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 m).

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 some 5 hours down the turbulant Alto Madre de Dios River to Boca Manu. Along the way, we invite the Harakmbut people of Shintuya to share their traditions and rainforest food with us. At Pantiacolla Lodge they will sing, dance and tell us their magical stories of the rainforest. Afterwards, you continue down the river to spend the night at Yine Lodge -a small eco-lodge which is part of a project of Pantiacolla with the Yine indians- or camp next to it, depending on availability

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 this and the next day. 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 ends 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.

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 beautiful oxbow lake, Cocha Blanco. Going back up the river we stay in a basic lodge, or camp next to that basic lodge, depending on availability

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 many endemics.

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

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

- Day pack

- Long pants and long-sleeved shirts

- T-shirts

- Shorts/Bathing suit

- Sweater or light jacket

- 1 pair of hiking boots and 1 pair of light shoes or sandals

- Long socks

- Rain gear

- Sunhat, sunglasses, sun block

- Insect repellent (with at least 35% '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 (imperative) and tetanus (optional) vaccinations

Malaria is rare in the area, however, there has been at least one case in the last couple of years of a tourist contracting this disease. Therefore, we dó recommend taking 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.

Below is a list of frequently asked questions by passengers wíth their answers, hopefully this will give you more information and a better idea about our tours to Manu. Any further questions can be directed to our office through e-mail or phone.

- What is the maximum group size on the trips?

The maximum size of the groups is 10 people per guide. If we have between 11 and 13 people we send two guides but the group travels as one in the same bus and boat. During hikes or other excursions, the group will be divided into two small groups, each with their own guide.

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 a 4-wheel drive mini van for maximum 6 passengers and a 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 helper. 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  find it 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 and biting insects. However, we offer for every night basic (and shared) washing and toilet facilities in one of our eco-lodges. Also will you have a normal bed every night, except in the few cases all lodge facilities in the area are fully booked. The following is a list of the eco-lodges you will stay in according to the programme of our fixed departure tours to Manu’s Reserved Zone:

First night: Posada San Pedro is a basic eco-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 eco-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. If this would happen, ze will provide all the camping gear you would need.

Third and fourth night: Our campsite near Lake Salvador 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.

At the beginning of the trip you will receive a set of sheets to be used on all overnights. It has been designed for easy use and by taking one personal set for the whole tour, you will reduce the contaminating use of detergents to a minimum. Blankets are present in your rooms.

- What safety measurements do you have?

Concerning the back-up facilities, all our overnight places have a radio communication set at the site. All our personnel have been trained in first-aid, and a first-aid kit is available during the tour. At the following places are first aid posts or hospitals:

Pilcopata (2nd and 9th day) has a small hospital

Itahuanía (2nd, 7th and 8th day) has a first aid post

Boca Manu (2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th day) has a first aid post

- Do the boats have a roof?

Yes the boats have a roof to protect yourself against the sun. However, if you are sitting on a moving boat, the rain always comes in on one side, and therefore we provide you with big plastic sheets to cover yourself without taking away your view of the rainforest.

- 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 maybe beans or lentils at the end part (since meat cannot been kept cool forever without electricity) 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, chocolate and herbal teas. 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?

No, your bedding will be provided for all overnights.

- 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, exactly to prevent animals eating them. If the macaws eat them anyway, 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 up until the beginning of the dry season (May) there are many fruits. 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 beginning of the dry season. In the middle of the dry season there may be from 100 to 150 macaws visiting the clay lick in one morning, whereas there may be only 10 to 50 at the end of the rainy season/beginning of the dry season.

- What are the temperaturas 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. 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. In appr. 50% of the cases we fly, there is 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 15% 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 our 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. For these situations, it is important you have one complete day at your disposal after the last day of your 5- or 7-day tour.

- 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.

- How do I book?

For inscription of a fixed departure tour we need the following:

. full name

. nationality and passport number

. age

. profession (this is what the park authorities ask for)

. dietary and medical restrictions

. arrival date and hotel in Cusco, if these are known to you

. next travel date after Manu trip

. your insurance details (name of the company, your registration number, contact   telephone number)

. down payment of 40% thru bank deposit or western union

. confirmation that outstanding payment can be done in cash, travellers cheques or bank transfer

1)  Down payment in the Peruvian bank

Unfortunately, receiving bank transfers has become very expensive and therefore we have to charge you $25. - extra for a bank transfer. This is the amount of money we have to pay more for receiving the money by bank compared to receiving money through visa card payment.

- Cancellation policy

s cancellation policy for fixed departure tours:

. the down payment will not be returned after confirmation of inscription

. if you cancel the day of departure or during the tour after final payment, no money can be returned

-Pre-departure briefing?

The day before departure there will be a briefing at 18:00 hrs, at the  office. In case you cannot be present for the briefing, please let us know, to make sure you receive all necessary information in another way.