CLOUD FOREST, LAKE SALVADOR AND LAKE OTORONGO

Camping Trip 9 days/ 8 nights
in and out by bus

DAY 1: Cuzco-Atalaya

Leaving Cuzco we head over the Andes, stopping for a coffee at the beautiful colonial village of Paucartambo. Continuing, we climb to a highpoint of almost 4,000 m before descending to the cloud forest. In these mysterious surroundings we take a short hike and make our first camp (approx. 1,500 m).

DAY 2: Cloud Forest-Atalaya-Manu River

At daybreak we walk to the lek of the incredible cock-of-the-rock, to see the performance of the males right in front of our eyes. Afterwards we continue by bus to the tropical lowland rainforest. Here at 650m, we change into a motorized canoe to navigate down the turbulent Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu. As night falls we make camp on one of the beaches.

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 that 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 meter-high observation platform that overlooks the lake. At night we can explore the forest by torchlight or go moonlight caiman spotting on the lake.

DAY 5: Lake Salvador-Macaw Lick

After a final walk through the forest surrounding Lake Salvador, we return back down the Manu River. Joining the Madre de Dios River we arrive at Tambo Blanquillo where we spend the night.

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 turn back up the Madre de Dios River, making camp close to the airstrip.

DAY 7: Alto Madre de Dios River

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 or foraging on the beaches; we also get great views of the Andes. For the next two nights we stay at the Platform, right at the foot of the Pantiacolla Mountains.

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 endemic.

DAY 9: Atalaya-Cloud Forest-Cuzco

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 Cuzco.

MANU CAMPING TRIP RESERVED ZONE FIXED DEPARTURES DATES

*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)

RATES PER PERSON FOR 2008

For further information or booking inquiries, please contact Sacred Earth.