3-Day Trip
Day 1
We'll leave the city of Cusco behind us, and on the way, we'll travel through valleys located between the Andes Mountains and picturesque towns between Cusco and the Manu National Park. Let's go! Along the way, we'll make a stop to visit the pre-Inca tombs of the Lupaca culture, and then stop off at Paucartambo, a colonial city where we'll visit its museum.
Hungry yet? We'll stop for some lunch in the middle of the cloud forest, an area full of native fauna, such as the Andean bear and Andean cock-of-the-rock. Did you know that this is the Peruvian national bird? We'll learn about its courtship ritual! We'll also see different species of plants such as orchids, bromeliads and ferns.
Finally, between 5 pm and 6 pm, we'll arrive at the hostel where we'll spend the night. See you tomorrow!
Day 2
On the second day, we'll have breakfast very early before taking a stroll to check out the fauna in the forest. Keep your eyes peeled because we'll be able to see monkeys and different types of birds! Next, we'll visit a coca plantation and a wildlife rescue centre. You'll learn so many interesting facts! The journey will then continue towards Atalaya, located on the banks of the Alto Madre de Dios River. There, we'll begin our 1-hour kayaking activity to try and spot some birds like herons, vultures, and cormorants.
In the middle of the morning, we'll arrive at the hostel. There, you'll have some free time to take a dip in the river and grab lunch. That afternoon, we'll visit a swamp where toucans, woodpeckers and parrots reside. Then, before heading to bed, we'll go in search of caimans. You'll get to see how their eyes light up at night!
Day 3
The following day, we'll get up early and hop on a speed boat which will take us towards a parrot's clay lick, a clay wall located on the banks of the river where the different species of parrots come together. Have you ever seen a blue-headed parrot? Or a white-eyed parakeet? There, these birds eat clay, which is full of minerals and helps them digest and rid themselves of toxins.
Finally, we'll return to the hostel for a delicious breakfast. Once we've eaten, we'll hop aboard a speedboat to make our way back to Puerto Atalaya, where a coach will be waiting to bring us back to Cusco. We'll have lunch on the way back and are expected to arrive at our destination between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
4-Day Trip
If you choose the 4-day trip to the Manu National Park, we'll follow the same itinerary as the first two days, and on the third day, after breakfast and visiting the parrot's clay lick, we'll go on a hike through the forest.
Afterwards, we'll return to the lodge for lunch and to rest, and to take a dip in the river if you fancy it. You'll also have the option to have a go on a zipline. That afternoon, we'll visit Machuwasi Lake, where we'll board a small boat to go in search of birds such as the hoatzin, and, if we're lucky, other animals such as monkeys and capibaras. Once the sun has set, we'll go on a nighttime hike to try and spot some insects and amphibians. We'll bring the third day to an end with a delicious dinner at the hostel.
On the fourth day, after a delicious breakfast, at 8 am, we'll board a small boat which will take us to Puerto Atalaya, where the coach will be waiting to take us back to Cusco. We'll make a stop on the way for something to eat. We'll arrive in Cusco between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm.
5-Day Trip
Would you rather have a more complete experience at Manu National Park? On this 5-day trip, we'll follow the previously mentioned itinerary over the first 3 days.
On the fourth day, we'll get up early for breakfast, and then go on a hike through the forest where the biodiversity of Manu National Park will be explained to us. Afterwards, we'll return to the hostel to enjoy some lunch. In the afternoon, we'll travel downstream for around 2 hours until we reach an area of hot springs. To close out the day, we'll go on a nighttime tour in search of snakes, frogs, insects and spiders. After this intense day, we'll return to the hostel for dinner and some rest.
On the fifth day, we'll have an early breakfast at the hostel, and then gather our luggage before making our way back to Puerto Atalaya. There, we'll hop on the coach which will take us to Cusco, where we're expected to arrive between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. We hope to see you soon!
Accommodation
This activity includes 2, 3 or 4 nights of accommodation in a double room in a cabin at the Pilcopata Inn and Manu Amazon Lodge.
Pickup
This tour included pickup from the hotels in the centre of Cusco between 5:30 am and 6 am. If you're staying elsewhere, an alternative pickup point will be arranged for you.
