MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE 8d/7n TOUR 

(In & Out by Bus) 

ON THIS TOUR YOU GET VISIT THE FOLLOWING PLACES:

NINAMARCA PRE- INCA BURIAL TOWERS (cullpas):

Ninamarca is a pre-inca burial cemetery located along the road of Manu National Park at 3700 masl. As a silent reminder the tombs, called "Chullpas", mark the pre-Inca civilization of the Lupaca people that inhabited the Andes a long time ago.

See the Photo Gallery

PAUCARTAMBO

This village is located in a valley at 2,906 masl.  Paucartambo overwhelms you by its beauty and simplicity. This colonial style town is home to recognized folk traditions, such as its famous festival to the “Virgen del Carmen”, the sunrise in “Tres Cruces” (three crosses), and the ancient traditional culture of the cultivation of the Peruvian potatoes.

Boundaries:
North: Madre de Dios Region
East: Quispicanchi Province
South: Quispicanchi Province
West: Calca Province

See the Photo Gallery

CLOUD FOREST:

Manu covers many types of ecosystems that increase the biological diversity which is enhanced by its different ecological levels. The most southern point of the park, called Acjanaco is 3550masl., its landscape is described as PAJONAL ALTO ANDINO or high Andean grassland. The vegetation in this zone is short and not very abundant; the climate is frequently cold and wet.

Descending by these PARAJES we arrive at the elfin forest with its stunted trees, cold and humid air and a diversity of flora and fauna typical to the zone. Further down, between 3000 – 1550masl it becomes the cloud forest, an ecosystem which receives a lot of rain. Here we find a great number of endemic species such as the Spectacled Bear and the Cock of the Rock bird (Rupicola peruviana)– the Peruvian National bird.

There also you can see species of birds like:
•    Crimson –Mantled Woodpecker
•    Sickle-winged Guan
•    Black-streaked Puffbird
•    Brown-backed chat-tyrant
•    Golden-headed quetzal
•    Higland motmot 
•    Many-spotted Humingbird.
•    Masked trogon
•    Speckle - faced Parrot
•    Violet-fronted brilliant
•    White-rumped hawk
•    Aplomado Falcon
•    Blue - banded Toucanet
•    Brad - winged Hawk
•    Tanagers, barbets, and flower creepers.

In addition to the birds you also get see mammals like:
•    Woolly monkeys
•    South American Coati
•    Brown capuchin monkey
•    Taira
•    Andean fox
•    Brown agouti

See the Photo Gallery

ALTO MADRE DE DIOS RIVER:

Madre de Dios River starts in the highlands of Cusco; the beginning of the river is called Pilcopata River, near to Atalaya (the place where we start our trip by boat).  Pilcopata River joins Piñipi River and it is here that the river changes its name to Alto Madre de Dios River.
The Madre de Dios River is the namesake to the Peruvian region (Madre de Dios Department). It runs through this region then becomes the Beni River in Bolivia and later turns northward into Brazil, where it is called the Madeira River. The Madeira is a tributary to the Amazon River.

BLANQUILLO PRIVATE RESERVE

Tambo Blanquillo Lodge is located two and a half hours down river from Boca Manu. At the Lodge we have platforms with a comfortable dining room. The reserve has three oxbow lakes (blanco, Blanquillo and Camungo oxbow lakes) with ideal conditions to observe giant otters from a wooden catamaran. Also there is a 45 meter metal tower perfect location where bird watchers can spot many birds.
Near the lodge there is one of the most beautiful places in the world called “collpa.” A collpa is a clay lick where some species of mammals and birds go every day to neutralize the toxins in there system.
In Blanquillo tourist can enjoy an amazing macaw clay lick.  Red and green macaws are daily visitors of the clay lick along with many parrots and medium size macaws. 

See the Photo Gallery

MACAW CLAY LICK:

One distinctive habitat nearby Tambo Blanquillo is the shebonal forest. This type of forest is high in clay content, creating clay licks, locally known as collpa which are specially used by macaws and other rainforest species as a healthy diet supplement that helps them remove toxins from their digestive tracks. Macaws usually obtain these noxious chemical substances from unripe fruits they ingest.

Our lodge is just 10 minutes away from the Macaw Clay Lick. A blind of 10 meters of altitude has been built facing it, so you can take close-up pictures without disturbing the bird’s activity. It consists of 40 comfortable seats, each with a personal counter where your binoculars and cameras can be placed in order to give you better stability to take superb pictures of the macaws on the clay lick. Breakfast will be served at the blind and a toilette facility is available.

See the Video 

MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE:

Manu National Park is a biosphere reserve located in Madre de Dios and Paucartambo, Cusco. Before becoming an area protected by the Peruvian government, the Manu National Park was conserved due do its inaccessibility. The park remains fairly inaccessible by road to this day. In 1977, UNESCO recognized it as a Biosphere Reserve and in 1987 it was pronounced a World Heritage Site. It is the largest National Park in Peru, covering an area of 15,328 km². The Biosphere Reserve includes an additional 2,570 km² and an extra 914 km² are included in a "Cultural Zone" (which also is protected), bringing the total area to 18,811 km².

