Manu Reserved Zone – 7 Days / 6 Nights

Breakfast is followed by a stop at a hummingbird garden, where flowering plants attract several species.

The small size and constant movement of hummingbirds make this a good morning for guests carrying cameras or binoculars. Your guide will help identify species whenever possible.

The road then continues toward Atalaya, where views open across the Alto Madre de Dios basin.

Atalaya marks an important change in the journey. From this point forward, river transport becomes a major part of the route.

We board a motorized boat and travel along the Alto Madre de Dios River. Forest-covered banks run alongside the boat as guides watch exposed branches, beaches and river edges for birds and mammals.

When river and weather conditions allow, there may be an opportunity to swim in a safe area selected by the guide and boat crew.

Lunch is served along the route.

The afternoon continues downstream toward Boca Manu, with additional stops or slow navigation whenever wildlife activity is spotted.

Arrival at the lodge and overnight.

Day highlight: Leaving the road behind and beginning the long river journey toward the Manu sector.

Technical details

• Transport: Private vehicle and motorized river boat
• Walking: Minimal
• Difficulty: Easy
• Terrain: Road access followed by river navigation
• Climate: Warm and humid
• Main wildlife targets: Hummingbirds, river birds, monkeys and reptiles
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Boca Manu Lodge or equivalent

After breakfast, we begin one of the most important river sections of the tour.

The boat enters the Manu River, where forest extends along both sides of the waterway.

Travel is deliberately slower when conditions allow because riverbanks can hold some of the day’s strongest wildlife opportunities. Guides scan fallen trees, branches, beaches and vegetation for white caimans, turtles and several monkey species.

Possible primate sightings include spider monkeys, capuchins and squirrel monkeys, although all wildlife observations depend on animal movement.

At Limonal Control Post, the group completes the required registration procedures before continuing farther along the Manu River tourism sector.

Lunch is served during the river journey.

As the boat moves deeper into the area, human activity becomes less visible and forest dominates the horizon.

Later, we reach Casa Matsiguenka, where we settle in for the night.

The lodge provides an important link between tourism and the Matsiguenka people who manage the accommodation.

Day highlight: Entering the Manu River sector and traveling through one of the strongest wildlife corridors of the entire route.

Technical details

• Transport: Motorized river boat
• Walking: Short walks around lodge areas when conditions allow
• Difficulty: Easy
• Climate: Hot and humid
• Terrain: Riverbanks and forest trails
• Main wildlife targets: Caimans, river turtles, monkeys and forest birds
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Casa Matsiguenka

Today focuses on the oxbow lakes and forest trails around the Manu River sector.

After breakfast, we walk through rainforest trails toward Cocha Otorongo.

The forest floor can be damp and sections may become muddy after rainfall. Tree roots and fallen leaves require careful footing, but the slower pace also gives the guide time to listen for movement in the canopy.

At Otorongo, observation infrastructure provides a higher viewpoint over the lake and surrounding forest.

This area may provide opportunities to see monkeys, water birds and other animals moving near the lake margins.

The route later continues toward Cocha Salvador.

Here, a catamaran allows quiet movement across the lake while the group watches the water and forest edge.

One of the main targets is the giant river otter, which uses oxbow lakes as feeding and family territory. Sightings are never guaranteed, but Salvador remains one of the key areas on this route for looking for them.

Other possible sightings include black caimans, turtles, monkeys, hoatzins and additional water birds.

Lunch is served during the day’s activities or back at Casa Matsiguenka according to operational planning.

Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day highlight: Searching the lakes of Manu for giant river otters while moving quietly across Cocha Salvador.

Technical details

• Transport: Boat when required and catamaran at Cocha Salvador
• Walking: Forest trails between observation areas
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Terrain: Humid forest floor, roots, leaf litter and possible mud
• Main habitats: Primary rainforest and oxbow lakes
• Main wildlife targets: Giant river otters, black caimans, turtles, monkeys and water birds
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Casa Matsiguenka

After breakfast, we begin the return journey along the Manu River toward Boca Manu.

