Manu & Tambopata Expedition
Embark on the Ultimate Amazon Expedition
Unveil the untouched majesty of the Peruvian jungle on an epic odyssey through two world-renowned biodiversity hotspots: Manu National Park and Tambopata National Park. 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 giant clay licks echoing with the calls of hundreds of colorful macaws.
Two Biodiversity Hotspots in One Journey
From traversing high Andean passes and cloud forests to navigating wild Amazonian rivers aboard motorized riverboats, every moment offers thrilling opportunities to spot wild jaguars, endangered giant river otters, massive black caiman specimens, and dense primate troops. Complete with stays at authentic eco-lodges, expert native naturalists, and private river transportation, this is the definitive Manu National Park Peru tour.
Day-by-Day Expedition Itinerary
Cusco – Cloud Forest – Amazon Treehouse Lodge
- 04:00 AM: Private pickup in Cusco. Travel in a comfortable private vehicle through the majestic Andean highlands to the colonial village of Paucartambo for morning coffee.
- Morning (Cloud Forest Trek & Wildlife Spotting): Cross the high Acjanaco Pass (3,600 m / 11,811 ft) into Manu National Park. As we descend through the mist-laden Cloud Forest, we take guided hikes through lush hanging gardens of orchids, ferns, and bromeliads. We search for Peru’s vibrant national bird the Andean cock-of-the-rock performing courtship displays, alongside exotic toucans, quetzals, and woolly monkeys.
- Mid-day: Enjoy an organic rainforest lunch set inside a lush hummingbird garden surrounded by dozens of hovering species.
- Afternoon (River Navigation): Arrive at Atalaya Port and board our motorized boat down the Alto Madre de Dios River, transferring to a traditional peke-peke riverboat along the shallow Palotoa River to reach the elevated Amazon Treehouse Lodge.
- Night (Canopy Night Walk): Strap on your headlamp for a guided night walk through the trails surrounding the lodge canopy. Discover a world that only awakens after dark: giant tarantulas, colorful tree frogs, glowing bioluminescent fungi, stick insects, and nocturnal arboreal mammals.
Parrot Clay Lick – Palotoa River Tubing – Night Safari
- At Dawn (Parrot Clay Lick Observation): Early 25-minute trek to the Macaw Clay Lick at Manu National Park along the Palotoa River. From a hidden observation point, witness hundreds of bright green parrots, parakeets, and small macaws gather on mineral-rich clay cliffs to ingest sodium and toxins-neutralizing clays a noisy, brilliant festival of colors and sound.
- Morning (Primary Forest Wildlife Hike): Open-air breakfast overlooking the river, followed by an intensive trail trek deep into primary forest. Your native guide interprets wildlife tracking signs, helping you locate sloths, anteaters, tree boas, and foraging primate troops.
- Afternoon (Palotoa River Tubing): Cool off with an exhilarating Palotoa River Tubing Adventure. Relax in inner tubes and float down the crystal-clear jungle currents, enjoying a unique water-level perspective of the overhanging jungle canopy and riverbanks.
- Night (Jungle Night Safari): Step onto secret trails after dusk with your guide to track larger nocturnal wildlife, spot glowing eyes in the brush, and listen to the intense chorus of the nocturnal Amazon.
Entering the Manu Reserved Zone – Casa Matsiguenka Lodge
- 05:00 AM (Dawn River Transit): Board our riverboat at dawn into the pristine Reserved Zone of Manu. Breakfast is served on board as the sun rises over the river.
- Morning (Jaguar & Wildlife River Safari): Upstream river navigation along the Manu River the premier sanctuary for manu wildlife peru viewing. This section offers the highest probability in the world for spotting wild jaguars resting on sunny sandbars, as well as capybaras, side-necked turtles, and massive black caiman basking along the banks.
- Afternoon (Cocha Otorongo & Canopy Tower Hike): Hike to Cocha Otorongo oxbow lake and scale the 20-meter canopy observation tower. Look out over the vast forest canopy and search the water line for giant river otters. Afterward, walk among giant trees with roots wide enough to hold entire groups.
- Night: Arrival, traditional dinner, and overnight stay at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge, run directly by the native Matsigenka community.
