This excursion starts in the Inca capital Cusco, past fields of crop, where the local farmers still sow and plow by hand with their traditional tools, we drive to the folkloric capital of Paucartambo. From here we drive up the mountains a little more until we reach Acjanaco.
From now on it´s downhill and suddenly the landscape changes rapidly indicating that we have reached the cloud forest of the Manuwhere the mountain streams give life to a vast variety of plants and flowers. Right away the local host greats us, we are talking about the “Imperial Quetzal”. The king of this cloud forest is however the Cock of the Rock, the national bird of Peru, which we can observe performing his mating dance from the viewing platform of the LEK.
Cusco Hotel Transfer
05:30 AM
We will leave the cloud forest to get deeper into the rainforest reaching the port of Atalaya where we will switch our van for a motorized boat. Heading downriver along the Madre de Dios we enter the Biosphere Zone of the Manu, giving us plenty of opportunities to watch wildlife.
Once we are in the Maquisapayoj we will get settled in our Lodge. Here we can visit the most important macaw salt lick of the park called “Blanquillo”, the tapir salt lick and two lakes called “Blanco and Camungo” where a family of giant otters have found their home. Furthermore you can observe over 600 different species of birds around the lakes and the highest viewing tower in the Peruvian Amazon which was constructed next to a 350 year old Ceiba tree. From up here you get a chance to see 8 species of monkeys, red deer and maybe even a jaguar. We finally return past the towns of Puerto Colorado and Mazuco to Cusco or Puerto Maldonado.
It is important to know, that the salt licks of the macaws and the tapir as well as the lakes are protected areas and are located in the Biosphere Zone of the Manu.
We will leave Cusco in our mini-van, ascending to the folkloric town of Paucartambo. On the way we will visit the pre Incan funeral towers of Ninamarca. Then we will drive through the impressive cloud forest full of plants and beautiful orchids, here we will take our first hike and we would have the chance to see the country’s national bird- Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola Peruvana), monkeys and many different species of birds. In the evening we will arrive at the Bambu lodge, where you will be accommodated in a typical ensuite room.
In the morning after breakfast, we will board a bus to the port of Atalaya, where will travel by a motor boat to Soga de oro Lodge, up the Madre de Dios river (40 minutes ). You can swim in the river. In our journey you will see stunning landscapes. You will also enjoy a warm climate of the tropical rain forest. In the afternoon we will walk around and explore the jungle for few hours and try to spot caimans (Caiman Crocodiles), birds and medicinal plants. We will then head back to our lodge, where we will spend the night.
On this day, we will continue exploring the tropical rain forest, trying to spot monkeys and more mammals. After lunch, we will take the boat to go to the natural hot-springs and we will stop by an impressive water fall too. We will witness the sun setting over the lush tropical Peruvian Amazon. Beside the river we will also see the largest rodent in the world, capybara (Hidrochaeris). We will then have a night walk to see frogs, toads, insects, bats and snakes. You will be accommodated in a jungle lodge in an ensuite room.
Early morning we will take a down-stream boat ride for 20 minutes, to spot some parrots typical to the region. Here you will be able to see green parrots, blue headed parrot (Pionus Menstrus), mealy parrot (Amazona farinosa), chestnut-fronted macaw (Ara severa) and some others. We will then return to the campsite and after breakfast we will walk to a pristine lake, Lake Machuasi. Here you will see the prehistoric bird-hoatzin (opisthocomus Hoatzin), after lunch we will continue hiking. As the dawn would set, we will take a van towards the Bambu Lodge where you will be accommodated in an ensuite room.
After breakfast, we will pack our belongings and would board the mini-van back to Cusco.
Thanks a lot, it was a wonderful trip to the Amazon.