Manu Biosphere Reserve to Blanquillo Lodge and Macaw Clay Lick 8 Days and 7 Nights

DAY 1: Cusco - Rainforest Lodge.- We leave from Cusco by private bus, driving through the mountains, to get to the typical folkloric town of Paucartambo. Here we take a short walk around the town before carrying on to Tres Cruces, the entrance to the Cultural Zone of Manu and the cloud forest. From there we continue to San Pedro where will walk for around one hour to  visit  a complex courtship behavior, performing impressive lek displays  of Cock of the Rock national bird of Peru (Rupicola peruviana),quetzal, trogon, monkeys and lot orchids. We arrive at our private Rainforest Lodge in the evening where we will stay for the night​

DAY 2: Rainforest Lodge – Bonanza Ecological Reserve.- After breakfast we continue by private bus to Atalaya. On the way we stop to observe a coca plantation and at a view point where you can get a good overview of the jungle and the river. From Atalaya we leave by motorized boat to Aguas Calientes, where you can bath in the natural hot springs. During the boat trip we will see many different kinds of animals, especially birds, and a beautiful landscape. In the afternoon we arrive to Bonanza E. R. Later in the afternoon we walk about one hour in the jungle also we will do night walk in the jungle to look for spiders, insects and snakes. We return to Bonanza Lodge for dinner and spend the night in our beautiful, comfortable lodge.​

DAY 3: Bonanza Ecological Reserve -  (Mammals clay lick).- This day we explore the jungle on our vast trail system, carrying a small day pack including lunch. On the way we will see many different kinds of animals such as monkeys, collared peccaries and birds such as eagles, parrots and toucans, medicinal plants, and giant trees. In the afternoon we walk to the mammals clay lick where you will enjoy seeing the amazing wildlife behavior from animals such as Tapirs, Deers, Monkeys and many small rodents in the Clay Lick, as Tapirs and others animals will be eating salt mud during the night. We stay there the whole night taking shifts to watch for nocturnal animals.​

DAY 4: Bonanza Ecological Reserve – Jaguar Ecoldoge (Biosphere Reserve).- Early in the morning we will embark in our motorizet boat down the river until  Boca Manu after this trip we will continue along the Manu River in the Manu National Park having a brief stop at the Limonal Check point, where we will register and the park rangers , this trip will last 7 hours until we reach our Lodge Casa Matsiguenka. The beaches and shores of the Manu River offer many species of animals and birds, especially during the summer season, as well as herons, egrets, geese, Amazonian gulls, graters and raptors such as the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja), on the sunny beaches the Black Caiman (Melanosuchus Niger) White Caiman (Caimán crocodylus), as well turtles on the cedar trunks. We will also have the option to see the famous Jaguar, for which you have to work a lot, some 11 species of monkeys, those one that live near Manu River. After lunch we will arrive to Jaguar Ecolodge where They will show us their lifestyle, at night we will take a night walk to observe arachnids, tarantulas and snakes, we will spend the night at Jaguar Ecolodge.

DAY 5: Jaguar Ecolodge.- Very early in the morning we visit Cocha Salvador. From a catamaran we watch animals such as gamin herons and spider monkeys and enjoy watching the nearly extinct giant otters fishing. After lunch we start our excursion by boat river down to  Cocha Otorongo Lake, where there is a 26m 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, medical plants and jungle food. We might also find a group of peccaries. In the evening we can enjoy the beautiful sunset and return to Jaguar Ecolodge, where we spend the night.​

Day 6: Jaguar Ecolodge – Blanquillo Lodge.- Bright and early in the morning, we will head off to visit the Pakitza ranger station, which is known as one of the first biological stations created for the scientific studies conducted in Manu, The Boat trip up river to Pakitza might bring some surprises, then we will take you in and around its amazingly complex trail system as more and more of the forest's natural beauty is revealed for us behind every turn we make. Maybe we will even have a chance to see a group of Tamarin monkeys, which are the smallest monkeys in the whole world. We advise that you be aware of your surroundings, because they could sneak up right behind you later on. In the afternoon we will visit another system of trails with a completely different set of characteristics than the first, our guide will explain to you why and show us native plants from the area that can be used as traditional medicines. We'll be met at the river by our cook with a picnic lunch and then embark on our motorized boat for a 6 hours trip down river to Tambo Blanquillo for the night. The river trip may hold surprises and we'll be attentive for any wildlife on the beaches like the Jaguar, one of the highlights the Jungle has to offer. We will spend the night at Tambo Blanquillo lodge. 

DAY 7: Blanquillo Lodge – Puerto Maldonado.- Very early in the morning, we will go by boat to see parrots and Macaw Clay Lick, a special place where flocks of parakeets, parrots and macaws come every day to eat the nutritious lick, located at the wall of the river. We will stay here at a camouflaged hideout house: it is a bird lover’s paradise, where you will see and hear many of them, however this activity is very much weather dependant. After this we take our motorized boat downriver to Boca Colorado. From there we go on by bus to Puerto Maldonado and spend the night in a local lodge. 

DAY 8: Puerto Maldonado – Cusco or Lima.- After breakfast; we will transfer to bus station to return, the duration of the trip in local bus are 8 hours to  Cusco (local bus is included in the program). Arrival time in Cusco depends on the itinerary of the bus.

If you want, you could take flight to Cusco (45 minutes) or to Lima (2 hours); the flight is not included in the price of the program. Flight to Lima where you can connect at the same airport for International flight. Most groups will take the flight from Puerto Maldonado to Lima connecting from there to international flights.

Note: Activities start at early morning and finish late afternoon, the best times for seeing wildlife.

• Tour Includes:

• Private Transportation (bus and boat)

• All necessary equipment (chair, Mosquito nets, tables, mattress, rubber boots, rain poncho)

• We lend you a duffle bag for your personal belongings on tour

• Professional bilingual local guide (well-equipped  with guiding gear)

• Mineral water

• First aid  including Antivenomous for snake bites

• 3 meals per day; included vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian options

• Midmorning daily snacks (biscuits, candy, fresh fruit, juice)

• Professional Cook

• Entrance to Cock of the Rock (Lek)

• Entrance to Rainforest Lodge (private Lodge)

• Entrance to the hot springs

• Entrance to Observation Tower

• Entrance to Jaguar Ecolodge (private Lodge)

• Entrance to Blanquillo Lodge 

• Entrance to Pto. Maldonado Lodge.

• Entrance to Macaw Clay Lick

• Entrance to Camouflage House (Mammals Clay Lick)

• Entrance to Bonanza Ecological Reserve Lodge (private Lodge)

• Entrance fee to Manu National Park

• And much more.

•  

• What you need to take: VERY IMPORTANT

• Light sleeping bag or light blanket

• Repellent with a minimum of 25% DEET

• Camera with spare batteries for many days

• Powerful long-range flashlights with extra batteries.

• Macro lenses. 10 - 65mm

• Long Distance Lens 150mm - 400mm or 600mm

• Lens extensión of 1.4x or 2x

• Waterproof case, bags to protect your electronics and valuables

• Sun lotion, pocket money, day pack, wáter bottle

• Battery charger for your electronic devices

• Sandals (try to bring strap)

• Extra toilette paper

• General Dark clothing. (camouflage to see the wildlife) long sleeves shirts and t-shirts, long pants, lightweight, shorts, short sleeves t-shirts, waterproof jackets Sun hat, bath linen clothes, small towel, Thick long socks, trekking shoes.

• All your personal hygiene needs

• A bit of money for staff tips (fuertemente sugerido)

• Not included the last dinner