Cocha Salvador – Macaw Clay Lick – Monkey Zone
- Morning (Catamaran Navigation on Cocha Salvador): Early morning silent catamaran ride across Salvador Oxbow Lake. Without motor noise, we approach resident families of giant river otters fishing, prehistoric hoatzin “stinkbirds,” egrets, and massive black caiman. Later, hike an inner-forest trail to a secluded mammal and macaw clay lick.
- Afternoon (Monkey Zone Exploration): Cross the Manu River to explore the high-canopy “Monkey Zone.” We track multiple primate species in their natural habitat, including red howler monkeys, spider monkeys, woolly monkeys, capuchins, and tiny tamarins.
- Night (Nocturnal Amphibian & Reptile Hunt): Guided night trail walk focusing on identifying poisonous poison-dart frogs, tree snakes, hunting spiders, and roosting nocturnal birds.
Manu River Wildlife Safari – Maquisapayoj Lodge
- 05:00 AM (Early Morning River Patrol): Sail at first light down the Manu River. Dawn is prime hunting time for top predators, offering a fantastic second opportunity to photograph jaguars, tapirs, caimans, and peccary herds coming to drink at the river’s edge.
- Afternoon (Madre de Dios Navigation): Cruise down the Madre de Dios River toward Maquisapayoj Lodge, nestled deep in primary rainforest along the riverbank.
- Night (Tracking): Equipped with flashlights, take a specialized night trail safari.
Puerto Colorado – Filadelfia – Tambopata Eco Lodge
- Morning (Overland & River Transit): River transit to Puerto Colorado, followed by a 3-hour overland drive through local agricultural lands to Filadelfia Port. Board a 30-minute high-speed boat journey up the scenic Tambopata River into Tambopata National Park.
- Afternoon (Ethnobotanical & Primate Trek): Check-in at Tambopata Eco Lodge with a welcome local fruit drink. Join an expert-led ethnobotanical walk to discover medicinal plants, ancient timber giants, and native fruits, while searching for wild peccary herds.
- Night: Enjoy a regional gourmet dinner prepared with fresh local ingredients, followed by an optional night safari along the lodge trail network.
Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick at Tambopata – River Trail Exploration
- At Dawn (Chuncho Clay Lick Spectacle): Early morning boat ride to the world-famous Chuncho Clay Lick at Tambopata National Park—the largest macaw clay lick on Earth. Watch in awe as hundreds of red-and-green, blue-and-gold, and scarlet macaws, along with dozens of parrot species, gather on the clay cliff in a breathtaking display of color and sound. A special field breakfast is served on-site during the spectacle.
- Afternoon (Deep Primary Forest Trail Trek): Undertake an extended hike along deep primary trails inside Tambopata National Park. Search for tapirs, toucans, poison frogs, and complex plant-animal symbiosis under the dense forest ceiling.
- Night: Enjoy a celebratory farewell dinner, sharing stories and photos from your epic expedition with your guide and crew.
Tambopata Eco Lodge – Puerto Maldonado Departure
- Morning: Final Amazonian breakfast, followed by a scenic boat navigation and vehicle transfer back to Puerto Maldonado.
- Afternoon: Direct drop-off at the Puerto Maldonado airport or bus terminal for your onward flight or travel.
What’s Included
Activities & High-Adventure Experiences:
- Macaw Clay Lick at Manu National Park: Witness the intense morning spectacle of red-and-green macaws and parrots descending upon mineral-rich clay cliffs along the riverbanks.
- Chuncho Clay Lick at Tambopata National Park: Visit the world’s largest macaw clay lick to photograph hundreds of vibrant psittacines during early morning feeding rituals.
- Deep Reserved Zone Wildlife Tracking: Trek pristine primary forest trails led by expert native naturalist guides to track wild jaguars, capybaras, and herds of peccaries across national park manu.
- Cocha Salvador & Cocha Otorongo Expeditions: Board silent catamarans to observe giant river otters and prehistoric amazon rainforest black caiman populations, then scale 20-meter observation towers to survey the high canopy.
- Wilderness Night Safaris & River Navigation: Navigate dark Amazonian rivers and dense jungle trails at night to spot caimans, nocturnal primates, colorful frogs, and glowing eyes in the brush.
- Palotoa River Tubing: Plunge into the cool current and float down the crystal-clear Palotoa River surrounded by untamed rainforest.
