Manu Cultural Zone, visit the manu jungle of south peru

Manu National Park – Cultural Zone 3 days / 2 nights Itinerary

Outside reserve zone(sleeping in lodge)

Adventure with rafting and mountain biking

 

This tour departs every day with a minimum of 3 persons

You'll discover the beauty and variety of fauna and flora, in this tour you don’t meet as many animals as in the national reserve, but you get the real jungle feeling, its an mixture of nature, culture and adventure. The Cultural Zone is one of the three zones from Manu National Park which covers high mountains, cloud forest and low jungle.
In this area there are small villages, settlers and native communities working in productive activities such as agriculture, since these activities are controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Park Authorities.
One of the purposes of this controlled area is to act as a buffer zone to the Reserved and Intangible Zones

We leave Cusco early in the morning in one of our vehicles. Approximately mid-morning we visit the interesting tombs of Ninamarca, commonly known as “Chullpas”. We continue to Paucartambo, a picturesque Spanish colonial town, and then to the Acjanacu pass, which marks the beginning of the Cultural Zone of Manu Biosphere Reserve.  Here, a thick cloak of clouds provides perpetual humidity and makes an ideal habitat for epiphytic plants such as bromeliads. This varied and fascinating world is home of the Cock of the Rock, Spectacled Bear, Orchids, Tree Ferns (one of the oldest living plants), mosses and lichens. This cloud forest exists between 2,000 and 3,500 m.a.s.l. and at least 50% of the plant species found here are endemic to this region. Overnight at our “Orquídeas de San Pedro Lodge”.

Today we wake up very early to observe the Cock of the Rock(Rupicola peruviana), Peru’s national bird from a platform. The male birds are a vibrant reddish orange, and as many as several dozen come together for an exhibition of a mating ritual dance in a place called Lek. The males display their crest, showing off and posturing for the females. The females, fewer in number, watch to select the most suitable males. After breakfast we continue in our vehicle down the narrow road between waterfalls and canyons toward the town of Pilcopata (*1) and then to Atalaya Port. here we board our covered, outboard motor boat and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River for approximately 15 minutes toward our private reserve of “Erika” a comfortable / rustic lodge owned also by Manu Ecological Adventures where we will hike through the interesting trail system that this transitional area between high and low jungle offers. Overnight at the lodge.

*1 Free Option: Here in Pilcopata town we will make the final settings for a 1 ½ river rafting (class I and II) trip down the Koshñipata River where we will have the opportunity for a dip and of course enjoy the spectacular view of the Koñeq Canyon. Continuing down the Alto Madre de Dios River to Erika Lodge.

*2New!!!  Free Option: We walk through the trail that leads us to the observation platform located 15 feet above the mammal lick itself where we wait for the lumbering peccaries to arrive, we observe and photograph them in action. Important: The observation depends on luck on availability and weather conditions.

THINGS YOU SHOULD BRING ALONG ON A TRIP TO MANU

Binoculars

Warm clothing (in case of a cold front), long sleeve shirts and long pants (cotton)

100% waterproof rain gear (long poncho or rain wear)

Insect repellent (at least 50% Deet), sunscreen lotion

One pair of lightweight ankle height boots and sandals

Flashlight, enough batteries (alkaline) and bulbs

Wide brim hat and sun glasses for sunny days

Towel, swimming suit personal medicines and/or supplies (liquid for contact lenses for example)

A day pack and one back pack or duffel bag of luggage per person

Camera and films (ASA 200 and 400 for the inner forest)

One bottle of water for the first day, plastic bags.