Program 7 days and 6 nights, Manu Biosphere Reserve.

The program can change according to the road, weather and river conditions and wishes of the group.

DAY 1: CUSCO – RAINFOREST LODGE.

We leave from Cusco by private bus, first stopping to visit the pre-Inca burial towers of Ninamarca. We then drive through the mountains, to get to the typical folkloric town of Paucartambo. Here we will take a short walk around the town before carrying on to Tres Cruces, the highest point of and entrance to Manu National Park. From here we will continue into the Cloud Forest and at San Pedro we will walk for around 1 hour to observe the national bird of Peru, the Cock of the Rock, and many different kinds of monkeys, plants and flowers. We arrive at our private Rainforest Lodge in the evening where we will stay for the night.

DAY 2: RAINFOREST LODGE – BONANZA ECOLOGICAL RESERVE.

After breakfast we will continue by private bus to Atalaya. On the way we will stop to observe a coca plantation, we will also stop at a view point where you can get a good overview of the jungle and river. From Atalaya we leave by motorized boat to Aguas Calientes, where you can bath in the natural hot springs. During the boat trip we will see many different kinds of animals, especially birds, and a beautiful landscape. Then we will continue downriver to R.E.Bonanza where we will have a walk later in the afternoon and fish in the river. After dinner at Bonanza Lodge we will take a night walk in the jungle to look for spiders and snakes. We will spend the night in our comfortable lodge.

DAY 3: RESERVE ECOLOGICAL BONANZA - CASA MATCHIGUENCA LODGE

After breakfast we continue our journey downriver (Alto Madre de Dios River) to the native community of Diamante and learn about their life and customs. Next we go to Boca Manu Village to have some cold drinks and relax before we go into the Manu Biosphere Reserve on the Manu River. Our first stop there is a control point (Puesto de Vigilancia Limonal) and them we continue our trip by boat to Casa Matchiguenca Lodge. On the way we will observe many different kinds of animals such as capybara, peccaries, monkeys, lots birds and adult black and white caimans, or even a jaguar. Late in the afternoon we arrive at Casa Machiguenga Lodge, which offers all amenities while still being rustic and well integrated into its surroundings of the Jungle of Manu. This lodge is exclusively managed by indigenous Matchiguenka people, original caretakers of the Manu wilderness. (Optional night walk there.)

DAY 4: CASA MACHIGUENCA LODGE

This day we will explore the jungle most of the day. On the way we will appreciate many different kinds of animals such as tapirs, collared peccaries, monkeys, coati and birds such as eagles, parrots and toucans but also medicinal plants, flowers and the giant trees of the jungle. We will have our lunch in the jungle, and afterwards we go to visit the beautiful Salvador Lake. There we will be moving around in a catamaran and enjoy watching the amazing wildlife of this lake, including white and black caimans and the famous giant otter. We will return to Casa Matchiguenca Lodge and spend the night there.

DAY 5: CASA MACHIGUENCA – COCHA OTORONGO

Today will explore this pristine jungle area for several hours, aiming for Cocha Otorongo Lake. We may encounter monkeys - this is a particularly good trail for woolly and black spider monkeys. During this walk we will have lots of explanations about medicinal plants and the relationship between insects and plants. At the lake of Cocha Otorongo we will climb a 20 meter observation tower overlooking the lake. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit this lake.

DAY 6: CASA MACHIGUENCA – RESERVE ECOLOGICAL BONANZA

We leave the Casa Machigenga Lodge after breakfast to continue our adventure, traveling downriver to P.V. Limonal and Boca Manu. If we are very lucky we might see the famous jaguar on the river banks. We will stop at the Native Community of Isla de los Valles to learn about their culture and life style. If you are interested in handicrafts and meeting the local people, handicrafts can be purchased from this local community. In the afternoon we visit a lake where we will fish Piranhas. After this activity we go upriver (Alto Madre de Dios River) by boat to Reserve Ecological Bonanza. In the evening we will build a bonfire, relax and have some drinks and a BBQ. We will spend the night there.

DAY 7:  RESERVE ECOLOGICAL BONANZA – CUSCO

We will get up early and return to Atalaya by boat, where our private bus will be waiting for us to take us back to Cusco via the cloud forest and Paucartambo. We will arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon.

Tour includes:

• Private transportation (bus and boat)
• All camping equipment (chair, tens, tables, mattress, rubber boots, rain poncho)
• Professional bilingual local guide
• Mineral water
• First aid kit
• 3 meals per day
• Cook
• Snacks (biscuits, candy, fresh fruit, juice)
• Entrance to the natural hot springs
• Duffel bags
• Entrance to Reserve Ecological Bonanza
• Entrance to Rainforest Lodge
• Entrance to Casa Machiguenca Lodge
• Entrance to the Manu National Park
• Entrance to Isla de los Valles Lake
• Entrance to the Native community of Diamante
• And much more...

You will need to bring:

• Light Sleeping bag
• Repellent with a minimum of 25 % deet
• Binoculars
• Camera with extra batteries
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Sun lotion
• Pocket Money
• Daypack
• Water bottle
• Sun hat
• Hiking sandals
• Toilet paper
• Dark clothes
• Towel