from 8-12 individual 600-pound Tapirs who come to this lick to
eat clay from under the tree roots around the edge. This
unlikely snack absorbs and neutralizes toxins in the vegetarian
diet of the Tapir, the largest land animal of Latin America. The
lick features a roomy, elevated observation platform 5m/17ft
above the forest floor. The platform is equipped with
freshly-made-up mattresses with pillows. Each mattress is
covered by a roomy mosquito net. The 10-m-long, elevated walkway
to the platform is covered with sound-absorbing padding to
prevent our footsteps from making noise.
This Tapir Experience is unique and exciting because these
normally very shy creatures are visible up close, and flash
photography is not just permitted, but encouraged.
The hard part for modern city dwellers is to remain still and
silent anywhere from 30 minutes to two or more hours. Many
prefer to nap until the first Tapir arrives, at which point your
guide gently awakens you to watch the Tapir 10-20m/33-66ft) away
below the platform. Most people feel that the wait is well worth
it in order to have such a high probability of observing the
rare and elusive Tapir in its rainforest home. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Manu Wildlife Center: Cocha Blanco and the Wildlife
trails.
We set off early for Cocha Blanco, an old oxbow lake full of
water lilies and sunken logs. As we circle the lake on our
catamaran we might encounter the resident Giant Otter family on
a fishing expedition, or troops of monkeys crashing noisily
through the trees. Wattled Jacanas step lightly on the lily
pads, dainty Sun Grebes paddle across the water, supple-necked
Anhingas air-dry their wide, black wings, and perhaps an Osprey
scans for fish from a high branch.
Among the bushes near the waterline, Hoatzins, which look like
rust-colored, punk chickens, announce their presence with
distinctive, bizarre wheezing and grunts. Woodpeckers, tanagers,
macaws, toucans and parakeets all finally come swooping in to
trees surrounding the lake. Many of them roost around the lake
for the night.
After lunch at the lodge our guide is available to lead us on
freewheeling expeditions in search of further wildlife
encounters, or we may take one of the lodge’s many trails on
private and personal excursions to commune with the spirits of
the rainforest.
This evening, from the late afternoon until after Dinner, we
offer an opportunity to search for caiman and other nocturnal
life along the riverbank by boat (If the level of river allows
it) (B, L, D).
Day 6: Manu Wildlife Center to Cusco - Departure day
We leave our lodge very early on the two hour and half return
boat trip downstream to the Colorado Village, the breakfast will
be serve on the boat while you enjoying early morning wildlife
activity as we go, of course this is a perfect time to take
advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the
river, in aditions this journey allows us to see several lowland
native settlements and gold miners digging and panning gold
along the banks of the Madre de Dios River. We will stop in the
far-west type gold-mining town of Colorado to start our overland
journey to Puerto Carlos for 45 minutes, then you will cross the
Inambari River for 15 minutes boat trip to Santa Rosa, finally a
van or bus will drive us to the airport in Puerto Maldonado
City, in approximately two-hours and half, from here you fly by
a commercial airplane to Cusco, with a pickup and transfer
assistant to your hotel your jungle adventure ends. (B)
Important notes:
•Please note that the program may vary slightly so as to
maximize your wildlife sightings, depending on the reports of
our researchers and experienced naturalist guides based at the
lodge.
END OF OUR SERVICES
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