CLOUD FOREST, LAKE SALVADOR AND LAKE OTORONGO

Camping Trip 9 days/ 8 nights
in and out by bus

DAY 1: Cuzco-Atalaya

Leaving Cuzco we head over the Andes, stopping for a coffee at the beautiful colonial village of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to a highpoint of almost 4,000 m before descending to the cloud forest. In these mysterious surroundings we take a short hike and make our first camp (approx. 1,500 m).

DAY 2: Cloud Forest-Atalaya-Manu River

At daybreak we walk to the lek of the incredible cock-of-the-rock, to see the performance of the males right in front of our eyes. Afterwards we continue by bus to the tropical lowland rainforest. Here at 650m, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate down the turbulent Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu. As night falls we make camp on one of the beaches.

DAY 3 & 4: Lake Salvador and Lake Otorongo

On the morning of the third day we turn up the Manu River. From this vantage point we will have great views of riverside birds, sunbathing caiman, and that enormous aquatic guinea pig, the capybara. We reach our campsite deep inside Manu in the afternoon. This will be our base for the next two days. During this time, we will hike through virgin forest and explore one of the most beautiful lakes of the Manu basin, Lake Salvador, by catamaran. There is a chance to see a huge variety of colourful birds, numerous species of monkey and with luck, a family of giant otters. A five hour hike through the forest takes us to Lake Otorongo and a 20 meter-high observation platform that overlooks the lake. At night we can explore the forest by torchlight or go moonlight caiman spotting on the lake.

DAY 5: Lake Salvador-Macaw Lick

After a final walk through the forest surrounding Lake Salvador, we return back down the Manu River. Joining the Madre de Dios River we arrive at Tambo Blanquillo where we spend the night.

DAY 6: Macaw Lick

At first light we head to the macaw lick to watch the dazzling spectacle of hundreds of parakeets, parrots and macaws eating clay. In the afternoon we turn back up the Madre de Dios River, making camp close to the airstrip.

DAY 7: Alto Madre de Dios River

We carry on up the Alto Madre de Dios River. Travelling on the river gives us our best chance to see rare animals such as the puma or jaguar that are resting or foraging on the beaches; we also get great views of the Andes. For the next two nights we stay at the Platform, right at the foot of the Pantiacolla Mountains.

DAY 8: Pantiacolla Mountains

This day we hike through a very special rainforest: this is where the Andes and the lowland tropical rainforest meet and provides the visitor with a chance to see a good selection of birds from both zones as well as some endemic.

DAY 9: Atalaya-Cloud Forest-Cuzco

Back on the boat early in the morning, we head upstream to Atalaya where our bus is waiting to take us back over the Andes to Cuzco.

MANU CAMPING TRIP RESERVED ZONE FIXED DEPARTURES DATES

RATES ON REQUEST

Notes:
* Due to global cost fluctuations, that affect Perú as it does many other countries, we may have to adjust our prices during the year. To balance any American dollar and Peruvian soles fluctuations, we may change the costs of our tours from the dollar to the soles currency and back. The currect costs are based on a conversion of 1,00(US)$ = 3,00 (PEN)S/.

** After a challenging flight situation over the last couple of years, an extra word about the Manu flights: they can be delayed due to bad weather (there is no radar on the Boca Manu landings strip) or other external circumstances such as restricted seat availability and mechanical check-ups. In approx 20% of the flights, people have to wait an extra night at the Boca Manu airport or, if there would neither be a plane the next day, return to Cusco overland the same way as they came in on day 1 and 2 of the programme. Therefore, it is highly recommended to have a full extra day at your disposal after the last day of your tour.

***Due to several recent cases of malaria in the area on the way to Manu, we dó recommend everyone to take a prophylaxis when going on one of our tours. The yellow fever situation is about the same. Moreover, yellow fever is almost always lethal. Therefore, it is not only recommended but even required that one receives the yellow fever vaccination at least ten days before entering Manu.

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