Manu Biosphere Reserve 8 days / 7 nights

Map of Cusco

Introduction

Manu National Park is a unique wildlife reserve located in the Peruvian Amazon jungle near Cusco. It is unique because of its varying ecological zones; from low jungle to cloud forest.

Hiking Peru offers 2 treks in the Manu Biosphere Reserve. Both trips are 8 days long.

Manu Cultural Zone

Manu Reserved Zone

Itinerary Manu Cultural Zone

day 1	CUZCO TO SAN PEDRO We take an 8 hour bus trip from the city of Cusco ascending to the high mountain area at 14,000 feet. On this trip you will enjoy spectacular views of the Andes and may see wildlife such as the Andean Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruviana), brilliantly colored tanangers and hummingbirds. The night is spent tent camping on a platform in San Pedro.
day 2	SAN PEDRO TO MANU BIOSTATION Today you will have the opportunity to see wildlife along the rocky banks of the rivers, such as Fasciated Tiger Heron, Purplish Jays, King Vultures and some of the 13 species of monkeys that live in Manu. During the night we go to see the mammal salt lick where tapirs, deer, and sometimes monkeys congregate in a nightly ritual of feasting on salt clay.

day 3	EXPLORING MANU'S PARADISE CENTER & MANU BIOSTATION Trails surrounding the Manu BioStation and adjacent lakes provide exciting opportunities for birding and wildlife viewing. Our camp for the night is upon tent lodges, thatched-roof building platforms, located minutes from the Blanco Lake nature trails and the Black Lagoon. At near dusk we hike along the Blanco River trail upstream to waiting dugout canoes. As the night shines with thousands of stars overhead we paddle slowly downstream caiman watching on the way back to camp
day 4  and 5	BLANCO MACAW CLAY LICK The recent discovery of the Blanco River Clay Lick, a riverbank area on a narrow bend of the Blanco River, affords one of the best vantage points to watch these magnificent birds in a natural environment. Viewing from a sheltered bird-blind on the opposite river bank the morning ritual involving hundreds of parrots proceeds without human interference. About a 22 minute walk from the Manu BioStation this new, spectacular, parrot lick with a controlled terrestrial blind brings photographers and nature lovers to within 45 meters from the clay lick itself.
day 6	EXPLORING CAMUNGO LAKE This morning we explore Camungo Lake by catamaran where we find a family of giant otters and a 42-meter canopy tower which gives us a great view of tree-top flora and fauna. After lunch we pack everything and start heading up-river. We camp at Boca Manu village where we can have a beer at sunset and relax listening to local music.
day 7	BOCA MANU CUSCO OR ATALAYA Optional flight for those people who wish to fly back to Cusco (half hour plane ride). With the rest we continue the trip by river boat to the jungle town of Atalaya. Our journey then continues overland for one hour to the town of Pilcopata where we spend the night in a lodge, have dinner and a refreshing shower.
day 8	PILCOPATA TO CUSCO On this day we journey through the Manu Cloud Forest, over the mountains to Cusco, arriving about 4 pm.

Itinerary Manu Reserved Zone

day 1	CUZCO TO SAN PEDRO We take an 8 hour bus trip from the city of Cusco ascending to the high mountain area at 14,000 feet. On this trip you will enjoy spectacular views of the Andes and may see wildlife such as the Andean Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruviana), brilliantly colored tanangers and hummingbirds. The night is spent tent camping on a platform in San Pedro.
day 2	SAN PEDRO TO LIMONAL Today you will have the opportunity to see wildlife along the rocky banks of the rivers, such as Fasciated Tiger Heron, Purplish Jays, King Vultures and some of the 13 species of monkeys that live in Manu.

day 3	LIMONAL TO PAKITZA On this day we travel 6 hours into the Reserved Zone of the Manu Park. During this trip the wildlife viewing along the banks of the Manu is fabulous. Caimans sunning on the beaches, fish in the shallows, Black Skimmers and terns and turtles may be seen; and there is always the possibility of seeing larger animals such as capybara, tapir and jaguar. In the afternoon we go for a walk and you can climb the observation tower at Cocha (oxbow-lake) Otorongo.
day 4	EXPLORING COCHA SALVADOR Today we leave early for a day trip to explore Lake Salvador by catamaran looking for the Giant River Otters (Pteronura brasiliensis), caimans, hoatzins and monkeys. Later we go for a walk on some of the trails through the forest, usually we also do a nightwalk. The night again is spent in tents (on a platform) in Pakitza.
day 5	PAKITZA TO RIO BLANCO Today we travel down the Manu and Madre de Dios River, arriving to the Rio Blanco in the afternoon, very close to the Macaw clay-lick at Manu Biostation. We spend the night in tents at Manu Biostation.

day 6	RIO BLANCO TO YANAYACU Early in the morning we take a ½ hour walk to the Macaw Salt Lick and watch as flocks of parakeets, parrots and macaws arrive to eat the clay of the lick (Optional flight back from Boca Manu to Cusco).
day 7	YANAYACU TO SAN PEDRO OR PILCOPATA Today we travel upstream to Atalaya from where we travel to San Pedro or Pilcopata.
day 8	SAN PEDRO OR PILCOPATA TO CUSCO On this day we travel up to the Andes again to return to Cusco.

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