Manu- Rainforest Tour,  6 days

Manu National Park, situated 170 km northeast of Cusco has some of the richest biodiversity and ecology in its territory. This park of 2 million hectares, ranges from altitudes between 300 and 3800m above sea level, and encompasses the high Andes, cloud forests and lowland tropical rainforests. Since it is a protected park it offers an enormous variety of flora and fauna including the mighty jaguar, puma, black caiman, giant river otter, spectacled bear, tapir, armadillo, deer, peccaries  and 10 species of monkeys. Included in  the approximately one thousand species of birds  are the national bird "cock of the rock", quetzal, harpy eagle, toucan, macaw. The nature is splendid and enormous varied,  including the grasslands of the High Andes, the ferns, bromeliads and orchids of the cloud forest and the broad slow flowing rivers, with their white beaches in contrast with  green forests. The cochas (oxbow lakes) are wonderful places to absorb the tranquility and beauty of the Amazon region.

General information
This is an adventure tour which includes some inherent risks. On the first day we cross the Andes range. This involves curvy dirt roads, generally in bad condition, high altitudes (please take warm clothes) and sometimes after rain fall, landslides. Arriving at the lowlands,  it can be very hot and humid and heavy rainfall is possible year round. At night, we stay in tents, thus we have to cope with a lot of biting flies and other creatures, although we have mosquito nets and a dining tent. Luckily, in Manu the occurrence of malaria, yellow fever and other disease is very low.
Please note, this tour doesn't enter the Reserved area but instead we visit other unspoiled, less visited parts of this unique National Park.

Program

Day 01: We leave Cusco early in the morning  and visit the interesting tombs of Ninamarca, commonly known as "Chullpas". We continue to Paucartambo, a picturesque Spanish colonial town, and then to the Acjanacu pass, which marks the beginning of the Cultural Zone of Manu Biosphere Reserve. From here we descend  through dwarf forests to the splendid cloud forest surrounding the settlement of San Pedro. Amid ferns, bromeliads, mosses, lichens and other abundant green vegetation we hope to spot Peru's national bird, the beautifully colored  "cock of the rock".  We camp near the village.

Day 02 :   After breakfast we continue driving downhill on the narrow road, between waterfalls and canyons, toward the town of Atalaya. Here we board our covered, motorized canoe and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River, where we camp near the river at Aguas Calientes (hot springs).

Day 03 : ;   In the morning at a nearby clay lick we  hope to spot groups of macaw and parrots. After breakfast we board our canoe for the four-hour trip down the Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu, a small village where you can buy your last fresh supplies and cold drinks before setting off again in the canoe. En route we  stop at a Collpa (lick) where tapirs frequently are sighted and continue to the  Blanquillo Ecological Reserve were we  camp. At night we visit an oxbow lake for a chance to spot black caimans.

Day 04 : .  In the early morning we  visit the world famous macaw clay lick. From a stable and silent camouflaged catamaran at a distance of  20 meters we can observe numerous macaws and parrots. These birds are pecking at the cliffs for minerals that help them eliminate the toxic gases produced by the poisonous seeds they eat. In the afternoon we visit  by canoe and on foot, Cocha Blanco  and hope to see the giant river otter and various species of monkeys. You will have the opportunity to visit the largest observation tower (40m high) of Manu to spot birds and have a splendid view over the canopy level of the forest.

Day 05 : We leave early for our  river journey upstream on the Rio Madre de Dios. For those who prefer to fly to Cusco we stop at the Bocu Manu airstrip. At lunch we stop at a native community. If we are lucky we can see capybaras along the riverbanks. Depending on the weather conditions, the towering snow capped peaks of Ausangate are visible. In the afternoon we arrive at Shintuya were we board the bus to Pillcopata. Here we overnight in a lodge.

Day 06 : Today we return to Cusco by bus, on the same road we came in on, where we will arrive in the late afternoon. End of  Tour.

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