The seven days Manu Reserve Peru and Macaw Clay Lick experience in Manu Peru Biosphere Reserve is one of our signature tours. The experience takes you deep into Manu National Park.
Manu Peru is divided into three zones – Manu Core Zone, Manu Reserved Zone, and Cultural Zone. Access to Manu Core Zone is restricted to scientists and researchers. Manu Biosphere Reserve or Reserved Zone is dedicated to tourism, and the Cultural Zone is home to natives where some jungle lodges are located.
The Amazon Rainforest is spread over 1,532,806 hectares (1.5 million hectares) and connects many countries in South America. Manu Peru is the largest part of the Amazon.
Manu is widely visited among travellers, primarily because of its close proximity to Cusco. Manu National Park houses countless species of birds, animals, and plants. Most plants are used by the natives for medicinal purposes.
Manu National Park rises from 150 metres above sea level to 4200 metres above sea level. UNESCO recognised Manu as one of the world heritage sites in 1987.
This seven days Manu Reserve Peru and Macaw Clay Lick tour with our local crew takes you to the protected areas of the Amazon jungle. You will be able to see the biodiversity that exists in the Amazon rainforest.
The experience also includes many activities like birdwatching, jaguar spotting, night safaris, survival lessons, seeing different plant species, and more.
We are a family-owned local tour operator from the Palotoa community in Manu National Park. We take pride in employing locals from the community. They have extensive knowledge about the flora and fauna, trails, and the indigenous culture and traditions.
Do take a moment to see our guest reviews on Tripadvisor.
NOTE: Our seven days Manu Reserve Peru and Macaw Clay Lick Tour involves several trips by bus and boat. The weather in certain areas is unpredictable. The program may be subject to change at any time without notice.
We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco quite early in the morning. Then we will embark on a long drive from the Andes to the Amazon in our private transport. We will have a couple of stops on our way.
Our first stop will be in a small town called Nincamarca. It is home to pre-Incan funeral towers from the Lupacas civilization. We will be giving you a guided tour of the site.
We will then continue to Paucartambo, a folkloric town where people have maintained their age-old traditions and customs. They still continue to converse in the native language, Quechua.
From here, we will drive up the hill to the viewpoint of Tres Cruces, from where you will have a panoramic view of the Amazon basin. We will then descend through the cloud forest of the Manu National Park.
Manu National Park:
We will have a brief stop here. The region is home to the Peruvian National Bird – Andean Cock of the Rock. Here you will also spot different and distinct breeds of monkeys, such as the woolly monkey. Our local expert guide will provide you with a detailed tour.
Later in the evening, we will drive you to Rainforest Lodge, where we will accommodate you in an ensuite room.
At 06:30 in the morning, after breakfast, we will be checking out from the hotel. Then we will drive you to the Atalaya port. On our way, we will stop at a viewpoint to get a panoramic view of the Peruvian Amazon and Alto Madre de Dios river.
We will also visit a local farm where you can see local farmers producing different types of tropical fruits and a coca plantation.
Once at Atalaya port, we will take a boat on the Madre de Dios river. During this journey, you will see various bird species including parrots, vultures, oropendolas, and others. This region is also home to capybaras, which are massive jungle rodents.
At around 5:00 PM, we will reach the serene Amazon Lodge, where we will accommodate you in an ensuite private room. After dinner, we will go on a night safari to spot nocturnal creatures like tarantulas, snakes, and scorpions.
This is one of the best days of the Manu Reserve Peru and Macaw Clay Lick tour. Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will check out of the Hummingbird Lodge. Leaving behind the clear waters of the Madre De Dios river, we will enter the clay-laden waters of Manu river.
We will have a brief stop at Limonal Control to present our permits to the Park Rangers. Then we will sail for five hours on Manu river. The beaches here are full of nesting birds, feeding herons, orinocos, and egrets. You will also be able to spot black and white caimans.
Over a hundred sand-colored nightjars roost during the day on logs and beaches. You might also spot jaguars, red howler monkeys, and squirrel monkeys. We will stop for lunch amidst the jungle.
Casa Matsiguenka Lodge:
We will reach Casa Matsiguenka Lodge, nestled on the shores of Cocha Salvador Lake. The lodge is managed by the Matsiguenka community, and there are many interesting trails around the lodge where locals will guide you.
In the afternoon, we will explore some interesting trails in this pristine Amazon rainforest. We will also visit Cocha Otorongo lake, which houses a 20-meter-high observation tower in the rainforest canopy. From here, you will have a panoramic view of the lake and wildlife. You may also see giant otters.
