The Biotrip Manu

Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.

Day 1 : Cusco to Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge

The overland journey begins at 3,400m/11,150 ft, with an early departure from the highland city of Cusco. Today’s destination is the lush cloud forest region where the Andes fall away to the Amazon basin. This is a day of scenic drama and striking contrasts.

You first visit a mountain wetland habitat teeming with migrant and local waterfowl, before crossing two mountain ranges between the Cusco valley and the Paucartambo valley, to a maximum altitude of 3,900m/12,790ft.

Finally you follow a sinuous ribbon of highway on its plunge through an extraordinary world of forested cliffs, waterfalls and gorges. We take leisurely stops to see mountain villages, a hilltop necropolis of chullpas (pre-Inca burial chambers), and the abrupt ridgetop of Ajanaco, which marks the final high point where the Andes begin their swoop into the Amazon basin.

In clear weather you will see a breathtaking panorama of cloud forest and mountain giving way to the lowland rainforest plains far below us.

After a picnic lunch near here you descend through the startling and rapid environmental transformations characteristic of the tropical Andes, passing from grassland and stunted trees through elfin forest, until you wind through a lush and magical world of overhanging trees, giant ferns, monster begonias, countless orchids and bromeliads, and a diverse and teeming birdlife.

You make frequent spontaneous stops, perhaps spotting a brilliantly feathered quetzal, a trogon, or the wild turkey-like Guan. You reach the comfortable Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge in the late afternoon, the best hour to visit the nearby viewing platform for the display ground, or “lek”. This is usually the highlight of a long, full day, a chance to see Peru’s dazzling national bird, the Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola) in full, raucous courting display.

All meals and guided excursions are included with this package.

Day 2 : Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge to Amazonia Lodge or Pantiacolla Lodge

Rising early, you have a second chance to view the Cock-of-the-Rock display, and then scout for birds, and perhaps Brown Capuchin or Woolly monkeys along the nearby road.

Or you can take a secluded nature walk on a short trail loop to the river and back. After breakfast you continue our drive, as mountains give way to low rolling hills and farmland. At Patria you visit a plantation of coca grown legitimately for the Peruvian coca leaf market.

At midday you reach Atalaya, a tiny port where the Piñipiñi River meets the Alto Madre de Dios. Now the lowland rainforest part of your journey begins. Rivers are the highways of the rainforest, and henceforth we will travel in large, comfortable dugout canoes shaded by canopy roofs and driven by powerful outboard motors.

During normal river conditions you arrive at the lodge in time for exploration and wildlife viewing – which may include toucans, kingfishers, a rare endemic hummingbird and a multitude of butterflies — along one of its many forest trails. Overnight at Amazonia Lodge or Pantiacolla Lodge.

Day 3 : Amazonia Lodge or Pantiacolla Lodge to Manu Wildlife Center

There is time for another short morning hike on the lodge trails before leaving early for Manu Wildlife Center. As you follow the broad, rushing course of the Alto Madre de Dios river past the last foothills of the Andes, the ever-changing route offers sightings of new birds — terns, cormorants, White-winged Swallows, and flocks of nighthawks flushed from their daytime lairs by the sound of the engine.

Splashes of brilliant yellow, pink and red foliage dot the forest-clad slopes around us, and the breeze is laden with the heady perfumes of the tropical forest.

You pass the mouth of the Manu river, the gateway to the Manu National Park. You pause during our journey to stretch your legs and visit Boca Manu, the village a short way downriver, we visit the boatyards where local people build the dugout boats so essential to life on the river.

After a boat journey of approximately 6 hours, you arrive at Manu Wildlife Center, one of the world’s top ten wildlife lodges. After a reception and orientation you move into our private bungalow and rest to escape the midday heat.

Later, you make our first acquaintance with the lowland rainforest, learning about the plants and forest ecology as you explore some of the 30 miles of trails that surround the lodge.

You have an excellent chance of encountering some of the 12 species of monkeys, including the Spider Monkey and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest.

