FEEL THE SENSATION OF A NATURAL EXPERIENCE!
“The most important request for the development of the ecotourism is the sustainable use and the conservation of nature.”
We, Manu Ecological Adventures, are a company with conservation in mind, and are aware of the changes that have occurred on our planet because of human activity. We see ecotourism as a means of preserving nature by providing sustainable development for the communities that border natural habitats like Manu National Park. Direct contact with pristine nature can provide a tourist with a love for conservation. Hopefully, the tourist will return home with this feeling and share it with friends and family. If so, then ecotourism has an additional value as a source of environmental education that can be passed along to later generations. Peru, like other countries, observes ecotourism as an invaluable form of sustainable development. Our company has participated in ecotourism development as part of a National Strategy for the Conservation of Biological Diversity. Our 19 years of experience working in the Reserved Zone of the Manu National Park, makes our company a leader in the field of nature tourism. We were the first to enter the park with an organized group of tourists in 1980; our director was the guide. The security of our passengers is our first priority. Our staff and our equipment ensure safety, making it possible to enjoy a natural and adventurous trip, along with comfort, in a tropical jungle setting. Do not miss the opportunity that Manu Ecological Adventures offers you. Visit and enjoy virgin habitats in the mountains, cloud forests, and lowland tropical rain forests.
PROGRAM:
DAY 01: We leave Cusco early in the morning in our specialized overland vehicles. Approximately mid-morning we visit the interesting tombs of Ninamarca, commonly known as “Chullpas”. We continue to Paucartambo, a picturesque Spanish colonial town, and then to the Acjanacu pass, which marks the beginning of the Cultural Zone of Manu Biosphere Reserve. Here, a thick cloak of clouds provides perpetual humidity and makes an ideal habitat for epiphytic plants such as bromeliads. This varied and fascinating world is home of the Cock of the Rock, Spectacled Bear, Orchids, Tree Ferns (one of the oldest living plants), mosses and lichens. This cloud forest exists between 2000 and 3500 meters above sea level, and at least 50% of the plant species found here are endemic to this region. Overnight in our open air lodge.
DAY 02: Today we wake up very early to observe the Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruviana), Peru’s national bird. The male birds are a vibrant reddish orange, and at about 5:00AM as many as several dozen come together for an exhibition of a mating ritual dance in a place called Lek. The males display their crest, showing off and posturing for the females. The females, fewer in number, watch to select the most suitable males. After breakfast we continue in our overland transport down the narrow road between waterfalls and canyons toward the town of Atalaya. Here, we board our covered, motorized canoe and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River until Erika Lodge, where we will have the opportunity to walk through the interesting trails. Overnight at the lodge.
DAY 03: After breakfast we board our canoe for the four-hour trip down the Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu’s airport (optional flight from Cusco to Boca-Manu; this means that some new members may join our group), we continue the boat ride to Boca Manu, a small village where you can buy your last fresh supplies and cold drinks before setting off again in the canoe. Now we enter the Manu River and the Reserved Zone, stopping at Limonal where we camp along the riverbank at the Park Rangers Headquarters.
DAY 04: After registering in the official tourist logbook and eating an early breakfast, we follow the Manu River until we arrive to Salvador Lake, at the Matshiguenka House. This canoe ride gives us the opportunity to observe the immensity of the rainforest and the diversity of birdlife, reptiles and mammals. You will often see animals sunning themselves on beaches, or foraging for food in the trees lining the riverbanks. We arrive early in the afternoon and have lunch before setting off on a jungle trail. Our time is spent looking for wildlife inside the rainforest and on the Salvador Oxbow Lake, until the sun goes down and we return to the Lodge.
DAY 05: We rise early in the morning, as the forest is awakened by the Red Howler monkey (Aloatta seniculus) declaring its territory. A morning walk before breakfast is a great way to catch wildlife in the pursuit of food, and the temperature is very pleasant at this time of day. After relaxing and swimming in the river we enjoy lunch along the riverbank. After eating, we cross the river to walk an 8 km trail to another oxbow lake called Otorongo. A strategically located observation tower rises 15 meters above the lake and the jungle floor, giving us more chances to observe wildlife. With luck we will see the Giant Otter (Pteronura brasilensis) which is an endangered specie. Late in the afternoon, the black caimans rise from the depths of the lake and begin their search for prey. We return to the Lodge. At night, with the help of flashlights, we can also observe some caimans in the lake and river close to the Matshiguenka House.
DAY 06: Once again we wake up early, enjoy a brief morning walk, eat a relaxing breakfast, then pack up camp and descend the Manu River. We arrive at Boca Manu midday. From here we descend the Madre de Dios River for three hours to Blanquillo. After a refreshing shower, we set off for a short walk to Blanquillo Lake. Overnight at Tambo Blanquillo Lodge.
DAY 07: After a very early wake up, we board a camouflaged catamaran and go down the river to the “Collpa” macaw lick. We quietly observe the various parrots feeding on the clay for mineral and salt supplements to their diet of seeds and fruits. The brightly colored macaws usually wait patiently in the surrounding trees until the smaller parrot species have left the area. Slowly, the macaws come down to the clay wall to feed. We need a lot of patience and silence on the catamaran so as not to disturb them as they eat the clay. Around mid morning we board our canoe to return to the airstrip at Boca Manu. At this point, those who are returning to Cusco by plane will catch their flight. This optional flight from Boca Manu to Cusco offers spectacular views of the surrounding jungle and the area’s meandering rivers. The others continue up the Alto Madre de Dios River to camp on an open air platform in the Cultural Zone.
DAY 08 : Waking up very early, we continue the trip by boat to Atalaya, where we board the bus and drive back up and out of Manu, arriving in Cusco very late this night or the next morning. END OF OUR SERVICES. AIR CHARTER ALTERNATIVE
DAY THREE: Arrive by plane from Cusco to Boca Manu at mid morning
DAY SEVEN: Leave Boca Manu and arrive in Cusco in the early afternoon
SERVICES INCLUDED : Specialized and bilingual guides, all ground and river transportation, air - charters - optional (maximum 10kgr. of luggage per person), 01 night in Erika Lodge, 02 nights in Matshiguenka House, 01 night in Tambo Blanquillo Lodge, two-person tents, sleeping mattress, dinning tent, cooking tent, meals, first aid Kit (including an anti-venom vaccine), paperwork and payment for Park Permits, safety box for values and storage for luggage. THINGS YOU SHOULD BRING ALONG ON A TRIP TO MANU
· Sleeping bag
· Binoculars · Warm clothing (in case of a cold front), long sleeve shirts and long pants (cotton) · 100% waterproof rain gear (long poncho or rain wear) · Insect repellant (at least 50% Deet), sunscreen lotion · One pair of lightweight ankle height boots and sandals · Flashlight, enough batteries (alkaline) and bulbs · Wide brim hat (for sunny days), sun glasses · Towel, swimming suit, personal medicines and/or supplies (liquid for contact lenses, for example). · Day pack, and one back pack or duffel bag of luggage per person · Camera and film ASA 200 and 400 for the inner forest. · One bottle of water for the first day, plastic bags.
PRICES: 8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS PROGRAM - 7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS PROGRAM -
6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS PROGRAM
7 DAYS / 6 NIGHTS PROGRAM - 6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS PROGRAM -
5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS PROGRAM
