The Manu National Park is the prominent reserve in the Peruvian Amazon, comprising 2 million hectares that stretch between the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios. Many travelers dream of visiting the Amazon Rainforest, and the Manu stop is a great way to do it, as it is believed to host the largest range of biodiversity on the planet, providing refuge for many endangered species, like the jaguar, the river wolf and the spectacled bear. is divided into the buffer zone, where ecotourism and controlled scientific research are allowed; and the Cultural Zone, which is open to everyone. The rainforest within the reserve is carved by the rivers that flow down from the Andes down into the Amazon basin, branch off and separate into oxbow lakes or lagoons that are the main habitats of wildlife. When visitors enter the labyrinth of rivers and lagoons, they enter a different world, with exuberant vegetation and unequaled biodiversity that has more than 20,000 species of plants, 1,200 species of butterflies, 1,000 species of birds, 200 species of mammals and 13 primates. In fact, Manu has the highest diversity of birds, mammals and plants of any park on the planet.
Day 01: Cusco - Ninamarka - Pilcopata Lodge
Day 02: Pilcopata Lodge - Port Atalaya - Boca Manu Lodge
Day 03: Boca Manu Lodge - Cocha Otorongo - Manu Reserve Center
Day 04: Casa Machiguenga - Cocha Salvador - Otorongo lodge
Day 05: Biosfera Manu - Cocha Otorongo - Boca Manu Lodge
Day 06: Boca Manu Lodge - Manu Rainforest Lodge
Day 07: Manu Wildlife Center - Puerto Maldonado
Located in the south of Peru, in the eastern sector of the Andes mountain range and western edge of the Amazon basin, it is the only park in Latin America that includes the entire range of environments from tropical lowland to frigid punas, above 4,000 masl.
The Park was created on May 29, 1973, has an area of 1,716,295.22 hectares and is one of the best destinations for nature tourism. In the lower basin of the Manu River, the exuberance of the Amazon plain stands out. There are up to five recommended areas for tourist visits, with a high diversity of flora and fauna: Salvador, Otorongo, Juárez, Pakitza and Limonal. All navigable circuits in the lakes or oxbow lakes, where you can see the river wolves and the black lizard.
Services Within the Park: shelters, interpretation center, hygienic services, park rangers and radio.
Services Outside the Park: Boat and / or boat rental, police post, medical post.
Activities: bird watching, flora, fauna and landscape, hiking, camping, research studies, taking photographs and filming.
Observations: the authorizations for the entrance to the Manu National Park for tourism are granted to the operating agencies, which in turn offer various services and packages within the park. It is not possible to enter freely. The taking of photographs or films has a cost of 10% of the UIT.
Manu is located 403 miles from the hot and isolated regional capital of Puerto Maldonado, which acts as a gateway to the reserve. Puerto Maldonado can be reached by land from Cusco, or by air through Lima. From there you can go through the Manu river by boat. It is advisable to arrive from Cusco in organized tour packages, as the entrance is not sold to individuals but to authorized agencies.
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We woke up early to start our Manu Peru Amazon adventure!
First, our driver take us by private transport to a place called Ninamarca to observe the pre-Inca chullpas (tombs) of the Lupaca culture. Then, we continue to Paucartambo, a colonial city with narrow streets and a beautiful church, where people still preserve their ancient customs. Then, we ascend to the "Tres Cruces" point of view (3,900 masl) a beautiful view of the Amazon basin if the weather permits. From there, we begin to descend to Manu National Park, home to species such as the cock of the rock (the Peruvian national bird), hummingbirds, brightly colored quetzals, trogons, spotted flycatchers, and woolly monkeys. As for the flora, we can see a variety of orchids, mosses, ferns, etc.
We cross the cloud forest, it is perhaps the most fragile and threatened type of tropical forest. This forest, which begins at 11,000 feet and continues up to about 5,000 feet of elevation, covers the eastern slopes of the Andes, before yielding to the vast lowland forest of the Amazon. This is a kingdom of mosses, lichens, ferns and orchids.
Finally, we will arrive at Pilcopata (700 masl) where we will spend the night in our jungle lodge after enjoying a dinner and a show.
After breakfast, we will board our private vehicle for an hour and a half to the main port of the Manu-Atalaya National Park (500 meters above sea level), there we will board a motorized boat to continue for approximately 7 hours navigating the Madre de Dios River.
Throughout our walk along the river, we have a great opportunity to observe several species such as herons, vultures, kingfishers, turtles, herons and some of the 13 species of monkeys that live in Manu.
In the afternoon, we will arrive at our hostel located in Boca Manu where we will spend the night, with showers and toilets available.
After dinner we will have a night walk on the Manu Peru Amazon.
Today we say goodbye to the Madre de Dios River to change for a navigation on the Manu River that offers us other incredible views of a variety of species that live around it, such as groups of turtles, white alligators, capybaras, jaguars, Panthera. onca) resting on a trunk and observing its territory.
In the afternoon, we arrived at our camp in Otorongo.
Later, our guide takes us to Otorongo Oxbow Lake, where an observation tower is placed that allows us to see the giant otters that live there.
