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 meters 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. ( camp )( 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 - Tambo Blanquillo - Boca Manu - Pantiacolla Lodge
A short boat ride takes us to Boca Manu and we carry on up the Alto Madre de Dios River. Travelling on the river gives us our best chance to see rare animals such as the puma or jaguar that are resting o r foraging on the beaches; we also get great views of the Andean mountains. For the next two nights we stay at the lodge, right at the foot of the Pantiacolla Mountains. Later that day / evening we will go on short hikes in the surrounding area. ( B/L/D ) ( lodge )

Day 8 - Pantiacolla Mountains
This day we hike through 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 from both zones as well as some endemics. Later that day / evening we will go on short hikes in the surrounding area. ( B/L/D )( lodge )

Day 9 - Atalaya-Cloud forest-Cuzco
Early departure by boat where we head upstream to Atalaya. Here our bus is waiting to take us back over the Andean mountains then into Cuzco in the evening. ( B/L )