After dinner, we will offer the option of a night tour of the jungle where you can spot more nocturnal creatures, such as black caimans, olingos, kinkajous, and ocelots.
After a typical Amazonian breakfast, we will spend the rest of the morning at Lake Cocha Salvador. We will canoe on the lake, and from a floating platform, you will be able to spot wildlife in the Salvador Oxbow lake.
We will see Agami herons, brown capuchin monkeys, and more. There are specially constructed stones jutting out into the lake.
Here, you will also see families of giant river otters, the world’s largest freshwater carnivores. These animals consume between 4-5 kg of fish daily, and you can often spot them eating fish on the lakeside.
We will spend the rest of the day hiking on trails, looking for the thirteen iconic species of monkeys. The region is also home to many medicinal plants, which our guide will explain in detail.
In the evening, we will return to Casa Matsiguenka Lodge for dinner.
We will wake up to the call of the red howler monkeys. After a delicious Amazonian breakfast, we will sail on the Manu River. On our way, we will spot various bird species such as kingfishers, herons, and king vultures.
We will have a brief stop in Boca Manu to buy cold beverages and then continue to Tambo Blanquillo Lodge. After check-in, we will hike through beautiful trails, spotting stunning lagoons, alligators, and some nocturnal animals.
Near Tambo Blanquillo Lodge is a shebonal forest, creating clay licks (locally known as Collpa) that macaws and other rainforest species use to supplement their diets and detoxify their digestive tracts.
Our lodge is just 10 minutes away from the Macaw Clay Lick. A 10-meter-high blind is built facing it, allowing you to take close-up pictures of the macaws without disturbing them.
At daybreak, we will go by boat to the Macaw Clay Licks, where flocks of parakeets, parrots, and macaws gather every day to eat the nutritious clay from the river wall.
We will spend around 5 hours in a camouflaged hideout, observing and photographing the birds. Then, we will return to the lodge for lunch and visit the Camungo Oxbow Lake. We will hike to an observation tower offering spectacular views of the Amazon basin and the lake.
We will then return to the lodge for dinner.
After breakfast, we will travel by motorboat for three hours to Boca Colorado. From here, we will take a mini-van to Puerto Carlos and cross the Inambari River. Then, we will drive for six hours back to Cusco or three hours to Puerto Maldonado.
Located in the southeast of Peru, in the provinces of Paucartambo in Cusco and Manu in Madre de Dios. It has an area of 1,717,295.22 hectares.
Manu is 130 kilometers from Cusco city traveling by road, which serves as a gateway to the Manu National Park. You can also get to Puerto Maldonado by land from Cusco or by air through Lima. From there, you can ride the Madre de Dios river by boat and reach the Manu Reserve. However, this route is farther and more expensive.
The best time to visit the Peruvian Jungle is between April and November, during the dry season. The rainy season is from February to March, when access by road becomes more difficult and when the paths in the forest can be flooded.
Manu National Park is divided into three parts: the cultural zone (buffer zone), the reserved zone (core zone), and the intangible zone. The cultural and reserved zones are for tourist use. The intangible zone is exclusively for scientific studies and requires special permits.
It is not a requirement, but you should be able to walk several kilometers to fully enjoy what Manu has to offer.
There are no reports of cases of yellow fever or malaria in Manu National Park. However, if you plan to stay longer in tropical areas, it is best to consult with your doctor regarding necessary vaccinations.
The 7-Day Manu Reserve Peru and Macaw Clay Lick Tour was an absolute adventure! This tour takes you into the heart of Manu National Park, an incredibly biodiverse region of the Amazon. From the moment we left Cusco, it felt like entering a different world. The wildlife sightings—macaws at the clay lick, jaguars, monkeys, and so much more—were unreal. The guides were exceptional, providing detailed knowledge about the flora, fauna, and local culture. The birdwatching and night safaris were highlights, offering experiences I’ll never forget. The diversity of ecosystems we explored, from the lowlands to the highlands, truly showed how unique Manu is.
The 7-Day Manu Reserve Peru and Macaw Clay Lick Tour was an absolute adventure! This tour takes you into the heart of Manu National Park, an incredibly biodiverse region of the Amazon. From the moment we left Cusco, it felt like entering a different world. The wildlife sightings—macaws at the clay lick, jaguars, monkeys, and so much more—were unreal. The guides were exceptional, providing detailed knowledge about the flora, fauna, and local culture. The birdwatching and night safaris were highlights, offering experiences I’ll never forget. The diversity of ecosystems we explored, from the lowlands to the highlands, truly showed how unique Manu is.