The park protects several ecological zones ranging from as low as 150 meters above sea level in parts of the Amazon Basin to the Puna grasslands at altitudes of 4200 meters.  This topographical range is the primary factor that contributes to it having one of highest levels of biodiversity of any park in the world. Overall, more than 15,000 species of plants are found in Manu, and up to 250 varieties of trees have been found in a single hectare. The reserve is a destination for birdwatchers from all over the world, as it is home to over 1000 species of birds, more than the number of bird species found in the United States and Canada combined.

See the Photo Gallery

MANU RIVER:

Manu River is one of the main tributaries of the Madre de Dios River which is a tributary of the Amazon River.
Manu River is found in the southeastern section of Peru. It runs down from the eastern slopes of the Andes to the Amazon Basin through Manu National Park.  Manu River has a high concentration of wildlife in its waters and also on its river banks.  You will see many white and black Caimans lying on river bank.  We have reports from a group of tourist who had the opportunity to see five jaguars in one morning. Also along the river you can see several monkeys, deers, capybaras, Tapirs and many varieties of birds.

MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE OXBOW LAKES:

An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the mainstream of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape that results from this process. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong.
Manu National Biosphere Reserve has 13 oxbow lakes near the Manu River,  were tourist get see a lot of wildlife including species such as the black Caiman, families of giant others, spider monkeys, red howler monkeys.  The largest and most beautiful oxbow lake in Manu Biosphere reserve is Salvador Lake.

CASA MACHIGUENGA LODGE:

Our Machiguenga lodge is located inside the Manu National Park near Cocha (Lake) Salvador.  The lodge is established and run by native Machiguenga Amerindians from two communities located in the heart of the Manu National Park. From this lodge we have access to unexplored forest and oxbow lakes.

MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE MAMMALS:

Manu is the most biologically diverse region of the Amazon when considering mammals. It provides unforgettable opportunities for seeing about 200 species of mammals. There are 13 species of monkey and it is estimated that there are over 100 species of bats.

See the Photo Gallery

MANU BIOSPHERE RESERVE BIRDS:

Manu represents 25% of all the birds known in South America and 10% of all the species in the world.  It is thought that there may be as many as 1,000 bird species in total. According to Renton, six species of macaws occur in the lowland forest to include  Ara ararauna, A. chloroptera, A. macao, A. severa, and A. manilata. Three Endemic Bird Areas are represented within the park.  Manu Park is also home to 15 restricted range species.

See the Photo Gallery

BOCA MANU:

Boca Manu is a small village located at the intersection of the Alto Madre de Dios River and Manu River. The town is a major town in the jungle and a necessary stop before continuing on into Manu Biosphere Reserve or Blanquillo Ecological Reserve. Here we stop to buy gas supplies and also there is a small airport where travelers can fly out of or into Manu National Park.
Around the Boca Manu there is an Oxbow lake called “Isla de los Valles”.  Here you have opportunities to see a family of giant otters and some groups of monkeys. This oxbow lake is a very good place for bird watchers.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco - Pilcopata Lodge

Departure from Cusco city very early in the morning in one of our trucks specially prepared for this road. We will pass through interesting Inter-Andean valleys and picturesque farmer communities. In the middle of the day we are going to visit the pre-Inca buried towers of Ninamarca, known as “chullpas”. After that we will arrive to Paucartambo city, which is a typical colonial town. It had a lot of importance and it still conserves it’s flavor. Continuing  our trip we drive up until  the Abra of Accjanaco which is found at 3850 meters over the sea. From this point we start to go down passing through the cloud forest, which is an area rich in endemic species as the spectacular “Andean Bear” (Tremarctos Ornatus) and  “The Cook of the Rock”  (The Peruvian National Bird), “Orquis”, “Bromelias” and “Ferns” etc. Then in San Pedro we will visit a lek of “Cook of the Rocks”, in which these birds every morning and afternoon made during a very interesting dance called “Displays”. After that we continue our tour until reaching Pilcopata Lodge, where we will stop and spend our first night.

Day 2: Pilcopata Lodge – Blanquillo Ecological Reserve Lodge

Very early, at 06:30 a.m., we will leave in the direction of Port Atalaya; on the way we will make a few stops to visit the small, native communities of Patria and Pilcopata. These communities are known to be producers of many varieties of jungle fruits, even the famous Coca plant.
 
Later, we will continue our journey into the jungle by beginning the boating portion of the tour with a river excursion on the Madre de Dios, or “Mother of God” River, one of the tributaries of the mighty Amazon River.
 
During our day we will have the chance to witness many types of colorful birds such as parrots, Oropendolas, vultures and others species. Hopefully, we will also have the opportunity to see some jungle mammals such as monkeys or the famous capybaras (jungle rodents that are as much as 2.5 ft long). Towards the late afternoon, we will arrive to our next sleeping destination, Blanquillo Ecological reserve lodge, arriving approximately at 5:00 p.m. Here, there will be showers and services available.