Day 4 : Manu Wildlife Center: the Macaw Clay lick project, Tapir Clay lick

Another early start (inevitable on wildlife expeditions), after a delicious breakfast is followed by a short boat ride downstream. You walk through the forest for some minutes, where you find the Macaw Lick project. The hide provided with individual chairs and a convenient place for cameras and binoculars is your ringside seat for what is usually a spectacular show.

In groups of twos and threes the scarlet Macaws come flapping in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main stage below — the eroded clay banks of the river and the occasional villain, a menacing and unwelcome Great Black Hawk.

The drama plays out in first in tentative and then bolder approaches to the lick, until finally nearly all the macaws form a colorful and noisy spectacle on the bare banks, squabbling as they scrape clay from the hard surface.

After this you continue walking and exploring on the network of trails surrounding the lodge then you return to the lodge for lunch.

Later, you continue to explore and discover the rainforest, its lore and plant life, on the network of trails surrounding the lodge, arriving in the late afternoon at your 34m/112ft. Canopy Tower.

On its platform you witness the frantic rush-hour activity of twilight in the rainforest canopy, before night closes in. Then you set off along the “collpa trail”, which will take you to the lodge’s famous Tapir Clay lick.

Here at the most active tapir lick known in all the Amazon, research has identified from 8-12 individual 600-pound Tapirs who come to this lick to eat clay from under the tree roots around the edge.

This unlikely snack absorbs and neutralizes toxins in the vegetarian diet of the Tapir, the largest land animal of Latin America. The lick features a roomy, elevated observation platform 5m/17ft above the forest floor.

The platform is equipped with freshly-made-up mattresses with pillows. Each mattress is covered by a roomy mosquito net. The 10-m-long, elevated walkway to the platform is covered with sound-absorbing padding to prevent our footsteps from making noise.

This Tapir Experience is unique and exciting because these normally very shy creatures are visible up close, and flash photography is not just permitted, but encouraged.

The hard part for modern city dwellers is to remain still and silent anywhere from 30 minutes to two or more hours. Many prefer to nap until the first Tapir arrives, at which point your guide gently awakens you to watch the Tapir 10-20m/33-66ft) away below the platform.

Most people feel that the wait is well worth it in order to have such a high probability of observing the rare and elusive Tapir in its rainforest home.

Overnight Manu Wildlife Center.

Day 5 : Manu Wildlife Center

You set off early for an old oxbow lake full of water lilies and sunken logs. As you circle the lake on our catamaran you might encounter the resident Giant Otter family on a fishing expedition, or troops of monkeys crashing noisily through the trees.

Wattled Jacanas step lightly on the lily pads, dainty Sun Grebes paddle across the water, supple-necked Anhingas air-dry their wide, black wings, and perhaps an Osprey scans for fish from a high branch.

Among the bushes near the waterline, Hoatzins, which look like rust-colored, punk chickens, announce their presence with distinctive, bizarre wheezing and grunts. Woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans and parakeets all finally come swooping in to trees surrounding the lake. Many of them roost around the lake for the night.

After lunch at the lodge our guide is available to lead us on freewheeling expeditions in search of further wildlife encounters, or we may take one of the lodge’s many trails on private and personal excursions to commune with the spirits of the rainforest.

This evening, from the late afternoon until after dinner, there will be an opportunity to search for caiman and other nocturnal life along the riverbank by boat (If the level of river allows it).

Overnight Manu Wildlife Center.

Day 6 : Manu Wildlife Center to Puerto Maldonado

You leave the lodge very early for the 2 1/2 -hour return boat trip downstream to the Colorado Village. Breakfast will be served on the boat while you enjoying early morning wildlife activity as we go – of course this is a perfect time to take advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river.

In addition this journey allows you to see several lowland native settlements and gold miners digging and panning gold along the banks of the Madre de Dios River. You will stop in the far-west type gold-mining town of Colorado to start the overland 45-minute journey to Puerto Carlos from where you will cross the Inambari River for a 15-minute boat trip to Santa Rosa.

Finally, a van or bus will drive approximately 2 1/2 hours to the Puerto Maldonado Airport for your flight to Lima or Cusco.