9 days/8 nights - With fixed departures
Cloud Forest, Lakes Salvador & Otorongo, Macaw Lick and Pantiacolla Mountains - in and out by bus

DAY 1: Cusco-Cloud Forest
Leaving Cusco early in the morning, we begin an 8-hour journey over the Andes by bus,  stopping for a coffee at the beautiful colonial village of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to the highpoint of the Manu Biosphere at about 3,530 m before descending to the cloud forest. In these mysterious surroundings we take a hike to the lek of the incredible cock-of-the-rock, to see the ‘performance’ of the males right under our eyes. We spend our first night in the rustic lodge Posada San Pedro (appr. 1,600 m).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cock-of-the-Rock, Photo: Walter Mancilla

DAY 2: Cloud Forest-Atalaya-Manu River
At daybreak we continue by bus to tropical lowland rainforest. Here at the small village Atalaya at 650 m, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate some 5 hours down the turbulant Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu. As night falls we stay in a basic lodge, or camp next to that lodge, depending on availability.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jaguar with a Baby, Photo: Walter Mancilla

DAY 3 & 4: Lake Salvador and Lake Otorongo
On the morning of the third day we turn up the Manu River for a 6 hour ride into the heart of Manu’s Reserved Zone. From this vantage point we will have great views of riverside birds, sunbathing caiman, and the enormous aquatic guinea pig, the capybara. We reach our camping huts deep inside Manu in the afternoon. This will be our base for the next two days. During this time, we will hike through virgin forest and explore one of the most beautiful lakes of the Manu basin, Lake Salvador, by catamaran. There is a chance to see a huge variety of colourful birds, numerous species of monkey and with luck, a family of giant otters. There is another hike in this habitat-rich forest, that will end in Lake Otorongo and a 20 metre-high observation platform overlooking the lake.  At night we can explore the forest by torchlight or go moonlight caiman-spotting on the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Howler Monkey, Photo: Walter Mancilla

DAY 5: Lake Salvador - Macaw Lick
Joining the Madre de Dios River we arrive at Blanquillo, near the claylick for macaws, where we spend the night in the jungle lodge Tambo Blanquillo.

DAY 6: Macaw Lick
At first light we head to the macaw lick to watch the dazzling spectacle of hundreds of parakeets, parrots and macaws eating clay. In the afternoon we visit another one of Manu´s beautiful oxbow lakes, Cocha Blanco.  Going back up the river we stay in a basic lodge, or camp next to that basic lodge, depending on availability.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Machiguengas Traveling, Photo: Walter Mancilla

DAY 7: Boca Manu - Pantiacolla Lodge
We carry on up the Alto Madre de Dios River for about 5 hours. Here we get great views of the Andes. For the next two nights we stay at the Pantiacolla lodge, right at the foot of the Pantiacolla Mountains.

DAY 8: Pantiacolla Mountains
This day we hike through a very special rainforest: this is where the Andes and the lowland tropical rainforest meet, providing the visitor with a chance to see a good selection of birds, insects and flora from both zones as well as some endemics.

DAY 9: Atalaya-Cloud forest- Cusco
Back on the boat early in the morning, we head upstream to Atalaya where our bus is waiting to take us back over the Andes to Cusco.

Included:
Naturalist guide in English and Spanish
Transportation Cusco/Atalaya by private bus (5 & 7 day tour) and back Atalaya/Cusco (9 day tour) 
Transportation by private boat: Atalaya/Lake Salvador/Boca Manu Pantiacolla Lodge/Atalaya
Overnights in lodges and camping huts
Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Paper work for entrance

Not included:
Entrance fee reserved zone ($50 per person)
Sleeping bag (can be rented in Cusco at $2 per day)
Soft drinks and beers

The fixed departure dates for individual travellers for 2009 are as follows:

APRIL		19-26
MAY		3- 10-17-24-31
JUNE		7-14-21-28
JULY		5-12-19-22-26
AUGUST		2-9-16-23-30
SEPTEMBER		6-13-20-27
OCTOBER		4-11-18-25