Manu
Wildlife Center
4 Days / 3 Nights
Day
1 - Cusco to Boca Manu and Manu Wildlife Center
An early morning transfer to Cusco airport will be followed by a
45-minute flight by turboprop aircraft to Boca Manu, and then a 90-minute
motorized canoe journey down the Madre de Dios river to Manu Wildlife
Center, in time for lunch.
In the afternoon we make our first acquaintance with the rainforest, exploring
some of the 30 miles of forest trails that surround the lodge. We have
an excellent chance of encountering some of the 12 species of monkeys,
including the Monk Saki and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding
forest. After dinner there will be an enchanting night walk along the
trails, in search of the nocturnal birds and animals of the rainforest.
Day
2 - Manu Wildlife Center: the Macaw Claylick, Canopy Tower & Tapir
Claylick
Another
early start (inevitable on wildlife expeditions), is followed by a short
boat ride downstream. We take a 20-minute trail through palm plantations
to a cut-off channel of the river, where we find the Blanquillo Macaw
Lick. A spacious hide provided with individual chairs and a convenient
place for cameras and binoculars is our ringside seat for what is usually
a very spectacular show. We enjoy a full breakfast here while waiting
for the main actors to arrive. In groups of twos and threes the big Red-and-Green
Macaws come flapping in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main
stage below -- the eroded clay banks of the old channel. Meanwhile the
supporting cast appears: these may included Blue-headed, Mealy, Yellow-crowned,
and Orange-cheeked Parrots -- and the occasional villain, a menacing and
unwelcome Great Black Hawk.
The drama plays out in first in tentative and then bolder approaches to
the lick, until finally nearly all the macaws, parrots and parakeets form
a colorful and noisy spectacle on the bare banks, squabbling as they scrape
clay from the hard surface.
We return to the lodge for lunch, and then we continue to explore and
discover the rainforest, its lore and plant life, on the network of trails
surrounding the lodge, arriving in the late afternoon at our 34m/112ft
Canopy Tower. On its platform we witness the frantic rush-hour activity
of twilight in the rainforest canopy, before night closes in.
Later we set off along the collpa trail, which will take us
to the lodges famous Tapir Claylick. Here at the most active tapir
lick known in all the Amazon, our research has identified from 8-12 individual
600-pound Tapirs who come to this lick to eat clay from under the tree
roots around the edge. This unlikely snack absorbs and neutralizes toxins
in the vegetarian diet of the Tapir, the largest land animal of Latin
America. The lick features a roomy, elevated observation platform 5m/17ft
above the forest floor. The platform is equipped with freshly-made-up
mattresses with pillows. Each mattress is covered by a roomy mosquito
net. The 50-m-long, elevated walkway to the platform is covered with sound-absorbing
padding to prevent our footsteps from making noise. This Tapir Experience
is unique and exciting because these normally very shy creatures are visible
up close, and flash photography is not just permitted, but encouraged.
The hard part for modern city dwellers is to remain still and silent anywhere
from 30 minutes to two or more hours. Many prefer to nap until the first
Tapir arrives, at which point your guide gently awakens you to watch the
Tapir 10-20m/33-66ft) away below the platform. Most people feel that the
wait is well worth it in order to have such a high probability of observing
the rare and elusive Tapir in its rainforest home.
Day
3 - Manu Wildlife Center: Cocha Blanco and the Wildlife trails
We set off
early for Cocha Blanco, an old oxbow lake full of water lilies and sunken
logs. As we circle the lake on our catamaran we might encounter the resident
Giant Otter family on a fishing expedition, or troops of monkeys crashing
noisily through the trees. Wattled Jacanas step lightly on the lily pads,
dainty Sun Grebes paddle across the water, supple-necked Anhingas air-dry
their wide, black wings, and perhaps an Osprey scans for fish from a high
branch.
Amongt the bushes near the waterline, Hoatzins, which look like rust-colored,
punk chickens, announce their presence with distinctive, bizarre wheezing
and grunts. Woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans and parakeets all finally
come swooping in to trees surrounding the lake. Many of them roost around
the lake for the night
After lunch at the lodge our guide is available to lead us on freewheeling
expeditions in search of further wildlife encounters, or we may take one
of the lodges many trails on private and personal excursions to
commune with the spirits of the rainforest.
This evening, from late afternoon until after dinner, we can take a boat
ride in search of caiman (alligator-like reptiles), and other nocturnal
wildlife along the riverbank.
Day 4 - Departure
Day
After an
early breakfast, we leave on the two-hour boat trip to the Boca Manu airfield,
enjoying early morning wildlife activity as we go. From here we fly to
Cusco, where our rainforest adventure ends with a pickup and transfer
to our hotel.
***
End Of Our Services ***
Departures:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, all year |
2012
Prices per person: $1095 in double room, Single Supplement:$250 |
Tour
includes: Activities include a visit to Manu's only accessible
macaw clay lick, a visit to the world's largest tapir clay lick, oxbow
lakes with Giant Otters and unlimited access to our unique spiral staircase
to a large canopy observation platform, Accommodation, full board, transportation.
Not
included: International airfares, airfares Lima-Cusco-Puerto Maldonado and Puerto Maldonado-Cusco-Lima .
|
All our tour packages include: Please
click here
CODE:
INKANA
|
|