Eco Tours from Cusco to the Amazon Rainforest and Machu Picchu

Early in the morning, a private transport picks you up at your hotel to start this exciting journey. As we ascend the Andes, 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 Andean communities use of biodiversity. 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.

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. This afternoon we will explore the local trail system with our naturalist guides, before relaxing in the centre to the sounds of forest. Whilst staying at this beautiful lodge guests can learn about the human history of Manu and the challenges conserving this beautiful and fragile environment place or let the world disappear sipping a great drink, watching the sunset on the Amazon.

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. On our way back into the forest we can visit a bio-garden part of the centre's sustainable project and supplier of the kitchens. From here we head through differing terrain to experience multiple forest types, running into squirrel monkeys humming birds and also razor billed curazows. With over 13 different species of monkeys, a strong large mammal (jaguar, puma and tapir) presence, we spend the rest of the day out in the forest, trying to see the local wildlife. We can stop by the National History Museum of London's biodiversity plot and see where Oxford University are working on understanding carbon sequestration in regenerating tropical forests. With over 24 kilometres of trails there is a large exploration area and we will make frequent stops to watch mixed flocks, find humming bird leks before watching the giant blue morpho butterflies cross our path. After a full day on the trails, we get back and freshen up for a delicious homemade meal. After dinner we have a chance to meet the scientists researching the Amazon, or enjoy a presentation of their latest findings or even head out into the trails for a night walk with a local expert.

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. The community is home to one of the region's first missions and has a mixed population of indigenous Harakumbut and immigrants form the Andes. We will get shown around their community and hot springs learning more about how people here live and then relaxing in the warm medicinal waters. We have a picnic lunch here before returning to the MLC before the sunsets. We should be able to have some great afternoon wildlife spotting on the return boat journey. On our final evening at the centre, before dinner we can head out into the centre's medicinal plant garden to explore local legends before heading into the centre's orchid garden, home to some of the smallest orchids in the word.

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.

See Peru's national bird, the 'Cock of the Rock'
See hundreds of macaws, parrots and parakeets feeding on the river banks
Bath in medical hot springs in the rainforest
Meet and see how local people live
Stay at the region's most beautiful sustainable lodge
Enter into the Manu National park's virgin rainforest
See Giant River Otters and black caimans on the Oxbow lakes