Manu Biosphere Reserve 2009

Manu National Park

Manu National Park was established in 1977 and in recognition of its uniqueness was designated a ''World Heritage Site” ten years later. Manu is internationally acclaimed as one of the most bio-diverse areas on earth.

Approximately half the area of Switzerland, the Manu Biosphere is a complete ecosystem with protected watershed embracing Andean mountain cloud forest, tropical lowland forest and the rivers Alto Madre de Dios and Manu drainage systems. The biosphere itself is subdivided into a National Park and two adjacent zones, one for tourism and the other for cultural subsistence. It is home to over 1000 species of birds, 15,000 species of plants, over 200 species of mammals, an untold number of insects and within its heart remain yet unconnected peoples.

Manu retains healthy populations of jaguar, tapir, anteater, black caiman, and giant otter and among the 13 species of monkey we find the unique pigmy marmoset, the smallest monkey in the world, and the nocturnal night monkey. Because of Manu's low human population and their continued use of traditional hunting techniques, the animals in the park show little fear of man and are more readily approachable than in many other rainforest locations. Manu, therefore, offers unparalleled animal watching opportunities.

Wildlife aside, however, the journey into the park itself is amazingly spectacular and not to be missed either. Access is normally by road and the two day trip from Cusco to the entrance of the Manu Reserved Zone carries you over the mountains to an elevation of 4000 m, past pre-Inca ruins and down through the cloud forest on the eastern side of the Andes into lush lowland rainforest. Roads remain largely unpaved and wind their way precariously past cascading water, deep gorges and precipices. Manu is truly a complete experience.

Manu Camping Tour Reserved Zone – Our programs:

• RESERVED ZONE (5D/4N) - Bus In / Flight Out
• MACAW CLAY LICK (7D/6N) - Bus In / Flight Out
• JUNGLE TRIP (9D/8N) - Bus In / Bus Out

Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco - Cloud Forest

Leaving Cusco early in the morning, we begin an 8-hour journey over the Andes by bus, stopping for a coffee at the beautiful colonial village of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to the highpoint of the Manu Biosphere at about 3,530 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 masl / 5,248 ft).

Itinerary

Day 2: Cloud Forest – Atalaya - Manu River

At daybreak we continue by bus to tropical lowland rainforest. Here at the small village Atalaya at 650 m / 2,132 ft, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate some 5 hours down the turbulent Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu. As night falls we stay in a basic lodge, or camp next to that lodge, depending on availability.

Itinerary

Days 3 & 4: Lake Salvador and Lake Otorongo

On the morning of the third day we turn up the Manu River for a 6-hour ride into the heart of Manu’s Reserved Zone. From this vantage point we will have great views of riverside birds, sunbathing caiman, and the enormous aquatic guinea pig, the capybara. We reach our camping huts deep inside Manu in the afternoon. This will be our base for the next two days. During this time, we will hike through virgin forest and explore one of the most beautiful lakes of the Manu basin, Lake Salvador, by catamaran. There is a chance to see a huge variety of colourful birds, numerous species of monkey and with luck, a family of giant otters. There is another hike in this habitat-rich forest that will end in Lake Otorongo and a 20 metre-high observation platform overlooking the lake. At night we can explore the forest by torchlight or go moonlight caiman-spotting on the lake.

Itinerary

Day 5: Lake Salvador-Boca Manu

After a final walk through the forest surrounding Lake Salvador (flight schedule permitting), we return back down the Manu River. At Boca Manu, you return mid-day to Cusco by light aircraft, if you are participating in the 5-day trip.

If your tour is of 7 or 9 days, it continues as follows:

Day 5: Lake Salvador-Macaw

Lick Joining the Madre de Dios River we arrive at Blanquillo, near the claylick for macaws, where we spend the night in the jungle lodge Tambo Blanquillo.

Itinerary

Day 6: Lake Salvador-Macaw Lick

At first light we head to the macaw lick to watch the dazzling spectacle of hundreds of parakeets, parrots and macaws eating clay. In the afternoon we visit another one of Manu´s beautiful oxbow lakes, Cocha Blanco. Going back up the river we stay in a basic lodge, or camp next to that basic lodge, depending on availability.

Itinerary

Day 7: Boca Manu-Cusco

Today you fly over the rainforest and the Andes to Cusco by light aircraft, if you are participating in the 7-day trip.

