Highlight:

Manu Wildlife Center, Red-and-Green-Macaws, Rainforest Canopy, Tapir clay lick, Blanco Oxbow Lake, Caimans, Giant Otters

 

Begin from: Cusco

End in: Cusco

Duration: 04 Days/ 03 Nights

Physical Rating: Easy

Accommodation: Manu Wildlife Center

 

Enjoy Manu Wildlife Center

Manu Wildlife Center is located in a private, 40,000-acre rain forest reserve adjacent to the 1 million acre protected area named the “Amarakaeri Reserved Zone”. The Center is the only lodge in the Manu lowlands with roomy, private bungalows, each of which has en suite private bathrooms completes with tiled, hot water showers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 01 - Early morning our representative will pick you up from your hotel to transfer to Cusco airport. A thirty-five minute flight in a radar-equipped twin engine plane takes you to Boca Manu. Here you take a motorized canoe for the 90 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios River to Manu Wildlife Center to arrive for lunch. The afternoon will be spent exploring some of the 30 miles of clean forest trails that surround the lodge. On these trails you have an excellent chance to encounter some of the 12 species of monkeys, which include the Monk Saki and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest. After dinner you will have a short night excursion to explore nocturnal life in the rainforest.

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 02 - Rising before dawn; we take a 25 minute boat journey downstream to the only large parrot and macaw clay lick in the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind we are afforded excellent views and photo opportunities of hundreds of medium-sized and large parrots arriving first at the lick, followed by the large Red-and-Green Macaws arriving to eat the clay.

 

Please note that:

• The clay lick activity reaches its best from August to October and decreases during the months of May and June.
• During the dry season (June-September) the water level on the river does not always allow for a floating blind and it will then be sitting on the ground.
• After lunch at the Center we continue to explore the forest trails surrounding the lodge, and plan to spend the late afternoon up a 34 meter canopy platform. Here, we watch the last frantic activity in the rainforest canopy, or rush hour, before night settles.

We can return for dinner back at the Center, or pack our meal for the leisurely hike about 60-75 minutes through the night forest to the Amazon’s largest known Tapir clay lick. Here we climb a 17 by 17 foot observation platform perched almost 20 feet above the lick itself where we wait for the lumbering Tapirs to arrive. Then, using powerful flashlights we hope to observe and photograph them in action. Our scientific reports reveal that tapirs usually visit the clay lick between 9:00 pm and midnight; however, their activity continues until dawn.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 03 - After another early morning departure by boat and short hike from the river, you have what promises to be an exciting visit to Blanco Oxbow Lake. This lake has populations of a variety of aquatic life and water birds, including the prehistoric-looking hoatzin and the possibility to see the resident family of giant otters.

 

After returning for lunch at the Center your guide is available to further explore the forest trails for more wildlife encounters. Alternatively, time is available to independently practice your abilities and experience this expanse of rainforest habitats on your own. This evening, from the late afternoon until after Dinner, we offer an opportunity to search for caiman and other nocturnal life along the riverbank by boat.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 

Day 04 - After early breakfast, we leave near dawn by motor canoe for the two hour return trip to the Manu landing strip, taking advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river. From here you fly to Cusco, where your jungle adventure ends. Arrival at Cusco Airport, reception and transfer to your hotel

Meals included: Breakfast.

Prices per person:

• US$ 1350 (based double accommodation)

Departures from Cusco: Monday, Wednesday and Friday

 

Rates: Minimum 2 passengers

Optional Services:

• Single accommodation: add US$ 225

Note: Tour program operates from May through October.

Reduced rates available for bookings of 5 or more people

What we include:

• Round trip transfers to and from the Cusco Airport
• Round trip airfare from Cusco to Boca Manu
• Round trip canoe transportation to the lodge
• Private bungalows with private bathrooms
• All meals and snacks
• Purified drinking water and juices
• Bilingual naturalist guide
• Visits to macaw and tapir clay licks, oxbow lake, canopy platforms and trail hikes

Not included in the fee:

International airfares, domestic flights, airport departure (US$30 per person for international flights and US$6.5 for national flights, Boca Manu US$ 18) taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature, personal equipment, obligatory personal insurance and meals which are not mentioned.