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Leaving Cusco we head over the Andes, stopping for a coffee at the small colonial town of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to the highpoint of the Manu Biosphere at about 3,800m/12,467ft before descending into cloud forest.
In these green and moist surroundings we take our first long walk. There are many bird species to be seen among which the beautiful paradise tanager, umbrella bird and the golden headed quetzal.
Among its butterflies are clouded yellows and various skippers.
The cloud forest has three monkey species: the woolly monkey plus the two capuchin monkeys of Manu – which we try to spot.
We spend our first night in the rustic lodge at Posada San Pedro (1,600m/5,249ft approx).
At daybreak we continue by bus to tropical lowland rainforest. Here at the small village of Atalaya, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate for some two hours down the turbulent Alto Madre de Dios River, where we get great views of the Andes.
We stop for a visit of one of the very view lakes on the Alto Madre de Dios River, where you can go around on small traditional rafts. For the next three nights we stay at the Pantiacolla lodge, right at the foot of the Pantiacolla Mountain Range.
The forest of Pantiacolla Lodge is 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 and plants from both zones as well as endemics to the area.
Your first hike will be on the lowland trails, at 400m above sea level. Also at night, we explore the forest by torchlight looking for insects, snakes and the uniquely nocturnal night-monkey or ‘douricouli’.
We spend the night in lodge.
Early in the morning the boat takes you to a nearby clay lick for parrots and the rare blue-headed macaw. Their spectacle is both impressive to see and to hear!
Afterwards we visit the trails of Pantiacolla to see more of its over 600 bird species. We’ll also look for its eight monkey species, such as the dusky titi monkey or the elusive monk saki monkey. Also keep alert for other mammals such as the white lipped and collared peccaries, ocelots, squirrels, bats and red brocket deer.
At night we visit Ranacocha – Frog Lake.
Overnight in lodge
In the morning we walk on some of the many trails around the lodge, and hope to see more monkeys and maybe coatis or even a tayra hunting for small creatures in the trees.
By now, we can start to distinguish some of the trees in the forest, such as the Ceiba (kapok), the capirona (naked tree) and several palm species.
After lunch, the boat takes us to the Hot Springs of Shintuya for a relaxing mineral bath.
The night is spent again at the lodge.
This morning we turn up the Manu River. From our vantage point we will have great views of riverside birds, sunbathing caiman, and the 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 which time we will hike through virgin forest and explore by mini catamaran one of the most beautiful ox bow lakes in the Manu basin, Lake Salvador.
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 hike through the forest takes us to Lake Otorongo and a 20 metre-high observation platform that overlooks the lake.
At night we can explore the forest by torchlight or go moonlight caiman spotting on the lake.
An early morning start boating down the Manu River gives us a good chance to spot the bigger and rarer animals at the river shores.
It could be one of the over 5m/16ft long black caiman, a tapir or giant anteater, a sloth swimming across or even the most magnificent of New World cats, the jaguar.
Joining the Madre de Dios River we arrive at Blanquillo, near the clay lick for macaws.
In the afternoon we climb the 42m/138ft high canopy tower, which gives us an excellent view over the resplendent rainforest canopy.
We spend the night in the jungle lodge Tambo Blanquillo.
At first light we head to the macaw lick to watch the dazzling spectacle of hundreds of parakeets, parrots and (hopefully) big macaws eating clay.
In the afternoon we visit another one of Manu’s beautiful oxbow lakes or visit a the high canopy tower.
We spend the night again in the jungle lodge Tambo Blanquillo.
Back on the boat early in the morning, we head downstream to the small mining village Boca Colorado. Here and in Mazuco later on, you can see the negative effects of certain human activities on the delicate ecological balance of the rainforest.
We take local transportation till crossing the Inambari River. On the other side, our bus is waiting to take you over a newly paved road, through beautiful cloud and elfin forest.
Near Cusco, you have stunning views of the Ausangate Mountain. Cusco is reached in the early evening and the tour ends.
Amazon: Lodges with twin or double beds, and mosquito nets. Shared bathroom and showers. Or camping, with toilet tents.
Every night you will encounter clean and functional showers and toilets and a comfortable bed. Your environmental impact will be as low as possible by sharing showers and toilets and a limited use of electricity.
Day 1: Posada San Pedro. A small eco-lodge with double and triple rooms with comfortable beds and mosquito netting. There are shared hot water showers and toilets and a dining area. The lodge is located in lower cloud forest, at about 1,600m/5,250ft.
Days 2-4: Lodge – a nice eco-lodge with double rooms with beds and mosquito nets and shared showers and toilets. There are five rooms with private bathrooms, please ask for availability. The dining room has a small forest exhibition and the traditional “sapo” (frog) game of Cusco. It has an extensive trail system, taking you through 8 different habitats. The lodge has a bird list of 600 species.
Days 5-6: Camping Huts near Lake Salvador inside Manu’s Reserved Zone, the best protected area of Manu. These huts consist of little rustic huts raised from the forest floor. Each hut has two normal beds, and is surrounded by mosquito netting to keep the insects out, but assuring you can look out at Manu’s incredible rainforest at any time. There are shared showers and toilets and a dining area.