If your tour is of 9 days, it continues as follows:

Day 7: Boca Manu-Pantiacolla Lodge

We carry on up the Alto Madre de Dios River for another 5 hours. Travelling on the river gives us our best chance to see rare animals such as the puma or jaguar that are resting or foraging on the beaches; we also get great views of the Andes. For the next two nights we stay at the Pantiacolla lodge, right at the foot of the Pantiacolla Mountains.

Itinerary

Day 8: Pantiacolla Mountains

This day we hike through a very special rainforest: this is where the Andes and the lowland tropical rainforest meet, providing the visitor with a chance to see a good selection of birds, insects and flora from both zones as well as some endemic species.

Itinerary

Day 9: Atalaya - Cloud Forest - Cusco

Back on the boat early in the morning, we head upstream to Atalaya where our bus is waiting to take us back over the Andes to Cusco.

* Bearing in mind the uncontrollable forces of nature, the programme could be subject to changes at any time
** Every group can contain people who travel for 5, 7 or 9 days

Price Information

Prices per person 2009 – Standard Pool service Adult:

• RESERVED ZONE 5D/4N: US$1295,00 (*) (**)
• MACAW CLAY LICK 7D/6N: US$1385,00 (*) (**)
• JUNGLE TRIP 9D/8N: US$1195, 00 (*)

* Manu Reserved Zone entrance fee not included: S/. 150.00 per person (to be confirmed as of April 2009)
** Boca Manu airport tax not included: US$15.00 per person (to be confirmed as of April 2009)

Private Service tours are also available. Please contact us for more information.

Departure dates 2009

MANU Reserved Zone 5, 7 and 9 days

• April: 19 – 26
• May: 3 – 10 – 17 – 24 – 31
• June: 7 – 14 – 21 – 28
• July: 5 - 12 – 19 – 22 - 26
• August: 2 - 9 – 16 – 23 – 30
• September: 6 – 13 – 20 – 27
• October: 4 – 11 – 18 – 25
• November: 1 - 8 – 15 - 22 – 29
• December: 6 – 13 – 20 - 27

*since generally there are no flights between Boca Manu and Cusco on Sundays, the “5-day” programme starting on Wednesdays will have an extra overnight in the Yine Lodge (5th night) to travel by plane to Cusco on Monday morning (flight conditions permitting)

Group Size

Maximum is 10 people per guide and 14 people per group, no minimum is required on a fixed departure.

What is included

• Qualified naturalist English/Spanish-speaking guide
• Transportation by private bus from Cusco to the Cloud Forest and Atalaya (5 and 7 day tours), and back from Atalaya to Cusco (9 day tour)
• Transportation by private boat: Atalaya / Lake Salvador / Boca Manu (5-day tour) – Macaw Lick – Boca Manu (7-day tour), Pantiacolla Lodge / Atalaya (9-day tour)
• Flight from Boca Manu to Cusco (5 and 7 day tour)
• Overnights in lodges and camping huts
• Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Manu National Park guide book – Talking About Manu
• Paperwork for Park entrance

What is not included

• Manu Reserved Zone entrance fee (US$50.00 per person)
• Boca Manu airport tax (US$15.00 per person) (5 and 7 day tours)
• Sleeping Bag (it can be hired at our agency for US$5.00 a day)
• Soft drinks, beers and others not mentioned

What we recommend that you bring

Rainforest expeditions are not comfortable tours, but with the following equipment you will get the best out of the forest and yourself:

• 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

Other useful information

Health: Though it only is a small risk, it is possible you get infected with malaria in Manu, and we recommend you take a prophylaxis when going on one of our tours. The yellow fever situation is about the same. Moreover, yellow fever is almost always lethal. Therefore, it is not only recommended but even required that one receives the yellow fever vaccination at least ten days before entering Manu.

Booking online

If you would like to make a reservation for this program, please go directly to the Booking Online section of this website by clicking here.

In case you have any doubts, queries or require additional information, please contact us, we will be very glad to assist you. Your request will be answered by return mail within a maximum of 2 working days.

Manu National Park

Our recommendations for a low impact trip in Manu National Park

We would like to share with you our recommendations for how to have as little an impact upon the natural environment in Manu as possible during your visit.

