7-Day Deep Jungle Expedition
Price
$1800 USD
Duration
7 Days / 6 Nights
Group Size
Min 2 Participants
Lodging
Premium Eco Lodges
Expedition to the Deep Jungle
Embark on an epic 7-day expedition designed for true eco-adventurers and wildlife enthusiasts. This comprehensive journey takes you deep into the heart of the Reserved Zone of Manu, across pristine oxbow lakes, and right up to legendary clay licks echoing with the calls of hundreds of colorful macaws.
Wild Encounters & Lodge Comfort
Traverse high Andean passes, navigate wild Amazonian rivers, and enjoy exclusive stays at the Amazon Treehouse Lodge, Casa Matsiguenka Lodge, and Maquisapayoj Lodge. Every moment offers thrilling opportunities to spot wild jaguars, endangered giant river otters, and dense primate troops in their natural habitat.
Detailed Day-by-Day Expedition Itinerary
Deep Amazon & Reserved Zone
DAY 1
Crossing the Andes to the Forest Canopy (Cusco to Amazon Treehouse Lodge)
- 04:00 AM: Departure from Cusco via private transport, winding up through the high Andes toward the historic town of Paucartambo for a morning coffee stop.
- Morning (Cloud Forest Trekking & Birdwatching): Arrival at Acjanaco Pass (3,600 m / 11,811 ft), the official gateway to Manu National Park. We descend through the misty Cloud Forest, taking guided hikes along moss-draped trails lined with wild orchids. Observe the courtship ritual of Peru’s national bird—the vibrant Andean cock-of-the-rock—at its communal lek, along with toucans, quetzals, and woolly monkeys in the high canopy.
- Mid-day: Outdoor lunch set beside a lush hummingbird garden surrounded by dozens of colorful hovering species.
- Afternoon (River Navigation): Board our motorized riverboat at Atalaya Port to navigate down the Alto Madre de Dios River. Transfer to an agile, shallow-draft peke-peke boat to travel up the Palotoa River until arriving at Amazon Treehouse Lodge.
- Night (Canopy Night Walk): Guided night safari using tactical headlamps along the lodge trails to discover nocturnal wildlife awakening in the dark: giant tarantulas, glass frogs, bioluminescent fungi, and leaf insects.
DAY 2
Parrot Clay Lick, Primary Rainforest Trekking & River Tubing
- At Dawn (Parrot Clay Lick Observation): Early morning walk to the riverbank parrot clay lick along the Palotoa River inside Manu National Park. From a camouflaged blind, observe hundreds of parrots, parakeets, and small macaws gathering to ingest mineral-rich clay to neutralize dietary toxins.
- Morning: Open-air riverfront breakfast followed by a deep primary forest trek. Your native naturalist guide interprets wildlife tracks and jungle sounds to spot sloths, anteaters, tree boas, and monkey troops foraging through the trees.
- Afternoon (Palotoa River Tubing): Cool off with an exhilarating river tubing float down the crystal-clear Palotoa River beneath the cool shade of the dense rainforest canopy.
- Night (Night Safari): Atmospheric night trek tracking glowing eyes in the brush, nocturnal snakes, and roosting jungle birds.
DAY 3
Deep Navigation into the Manu Reserved Zone (Casa Matsiguenka Lodge)
- 05:00 AM (Dawn River Patrol): Cast off at first light heading into the restricted Reserved Zone of Manu. Fresh breakfast is served on board as morning mist lifts off the river.
- Morning (Jaguar & Wildlife River Safari): Upstream river navigation along the Manu River—the premier stretch in the Amazon for wild Manu wildlife tracking. Keep your camera ready to photograph wild jaguars sunning on sandbars, capybaras, side-necked river turtles, and massive black caimans.
- Afternoon (Cocha Otorongo & Canopy Tower): Hike to Cocha Otorongo oxbow lake and scale a 20-meter canopy observation tower to gaze over 60-meter ancient trees and search the water below for giant river otters.
- Night: Arrival at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge, an authentic eco-lodge managed directly by the native Matsigenka community inside the core reserve. Traditional dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 4
Oxbow Lakes, Macaw Clay Licks & Primate Trails (Cocha Salvador)
- Morning (Catamaran Exploration on Cocha Salvador): Silent, hand-paddled catamaran navigation across Cocha Salvador. Without engine noise, drift alongside resident giant river otter families hunting fish, prehistoric hoatzins, egrets, and black caimans. Afterward, walk through primary forest to an inner mammal clay lick.
- Afternoon (Macaw Clay Lick & The “Monkey Zone”): Excursion to observe wild macaws and explore the high-canopy “Monkey Zone,” tracking red howler monkeys, spider monkeys, woolly monkeys, capuchins, and tiny tamarins leaping through the branches.
- Night: Night river safari along the Manu River in search of tapirs, caimans, and nocturnal riverbank wildlife.
DAY 5
Dawn River Safari to Maquisapayoj & Blanquillo Reserve
- 05:00 AM (Early Morning Predator Safari): Sail downstream along the Manu River at first light—prime hunting hour for rainforest predators. Enjoy a second high-probability opportunity to spot jaguars, tapirs, and peccaries drinking along the riverbanks.
- Afternoon (Madre de Dios Navigation): Continue down the main Madre de Dios River to Maquisapayoj Lodge near the famed Blanquillo Reserve, set deep in dense primary rainforest.
- Night: Night walk equipped with headlamps to observe nocturnal mammals, roosting birds, and deep-jungle insects.
DAY 6
Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick & Return to the Treehouses
- At Dawn (Blanquillo Macaw & Parrot Clay Lick): Depart early by boat and trail to reach the legendary Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick. From a comfortable, camouflaged observation hide equipped with high-power spotting scopes, witness one of the planet’s greatest wildlife spectacles: hundreds of red-and-green macaws, parrots, and parakeets descending in a magnificent explosion of color and sound for their morning mineral feeding.
