Manu Biosphere Reserve
Manu Wildlife Center (Departs on Wednesdays with a minimum of 2 travelers in shared basis.)
Length: 6 Days/5 Nights from Lima or Cusco
Season: April – October
For travelers wanting to maximize their wildlife viewing opportunities in a short extension, few places in the Amazon Basin can compete with Manu National Park in southeastern Peru. Considered one of the most pristine and important rainforest reserves on the planet, Manu offers the greatest concentration of wildlife and birds within the Amazon Basin (not including Brazil’s Pantanal or Llanos of Venezuela outside of Amazonia).
Manu was created in 1973 and designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1977. There are an estimated 20,000 plant species, plus more than 1,000 species of birds and 13 species of monkeys, recorded within its boundaries. The region is home to endangered wildlife such as the Andean spectacled bear, giant river otter and black caiman, as well as several primitive Indian tribes. Manu is one of the best places in the Amazon to spot rarely observed species such as the ocelot, jaguar, tapir, and harpy eagle. The Manu Wildlife Center provides an ideal base to explore the region. The lodge is located about 7.5 hours up the Madre de Dios River from Puerto Maldonado.
Day-by-Day Itinerary:
DAY 01: CUSCO/PUERTO MALDONADO
Transfer from your hotel in Cusco to the airport for a scenic 50 min commercial flight across the Andes to the low elevation forests of Puerto Maldonado. Meet your Southwind representative on arrival and transfer to one of the most comfortable hotels in town, either the Wasai or Cabana Quinta Hotels. Some time at leisure to relax and prepare for the expedition to Manu. These hotels have a convenient location and nearby you find the Tambopata River Boulevard with initial scenic views of the Peruvian Amazon.
DAY 02: PUERTO MALDONADO/MANU WILDLIFE CENTER
Our journey to the lodge begins early this morning, first by van 2.5 hours to the village of Santa Rosa, we then cross the Inambari River by boat and continue by van to Boca Colorado where a 55 ft open motorized canoe is waiting. We load our gear and continue along the Madre de Dios River 3.5 hours to the lodge. As we navigate the river, each bend offers a vista of unspoiled beauty. Birds such as the toucan, tiger heron, jabiru stork, colorful macaws and parrots are often seen. With luck we may spot other wildlife, like the black or white caiman, tapir (South America’s largest terrestrial mammal weighing up to 660 pounds), wild pig, red deer, and river turtles who like to bask in the sun on a fallen tree trunk. We arrive to the Manu Wildlife Center in the early afternoon on time for lunch. After locating our rooms, we head out on a short introductory nature hike to explore some of the 30 miles of forest trails that surround the lodge. We have an excellent chance of encountering some of the 12 species of monkeys, including the Spider Monkey and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest. After dinner there will be an enchanting night walk along the trails, in search of the nocturnal birds and animals of the rainforest. (B,L,D)
DAY 03: MANU RESERVE
An early start and hearty breakfast get us ready for our first excursion. We walk through the forest for 20 minutes, where we find the Macaw Lick project. The hide provided with individual chairs and a convenient place for cameras and binoculars to a distance of 50 feet. In small groups the scarlet Macaws come flapping in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main stage below. Later on, the macaws, parrots and parakeets form a colorful and noisy spectacle on the bare banks, squabbling as they scrape clay from the hard surface (the clay lick is most active August-October, less so in May and June). After this wildlife experience, we continue walking and exploring on the network of trails surrounding the lodge then we return to Manu Wildlife Center for lunch. In the afternoon, we continue to explore and discover the lore and plant life of the nearby rainforest. In search for birds and mammals, we observe dozens of fascinating insects and multi-hued butterflies and learn about uses for native plants. Arriving in the late afternoon at our 135ft Canopy Tower. On its platform we witness the frantic rush-hour activity of twilight in the rainforest canopy, before night closes in. Later we set off along the “collpa trail”, which will take us to the lodge’s famous Tapir Clay lick. Here at the most active tapir lick known in all the Amazon, our research has identified from 8-12 individual tapirs who come to this lick to eat clay from under the tree roots around the edge. This unlikely snack absorbs and neutralizes toxins in the vegetarian diet of the Tapir, the largest land animal of Latin America. The lick features an elevated observation platform 17ft above the forest floor. The platform is equipped with mattresses and pillows covered by a mosquito net where we rest and wait for the elusive Tapir. This experience is unique and exciting because these normally very shy creatures are visible up close. (B,L,D)
DAY 04: MANU RESERVE
Today is flexible on the schedule, but also full of discoveries and activities. This morning, depending on weather and logistics, we could take a short boat ride downstream followed by a 20-minute trail, where we find the Blanquillo Macaw Lick. A spacious blind provided with chairs and a convenient place to observe the Collpa activity, perhaps not as close to the birds as the one near the lodge, but equally exciting. Red-and-Green Macaws arrive in small groups, landing in the treetops, also Blue-headed, Mealy, Yellow-crowned, and Orange-cheeked Parrots and the occasional villain, a menacing and unwelcome Great Black Hawk. We may board instead our motor-canoe to visit Cocha Nueva or a similar pristine oxbow lake. Each of these forest lakes seem to have their own personality as we circle the enchanted waters by catamaran, we might encounter the resident Giant Otter family on a fishing expedition, one of the Amazon’s rarest mammals, which can reach 6 feet in length and weigh up to 70 pounds, or troops of monkeys including red howler and capuchin crashing noisily through the trees. Wattled Jacanas step lightly on the lily pads, dainty Sun Grebes paddle across the water, supple‐necked Anhinga air‐dry their wide, black wings, and perhaps an Osprey scans for fish from a high branch. Among the bushes near the waterline, Hoatzins, which look like rust‐colored, punk chickens, announce their presence with distinctive, bizarre wheezing and grunts. Woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans and parakeets all finally come swooping in to trees surrounding the lake. Many of them roost around the lake for the night.