Days 7-8: You spend in Tambo Blanquillo. A tambo is a long platform with divisions to make private single, double or triple rooms. There are shared, hot, showers and toilets and a dining area. This lodge is located at about 10 minutes boat travel from the well-known Blanquillo macaw lick.
Amazon: The Amazon is very hot between midday and early afternoon, so we rise early, between 0600 and 0700, to catch the animals at dawn when they are very active.
Some trips, such as macaw lick, require an earlier start. We leave the lodge early, go on an activity, and then relax when the sun is at its hottest.
As the day cools, we head off in the afternoon and in the evenings go on hikes or caiman spotting. Maximum walking time is 1-2 hours.
Amazon: Not typical Peruvian food, nor typical tourist food! It is food that lasts in the heat and humidity of the tropical rainforest.
For breakfasts there are omelettes, scrambled eggs, pancakes etc.
Lunches in general consist of cold salads, since it is usually hot at that time of the day.
Dinners feature soups (great Peruvian soups!), a main course with meat for the first few days of the tour, then beans or lentils towards the end of the trip. Desserts of fresh fruits or puddings etc are served with dinner.
As well as much mineral water as you need, there are lemonades, coffee, tea, chocolate and herbal teas. En route, there are places where one can buy beer or soft drinks, but you have to pay for those yourself.
Amazon: A mix of Cusco-based and Manu-based, English-speaking guides will lead you through the Amazon.
Many of the boat captains and staff at the lodges/camps are from the indigenous Machiguenga community.
A flawlessly organized Peruvian Amazon adventure filled with vibrant wildlife, cultural tastes, and smooth travel from start to finish.
A perfectly tailored Peru adventure combining the Salkantay trek, Machu Picchu, and the rich biodiversity of the Amazon.
Manu is a jungle area replete with wildlife, journeying into the untouched heart of Peru’s Amazon region.
This is a true adventure – Manu tours take you deep into Manu National Park and into another world.
Peru is made up of 3 distinct geographical areas: the coast, the mountains and the jungle.
The costa or coastal region is a narrow ribbon of desert 2,250 km long, crossed by fertile river valleys flowing from the Andes. It takes up 11% of the country and holds more than 40% of the population.
The cold Humboldt current gives rise to a blanket of mist – the garua – which hangs above coastal cities like the capital Lima from May to November.
Heading east, you’re soon climbing above the garua and into the Andes. The sierra, or mountainous region, covers some 25% of Peru’s territory and contains 50% of the population. The sierra inhabitants are mainly Indigenous or Mestizo, and many still speak Quechua or Aymara.
The sierra contains dozens of 6,000-metre snow peaks and volcanoes, including Huascaran (6,768m) the highest mountain in the tropics. The deep valley basins contain most of the towns and arable land; the terracing and canal systems of the Incas and pre-Incas are often still used today.
The eastern Andes are heavily forested up to 3,350m and sweep down into the Amazon Basin.
Peru’s selva or jungle makes up almost two thirds of the country’s area, but holds only about 6% of the population: the only towns with significant populations are Iquitos and Pucallpa.
Peru is the perfect holiday destination for adventure travellers that want an amazing variety of activity, geography and cultural travel experiences.
The breadth of travel experiences in Peru is breathtaking – from trekking in the Andes to Machu Picchu to the tropical jungle of the Amazon, and plenty in between.
The people of Peru make it a special destination too, with its colourful and traditional street life and friendly locals.
Good kit is vital for every trip.
Book with Andean Trails and get 15% off Páramo’s fantastic ethical and high-performance outdoor gear.
You can also read our blog about a day in the Amazon rainforest of Peru.
Please note: Guests should arrive in clothes which they do not mind getting slightly dirty or wet, and should wear footwear that is suitable to walk on a rainforest trail. Sun cream, insect repellent, hat and waterproof clothing should be carried in hand luggage and kept accessible for the journey to the lodge.
You may want to keep your binoculars and camera handy, too.
All bedding, toilet paper etc. is provided at the lodge (or camp, if camping).
Year-round, weather conditions are hot and humid and there is always the risk of rain
There is a ‘dry season’ in Tambopata and Manu between May and October. The average daytime high temperature is between 25°C and 34°C and the average nighttime low is between 16°C and 22°C. Heavy downpours typically occur every few days.
Around 80% of annual average rainfall – approx 2,000 mm in Manu and Tambopata and 1,400 mm in Iquitos – occurs in the wet season Nov-April.
On rare occasions, between May and September, cold fronts from Argentina – ‘friajes’ – can sweep into southwest Amazonia and push temperatures down to 9° C. (Friajes usually last between 1 and 3 days).
A flawlessly organized Peruvian Amazon adventure filled with vibrant wildlife, cultural tastes, and smooth travel from start to finish.
A perfectly tailored Peru adventure combining the Salkantay trek, Machu Picchu, and the rich biodiversity of the Amazon.
