Birdwatching national manu park to maldonado 7d/6n

Leaving Cusco after breakfast we travel through traditional Quechua communities and through the spectacular eastern ranges of the Andes to the village of Paucartambo, passing snow-peaks and small Andean farmsteads. We will have time here to look around this picturesque village and visit local craftsmen famous for their production of masks used in local festivals. We then ascend to the last pass overlooking the Amazon Basin and begin the breathtaking descent from 3500 meters to 1600 meters above sea-level to our comfortable lodge in the orchid laden Cloud Forest. This is a spectacular journey passing cascading waterfalls and multicolored birds along the way. late in the afternoon, we’ll arrive at our lodge.

After breakfast we will continue by private bus to Atalaya. On the way we will stop to observe a coca plantation, we will also stop at a view point where you can get a good overview of the jungle and river. From Atalaya we leave by motorized boat to Aguas Calientes, where you can bathe in the natural hot springs. And then we will continue by boat to Boca Manu Lodge. In the afternoon we will walk in the jungle for several hours in order to appreciate the many different kinds of animals, birds, plants and flowers. The night walk is optional, this night we will go to search for Caimans. In the evening we will come back to the Lodge for dinner and sleep.

Today we will continue our journey along the Manu River as far as the Matshiguenka lodge, inside the Reserved Area, passing Limonal Park Ranger Station, where we will register before entering the Reserved Area. In the course of the trip we will see birds, toucans, macaws, parrots and some mammals such as capybaras, tapirs, peccaries and many varieties of turtles, caiman and, if we are lucky, an impressive, lone jaguar. We will arrive at our lodge in the mid-afternoon, near the Salvador oxbow-Lake, where we will spend two nights.

An early morning start will have us paddling in small canoes or on our floating platform in the tranquil oxbow lake, Cocha Salvador, as the morning mists rise. We may encounter an Agami Heron or Sungrebe and Brown Capuchin Monkeys feeding on fruit. We may also see a jaguar, giant river otters – called river wolves, and hoatzins (prehistoric birds). The otters can reach 6 feet in length and weigh up to 70 lbs. and consume between 9 to 11 lbs. of fish daily. They are one of the rarest animals on earth and only remain common in Manu. We will be on the lookout for some of the 13 species of monkeys found here. The sound of red howler monkeys through the mist may make our skin crawl while parrots will be seen flying high overhead. After lunch we walk trails which pass through terra firma forest as we look at the complex ecosystem that surrounds us. Our ecologist guide will explain how the plants and insects interact with the forest. We will be on the lookout for some of the smaller inhabitants of the jungle, such as the emperor or saddleback tamarins. We may even cross paths with a group of Peccaries, a species of wild boar found here. In the late afternoon we may swim in the river as we watch the sun set. Overnight Cocha Salvador Camp or Casa Matshiguenka Lodge.

Today we travel downstream (6 hours) from Manu River to Madre de Dios, late in the afternoon we will reach Blanquillo Macaw clay lick, strategically located on a recently formed oxbow lake. We will arrive in time for lunch. The afternoon is set aside for a refreshing shower and to relax. Those who desire can walk through the magnificent rainforest surrounding the lodge.

The lodge is near one of the few known “collpas” (macaw-licks) where the colorful birds gather in the morning to “lick” clay found in the banks of the river here. It is thought that birds eat the clay as a dietary supplement, perhaps as a source of minerals or to neutralize the poisons in seeds and leaves. Fifteen of the eighteen species of floodplain parrots have been sighted at the licks. This is truly one of the world’s premier wildlife spectacles. The lodge has a small camouflaged floating platform that allows us to observe the birds from several meters away. Overnight at Blanquillo Ecological Reserve.

Activity at the clay lick begins about 5:30 am as medium sized parrots arrive with the dawn, pair by noisy pair, and land in the treetops above the lick. Hundreds of screeching birds clamber about in the branches in preparation for their descent to the riverbank. Eventually, cascades of green, blue, and red parrots circle down to the clay wall. About 7:00 or 7:30 am large macaws start to arrive. After about 40 to 100 have gathered and deemed the lick safe, they begin to descend. This colorful and noisy scene continues for 20 to 40 minutes while the birds eat their fill of clay or until danger arrives in the form of a hawk, eagle, or ocelot. There are normally between 80 to 100 macaws and 600 or more other parrots. This is truly one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles. After this we will sail down river to Boca Colorado where we are going to spend our last night in tents along the river.

Today we’ll start our journey back from the Jungle to Cusco or Lima. After we sail for a couple of hours we will reach the Colorado mining town, from here we will continue our trip to Puerto Maldonado by the new Interoceanic road that joins Brazil with Peru. We will arrive at Puerto Maldonado City around 1:00pm; and from there you can fly back to Cusco or Lima (flight tickets are not included in the price).

SHORT TOUR INFORMATION:This 7day tour visits the Reserved Zone as well as the Cultural Zone with its largest Macaw Clay Lick. The journey of this tour starts in Cusco and ends in Puerto Maldonado and from there you can fly to Cusco or Lima (plane tickets are not included). Book this tour and spend more time enjoying the flora and fauna of Manu National ParK.

Included:- All lodging with private bathroom & Hot and cold shower.

– All Meals, snacks, drinking water (vegetarian on request). B:L:D.

– Private transportation ( bus/van & boat)

– Professional expert bilingual Natural History Guide with a spotting scope.

– Hotel transfer and entrance fees.

– First Aid Kit with a poison extractor.

– Flora and fauna checklist.