EXPEDITION TO TEPARO RIVER 4d/3n

(in and 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.

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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

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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

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BAMBOO LODGE:

Our lodge is found at 550 masl. in a quiet place 30 minutes before Pilcopata. The lodge was built in 2004, it has private bungalows with two rooms and two beds in each room, and each bungalow has a private bathroom with both cold and hot water in the showers.  The lodge has kitchen and dining room. The walls of lodge are built with bamboo tree, the roof is constructed of giant grass which grows in the area, and the floor is made of wood. Near to the lodge there is a small coca plantation.

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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.

PARROT CLAY LICK:

Along Madre de Dios River there are approximately five parrot clay licks. Of these the most important are the Mashko Parrot clay lick, the Shintuya clay lick, and the Yanayacu Parrot clay lick.  In these clay licks you can normally three medium size species of Macaws, Amazon parrots and some parakeets.  Macaw clay licks are 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.

TEPARO RIVER:

Teparo River is found at 500masl. To reach it we have to walk two hours and a half from our Mashko lodge.  The river water is light blue in color and is a good place for fishing CICHILDS and some cat fish.  At night there is a possibility to search for smooth fronted caimans.

MASHKO LODGE:

Mashko lodge is found at 520masl. along the shore of the Alto Madre de Dios River. The lodge it basically made of materials from the area, such as palm tree leafs for the roof, wooded floor, and bamboo walls. It has basic services, like toilets and showers. Around the lodge there is a bamboo forest area were bird watching lovers can see a lot of anteater birds, parakeets, chestnut fronted macaws and toucans.
 

TOUR ITINERARY

 

DAY 1:-Cusco - Cloudforest - Pilcopata:

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 the “Cook of the Rock”, 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, where we will stop and spend our first night.

DAY 2:- Pilcopata - Atalaya - Madre de dios river- Mashko Lodge:

After eating our breakfast we continue the tour by bus going through the high forest arriving to Atalaya which is found next to Madre de Dios river ( 700 meters over the sea). From this point we start to go down river in a motorized boat (60 hp). At the riverside we will have the opportunity to see a lot of bird species such as “Herons”, “Vultures”, “Cormorants” etc. After some hours we will arrive to our lodge, where we accommodate and get new water resources to be able to take an one hour walk through the forest.
With luck in this walk we will have a possibility to see some Monkeys, Macaws, Toucans so en the way back we will have a night walking where we can see spiders, lizards, frogs and tarantulas. After this impressive experience we go back to the lodge where our delicious dinner is waiting.

DAY 3 :- Mashko lodge Teparo river Mammal clay lick:

We walk through the jungle to Teparo River , bringing our  food (jungle food). On the way we will see  many different kinds of animals; such as tapir, collared peccaries, monkeys, coati, macaws eagles, parrots, toucans, medicinal plants, flowers, and the giant trees of the jungle. On the arrival we will swim in the river and fishing, After this we  have to walk back to the lodge where we are going to spend the last night. So at night there is a possibility to look for some Caimans.

DAY4:- Mashko lodge- Cusco:

We will get up early to visit A parrot clay lick  where we can see three types of macaws, parrots and Parakeets so, after this we will return to Atalaya by boat where our private bus will be waiting to take us back to Cusco by the cloud forest and Paucartambo.  We will arrive back in Cusco in the late afternoon.

*Price per person (2010): US$380. Click here to book the Tour.