1. Avoid using plastics that only have a short-term use. If plastic is necessary, like plastic bags to keep your clothes dry in for example, try to buy bags that can be used again, either by you or the next tourist. If possible, don’t buy any drinks in plastic bottles, opting instead for glass bottles. If buying plastic bottles can’t be avoided, make sure the bottles will be returned to Cusco, handing them back to us for recycling.
2. Recycle camera/flashlight batteries. Cusco does not have a place to recycle batteries; if this is available to you back home, please take your batteries back with you and recycle them there. Where this is not possible, please leave the batteries with your guide or at our office in Cusco. We will store them, hoping in the future there will be the possibility of recycling them locally.
3. Respect our rules for disposal of garbage in bags for biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage. Thank you!
4. Lower fuel emissions. Oftentimes the bus and boat used for your transportation will also transport food or materials for the jungle lodges. We ask your understanding, since in this way we can reduce the number of trips our bus and boats make, thereby reducing the gas used and the emissions from the motors.
5. Plant a tree! To help offset the carbon-dioxide emissions caused by the plane that has brought you to Peru, why not help by planting trees? You can read about how you can contribute to this worthwhile project on the website of the organization Trees for Travel: www.treesfortravel.nl/general.html.

If you have additional ideas you’d like to share, we’d be pleased to hear them and add them to this list!

Frequently Asked Questions

Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions by passengers with answers, hopefully this will give you more information and a better idea about our tours to Manu.

What is the maximum group size on the trips?

The maximum size of the groups is 10 people per guide. If we have up to 13 people we send two guides but the group travels as one in the same bus and boat. If there are more than 13 people we split into two independent groups - both with their own boats, guides, cooks and program. The only time they spend together is on the first day and a part of the second, while travelling by bus.

What kind of transportation do you provide for the trip into Manu?

We own 4-wheel drive mini van for maximum 6 passengers and a big bus for maximum 18 passengers. Both vehicles have been adapted for the unpaved Manu road.

Are participants expected to help with carrying luggage and with cooking, or is this done for us?

Cooking and dishes are done by the cook and his assistant. In principal the boatmen and the guide will carry your luggage to and from the boat to your accommodation. Often people like to assist them, preferring to carry their own bags – which is gratefully accepted but no obligation.

What are the overnight conditions for each night of the tour?

We believe it is important to minimize our impact as much as possible; therefore we do not promote this as a luxury tour. On the contrary you may encounter some physical discomforts such as heat, humidity, biting insects, plus basic washing and toilet facilities.

first night: Posada San Pedro is a basic lodge with double and triple rooms with beds with mattresses and mosquito netting. There are shared hot water showers and toilets and a dining area.

second night: Yine Lodge is a basic lodge with double and triple rooms. Sometimes in the high season (July, August) all lodge facilities of the area are occupied and you spend the night in tents near the Yine Lodge, where you will still be able to use the shower and toilet facilities.

third and fourth night: at our campsite near Lake Salvador. Our campsite consists of little rustic huts, raised from the forest floor, with beds with mattresses and mosquito netting. There are shared showers and toilets and there is a dining area.

fifth night: at Tambo Blanquillo, near the clay lick for macaws. This is a long platform with division to make double/triple rooms, shared hot water showers and toilets.

sixth night: Yine Lodge is a basic lodge with double and triple rooms. Sometimes in the high season (July, August) all lodge facilities of the area are occupied and you spend the night in tents near the Yine Lodge, where you will still be able to use the shower and toilet facilities.

seventh and eighth night: at Pantiacolla Lodge, a beautiful lodge with double rooms with beds and mosquito nets and shared showers and toilets.

What safety measurements do you have?

Concerning the back-up facilities, all our overnight places have a radio communication at the site. All our personnel have been trained in first-aid, and a first-aid kit is available during the tour.

Do the boats have a roof?

Yes the boats have a roof to protect yourself against the sun and rain (if you are sitting on a moving boat rain always comes in on one side though).

Is all drinking water provided? Is this purified?

Just for the first day you should bring your own water. For the rest of the trip we provide mineral water that we bring in from Cusco.

What is the food like?

