Manu
Wildlife Center
5 Days / 4 Nights
Day 1 - Cusco to
Boca Manu and Manu Wildlife Center
An early
morning transfer to Cusco airport will be followed by a 45-minute flight
by turboprop aircraft to Boca Manu, and then a 90-minute motorized canoe
journey down the Madre de Dios river to Manu Wildlife Center, in time
for lunch.
Later, we make our first acquaintance with the lowland rainforest, learning
about the plants and forest ecology as we explore some of the 30 miles
of trails that surround the lodge. We have an excellent chance of encountering
some of the 12 species of monkeys, including the Monk Saki and Emperor
Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest.
After dinner there will be an enchanting night walk along the trails,
in search of the nocturnal birds and animals of the rainforest.
Day 2 - Manu Wildlife
Center: the Macaw Claylick, Canopy Tower & Tapir Claylick
Another early start (inevitable on wildlife expeditions), is followed
by a short boat ride downstream. We take a 20-minute trail through palm
plantations to a cut-off channel of the river, where we find the Blanquillo
Macaw Lick. A spacious hide provided with individual chairs and a convenient
place for cameras and binoculars is our ringside seat for what is usually
a very spectacular show. We enjoy a full breakfast here while waiting
for the main actors to arrive.
In groups of twos and threes the big Red-and-Green Macaws come flapping
in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main stage below -- the eroded
clay banks of the old channel. Meanwhile the supporting cast appears:
these may included Blue-headed, Mealy, Yellow-crowned, and Orange-cheeked
Parrots -- 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, parrots and parakeets form
a colorful and noisy spectacle on the bare banks, squabbling as they scrape
clay from the hard surface.
We return to the lodge for lunch, and then we 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 our 34m/112ft
Canopy Tower. On its platform we witness the frantic rush-hour activity
of twilight in the rainforest canopy, before night closes in.
Later we set off along the collpa trail, which will take us
to the lodges famous Tapir Claylick. Here at the most active tapir
lick known in all the Amazon, our 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 50-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.
Day 3 - Manu Wildlife
Center: Cocha Blanco and the Wildlife trails
We set off early for Cocha Blanco, an old oxbow lake full of water lilies
and sunken logs. As we circle the lake on our catamaran we 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.
Amongt 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 lodges many trails on private and personal excursions to
commune with the spirits of the rainforest.
This evening, from late afternoon until after dinner, we can take a boat
ride in search of caiman (alligator-like reptiles), and other nocturnal
wildlife along the riverbank.
Day 4 - Cocha Camungo
& Big Tree Canopy Tower
Rising at dawn we board our motor-canoe to visit Cocha Camungo, an oxbow
lake. Each of these forest lakes seems to have its own personality, and
after circling these enchanted waters by catamaran to look birds and other
lakeside fauna, we will explore the forest trails and visit the 40m/130ft
canopy platform, set amongst the massive branches of a giant kapok tree.
This platform provides a beautiful view of Cocha Camungo, as well as the
forest canopy, and on very clear days we can spot the distant ranges of
the Andes above the undulating treetops of the forest.
After lunch at the Center we will explore the forest trails, with the
emphasis on visiting the fruiting and flowering trees that our experienced
naturalist guides have been monitoring. Here we will hope to encounter
more monkey species as well as numerous species of birds. Before or after
supper, avid explorers will have a second chance to visit the Tapir Claylick.
Day 5 - Manu Wildlife
Center to Cusco
After an early breakfast, we leave on the two-hour boat trip to the Boca
Manu airfield, enjoying early morning wildlife activity as we go. From
here we fly to Cusco, where our rainforest adventure ends with a pickup
and transfer to our hotel.
***
End Of Our Services ***
Departures:
Thursday, Saturday, all year |
2012
Prices per person: $1315 in double room, Single Supplement:$330 |
Tour
includes: Activities include a visit to Manu's only accessible
macaw clay lick, a visit to the world's largest tapir clay lick, oxbow
lakes with Giant Otters and unlimited access to our unique spiral staircase
to a large canopy observation platform, Accommodation, full board, transportation.
Not
included: International airfares, airfares Lima-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado and Puerto Maldonado-Cusco-Lima |
All our tour packages include: Please
click here
CODE:
INKANA
|
|