Manu
This beautiful national park of about 2 million hectares is located in south-eastern Peru and (fortunately) it is not very accessible. It means that nature at this place is still untouched. Animals who live in this area are among others the Black Cayman, the Spectacled Bear, the Tapir, the Giant Otter, and the Jaguar. There are more than 10 different kind of monkeys and it is estimated that there are more than a 1000 different kind of birds. Among those birds there are 7 different kind of parrots. The variety in vegetation is enormous. In one hectare one can easily find 200 different species of trees. Many of the plants which grow in Manu are being studied for medical purposes.
Only 10% of the park is open to tourism. We offer different programmes. It is possible to reach Manu by road and boat or by airplane. A combination is also possible.
AN EXAMPLE OF A TOUR TO MANU
Basic programme Manu (both ways by bus)
Day 01. CUZCO- CLOUD FOREST-PILCOPATA.
We leave Cuzco by bus at about 06.00 in the morning. First of all we travel to Paucartambo a village high in the Andes. From there we go downhill and the mountain scenery changes into a forest landscape. This is the kind of area where we might spot Trogans, the Amazonian Umbrella bird and the Coq of the Rocks which is the national bird of Peru. In the evening we arrive in the small village of Pilcopata where we spend the night in a basic hostal.
Day 02. PILCOPATA –BOCA MANU –BLANQUILLO.
After an early breakfast we continue by bus to Atalaya where we take a boat. The rest of the day we spend in a boat on the Alto Madre de Dios river. At the end of the afternoon we arrive in the village of Boca Manu where we stop for a rest. Not far from there we’ll be camping. This is near the Macaw Clay Lick. We’ll finish the day with a night walk and it is likely that we can spot some Black Caymen.
People who would rahter fly, fly on this day to Boca Manu and will be united with the rest of the group later that day.
Day 03. BLANQUILLO –MACAW CLAY LICK-BOCA MANU.
Very early in the morning we visit the macaw Clay Lick. Hidden on a floating raft we’ll see how dozens of birds will start their day with eating mud. The minerals in the mud they need for their diet. The evening we spend near Boca Manu and we end the day with another night walk.
Day 04. BOCA MANU- LIMONAL –OTORONGO.
We continue by boat to Otorongo. On route we might see Water Turtles, White Cayman, Capybaras, Tapirs and maybe even a Jaguar. We ‘ll arrive at Otorongo in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day here. This is also the place were we’ll be camping.
Day 05. OTORONGO-SALVADOR- OTORONGO.
Today we’ll visit lake Salvador which is about 30 minutes away from the place where we camped. We’ll be on a catamaran and hopefully we’ll spot different birds like the Hoatzins and also the Giant Otters. The night we spend at the same place in Otorongo.
Day 06. OTORONGO-BOCA MANU-YANAYACO.
It is quite likely that today you will be woken up by the sound of the Howler Monkeys. We start the return journey with a boat tour on the Manu river. Probably you see different animals from a few days ago. In the afternoon we arrive at the Yanayaco lodge. Here we visit another Clay Lick which attracts only mammals and this might be a good opportunity to spot Tapirs.
(From here it is possible to return to Cuzco by air).
Day 07. YANAYACO –COLLPA DE MAMIFEROS –PILLCOPATA.
We continue by boat to Atalaya where the bus waits to take us to Pillcopata where we spend the night.
Day 08. PILCOPATA –CLOUD FOREST- CUZCO.
The bus will takes us back to Cusco where we arrive late afternoon.
*There are many more combinations possible for a longer or shorter stay in Manu. Please contact us for more information.