- Hummingbird Garden Immersion: Observe hundreds of agile hummingbirds darting through dense floral canopy during Cloud Forest transit.
- Overland & River Logistics: Private overland transport (van/4×4) and high-power motorized riverboats equipped for deep Amazonian navigation.
- Field Gear: Heavy-duty rubber boots for technical jungle trekking.
- Expert Expedition Team: Certified bilingual native naturalist guide equipped with high-powered spotting scopes, plus a private professional chef preparing fresh daily meals.
- Essential Services: Purified drinking water, complete wilderness first-aid kit, all lodge accommodations, and official entrance fees to Manu National Park and Tambopata National Park.
What’s Not Included
- Domestic flights (e.g., return flights from Puerto Maldonado to Lima or Cusco).
- 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 extra fully charged batteries and spare memory cards.
- Lighting: High-Lumen headlamp or tactical flashlight with extra batteries.
- Sun & Weather Protection: Broad-spectrum sunscreen, wide-brimmed sun hat, and lightweight dry-bags/zip-locks to seal camera equipment from humidity.
- Jungle Apparel: Quick-drying, dark-colored long-sleeve shirts and pants to neutralize insect bites; swimsuit, river sandals, or flip-flops for river activities.
- Personal Essentials: Reusable water bottle, lightweight assault daypack, personal eco-friendly/biodegradable soap, toilet paper, and local cash (PEN) for minor expenses.
Important Context for Travelers: Artisanal Gold Mining along the Route
As you travel along the lower Madre de Dios River toward Puerto Colorado and Tambopata, you may observe small-scale artisanal gold mining operations along the riverbanks. We believe in open, responsible, and sustainable tourism, which includes helping our guests understand the complex socio-environmental reality of the Peruvian Amazon.
The Local Reality
For many local families living in economic hardship, small-scale alluvial gold mining represents their primary source of income and daily survival due to a historic lack of alternative economic opportunities in remote areas.
Government & Environmental Actions
To combat deforestation and protect sensitive river ecosystems, the Peruvian government, alongside conservation organizations, actively carries out:
- Environmental control operations to protect designated reserve borders.
- Reforestation initiatives using native trees to restore impacted soils.
- Promotion of sustainable eco-tourism, agroforestry, and green economic alternatives.
Seeking a Balance Through Responsible Tourism
Addressing this challenge requires sustainable economic alternatives. By choosing eco-tourism expeditions with native guides and local lodges, your visit directly supports community-based economies, demonstrating that pristine, standing rainforests generate long-term value for local families and future generations.
Jungle Highlights
Frequently Asked Questions
The Amazon Treehouse Lodge offers elevated canopy cabins built along the Palotoa River in the Manu buffer zone. Designed for immersive safety, rooms feature real beds, clean linens, and full-coverage mosquito netting. Cabins are equipped with private in-suite bathrooms, hot water showers, solar power, and Wi-Fi access in the central dining area.
Located deep inside the core Reserved Zone of Manu, Casa Matsiguenka Lodge is an authentic eco-lodge managed directly by the native Matsigenka community. It offers rustic rooms with private or shared bathroom facilities, solar-powered charging stations for cameras and devices, and direct access to Cocha Salvador.
- Apex Predators & Mammals: High-probability sightings of wild jaguars along sunny sandbanks, giant river otters, capybaras, sloths, anteaters, and peccary herds along forest trails.
- Primates: Howler monkeys, woolly monkeys, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and pygmy marmosets in primary canopy.
- Reptiles & Avian Life: Massive amazon rainforest black caiman specimens, side-necked river turtles, red-and-green macaws at the macaw clay lick at Manu National Park, toucans, Andean cock-of-the-rock, and prehistoric hoatzins.
We strongly recommend booking your flight out of Puerto Maldonado (PEM) to Lima or Cusco departing from 12:00 PM (noon) onwards on Day 8. This ensures ample time for your morning river transfer and airport check-in without rushing.
The dry season (mid-April to October) delivers optimal trail access and riverbank wildlife concentration for Manu National Park Peru tours. However, deep jungle tracking is operational year-round, with the green season producing lush scenery and high fruit availability for primates.
Yes. Full board is provided by our private chef, and specialized diets (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or allergies) are fully catered to with advance notification.