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ITINERARY
Day 01. 6:00 am.
Departure on our comfortable Trans Manu bus, equipped with reclining seats and
HF radio (*). Our destination today is Manu Lodge 1,300 Ha. Private Reserve in
the cloud forest near the southeastern boundary of Manu Park, nested between the
grasslands and the lowlands of the Upper Madre de Dios River. We travel
southeast through small Andean villages while we observe cameloid shepherds and
native peasants in their colorful attires. We travel at leisure making several
stops along the way, including many photo opportunities, a group of pre-Inca
"Chullpas" or funerary monuments, and the colorful colonial town of
Paucartambo. As we reach the Acjanaco pass, near the southern-most tip of the
Manu Park, a delicious lunch is the perfect complement to the magnificent views
of the elfin forest, cloud forest, and the lowland Amazon Basin below.
Llama Taxis: As we reach the southern-most
point of Manu National Park, in the grasslands, you will have the chance to ride
a Llama Taxi. Led by local peasants and pulled by a couple of these intelligent
cameloids you will have a chance to get off the bus, and ride from the Andean
grasslands to the elfin forests as you watch the Amazon basin in the far
horizon, 11,000 ft. below. This is an opportunity to learn about the Andean
culture, their way of life and the use of cameloids to participate in
ecotourism, while preserving these wild ecosystems. The Llama Taxi initiative
has been funded and started by Manu Nature Tours in an effort to include local
Andean peasants in the benefits of ecotourism. Two, llama-assisted treks are now
being planned to descend from the Andes into the rainforest.
You may ride a Llama Taxi for segments of
30´minutes. If you want to bird watch, these vehicles are ideal. At a 5 km/hour
speed, they are slow, silent, and patient.
Mountain Biking: For those with the energy
and a sense of adventure we will offer the choice to use a sturdy mountain bike
to descend effortlessly on the most scenic and beautiful part of the single-lane
dirt road into the heart of the cloud forests. For your security, and since this
is not a competition but a chance to enjoy nature, you will have to ride behind
our transport. We provide bike helmets. You should bring a well-padded pair of
mountain bike gloves.
We reach our Manu Cloud Forest Lodge to have a
relaxing evening by the lodge's veranda. The sound of the Union Creek by the
lodge and a visit to the lodge sauna will put us into a pleasant sleep.
Day 02. After breakfast,
we head towards Atalaya, the first navigable port on the Upper Madre de Dios
River. The ride will take us through small villages of Andean colonists and
indigenous people whose main economic activities are rudimentary farming and
low-scale logging. Once at Atalaya we board our motorized dugout canoes,
equipped with individual cushioned seats, and long tarps to provide shelter from
the baking sun, or the sudden tropical downpour. River journeys are long in Manu
and visitors have rated our boats as the most comfortable in the entire region.
We will boat down the fast-flowing, braided, clear water, upper Madre de Dios
River for about three hours to the confluence with the meandering, Manu River.
As soon as we enter the great Manu wilderness, every river bend will bring us a
vista of unspoiled beauty. We may see Black Caiman, White Caiman, toucans,
parrots, scores of wild macaws, several species of raptors, and maybe even a
magnificent Jaguar. The best proof of the presence of Jaguars and the
possibility of many of our tour groups to see these great cats, are the many
wonderful amateur photographs that our customers have sent back to our company.
After about four hours, we arrive at the Juarez
Lake sandbar, then we hike 600 meters along a flat trail to the Juarez oxbow
lake, where guides paddle us in a catamaran to the secluded Manu Lodge, the only
full Lodge in the entire protected wilderness of Manu. If during the dry season
the catamaran cannot be used due to the low water level in the lake, we will
walk a one kilometer trail (about twenty minutes) only taking our hand-bags with
us while the main luggage is carried by the Lodge personnel. Overnight: Manu
Lodge.
Day 03. We rise to the loud call of Howler
Monkeys,
and to the option of a dawn paddle on the lake. During breakfast from the dining
room, you may be able to see entire troops of Squirrel Monkeys, Brown Capuchins,
and White-Fronted Capuchins that may be visiting the lodge clearing in search of
palm fruits. Without any doubt, one of the highlights of Manu Lodge is the
family of four Giant Otters who usually breed there. Manu Lodge visitors have
been able to see these playful and gregarious carnivores from a 15-meter
distance without causing any disturbance of their daily activities. This group
of Giant Otters visits the Manu Lodge every now and then, and when at Juarez,
they can be seen at different times of the day. Surprisingly, a few dead logs in
front of our dining room are their favorite spot to eat fish, preen, and play.
Manu Lodge offers the largest and most complete
trail system available in Manu (over 20 km of marked trails), and the result of
standardized trail walks completed by groups of researchers over the course of
several years, show that "it is actually those sections closest to the
lodge and most heavily visited, which were the most productive in terms of
mammal sighting. This suggests that the presence of tourists and researchers is
not having a disturbing effect on the local mammal population." (1995,
Durham University Expedition Report.)
