Main Info
Overview and Highlights
Starting from Cusco Beginning in Cusco, this adventure offers a wide variety of activities. Colonial towns, jungle villages and the expansive Amazon basin are part of this package, which allows you to tailor your experience to your preferences. The cultural zone encompasses the cloud forest of the mountains, which offers a pristine natural environment for abundantly, wild growing plants.
Some researchers believe that in the virgin areas of this reserve is the Paititi or lost city of the Incas. The Manu national park was created on May 29, 1973. In 1977, UNESCO recognized the park as a Biosphere Reserve and in 1987 declared it a World Natural Heritage Site.
What is included
- English and Spanish speaking Jungle guide.
- Private car from Cusco to Atalaya and back.
- rivate boat from Atalaya to Pantiacolla Lodge and back.
- Excursions mentioned in the programme.
- Two nights in Posada San Pedro.
- Two nights in Pantiacolla Lodge.
- Meals.
What is not included
- (*) Entrance fees to Manu National Park $75 USD.
- Domestic flight tickets and airport taxes.
- Personal items and medicines (e.g., gear, clothing, laundry, telephone calls).
- Tips to local staff (we recommend $8-10 USD per day of service per guide or driver).
What to bring and advices
- Binoculars (imperative).
- Flashlight with spare bulbs and extra batteries.
- Sleeping bag.
- Day pack.
- Long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
- T-shirts.
- Shorts/Bathing suit.
- Towel.
- Sweater or light jacket.
- 1 pair of hiking boots and 1 pair of light shoes or sandals.
- Long socks.
- Rain gear.
- Rubber boots (only in the rainy season—we provide them).
- Sunhat, sunglasses, sun block.
- Insect repellent (with at least 25% DEET) and after bite.
- Toilet-paper.
- Plastic bags (to keep everything dry).
- Water bottle (with water for the bus ride into Manu).
- Copy of a valid passport.
- Copy of yellow fever and tetanus vaccinations.
- Money for soft drinks or beers and handicrafts at the Boca Manu landing strip.
- A light day pack with a change of clothes for the whole period of the trek – prepare for a vast range of changes in temperature.
- Rain gear (jacket and pants if available) or rain poncho. Plastic ponchos can be bought for about $1 in Cusco.
- Strong footwear, waterproof trekking boots recommended.
- Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf and beanie/touk. Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
- Camera, films and batteries (batteries consume more quickly under cold conditions).
- Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, rain and cold.
- Sun block.
- After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body.
- Insect repellent – minimum recommended 20% DEET – although no malaria risk has been reported.
- Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
- Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
- We advise you to bring water sterilizing tablets in case you collect water from streams.
- Your own medical kit with any special medications that you might require, paracetamol, second skin for blisters etc.
- Small towel or sarong.
- Bathers/swimsuit (if you intend on swimming in hot springs ).
- Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips and souvenirs.
- Original passport & ISIC (International Student Identity Card) if you have one.
- Walking sticks or poles (we can hire these to you. Please note poles with metal tips cannot be carried into Machu Picchu and should be left at your hotel on the final day).
- Binoculars (if you have them).
- Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Itinerary
Leaving Cusco early in the morning, we begin an 8-hour journey over the Andes by bus, stopping for breakfast at the beautiful colonial village of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to the highpoint of the Manu Biosphere at about 4000 m before descending to the cloud forest. In these mysterious surroundings we take a hike to the lek of the incredible cock-of-the-rock, to see the ‘performance’ of the males right under our eyes. We spend our first night in the rustic lodge Posada San Pedro (appr. 1,600 m).
• Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
• Night: Paradise Lodge.
• ACTIVITY LEVEL: Relax to Moderate.
• DRIVING DISTANCE: 250 km/155.343 mi
• DRIVING TIME: 7 / 8 hours
• HIKING TIME: 1.5-hour hike
• MINIMUM ELEVATION: 1600 m/5249 ft
• MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 4000 m/13123 ft
At daybreak we continue by bus to tropical lowland rainforest. Here at the small village Atalaya at 650 m, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate some 2 hours down the turbulent Alto Madre de Dios River. From here 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 two 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 bóth 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 Pantiacolla Lodge.
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
• Night: Paradise Lodge.
• ACTIVITY LEVEL: Relax to Moderate.
• BOAT DRIVING TIME: 2 hours
• HIKING TIME: 1.5-hour hike
• MINIMUM ELEVATION: 400 m/5249 ft
• MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 1600 m/5249 ft
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! From there we visit the higher trails of the Pantiacolla Mountains: it’s ‘Oil’ stream with small hot springs, oil wells and natural swimming pools. At night we visit Ranacocha, Frog Lake. Overnight in Panctiacolla Lodge.
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner.
• Night: Panctiacolla Lodge
• ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate
• BOAT DRIVING TIME: 20mn.
• MINIMUM ELEVATION: 400 m/5249 ft
• MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 400 m/5249 ft
After a last morning hike in Pantiacolla, the boat takes us to the hot springs of Shintuya for a relaxing mineral bath, before continuing further up to Atalaya. From here we turn back up the Andes by car. We visit a local orchid “sanctuary” along the way. We spend the last night in Posada San Pedro.
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch,dinner.
• Night: Posada San Pedro
• ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate
• BOAT DRIVING TIME: 02 Hours mn.
• MINIMUM ELEVATION: 400 m/5249 ft
• MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 1600 m/5249 ft
We hike through the cloud forest till our car picks us up to take us to Huatocto, near Paucartambo. This is a traditional Andean Community where there used to be a big hacienda in colonial times. Of course, the hacienda was built on top of Inka ruins! From here we travel by car to Cusco, where we arrive in the late afternoon."
• Meals: Lunch, Dinner.
• Night: none.
• ACTIVITY LEVEL: Relax to Moderate.
• DRIVING DISTANCE: 178 km/110.604 mi
• DRIVING TIME: 5 to 6 hours
• HIKING TIME: 1.5-hour hike
• MINIMUM ELEVATION: 1600 m/5249 ft
• MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 4000 m/13123 ft
