Day 1 - Cuzco-Cloud Forest
Leaving Cuzco we head over the Andes, stopping for a coffee at the beautiful colonial village of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to the highpoint of the Manu Biosphere at about 3,800 m before descending to the cloud forest. In these mysterious surroundings we take a hike to the lick 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 camping huts of Posada San Pedro. (appr. 1,600 m). (L/D) (camp)

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, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate down the turbulant Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu. As night falls we make camp on one of the beaches. Later that evening we will go on short hikes in the surrounding area. (B/L/D) (camp)

Day 3 & 4 - Lake Salvador and Lake Otorongo
On the morning of the third day we turn up the Manu River. 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 campsite 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. A five hour hike through the forest takes us to Lake Otorongo and a 20 metre-high observation platform that overlooks the lake. At night we can explore the forest by torchlight or go moonlight caiman spotting on the lake. (B/L/D) (2 nights camp)

DAY 5 Lake Salvador- Beach Tambo Blanquillo
After a final walk through the forest surrounding Lake Salvador, we return back down the Manu River. At Boca Manu we continue on the Madre de Dios River and we arrive at Blanquillo, near the claylick for macaws, where we spend the night camping on a beach. Later that evening we will go on short hikes in the surrounding area. (B/L/D) (camp)

DAY 6 - 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 Kamungo. The night is comfortably spend in the jungle lodge Tambo Blanquillo. (B/L/D) (lodge)

DAY 7 - Lake Salvador - Manu-Puerto Maldonado - Cuzco
Early morning start as flocks of birds pass over the boat, and we may see a Capybara, the world’s largest rodent. Our destination Boca Colorado, a frontier gold rush town, where we’ll take local transport for an hour to the Inambari river and by paved road to Puerto Maldonado. Here you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Cuzco. On arrival our staff will be waiting to take you to your hotel. (B)