Two miradors are located within a close distance
from the Manu Lodge; when clear they allow visitors with a vista of the canopy
that stretches to the snow-capped peaks near Cusco. A dawn visit to the miradors
is the most rewarding and while we look at the seemingly endless horizon,
several primate and bird species may reward our patience. Mirador visitors
regularly see: White-throated Jacamar, Paradise Tanagers, Opal-rumped Tanager,
and Swallow Tanager. Eye-level sights of Red and Green Macaws, Scarlet Macaws,
and Blue and Yellow Macaws as they fly by the mirador, and turn their heads to
look at us is an unforgettable memory. On some occasions visitors have been
rewarded with sights of Ornate-Hawk Eagle, and the monkey-eating Harpy Eagle. At
over a meter-high, its yellow legs and talons seem larger than human arms and
hands.
Optional: Canopy climbing. During your
stay in Manu Lodge you have the chance to explore the rainforest canopy at a
closer range. Our staff can take you for a spectacular and safe climb to a
platform located 76 feet above the ground. Overnight: Manu Lodge.
There are almost 500 bird species recorded in the
vicinity of Manu Lodge. Some of these species have traditional nests right next
to Manu Lodge. These "neighbor" species include: Black-tailed Tityra,
Yellow- rumped Cacique, Golden-bellied Euphonia, Palm Tanager, Silver-beaked
Tanager, and Masked-crimson Tanager. immediate vicinity of the Juarez lake
offers you easy and superb sightseeing of: Striated Heron, Wattled Jacana,
Yellow-billed Tern, the bizarre Hoatzin, White-winged Swallows, Black-capped
Donacobius, and Red-capped Cardinal. Other frequent visitors of the Manu Lodge
are: Great Egret, Green Ibis, Osprey, and Black-collared Hawk. All of them can
be easily seen from the lake banks or from our comfortable catamaran. Overnight:
Manu Lodge.
Macaw Roosting & Nesting Site: In the
afternoon we will visit old oxbow lake, within a 15-minute boat ride from Manu
Lodge presents large stands of Mauritia Palms, which make wonderful roosting and
nesting sites for dozens of Blue and Yellow Macaws and Red-bellied Macaws. An
elevated platform will provide visitors with "next to stage seats" to
watch these colorful birds, as they play, preen and display while their bright
plumage reflect the golden light of the setting tropical sun.
Day 04. At 06:00 o’clock we start our river
journey
back to the confluence of the Manu and the Madre de Dios. This journey is our
last chance to spot a Capybara, the world's largest rodent, or a Tapir, a
relative of horses and the rainforest's largest mammal. After about three hours
we will reach Boca Manu for a brief stop and to refuel our boats. From Boca Manu
we will explore the lower portion of the Madre de Dios River where we may have a
chance to see the large Red-and-Green Macaws perched on the trees or making
short and long flights to the rain forest canopy. Although the lower Madre de
Dios River, in the vicinity of the Macaw Lick is not within the protected Manu
National Park, the riverine wildlife viewing is surprisingly diverse. On a
recent scientific survey on this area our biologist guides have spotted: Black
caiman, white caiman, capybara, river turtles, over 200 wood storks, roseate
spoonbills, horned-screamers, turkey vultures, snowy egrets, great egrets,
cattle egrets, several species of oropendolas, swallow-winged puffbirds,
white-banded swallows, white-winged swallows, black-collared hawk, large-billed
terns, yellow-billed terns, neo-tropical cormorants, scarlet macaws, blue and
yellow macaws, tui parakeets, shiny cowbird, great-black hawk, giant cowbird,
bat falcon, black cara-cara, cocoi herons, road-side hawks, Orinoco geese,
bare-necked fruit-crows, black skimmers, pied lapwings and tropical kingbirds.
We will also see several lowland native
settlements and gold miners digging and panning gold along the banks of the
Madre de Dios River. The river ride is perhaps the best option to spot the
diversity of wildlife that each bend of the river may offer to all visitors.
About seven hours later, we will stop in the far-west type gold-mining town of
Laberinto to start our overland journey to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival in
Laberinto you will have the chance to see a true frontier, gold-mining town
where everything, from food supplies to outboard motors is praised in “grams”
(grams of gold, that is!) From Laberinto a comfortable van will take you to the
jungle city of Puerto Maldonado in approximately one-hour along the
inter-oceanic highway that will link Brazil with the Pacific Ocean. Only 11
kilometers of the fifty of this road are now paved.
The city of Puerto Maldonado sits at the
confluence of the Tambopata and the Madre de Dios River and it is the capital of
the jungle department of Madre de Dios. Arrival in Puerto Maldonado and transfer
to a local hotel.
Day 05. fly back to Cusco
Today you will be transferred to the airport in Puerto Maldonado where a safe,
30-minute, jet-flight will take you back to Cusco. (Arriving between 12:30 and
13:00) After a brief stop the plane continues for another hour to Lima. If you
have a nighttime flight you may connect to your home the same day.
Optional Macaw Clay Lick one-day
extension: 6-7 hour trip to the Macaw Lick Camp at Blanquillo. It is
important to note that the activity at macaw licks, as well as other types of
licks is very seasona. Almost inactive during the rainy season. Macaw Licks are
totally inactive during the months of May-June. You should probably
attempt to see it only between the months of July through September.
Included: Ground, boat, and jet flight to
Cusco, naturalist English-speaking guide, all meals, accommodations at
Manu Lodge, Manu National Park entrance fees ($44) |
