7 Days - 6 Nights

Manu Extraordinaire

The most complete and fulfilling option currently available for birdwatchers and hardcore naturalists. If you want to see Jaguars, Giant River Otters, and other iconic species, this is your best bet!

Program: Manu Extraordinaire – 7D/6N

Departure: Cusco

Arrival: Puerto Maldonado

*For an additional fee, it is possible to start the tour in Puerto Maldonado or finish it in Cusco. 

Day #1:

Your journey begins with a 6:00 am pick-up from your designated hotel in Cusco. A modern van will transport you via the Paucartambo-Kosñipata highway, approximately a 7-hour drive, towards the San Pedro area. Along the way, a stop in Paucartambo is planned for a delightful breakfast and visits to Las Chullpas de Ninanmarca and the Paucartambo museum.

Continuing the journey, you’ll reach the Acjanaco Pass, the entrance to the biosphere of the Manu National Park. This leg of the trip provides an opportunity to observe various ecosystems. Upon arriving in the San Pedro area, a visit to the lek of the Cock of the Rock awaits, allowing you time to appreciate this renowned bird species.

Following the Cock of the Rock encounter, a gentle trail walk ensues before reaching the Cock of the Rock Lodge, your overnight stay destination. This lodge offers a unique and immersive experience in the heart of nature. Enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the surroundings as you settle in for the night.

Day #2:

We will wake up very early in the morning, to continue our journey to the port of Atalaya, which is 02 hours, arriving at 8 am to go later to Romero Refuge, which is 07 to 08 hours depending on the water level. In the boat we will have breakfast. Before arriving at Romero Refuge, we first arrived at the Limonal Post where a logistics list of the staff and tourists is delivered, that’s where the guide makes the reservations at what time the catamaran will be used in Cocha Salvador and the tower in Cocha Otorongo, depending on the time of arrival at Refugio Romero you can do a walk, there are trails to walk to see the Emperor monkey. Overnight and dinner at the Lodge, Matsiguenka House.

Day #3:

We leave at 8 am maximum. This trip will be a minimum of 06 hours depending on the activity on the banks of the Manu River (Jaguar, Tapir, Caimanes, etc), arriving at 2pm or 3pm o’clock in the afternoon, and then a walk on the trails or caimaneo in the Cocha Salvador (depending if there is free space to use catamaran), Overnight and dinner at the lodge.

Day #4: 

We leave at 06am arriving at Blanquillo at 13 o’clock approx. Lunch in Blanquillo, after lunch take a walk along one of the trails that we have with a lot more chance of seeing wildlife. The decision will be made by the guide who has it for sure that he will choose the best option. Overnight and dinner at the Lodge, Tambo Blanquillo.

Day #5:

We will wake up very early (around 5:00 am) to leave for the famous Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick, one of the most important in the world. After a short boat ride (about 15 minutes) and a walk of (about 30 minutes), we will arrive at the facilities of the Macaw Clay Lick. A comfortable and long hiding place, located just 50 meters from the Ccollpa, allows us to have the best possible view for the show. The structure of the hiding place is so close to the Ccollpa that there is no need to zoom in on the cameras! As the sun rises, an explosion of life and color will perpetuate itself in your eyes as you see first dozens of parakeets and then hundreds of green parrots and dozens of macaws eat clay to neutralize their ph levels. In groups of two, we can see how the red and green macaws begin to lean out and land on nearby trees. They carefully look towards the stage (the Ccollpa) in case some black hawk is hanging around. After making us wait (the good is made to wait) the macaws finally come down and show us an unparalleled display of colors and howls on the clay of the ccollpa, while feeding on the hard surface. They enjoy the clay, but we also have the incredible opportunity to enjoy a delicious breakfast while watching this wonderful scene.

After this unique experience, we headed to the lodge to rest after a long but rewarding morning. We will wait for lunch reading, resting or walking around the lodge.

In the afternoon, we will complete what we call the Camungo Loop. The visit to Cocha Camungo is not complete without an obligatory stop at the Camungo Observation Tower. It is the highest tower in the entire Peruvian Amazon, in which you are 50 meters high. The tower is built on the side of a ceiba, more than 400 years old. It is important to know that at no point does the structure touch the tree (since they never stop growing). Once up, you can see birds such as the Jacamar – while hunting in its natural habitat – and also monkeys, and even macaws that just come back from the Ccollpa Blanquillo. After this activity, we will go to the lodge for a cozy dinner and a well-deserved rest.

 

Day #6:  

Following a healthy breakfast, we will dedicate most of this day to visit the most important Oxbow Lake in the area, the Blanco Oxbow Lake. On the way to the lake, by boat, it is not rare to see peccaries and other mammals walking in the riverbanks. It is common for visitors to delight themselves with great views of Jaguars resting and sunbathing in the early morning sun, after long nights of hunting.

Once on the lake, we will paddle another of our catamarans (yes, we have one in each lake) and navigate through the water filled with Giant River Otters, caimans, and other top predators. Groups of monkeys are easily seen feeding on the fruiting trees beside the Oxbow Lake, while Snail Kites feast on the abundance of water snails. This lake is actually famous in the region for hosting more than 600 bird species!!!

Hereafter, we will head back to the lodge for a remarkable lunch and a very deep relaxing moment.

After lunch, we will get to visit the Mammal Clay Lick. We will walk through the Mammal Trial for about 1 hour and arrive to the Mammal Clay Lick. In the way we have a chance of encountering many species of monkeys – like the spider monkey – and of course various species of reptiles and invertebrates. Once at the Mammal Clay Lick, we can lay down on the unique tents we have permanently set-up and wait until the tapir, huanganas, capybaras, and even jaguars come to eat clay in their natural habitat. This activity is done at night, then to relax and wait for the show. The visit to this place will depend on the time of year, since in the month of June the activity (assistance of animals) to the ccollpa diminishes and it is better to make a walk along one of the trails that we have with much more possibility to see wildlife. The decision will be made by the guide who has it for sure that he will choose the best option.

At night we will have a very nice dinner and enjoy under the staggering scenery of shining stars and the splendid moon, while we said goodbye to our last night at Tambo Blanquillo – Private Reserve.

Day #7:

Very early in the morning we get up to embark and start our last crossing down the famous Madre de Dios River. Along the way, we will enjoy a very healthy and fresh breakfast that will serve while we watch the wildlife. Look at the different communities and the different types of livestock that are on the shore as well as the reptiles and different mammals sleeping on them.

Upon reaching Boca Colorado, we will start our way by land until we reach Puerto Carlos, then cross the Inambari River and reach Santa Rosa. In Santa Rosa, a van will take us to Puerto Maldonado or Cusco, depending on the desires of the group.

* The guide in charge of the PAX can vary the sequence of the program due to weather issues or any occasional affair including the preference and specific interest of each group. Be completely sure we want you to see all of the attractions but we don’t want to leave aside your security and health.

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