After, we return to our lodge with showers and toilets available
Today we will visit another lake called Salvador in our silent rowboat that allows us to observe a family of playful giant river otters, the largest freshwater carnivores in the world, they are still common only in Manu. Each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish daily and can often be seen eating large fish on logs on the shore of the lake. We will also observe many species of rare birds, including a prehistoric bird called Shansho, Heron, cormorants, water duck, horned scream, turtles, Taricaya, black caimans.
The rest of the day you will go through the trails in the area looking for some of the 13 monkey species like Black Spider Mokey, Red Howler Monkey Night Monkey, Dusky Titi Monkey, Saddleback Tamarin, Brown Capuchin Monkey and some mammals found here: bear giant anthill, South American coati, two-toed sloth, deer, a group of peccaries, which is found in the forest here, our guide will explain some of the basics of the rainforest ecosystems and will point out some of the medicinal plants of the area that the locals use. Indigenous groups. You can be sure that the animals here in the wild Manu Amazon have never suffered from people hunting!
In the afternoon, we return to our Lodge in Otorongo with showers and toilets available in the Manu Reserve Center.
At night you can take a walk with our guide and tour the Manu, or stay resting in the lodge
Today, the call of the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) will wake us up for our breakfast. After that, we will begin to explore the primary forest very slowly, where we will have the opportunity to see and meet many, such as monkeys, mammals, insects, giant trees, ayahuasca plants, chestnuts, seeds, edible and inedible fruits. Native and healing plants that native people use to heal themselves when they are sick.
In the afternoon, a visit to Cocha Otorongo lake is planned, where the observation docks and a 20 meter observation tower in the canopy of the rain forest overlooking the lake are available to observe the wildlife. We will also be attentive to a large family of giant otters that inhabit this lake. Our guide will teach you about the flora and fauna of the Manu reserve. After that, we returned at night to our hostel.
At night you can take a walk with our guide and tour the Manu, or stay resting in the lodge
Today again the call of the red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) will wake us up.
Next, we must begin our return on the Manu River, and you will understand why Manu is so famous for its wildlife. On the banks of the river, you will see groups of turtles, white alligators (Caiman cocodrylus), capybaras (Hydrochaeris) and perhaps a Jaguar (Panthera Onca) that rests on a trunk and observes its territory.
In the afternoon we will arrive at the Rainforest Manu lodge, where we will settle in our respective rooms and then we will take a walk through our hostel.
After dinner, we will have a night activity.
We spent the night in the lodge with showers and toilets available.
We left our cabin very early in the two hours and one Half a boat trip back downriver to Colorado Village. Depending on the time we should be in Puerto Maldonado, breakfast will be served in the lodge or on the boat, of course this is a perfect time to take advantage of valuable wildlife activity early in the morning along the river.
We will make a stop in the town of Colorado, in the area of gold mining, to begin our trip by land to Puerto Carlos for 45 minutes, then cross the Inambari River for 10 minutes by boat to Santa Rosa, finally a van or a bus will take us approximately two and a half hours to the airport in the city of Puerto Maldonado.
The Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge is located in the magical Manu cloud forest on the lush eastern slopes of the Andes, and is part of the Tropical Nature conservation system. Opened in 1997, it is named after the Andean Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruvianus), the conspicuously brilliant red-and-black national bird of Peru. Each morning and evening the males stage a colorful, noisy mating display at a “lek”, or display site, right by the lodge. Spectacled Bears, Woolly Monkeys, Brown Capuchin Monkeys, quetzals and a host of other colorful birds also inhabit the surrounding forest, and a bubbling mountain stream tumbles through the valley below. Manu Wildlife Center Lodge The world's largest tapir lick. The most photogenic and accessible large macaw and parrot lick. Miles of monkey-rich trails through nature rain forest. Two 120-foot-tall (35-m) canopy platforms. Two nature lakes with abundant Hoatzins, caimans and Giant Otters
The tapir lick is a comfortable ninety minutes on foot from the lodge, while the macaw lick is a half-hour boat journey plus a short walk away. Visitors will welcome the amenities and comfort of this lodge, the only one in the Manu lowlands with roomy, private bungalows, en suite private bathrooms and tiled, hot water showers — especially if they are arriving from the rustic simplicity of Manu National Park. Manu Park Wildlife Center Manu Park Wildlife Center is a simple but comfortable low-impact lodge located inside the
Nestled almost invisibly in the forest, it lies just across the river from the trail to Manu's prime wildlife viewing location, Cocha (Lake) Salvador. This is the largest and most beautiful of the 13 oxbow lakes of the Manu River. Our Manu Park Wildlife Center or Albergue Machiguenga features spacious double-occupancy room-size tents with hinged, lockable doors and solid wooden floors. Each tent measures 16.5x10x7 feet (5x3x2.2m), and all are fully screened, with a floor raised on wooden stilts to provide maximum ventilation and coolness, and protection from flooding and insects. A palm thatch roof shelter overhead completes the structure. Each of the extra-long twin beds has a mosquito net. Our camp in Manu Park also features an elevated, screened dining room with wooden floor and a private hot-water showers and flush toilets.
| Days | 7 |
| Code | MANT7 |
Activity level |
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24 March 2023
24 March 2023
24 March 2023
