The Complete Manu Biosphere Experience

Andes to Amazon

Leaving Cusco after an early breakfast, you join a rugged ‘all terrain’ bus for the journey to the Amazon. On the long ascent of the spectacular eastern ranges of the Andes, you pass many traditional Quechua communities, with views of snow-capped mountains and high plains dotted with small farmsteads, to reach the picturesque Andean village of Paucartambo. You have time to look around the village, with its colonial stone bridge and handsome plaza. The road then ascends to its last mountain pass, with the Amazon beyond. You begin the breath-taking descent into the Manu Biosphere Reserve from 3560m to 1600m, from rugged mountain scenery to orchid-laden cloud forest. It’s a spectacular journey through changing eco-zones, past cascading waterfalls, with stops along the way. In the late afternoon, you walk into the lodge to the sounds of quetzals, trogons and Gray-breasted Wood-wren. Overnight at either Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge or the nearby Paradise Lodge in the reserve.

Romero Rainforest Lodge

A spot of pre-breakfast birding at a nearby Andean Cock-of-the-Rock lek in the cloud forest. It’s a wonderful sight, with up to 25 very smart males, bright red on dapper grey and black, dancing and singing, attempting to attract the favours of the very dull females. After breakfast at the lodge the road continues its descent, passing through the small town of Pillcopata in the ‘cultural zone’ of the Manu Biosphere Reserve (opportunity to buy rubber boots, Manu Learning Centre is near here), then over the last of the Andean foothills and eventually into lowland rainforest. A while further and we arrive at a small dock on the Alto Madre de Dios river where a sturdy river launch waits. Navigating downstream you pass riverbank communities and the settlement of Diamante, the largest in the area and predominantly from the Piro community, to reach the confluence of the Madre de Dios with the Manu River, and the start of Manu National Park itself. The boatman turns up the Manu River, leaving the relatively clear water of the Madre de Dios, as we enter its clay-laden waters. We present our permit at the park ranger station at Limonal, and may visit an overgrown oxbow lake where groups of parrots and macaws come to roost in the late afternoon. It is another hour by river to Romero Rainforest Lodge, a workmanlike structure of wooden rooms and walkways in the forest close to the river bank. You are now deep inside the Manu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose protected areas cover nearly 6,600 square miles. Overnight at the lodge.

Cocha Salvador

You head upriver to Cocha Salvador–a lake that is as deep into the park as is allowed. Beaches, especially in the dry season, are loaded with nesting birds and feeding herons, egrets, Orinoco Geese, terns and skimmers. Some will host sunning White and Black Caimans and breeding Side-necked Turtles. Hundreds of Sand-coloured Nightjars roost during the day on logs and beaches and there is a chance of encountering a sunning Jaguar–the world’s third largest cat. You will see several species of primate on this river trip, such as Colombian Red Howler Monkey and the Black-headed Squirrel Monkey. Once at Cocha Salvador some of the time will be spent on floating catamarans slowly manoeuvring to see the animal life of an ox-bow lake from the water. You may encounter Agami Heron or Sungrebe stalking the bank, and Shock-headed and Large-headed Capuchin monkey are usually feeding on fruiting trees nearby. Specially constructed piers that jut out into the lake enable you to look for a family of Giant Otters that live here. These, the largest freshwater mammalian carnivores, remain common only in Manu, having been hunted to extinction throughout most of their former range. Each animal consumes 4-5 kilos of fish daily and often they can be seen tearing lustily into large fish on logs by the lake’s edge. Overnight at Aguaje Tented Camp or Casa Machiguenka.

Cocha Otorongo

This morning you explore the rainforest on extensive trails, getting to know this near-pristine environment, stopping to see plants, insects, spiders, frogs, turtles, and a great many forest birds. At Cocha Otorongo lake there are observation piers into the lake, and a 20 meter tower in the forest canopy. The plant and tree life is astounding and you’ll take a look at some of the medicinal plants used by indigenous peoples in the area. There is a large family of Giant Otters in this lake too. In the afternoon you’ll boat back to Romero Rainforest Lodge, to a refreshing shower, snacks, iced drinks and dinner. Overnight at the lodge.

Manu Wildlife Centre, Tapir Lick

You explore forest trails from the lodge in the morning and then head down river to Manu Wildlife Centre. You should arrive at the lodge in time for lunch and a shower (with hot water). The afternoon is set aside to relax or to explore a trail through the untouched forest to a canopy platform and an observation tower. The canopy platform is accessible via a spiral staircase so everyone can enjoy the rainforest canopy. You can choose to go on a night walk with your guide to a tapir lick. Tapirs, the largest South American land mammal, are frequent visitors to the lick with up to 12 animals appearing in one night. You wait and watch from the comfort of a special blind with mosquito nets and mattresses. You stay at Manu Wildlife Centre for the next 4 nights. The activities for each day are chosen to suit the conditions and guests’ preferences, with a leisurely lunch at the lodge and time to swing in hammocks or watch hummingbirds coming to the butterfly bushes and feeders in the garden.

Macaw Clay Lick

An early start to visit the Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick. This is truly one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles as hundreds of parrots, parakeets and macaws congregate to eat the mineral rich clay that is essential to their digestion of forest fruits. A comfortable spacious blind opposite the shallow clay cliffs gets you close to the birds and breakfast will be served. The noise is incredible and the sight of so many brightly coloured birds at the lick is not to be forgotten. Activity at the lick slows down by mid-morning and you head back to the lodge for lunch and a siesta. En route you should watch for Gray’s Bald-faced Saki, a rarely-seen monkey of the terra firme forest that is occasionally sighted here.

An early morning start for the journey to Puerto Maldonado. Motoring along the river to Boca Colorado, flocks of birds fly over the boat and you look out for Capybara, the world’s largest rodent, along the river banks. From Boca Colorado, a frontier gold rush town, you take local transport for an hour to the Inambari river, and then by road to Puerto Maldonado in time to catch an afternoon flight to Cusco, with onward connections to Lima a possibility. The expeditionary nature of this trip means its itinerary and timings are flexible and may change