- Morning (Upstream River Navigation): Hearty breakfast before embarking on the upstream boat journey returning along the Alto Madre de Dios and Palotoa rivers.
- Afternoon: Check-in for your final evening at Amazon Treehouse Lodge. Spend the afternoon swimming in the clear river waters or relaxing on your private elevated treehouse balcony.
- Night: Farewell dinner prepared by our private professional chef, reflecting on the week’s best wildlife sightings with your guide and river crew.
DAY 7
Return Journey to Cusco
- Morning: Final Amazonian breakfast overlooking the river and boat transfer to Atalaya Port, where our private vehicle awaits.
- Afternoon: Scenic overland drive ascending back through the Cloud Forest and across the high Andes, stopping for lunch along the route.
- Evening: Arrival in Cusco (~06:00 PM) with direct drop-off at your hotel door.
What’s Included
Activities & High-Adventure Experiences:
- Blanquillo Macaw & Parrot Clay Lick: Experience the world-famous Blanquillo clay lick from a concealed, high-comfort blind equipped with professional spotting scopes.
- Macaw & Parrot Clay Lick at Manu: Observe vibrant flocks of psittacines descending upon mineral-rich riverbank cliffs at dawn inside the Manu buffer zone.
- Deep Reserved Zone Wildlife Tracking: Trek untouched primary forest trails alongside expert native naturalist guides to spot wild jaguars, capybaras, sloths, anteaters, and peccary herds across Manu National Park.
- Cocha Salvador & Cocha Otorongo Expeditions: Drift silently on hand-paddled catamarans to observe wild giant river otter families and massive amazon rainforest black caimans, then scale 20-meter canopy observation towers.
- Wilderness Night Safaris & River Navigation: Navigate dark Amazon tributaries and jungle trails at night to spot caimans, nocturnal primates, tree boas, colorful tree frogs, and glowing eyes in the brush.
- Palotoa River Tubing: Cool off on a high-adventure river tubing float down the crystal-clear Palotoa River beneath a towering jungle canopy.
- Cloud Forest Hummingbird Immersion: Observe dozens of agile hummingbird species and the vibrant Andean cock-of-the-rock in their natural cloud forest habitat.
- Overland & River Logistics: Private ground transport (van/4×4) and high-power motorized riverboats custom-equipped for deep Amazonian navigation.
- Field Gear: Heavy-duty rubber boots provided for technical rainforest trekking.
- Expert Expedition Team: Certified bilingual native naturalist guide equipped with high-powered field optics, plus a private professional chef preparing fresh daily meals.
- Essential Services: Purified drinking water throughout the tour, complete wilderness first-aid kits, all eco-lodge accommodations, and official entrance permits to Manu National Park Reserved Zone and the Blanquillo Reserve.
What’s Not Included
- First-day breakfast in Paucartambo.
- Final dinner on the last day.
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
- Personal snacks, souvenirs.
Essential Jungle Packing List
Be prepared for the rainforest environment with these essential items.
- Insect Protection: Repellent with a minimum 30% DEET concentration.
- Field Optics: Waterproof binoculars for canopy birding and distant wildlife tracking (recommended: Vortex 10×42 or equivalent).
- Camera Gear: DSLR/Mirrorless camera with telephoto zoom lenses, extra batteries, and extra memory cards.
- Lighting: High-lumen headlamp or tactical flashlight with spare batteries.
- Sun & Weather Protection: Broad-spectrum sunscreen, wide-brimmed sun hat, and dry-bags/zip-locks to protect camera equipment from tropical humidity.
- Jungle Apparel: Quick-drying, dark-colored long-sleeve shirts and pants; swimsuit, river sandals, or flip-flops for river activities.
- Personal Essentials: Reusable water bottle, lightweight daypack, personal biodegradable soap, toilet paper, and local cash (PEN) for small personal expenses.
Important Context for Travelers
We believe in transparent, sustainable tourism, helping our guests understand the complex socio-environmental reality of the Peruvian Amazon.
Jungle Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
The Amazon Treehouse Lodge features elevated canopy cabins along the Palotoa River. Designed for comfort and safety, rooms offer real beds, clean linens, full-coverage mosquito netting, private in-suite bathrooms with hot showers, solar lighting, and Wi-Fi access in the central dining area.
Located deep inside the core Manu Reserved Zone, Casa Matsiguenka Lodge is an authentic eco-lodge managed directly by the native Matsigenka community. It features rustic rooms with mosquito nets, private or shared bathroom facilities, solar charging stations for cameras, and direct access to Cocha Salvador.
Set deep in primary rainforest near the macaw clay licks, these authentic jungle lodges offer comfortable, fully screened rooms, solar lighting, private or shared bathrooms, and local dining areas surrounded by lush vegetation.
- Apex Predators & Mammals: High-probability sightings of wild jaguars on sunny river banks, giant river otters, capybaras, sloths, anteaters, and peccary herds.
- Primates: Howler monkeys, spider monkeys, woolly monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and pygmy marmosets.
- Reptiles & Avian Life: Massive black caimans, side-necked river turtles, red-and-green macaws at the Blanquillo Clay Lick, toucans, and Andean cock-of-the-rock.
The dry season (mid-April to October) offers optimal trail access, clear riverbank wildlife sightings, and active clay lick displays. However, Manu tours operate year-round, with the green season producing lush scenery and high fruit availability for primates.
Yes. Full board meals are prepared fresh by our private professional chef. Specialized diets (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or food allergies) are fully catered to with advance notice.
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