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Early in the morning, a private transport picks you up at your hotel to start this exciting journey. As we ascend the Andes, we find Ninamarca, a small complex of circular tombs of still unclear and mysterious origin scattered on the top of a hill, overlooking the snowed capped mountains around them. Then, we arrive to the town of Paucartambo, at the center of ancient trading routes of the Incas, where we will have a short explanation on traditional dances and celebrations. We will stop for coffee, and a chat at a small local restaurant will give us time to learn about ancestral biodiversity uses by Andean communities. We will continue our way towards one of the highest points of the day at Acjanaco (3,500 m), a Park Rangers Station and the entrance to Manu National Park. If the weather conditions permit, we will have the first spectacular view of the one of the largest National Parks of Peru. Amidst the clouds, we will start our descent until we reach San Pedro, where we will have lunch. As we observe the dramatic changes of the landscape, we will reach our Cloud Forest lodge where we will have dinner and spend this first night.
Coffee and snacks in Paucartambo
Box lunch at San Pedro
Dinner at Cloud Forest lodge
Overnight at Cloud Forest lodge
The Cock of The Rock is the national bird of Peru, and it is a main attraction in the Cloud Forest. Males dance to attract the females, and we observe their activity at the lek, early in the morning, at incredible short distance. The ten-minute walk that takes us back to the lodge for breakfast gives us great chances to see a band of monkeys looking for breakfast themselves among the trees, by the road. Then, our journey continues down the Cloud Forest through the trees and water falls of the narrow ravine, home to one of the richest varieties of birds and to the spectacled bear. As we approach Pillcopata, coca plantations become visible and we will stop to visit one of them, to learn about the uses of the coca leaves and their medicinal properties. After a short stop at Pillcopata, we head for the port-town of Atalaya, where we will board a motorized canoe. A one hour ride to the Manu Learning Centre gives us the first impression of a meandering Amazonian river, the Alto Madre de Dios, one of the most southern tributaries of the legendary Amazonas River. Once at the Centre, lunch and a warm welcome from our friendly staff will be waiting for us. A basic introduction will be provided to us to make or stay more comfortable and enjoyable. Then, we will have a first short walk on the nearby trails.
Breakfast at Cloud Forest lodge
Lunch and dinner at the Manu Learning Centre
Overnight at the Manu Learning Centre
One of the most interesting activities at the Manu Learning Centre is the monitoring of the clay lick or collpa where, among others, the Blue Headed Macaw is observed and studied as it is an endangered species. At 5:00 a.m. in the morning, we join the scientists and researchers on the boat and head for the hide, five minutes up river, to observe the activity of macaws, parrots, and parakeets. As the day breaks and the rays of the sun paint the walls of the clay lick with magic colors, the birds display their dances, come and go in pairs, in flocks, until they leave to continue their day, deeper in the jungle. Then, we go back to the centre for breakfast.
After breakfast, we will take the opportunity to visit the MLC orchid garden, home to more than 120 species of orchids, some of which have not been identified yet and are waiting for a researcher (or a visitor!) to identify one as a new species and give it a name!
A visit to the bio-garden will give us a better understanding of how the Centre’s projects are a bet for a sustainable future for the jungle and its human inhabitants. Then, we will start our second visit to the trails, towards the outlook, from which it is possible to see the distant mountains of the Andes and the misty slopes of the Cloud Forest; and towards the Mascoitania ravine and its lovely creek-ponds. We will be back in the Centre for lunch.
In the afternoon, a short speech will help us put in context the work we do at CREES on sustainability and conservation, and a new visit to the trails will take us to some of the transects where the research work is carried out, as we try to spot monkeys, mammal tracks and birds.
In the evening, depending on the weather conditions, we will observe the sky, identifying southern hemisphere constellations while we are told about Andean and Jungle Cosmovisions, and stories of the jungle are told to us afterwards, in the dark, in the comfort of the living room.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Manu Learning Centre
Overnight at the Manu Learning Centre
After an early breakfast, our boat will take us on a two-hour trip to the hot springs of Aguas Calientes, in the land of the native community of Shintuya. Among the trees, we will have a great time enjoying the hot ponds and the cool waters of the creek. A picnic lunch by the river may include catfish fished by ourselves. Then, we will cross to the other side of the river for a visit to Shintuya. We will have some time for an exchange with the members of the community and to see, and eventually purchase, hand-made arrows, spears and crafts. In the afternoon, we will return to the Manu Learning Centre.
Breakfast at the Manu Learning Centre
Picnic lunch by the river
Dinner at the Manu Learning Centre
Overnight at the Manu Learning Centre
After breakfast, we prepare for departure and take the boat back to Atalaya port-town, where we will board our transport back to Cusco. The landscape will change again before our eyes as we climb the Cloud Forest towards the Andes and then down to Cusco. The car will leave you at your hotel to complete this extraordinary journey.
Breakfast at the Manu Learning Centre
Box Lunch
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