Manu Reserved Zone Express

Day 1: Cusco – Amazon Pona Lodge

We leave from Cusco at 5:30AM by our private van, first stopping to visit the pre Inca burial towers of Ninamarca. We then drive through the mountains to Tres Cruces, the highest point and entrance to Manu National Park. From here we will continue into the Cloud Forest and at Fog forest we will explore for around 3 to 4 hours to observe the National bird of Peru, (the cock of the rock), the biggest monkey in Peru (woolly monkeys) and to observe different types of bromeliads and beautiful orchids, then We arrive to our lodge in the evening where we will sleep in a beautiful and rustic lodge.

Day 2: Amazon Pona Lodge – Casa Matsiguenka Lodge

Very early at 05:00 a.m., we will leave in the direction of Port Atalaya, From there we take our boat leaving the relatively clean waters of the Madre de Dios River behind; we enter the clay laden waters of the 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 River. Beaches, especially in the dry season, are loaded with nesting birds and feeding Heron Egrets, Orinoco Geese, Terns and Skimmers to name but a few. Some beaches will host sunning White and Black Caimans 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 world's third largest cat.

We will also see some species of primates on this river trip, possibly Red Howler Monkeys or the smaller Squirrel Monkeys. After having lunched by the river we arrive at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge. We'll have the afternoon to explore some of the trails through the pristine rainforest of this area.

Before or after dinner, an optional excursion into the forest at night is available with your guide in search of nocturnal creatures. We spend the night at the Casa Matsiguenka Lodge; a rustic native owned lodge run by the Matsiguenka's themselves, with its own exclusive trail system. There are flush toilet and shower facilities and screened twin rooms, with comfortable beds and mosquito nets.

Day 3: Casa Matsiguenka Lodge – Salvador Lake - Otorongo Lake

In the morning we visit Cocha Salvador. From a catamaran we watch animals such as gaming herons and spider monkeys and enjoy watching the nearly extinct giant otters fishing.

After lunch we start our excursion thought the virgin jungle to Cocha Otorongo Lake, where there is a 20m high observation tower. From this tower we will have another chance to see giant otters and black caimans. For the rest of the day we will explore the jungle, looking for more species of monkeys. The guide will also explain about the jungle lifestyle, flora and fauna and medical plants. We might also find a group of peccaries. In the evening we can enjoy the beautiful sunset and return to Casa Matchiguenka Lodge, where we spend the night.

Day 4: Casa Matsiguenka Lodge – Teparo Ecological Reserve

We leave the Casa Matchiguenka Lodge very early to have another opportunity to see a jaguar on our way out of the Reserve Zone. We might also see tapirs, turtles and caimans. After a short stop in Boca Manu a visit to the native community of Diamante is optional. We continue upriver (Alto Madre de Dios River) to Reserve Ecological Teparo, where we spend the night. In the evening we will build a fire, relax and have some drinks.

Day 5: Teparo Ecological Reserve - Cusco.

We get up early to visit the parrots clay lick and after breakfast we return to Atalaya by boat. Our private bus will be waiting for us to take us back to Cusco via the cloud forest and Paucartambo.

We will arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon.

Note: If we didn´t see the Andean cook of the rock the first day in the afternoon, we can visit the last day in the morning.