Day 3: Blanquillo Ecological Reserve Lodge – Macaw Clay Lick – Blanco Oxbow Lake

Very early in the morning before having our breakfast, using a totally camouflaged hidden place we will observe a Macaw Clay Lick. This is a clay wall on the riverside, where different species of Parrots and Macaws come down each morning to extract necessary minerals for their diet balance. “The Parakeets”, “Amazon Parrot”, “The Blue headed Parrot” give an unforgettable pallet of colored wild life and as a perfectly finish to this picture the fabulous “Macaws” will arrive. Impressed by nature we return to our lodge. Digesting a good, strong lunch we continue the adventure with a walk for a few minutes to arrive to the Camungo Oxbow lake. Before sailing on the lake, we will climb a metal tower (42 meters high) next to the lake from where we can get a beautiful view over the landscape. We will be enjoying this lake on a Catamaran all afternoon with the possibility of spotting “Giant Otters”. When it gets dark we are in the perfect position of spotting “Caimans” and with luck we will catch one of them. Still “shaking” after this exciting adventure we will go back to our Lodge to take a deserved rest after a delicious dinner.

Day 4: Blanquillo Ecological Reserve Lodge – Manu Biosphere Reserve

After having our breakfast we start the returning trip, but to do this we need to make a short stop in Boca Manu to get fuel for the boat. Then we will continue sailing up Manu River. With a brief stop at the park ranger station at Limonal to present our permits we travel for about five hours up the Manu. Beaches, especially in the dry season, are loaded with nesting birds and feeding Herons, Egrets, Orinoco Geese, Terns and Skimmers to name a few. Some beaches will host sunning White and Black Caimans (South American relatives of the Alligators) and breeding Side-necked Turtles. Hundreds of Sand-colored Nightjars roost during the day on logs and beaches and there is a chance of encountering a sunning Jaguar - the worlds third largest cat. In 1999 one in three of our trips saw Jaguar in Manu. We will see some species of primate on this river trip, possibly Red Howler Monkeys or the smaller Squirrel Monkeys. After having lunch by the river we arrive at our Safari Camp near the lake of Cocha Salvador. We'll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest in the area. A visit to the lake of Cocha Otorongo is planned, where observation piers and a 20 meter observation tower in the rainforest canopy overlooking the lake are available for observing wildlife. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit this lake. Before or after dinner an optional excursion into the forest at night is available with your guide in search of nocturnal creatures. The lakes are full of eye-shine of the large Black Caiman and if we are lucky we may encounter an Olingo Kinkajou or even an Ocelot on the trails. Certainly the night-time noise of tree frogs and insects in the forest is an experience not to be forgotten. Night at Cocha Salvador.

Day 5: Manu Biosphere Reserve

After breakfast we'll spend the morning at the lake of Cocha Salvador. Some of the time will be spent canoeing the lake on a floating platform observing oxbow lake animal life from the water. We may encounter an Agami Heron or a Sungrebe and Brown Cappuchin Monkeys are usually feeding on fruits nearby. Specially constructed piers that jut out into the lake enable us to look for a family of Giant Otters that live here. These, the worlds largest freshwater carnivores, remain common only in Manu, having been hunted to extinction throughout most of their former range. Each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish daily and often they can be seen eating large fish on logs at the lakeside. The rest of the day will be spent walking the trails in the area in search of some of the 13 species of Monkey found in the forest here. Your guide will explain some of the basics of rainforest ecosystems and point out some of the medicinal plants of the area used by local, indigenous groups. We may cross paths with a group of Peccaries - a species of wild boar found here. A late afternoon swim in the river near the camp as the sun sets. Night at Cocha Salvador.

Day 6: Manu Biosphere Reserve – Boca Manu

Today we will walk from camp through the forest to a different oxbow lake, Cocha Otorongo - "Jaguar Lake", to experience another setting and a chance to see further wildlife. We may encounter troops of monkeys especially the Common Woolly Monkey. We’ll pay special attention to the plant life and listen carefully for rustling vegetation and fruits falling to the rainforest floor indicating the presence of animals or large birds. After a leisurely lunch we take our canoes for a 4-hour trip down river until we reach Boca Manu for the night. Overnight at Boca Manu Lodge.

Day 7: Boca Manu – Pilcopata Lodge

Today, after breakfast we will sail Alto Madre de Dios up river to the port of Atalaya, the place from where we started our trip by boat, after reach it we will drive to Pilcopata lodge where we are going to spend our last night in the jungle of Manu National Park.

Day 8: Pilcopata Lodge – Cusco

GOOD BYE TO MANU!! On the day of our return, we will have an early morning departure from the Pilcopata Lodge in the direction of Paucartambo, which was the entrance point that led us into the jungle in the first place. At this time we will pass through the beautiful Sacred Valley on the way, arriving in Cusco around 7.00pm.