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The Manu Biosphere Reserve was established in 1973 upon request of UNESCO, with the aim of
preserving its natural and cultural patrimony for the benefit of present and future generations.
It is divided into 3 Zones. The Core Zone covers 81.5% of the territory, which is strictly preserved
in its natural state. Nobody is allowed to enter the Core Zone. The Experimental or Buffer Zone
covers 13.5% and is set-aside for controlled research and limited tourism. In the Cultural Zone
(only 5% of the area), one finds the human settlements such as Boca Manu. Unknown to most tourists,
it is an ideal place for the observation of Amazonian wildlife, as animals are very abundant and
have no fear of humans. The park hosts more than 15,000 species of flowering plants, 1,000 species
of birds, and more than 200 species of mammals. The most famous being the giant otter, which,
after having been close to the extinction, now lives in the lakes of the park. The park is
accessible from Cusco by flying into Boca Manu, or by following the Sven Sorenson road
over the Andes, through traditional communities of Quechua indians, with views of glaciers
and the magnificent eastern ranges of the Andes. The entrance of the park is situated at
the Ajanacu pass at 3500 meters above sea level. From here you plunge down into the orchid
laden Cloudforest. Late in the afternoon, you reach the end of the road at the Alto Madre de Dios
River, from where the journey continues by canoe towards the confluence with the Manu River.
The Itinerary
The starting point of this 6 day trip is the town of Cusco. We advise you to undertake this journey after enjoying this enigmatic town, or after a trek to Machu Picchu (see pages on the Classic Inka Trail, The New Inka Trail and Horse supported Inka Trail).
This is a camping journey into the Manu Biosphere Reserve. For those preferring the comfort of a lodge, we recommend: Manu Wildlife Center and Manu Paradise Cloudforest Lodge or Ocock of the Rock Lodge
DAY ONE:
It is necessary to leave Cusco early in order to reach the cloud forest - traveling through Andean landscapes of great beauty, with deep valleys, highlands, rural communities and picturesque colonial towns such as Paucartambo, which has been the gateway to the Manu forests since pre-Hispanic times. Acjanaco pass ( 3,850 m.a.s.l) marks the official entrance to Manu National Park. From here the road descends to the cloud forest, passing the important ecosystem comprised of Andean grassland, where vegetation is sparse, before reaching the cloud forest in the afternoon. This is a very rich area in terms of flora and fauna, the habitat of the Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicula peruviana), Quetzal, Blue-crowned motmot, Toucans, Spectacled Bear (South America's only bear), White-tailed deer, butterflies, ferns and orchids. We will spend the first night in our cloud forest Paradise Lodge.
DAY TWO:
After a fortifying breakfast in our lodge we will prepare for our bus trip through the indigenous communities of Patria and Pilcopata to the port at Atalaya. By mid-morning we will board our motorized canoe and head downstream toward Boca Manu, where we will join those passengers arriving by light plane from Cusco. During the journey we may see a variety of birds in the trees as well as alligators and Brazilian tapirs at the riverside. At nightfall we will camp on a sandy beach next to the Manu river, at the entrance to the Reserved Area. This is an opportunity for a night walk, where if we are lucky we will see nocturnal birds such as the Sand-colored Nighthawk and hear the spectacular cries of the Night monkey (Musmuqui), the world's only nocturnal primate, the Amazon bamboo rat, numerous species of toads, insects and many other inhabitants of the forest which only emerge at night.
DAY THREE:
Today we will continue our journey along the Manu River as far as our CAIMAN CAMP, inside the Reserved Area, passing Limonal, the Park Ranger Station, where we will register before entering the Reserved Area. In the course of the trip we will see birds, toucans, macaws, parrots and some mammals such as capybara, tapirs, peccaries and many varieties of turtles, caiman and, if we are lucky, an impressive, lone jaguar. We will arrive at our camp in the mid-afternoon, near the Cocha Salvador oxbow-Lake, where we will spend two nights camping on comfortable platforms.
DAY FOUR:
Today we will make an early start for a long walk of some three or four hours, from the banks of Manu River to Cocha Otorongo lake, where we will climb a 15m high observation tower, from where birds such as the exuberantly feathered and primitive Shansho (Hoatzin) can be seen, as well as monkeys feeding on fruits and several species of flowers and brightly-colored butterflies. We will then return to our camp by canoe to enjoy a delicious lunch. The afternoon will be dedicated to exploring Cocha Salvador and the surrounding area aboard our catamaran, from which will be able to observe the megadiversity attracted by this oxbow lake, including Black Caiman, White Caiman, a family of Giant Otters and waterfowl. Return to the camp in the evening.
DAY FIVE:
Early in the morning we will take a short walk during which we will hear choirs of birds defining their territory in song. As the sun rises, the eastern sky changes to a pale yellow, and we will be able to see falcons or other predatory birds patiently searching for prey from the treetops. Later in the morning we will board our boat again and head downstream towards Boca Manu, where we will make a short stop. In the afternoon we will navigate along the Madre de Dios river to the Blanquillo Private Reserve. During the journey we will be see local indigenous communities engaged in their daily activities - fishing, boat building, etc. We will also visit Cocha Blanquillo before spending the night at theTambo Blanquillo Lodge in beds with mosquito nets.
DAY SIX:
Before breakfast, we will travel downriver for five minutes to a position some 90m (300ft) from the collpa, a rich deposit of natural minerals and clay in the riverbank. From here, on a floating platform camouflaged with palm leaves, we can observe several species of parrots arriving, followed by macaws in a colorful and impressive show. After this unforgettable spectacle and a good breakfast we will return by boat up the Madre de Dios to the Boca Manu airstrip for our 45 minute return flight to Cusco. Transfer from Cusco airport to hotel.
Beware, the 8 and 9 day trips include a return in bus.
General Information
The above itinerary should be considered as a sample itinerary. local condition may affect the order of the excursions.
Read our customers' feedback about this journey.
Rated: Moderate
Excess baggage charges on the plane (Maximum 10 k per person)
Fixed departures are available from April to December.
Private departures all year long upon request.
Departure dates
Every Friday for the 5 day tour, every Thursday for the 6 and 8 day tours, every Wednesday for the 7 day tour and for 9 day tours
We also have other fixed departures for Manu with different operators. Please enquire for dates and price.
| Duration | 5 days | 6 days | 7 days | 8 days | 9 days | ||||
| USD | $ 945 | $ 850 | $ 875 | $ 785 | $ 785 | ||||
| EUR | € 784 | € 705 | € 726 | € 651 | € 651 | ||||
| GBP | £ 529 | £ 476 | £ 490 | £ 439 | £ 439 | ||||
Included:
All meals and drinks, all transportation from Cusco to Cusco, National Park entrance fees,
top quality camping equipment except sleeping bag, sleeping pads in camp
Not included:
Sleeping bag. (Can be hired by pre-arrangement), airport tax (at present $4USD), bottled drinks except water, tip
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