| Duration 7 days and
6 nights
Departures Every Thursday (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 3,400 m/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 3,900 m/12,790 ft. 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 Boca Manu
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.
As we follow the river's broad, rushing course 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.
At our overnight lodge near Boca Manu, a new array of forest
sounds awaits our ears. As night falls the whistling
call-and-response of tinamous gives way to the loud shrill of
cicadas. (B, Box Lunch, D)
Day 3: Boca Manu to Manu National Park (Manu Wildlife Tented
Camp).
In the morning we may join other eco-guests arriving by air from
Cusco. We make a short visit to the village of Boca Manu,
riverside capital of the remote and sparsely populated Peruvian
province of Fitzcarrald. The main activity here is building
dugout boats for travelers on the river, and we see how these
sturdy craft are made. Logging is prohibited here, so the
resourceful villagers work entirely with lumber brought
downriver by floodwaters.
Now we turn northward up the chocolate-brown waters of the Manu
River into the lake-rich lower Manu National Park. The pristine
quality of the forest is instantly apparent, with abundant
birdlife and no signs of outside development.
We check into the park at Limonal ranger station and then
proceed upstream, as our boat driver steers skillfully through
shallows and driftwood snags. Orinoco Geese and Horned Screamers
strut on the beaches, Capped and White-necked Herons patrol the
shoreline, and countless sunbathing turtles dive off their log
perches as we approach.
After some six hours on the river we reach InkaNatura's Manu
Tented Camp, a simple but comfortable low-impact lodge nestled
almost invisibly in the forest.
Time permitting, we will take a short walk before dinner to
stretch our legs and enjoy our first encounter with virgin
rainforest. (B, Box Lunch, D)
Day 4: Manu National Park (Manu Wildlife Tented Camp): Cocha
Salvador & Cocha Otorongo.
Today we visit two lakes near our camp. Park authorities
determine the time of our visit to Cocha (Lake) Salvador;
depending on this schedule, we will visit Cocha Otorongo earlier
or later in the day.
Our trail to Cocha Otorongo begins some 30 minutes downstream
from the camp. This brief river journey to the trailhead can
always offer the chance of a thrilling wildlife sighting.
Perhaps we will spot a family of Capybaras, the world's largest
rodent, browsing on the riverbank, or if we are very lucky, a
solitary Jaguar might stalk slowly off an open beach into the
forest, flicking its tail in annoyance at our intrusion.
On the short trail to the lake we may spy one or more of the
park's 13 monkey species leaping through the canopy high above.
And some of the trees which form that canopy —such as kapok,
ironwood and figs, will astound us with the vast size of their
trunks and buttressed root systems.
These are oxbow lakes, formed when the river changed course,
leaving a landlocked channel behind. The lakes are abundant in
fish and wildlife, and provide optimum habitat for caimans and
the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), one of the Amazon's
most endangered mammal species.
This lake enjoys maximum protection, and boats are not allowed.
However, it features two dock platforms and a 50ft tower from
which to scan the trees and marshy shoreline for monkeys,
kingfishers, Anhinga (a large, long-necked waterbird), and
countless other species. We have a good chance of sighting the
resident Giant Otter family as they dive for the 4Kg. of fish
that each individual consumes daily.
Cocha Salvador is the largest of the area's lakes, at 3.5 Km, or
some two miles long. It is also home to a family of Giant
Otters. We cruise the lake on a floating catamaran platform,
which offers superb new perspectives of lake and forest. The
lakeside trees are often alive with monkeys; Scarlet, Chesnut-fronted
and Blue-and-gold macaws beat a path overhead; a variety of
herons and egrets scout the water's edge; and the reptilian eyes
and snouts of caimans, motionless as logs, may be spied beneath
the branches. Somewhere on the open water or in among toppled
bankside trees, we may spot the sleek heads of the shy Giant
Otters. These social animals play and fish together, and we may
see them sprawled on a fallen tree trunk, dozing or gnawing on a
fish. (B, L, D)
Day 5: Manu National Park (Manu Wildlife Tented Camp) to Manu
Wildlife Center and Tapir Clay lick.
We set off downriver at dawn. At this hour chances of wildlife
encounters are excellent. We return to the Limonal park station,
to file our wildlife report before leaving the park. After
reaching the turbulent union of the Alto Madre de Dios and Manu
rivers and then the village of Boca Manu, we may drop off some
passengers returning to Cusco. After ninety more minutes
downstream we arrive at Manu Wildlife Center —the exciting final
stop of our journey— in time for lunch.
After an early afternoon rest 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 5 m/17 ft 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 10-20 m/33-66 ft)
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 6: Manu Wildlife Center: the Macaw Clay lick & Cocha Blanco.
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.)
In the afternoon we visit 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.
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. (B, L, D)
Day 7: 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 additions 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 note:
•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.
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Towering canopy platform |
