4D3N Manu Amazon Rain Forest Tour from Cusco

Day 1: Cusco to Manu Lodge

• Early departure from Cusco in the morning. The beginning of the Manu Road passes through numerous dry inner-mountain valleys and picturesque villages. This gives you a quick overview of locals’ lifestyles and colorful clothes. A brief stop at Ninamarca will give you the possibility to explore the pre-Incas tombs within this well-known archaeological site. The road includes various stops, so you can enjoy seeing the surrounding landscapes varying from high-mountains to humid forests. Next stop will be the village of Paucartambo which features beautiful arched colonial bridge. From Paucartambo the altitude will keep on increasing and the setting gradually gets enveloped by a cloudy mist. The road leads you to Acjanaco pass, the main gateway to Manu National Park. Once across Acjanaco Pass (3550 m / 11.647 ft) the environment dramatically changes from dry to wet valleys. Do not miss the splendid view when looking down toward the lowlands! The lush and misty cloud forest surrounded by massive rocks and waterfalls is perhaps the most fragile and threatened type of rainforest. In such environment filled with lichens and moss-carpeted soil, spotting birds will be the main target. You will get the chance to stare at a large variety of birds ranging from the Peruvian national bird, the brightly red Andean Cock-of-the-Rock displays to tanagers, toucans or quetzals. The path will head down to the lodge (560 m./1837 ft). Overnight in the lodge.

• You will head back to the lodge where a delightful breakfast awaits you full of fresh tropical fruits. From then, you will be guided through the garden and will learn about the different medicinal and traditional plants such as coca leaf, cacao, bamboo water, annatto, etc. As this time of the day, put on your swimsuits and enjoy a dip in the Guadalupe river. This crystalline and unpolluted current flows downstream from the core of the park. In the afternoon, depending on the group’s wishes, there is a possibility of discovering a fascinating canyon and its caves which house some rare species of bats, spiders and scorpions. Ultimately, a walk within the bamboo forest will enable you to spot some monkeys. The day is ending with the observation of caimans resting along the river’s shores.

• Enjoy waking up to a delicious breakfast with the singing of Amazonian birds. You will be transferred to the Atalaya port where you can appreciate the view of myriads of colorful birds and a rich wildlife along tropical plantations of papayas, bananas, chocolate and Coca Leaves. At Atalaya river’s deck, embark in a motor boat and navigate down this crystalline river of Madre de Dios. After an hour, you will reach Machuhuassy Oxbow lake, consisting in wetlands of lush vegetation hosting a large variety of birds (hoatzins, horned screamer, hawk, herons) and animals (monkeys and capybaras). This place is only reachable by boat followed by a 2-kms walk. While you are having the tour, our local cook will prepare a traditional lunch that you will enjoy when returning on the Madre de Dios river. In the mid-afternoon, you will ramble through the primary forest searching for some families of monkeys, peccaries as well as giant kapok trees. In the meantime, you will be provided with some explanations about medicinal plants, reptiles as well as mammals. We will visit the Small Macaw Clay lick along the river bank while returning to the lodge and optional you will enter a Wild-Animals Rescue Centre run by a local family in Manu. Dinner and Overnight at lodge.

• A morning walk along the palm forest to look for the blue and yellow Macaws and then enjoy a tasty breakfast and get ready to pack as you will soon hit the road again back to Cusco. The way back will give more opportunities to glimpse some more animals and discover the wildlife of the cloud forest and having impressing views of the exuberant cloud forest with waterfall, cascades. The arrival in Cusco should be around 5pm.

• Original passport
• Trekking shoes
• Clothing suitable for very hot or thermal climates
• Rain poncho
• Hat, Sunglasses, Sun protection
• Bag of water, snacks and garbage

Cancellations allowed with 48 hours notice and a $10 usd per person cancellation fee