After lunch at the lodge our guide is available to lead us on easygoing expeditions in search of further wildlife encounters, or we may take one of the lodge’s many trails on private and personal excursions to commune with the spirits of the rainforest. Trails wind through the jungle, allowing us to observe trees such as ficus, palm, and rubber as well as several species of flowering plants. This evening, from the late afternoon until after Dinner, we offer an opportunity to search for caiman (alligator-like reptiles) and other nocturnal life along the riverbank by boat, if the level of river allows it. (B,L,D)
DAY 05: MANU RESERVE
Rise at dawn to a chorus of cries from birds, monkeys and insects as they greet the coming day and delineate their territories. After breakfast we will explore on the network of trails, having more emphasis in visiting trees that are with flowers and fruits, this thanks to the information of our resident and naturalist guides. Here we expect to find more species of monkeys, visitors frequently observe up to 12 species in this region including spider, squirrel and howler monkeys as well as pygmy marmosets and the white-mustached emperor tamarin, as well as also numerous species of birds. We may even see multicolored butterflies (the Peruvian Amazon boasts more than 4000 species). Amazon wildlife is less active during the heat of the day, so we return to the lodge for a lunch which might include fresh fish caught locally. Before or after dinner, travelers have some options; for those who want more rainforest experience, they will have a second opportunity to visit the Observation Tower in search of wildlife and views of the forest canopy. On a very clear day we can spot the distant ranges of the Andes above the undulating treetops of the Amazon as well as several species of birds. After dinner, avid explorers have a second chance to visit the Tapir Clay lick. (B,L,D)
DAY 06: MANU/PUERTO MALDONADO/LIMA/USA
Leaving our lodge at dawn, a perfect time to take advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity, we return to the Madre de Dios River, we board our motor-canoes to begin the 2.5 hour downstream journey back towards Boca Colorado. Breakfast is served en route. Now better experienced at recognizing the wildlife among the dense vegetation along the river’s banks, more birds and mammals are often spotted than on the way into the lodge. We pass by native settlements and gold miners digging and panning gold along the banks of the Madre de Dios River. Once in Puerto Maldonado we catch our flight to Lima where we meet our private guide for a brief tour of capitals’ colonial sector and enjoy some leisure time to explore coastal Miraflores and taste Peru’s world-famous seafood. Later, return to the airport with check-in assistance for the international flight back home. (B)
Note:
The Day-by-Day Itinerary may vary slightly so as to maximize your wildlife experience and sightings, depending on the weather, reports of our researchers and experienced naturalist guides based at the lodge.
Prices from:
$3,550 p.p.d. for 2 participants.
p.p.d.=per person based on double occupancy.
Private daily departures also available at extra cost
Local air (Cusco-Puerto Maldonado-Lima) is not included.
Manu Wildlife Center (MWC): The center is one of the most comfortable lodges in the vicinity of Manu National Park. Located on the Madre de Dios River, it consists of 22 twin bed bungalows with private baths and hot water showers. An airy, rustic dining room has electricity provided by a generator mostly at night. All facilities are screened for comfort. The lodge has 30 miles of scientifically-designed forest trails, home to 12 species of monkeys. A number of large game birds such as the razor-billed curassows and pale-winged trumpeters often pass within 200 yards of the lodge. A forest walk leads to a 17′ high Tapir Clay Lick blind used to observe and photograph South America’s largest land mammal. It is reported that 85% of the MWC guests see tapirs on their first or second try. In most of the Amazon, this animal is more difficult to spot than the jaguar. A short walk takes us to the Macaw Clay Lick, where a blind allows guests to approach within 15-20 yards of the clay edge. Two nearby oxbow lakes offer the possibility to watch giant river otters as well as caiman. Close to the center is the high canopy platform for observation of the upper levels of the forest.
A note regarding access to Manu: The Boca Manu airstrip can only be serviced by small planes and the unpaved runway is susceptible to temporary closure due to adverse weather conditions. Currently, there are no charter flights available from Cusco to Boca Manu. If you only have 5 days available for this extension, we do not recommend a visit to Manu as the overland/boat trip from Puerto Maldonado into and out of the remote MWC will take almost a total of 2 days. For a shorter 5 or 4-day extension, we recommend a visit to the Heath River Wildlife Center instead. This lodge lies in the heart of the Tambopata-Madidi reserves of Peru & Bolivia and offers wildlife observation and facilities of similar quality to Manu.
Inclusions/exclusions and how to sign up