This does not mean wildlife observation has ended. River travel continues to offer good opportunities because different animals may appear along sections that seemed quiet earlier in the trip.

We stop again at Limonal Control Post to register our exit from the Manu River sector.

The boat then continues toward the Alto Madre de Dios.

Depending on river conditions and the judgment of the guide and boat crew, there may be another opportunity to swim in a suitable section.

Lunch is served during the journey.

Later we arrive at Aguas Calientes Lodge.

Accommodation here is simple and bathrooms are shared, according to the original program.

Guests may use the nearby thermal waters to rest tired muscles after several days of road travel, boat navigation and forest walks.

Dinner and overnight.

Day highlight: A long river journey followed by time in the thermal waters near the lodge.

Technical details

• Transport: Motorized river boat
• Walking: Short walks
• Difficulty: Easy
• Climate: Warm and humid
• Accommodation standard: Basic jungle lodge with shared bathroom facilities
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Aguas Calientes Lodge

The day begins with an early wildlife activity at a parrot clay lick.

Parrots may gather on exposed mineral-rich surfaces, particularly when weather conditions are favorable. Rain, wind or predator activity can change their behavior, so the group observes quietly from the designated area.

Afterward, we return for breakfast and begin another journey along the Alto Madre de Dios River.

Later we reach the area of Cocha Machuwasi, where secondary forest supports a different range of birds and mammals.

A traditional wooden raft is used to move slowly across the lake. Without a motor running beside you, small sounds from the forest become easier to hear.

Your guide scans branches, reeds and lake margins for birdlife and mammals.

Lunch is served during the day’s route.

The boat later continues to Atalaya. From here we transfer by road toward the lodge for the final jungle night.

Day highlight: Moving across Cocha Machuwasi on a traditional wooden raft after an early morning at the parrot clay lick.

Technical details

• Transport: Motorized boat, wooden raft and private ground transport
• Walking: Short forest sections
• Difficulty: Easy
• Terrain: Lake margins, forest trails and river access points
• Main wildlife targets: Parrots, hoatzins, monkeys, water birds and secondary-forest species
• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Palmeras Lodge or equivalent

After breakfast, we begin the return drive toward Cusco.

The road gradually climbs out of the Amazon foothills and returns through the cloud forest.

Because this is another chance to pass through mountain forest habitat, short photography or birdwatching stops may be made when road conditions and timing permit.

Temperatures become cooler as the vehicle gains altitude.

We pass through Paucartambo before continuing across the Andes toward Cusco.

Arrival in Cusco marks the end of the seven-day journey.

Day highlight: Crossing the cloud forest for a second time and watching the Amazon landscape gradually give way to the Andes.

Technical details

• Transport: Private ground vehicle
• Walking: Minimal
• Difficulty: Easy
• Highest section: Approximately 3,800 m / 12,467 ft near Acjanaco
• Climate: Warm at lower elevations and considerably cooler at higher elevations
• Meals: Breakfast
• Dinner: Not included
• Final destination: Cusco

Private Service Price

A private departure works especially well in Manu because wildlife observation rarely follows a fixed schedule.

If monkeys appear beside the river or a group of birds begins feeding nearby, a private group has more freedom to wait. Photography stops can also be longer, walking speed can be adjusted and daily logistics can be adapted within park regulations and operational limits.

Suggested Private Rates

Private Service Advantages

• Private guide for your party
• Private ground transport
• Private boat logistics where operationally possible
• More control over photography stops
• Walking pace adjusted to your group
• More time for specific wildlife interests
• Easier coordination for birdwatchers and photographers
• Greater flexibility for families
• Dietary planning can be discussed before departure
• Easier management of rest breaks
• No need to coordinate daily pace with unrelated passengers

Park regulations, navigation restrictions, lodge availability and wildlife protection rules still apply to private departures.

Suggested Optional Upgrades

Availability must be confirmed before payment.