Our food is 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. The lunches in general consist of cold salads, since it is usually hot at that time of the day, and the dinners feature soups (the great Peruvian soups!), a main course with meat for the first part of the tour and beans or lentils for the second part (since meat cannot been kept cool for a long time) and desserts of fresh fruits or puddings etc. You can also ask for a special diet, such as vegetarian, saltless or anything else that you need or prefer.

For drinking we have mineral water as much as you need, plus lemonades, coffee, tea and maté. There are places where one can buy beers or soft drinks, but you pay for them yourself.

Do you remove all waste from the campsites?

Yes, of course we remove all waste from the campsite. Biodegradable garbage is decomposed in the ground at a specially designed area near Pantiacolla Lodge. Non-biodegradable waste is returned to Cusco.

Do we need to bring sleeping bags?

Yes, we provide sleeping mats but we ask you to bring your own sleeping bag. You can hire those here in Cusco for $2, 00 (price of 2008) per night per sleeping.

Do we need to bring our own mosquito nets?

You do not have to bring your own mosquito nets; wherever they are needed we will provide them.

Are you guaranteed to see birds at the Macaw Lick?

The dry season is a good season to see the birds. The most likely reason for them to come together and eat the clay is because at certain times of the year there are hardly any fruits available for them, just seeds. Seeds in general have a toxic layer to prevent animals eating them. If the macaws eat them they have a build up of poison in their stomach. To neutralize the acids that the poison produces in their stomachs they eat the clay. In the rainy season there are many fruits up until the beginning of the dry season, which is May. So the macaws eat fewer seeds and more non-toxic fruits and feel less necessity to eat the clay. Usually it means there are fewer macaws present: in the middle of the dry season there may be from 100 to 150 macaws visiting the clay lick in one morning, whereas these maybe only 10 to 50 at the end of the rainy season.

What are the temperatures like in Manu?

The first night you spend in the cloud forest, at 1600masl, where temperatures are about 10 degrees Celsius (50F). In Manu’s lowland forest, the temperature at night is normally around 24 degrees Celsius (75F) and during the day about 30 degrees Celsius (86F). However, cold winds from Patagonia may reach Manu and the temperature may lower to about 10 degrees Celsius (50F). These “friajes” are more common during the southern hemisphere’s wintertime (between April and the end of August).

Is there a lot of walking?

There is not a lot of walking in the sense of going far. All walking is done slowly. This is because most of what you find in a rainforest is vegetation and to be able to pick out the animals you have to take your time to look around, and listen as well. The first day of the tour has an afternoon walk of about two hours. The second day is mostly spent looking for birds and animals on the Alto Madre de Dios River, with less walking than the other days. The third and fourth days feature a short walk to Lake Salvador, and various different walks in the Reserved Zone and on trails around the accommodation. The sixth day a two hour walk and the seventh day no walk at all except for those on the 9 day tour who will walk a trail on arrival to Pantiacolla Lodge. Night walks can be added to most days depending on the camp area.

Are the flights Boca Manu to Cusco often delayed?

Concerning the Manu flights, they can be delayed, due to bad weather (there is no radar on the Boca Manu landings strip) or other external circumstances, but in appr. 50% of the cases we fly with a delay of some hours. You still return to Cusco on the same day, but in the afternoon instead of in the morning. Other reasons for delay can be mechanical problems of the only plane that flies between Cusco and Boca Manu or just the way the flights are administrated. In about 20% of the cases we fly, people have to wait an extra night at the Boca Manu airport, returning to Cusco the morning of the next day. The extra costs occasioned in the rainforest by a non-flight situation are paid by Pantiacolla (extra overnights, meals etc.). Extra costs outside of the rainforest, such as hotel expenses in Cusco or elsewhere, changing airplane tickets etc., are not Pantiacolla´s responsibility. In case we know there will not be a flight available for the next day, we will coordinate with you for return by land.

Should I take a malaria prophylaxis?

Though it only is a small risk, it is possible you get infected with malaria in Manu, and we recommend you take a prophylaxis when going on one of our tours.

The yellow fever situation is about the same. Moreover, yellow fever is almost always lethal therefore it is required that one receives the yellow fever vaccination at least ten days before entering Manu.

Will there be a Pre-departure briefing?

The day before departure there will be a briefing at 18:00 hrs, at the Pantiacolla office. In case you cannot be present for the briefing, please let me know, to make sure you get at least information about departure time and place.