- Manu - Classic Cultural Zone 5D/4N -
Pick-up location: Your accommodation (available for hotels located in Cusco).
Pick-up time: 04:00 approx.
Contact: Marcelo Barreto +51 926284292 or José Carlos +51 98336584
Description:
Day 1: Cusco - Amazon Pona Lodge
We will leave Cusco early in the morning in one of our private transportations. We will cross interesting valleys between the Andes mountains and picturesque rural communities.
We will visit the pre-Inca funerary tombs of the Lupaca kingdom and then stop in Paucartambo to have breakfast. We will continue our descent through the cloud forest, an area rich in endemic species, such as the spectacled bear and the cock-of-the-rock, a Peruvian national bird that performs a unique courtship ritual.
We will stop at the cloud forest for lunch and continue our trip until we reach our lodge to spend the night.
Day 2: Amazon Pona Lodge - Papaya Lodge
After breakfast at the lodge, we continue our trip by private car to the river port of Atalaya. From there, we will continue by motorized boat across the Madre de Dios River to the natural hot springs of Atalaya. Then, we will continue our trip to our next lodge. The trip will take between 4 to 5 hours by boat. Along the way, we will see many species of birds such as herons, macaws, and toucans, and animals such as the Capybara, (the largest rodent in the world), capuchin monkeys squirrel monkeys, and herons among others.
Once at Papaya Lodge, we will have free time to rest and then walk around the lodge searching for insects, birds, mammals, and monkeys.
Finally, we will return to the lodge for dinner and spend the night.
Day 3: Papaya Lodge & Mammal Clay lick
After breakfast, we will begin a walk towards a beautiful primary forest with our daily backpack carrying mineral water, snacks, lunch, and our equipment (camera, binoculars, telescope, and machete), in search of birds such as macaws, toucans, woodpeckers, eagles, hummingbirds, tanagers, among others. Additionally, during our walk, we will observe up to 8 species of monkeys (capuchin monkey, squirrel monkey, howler monkey, stump monkey, etc.), tree frogs, snakes, and a great variety of medicinal plants and giant trees.
Our guide will explain everything about the functions of wild flora and fauna and their importance to local communities.
In the afternoon, we will take a walk looking for more monkeys until we reach a camouflaged house to spend the night and enjoy the activity in the mammal clay lick. Here, you can see tapirs, deer, porcupines, and nocturnal rodents, eating mineral salt.
Day 4: Papaya Lodge - Soga de Oro Lodge
In the morning we return to the hostel for breakfast. Then, we will navigate the same Madre de Dios river to “Soga de Oro Lodge” for our lunch.
In the afternoon, we will visit Lake Machuwasi. Here we will look for more animals such as the capybaras, monkeys, and birds that live in Amazonian lakes such as the hoatzin (shansho), screaming unicorn (camungo), and toucan waterfish, among others.
We will wait in the lake until it gets dark to see more alligators, snakes, and frogs.
Finally, we will return to the lodge for dinner and spend the night.
Day 5: Soga de Oro Lodge - Cusco
Today, we will leave the lodge towards a beautiful clay lick for parrots and macaws. After enjoying this scenery we return to the lodge for breakfast and then return to the river port of Atalaya where our driver will be waiting for us to return to Cusco.
What is included?
- All transportation as described in the itinerary.
- Accommodation at lodges.
- Local bilingual certified guide.
- All entrance tickets.
- 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 diners.
- Snacks.
- Equipment (sleeping bags, boots, ponchos, walking pools, etc).
What is not included?
- Insurance.
- Tips.
- Breakfast (Day 1)
- Diner (Day 4)
We suggest you pack:
- Sunscreen.
- Long sleeve shirts.
- Pants.
- Sunglasses.
- Hat.
- Camera.
- Binoculars.
- Flashlight.
- Extra bateries.
- Mosquito repellent.
- Toilet paper.
- Dark or camouflage clothes.
- Water bottle.
- Cash.
