Manu National Park

You will begin the adventure early in the morning, departing from Cusco and heading towards “Pilcopata” in a private shuttle. The first stop will be in “Ninamarca,” where you can observe “Las Chullpas” (tombs) of the pre-Incan civilization, the Lupac tribes. You will then head to “Paucartambo,”a typical colonial village with narrow streets and a beautiful colonial church, where the local people still maintain the customs of their ancestors. Next there will be an ascend to the highest point of the journey “Acjanaco” (3,550 m). This is the entrance to Manu National Park and the “Tres Cruces de Oro” viewpoint, famous for having one of the most spectacular sunset views on the planet. From there, you will begin your descent into Manu National Park. Passing through the area known as the “cloud forest” where you will encounter the national bird of Peru, the Andean cock-of-the-rock, as well as wide variety of other exotic birds, monkeys, and flora. In the afternoon you will arrive to the village of Pilcopata (700 m). Here is where you will get a good night’s sleep following dinner at the lodge.

After breakfast, you will continue the trip with a 90-minute shuttle ride to Port Atalaya (500 m), where you will board a boat and head toward Rio Madre del Dios. Along this leg of the journey, you will encounter more captivating wildlife including turtles, lizards, alligators, snakes and birds of an infinite array of colors. Your guide will provide detailed explanations throughout the journey. In the afternoon you will arrive to the lodge, Albergue Rainforest. After a period of rest, lunch will be provided before an excursion to explore the jungle. You will be exposed to a range of animals and plants such as, tarantulas, Tapir, ants, butterflies, monkeys, towering trees, and so much more. After exploring, you will return to the lodge for dinner and our second night. There is also an optional night hike for the brave!

After breakfast, preparations will be made before delving even deeper into the heart of the jungle. You will not only enjoy discovering flora and fauna of exotic shape and color, we’ll also have the opportunity to see various species of medicinal plants, used for centuries by the native communities of the region to cure a variety of ailments. After this tour you will return to the lodge for lunch and some free time to take a dip in the river or simply relax in the lodge’s hammocks. In the afternoon there will be a trip to Lake Machwasi, where the use of wooden rafts to paddle around the lake will take place. This is the perfect way to, once again, take advantage of the diversity of the wildlife the forest offers. We’ll see animals and birds such as the prehistoric hoatzin, caimans, capybaras, and monkeys. You may even be lucky enough to spot the elusive Jaguar the waters edge. After this adventure, you will return to the lodge for dinner and the night. Again, there is also an opportunity to take part in the night hike.

On the final day of the trip, you will start the day off early to board a motorboat set for downstream towards the “Collpa de Loros”. You will observe several types of parrots who call this area home. Here parakeets and macaws (among others) gather every morning to feed on clay. After this activity, you will return in the boat to the lodge for breakfast and to pack up. Finally, you will travel upstream to Port Atalaya, where your shuttle will be waiting for the return to Cusco. Arrival to Cusco is approximately between 7:00pm and 7:30 p.m. IMPORTANT!! All passengers must receive a yellow fever vaccination prior to departure and bring anti-malaria pills.