Manu Wildlife Center
(5 days / 4 nights – departure Thursday)

Day 1: Puerto Maldonado – Colorado – Manu Wildlife Center

Upon arrival in Puerto Maldonado airport, reception and transfer service to Santa Rosa Village (2:30 hrs trip approx).  From there, we cross Inambari River for a 15 minutes boat trip to Puerto Carlos, where we start our overland journey to Boca Colorado for 45 minutes by car, followed by four hours and half motorized boat journey ride upstream the Madre de Dios River.

Later 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 Spider Monkey and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest.

After dinner we have an enchanting night walk along the trails, in search of the nocturnal birds and animals of the rainforest.

Meals: Lunch box and dinner

Day 2: Macaw Claylick – Canopy Tower – Tapir Claylick

Another early start (inevitable on wildlife expeditions).  We take a short boat ride downstream, followed by a walk through the forest for some minutes, where we find the Macaw Lick project. The hide is provided with individual chairs and a convenient place for cameras and binoculars to enjoy this spectacular show.

In groups of twos and threes the scarlet Macaws come flapping in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main stage below – the eroded clay banks of the river. The drama plays out in first in tentative and then bolder approaches to the lick, until finally nearly all the macaws form a colourful and noisy spectacle on the bare banks, squabbling as they scrape clay from the hard surface. After this we continue walking and exploring on the network of trails surrounding the lodge and we return to the lodge for lunch.

Later, we continue to explore and discover the rainforest, 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. Then we set off along the “collpa trail”, which will take us to the lodge’s famous Tapir Clay lick. 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 10-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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Important:

• The Macaw claylick is particularly active from the end of July until October and its activity decreases in May and June.
• During the dry season (May-October) the level of the river where the floating hideout is, is so low that it is left on the surface.

Day 3: Oxbow Lake – Wildlife trails

We set off early for an old oxbow lake full of water lilies (Nuphar lutea) 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, jacanas, hoatzins, woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans and parakeets, among other species.

After lunch at the lodge, our guide can lead us on a freewheeling expedition in search of further wildlife encounters.  In the evening, we can take a boat ride in search of caiman (alligator-like reptiles) and other nocturnal wildlife along the riverbank.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4: Canopy – Trail System

After breakfast we explore on the network of trails, with emphasis of visiting trees with flowers and fruits.  Here we expect to find more species of monkeys, as well as also numerous species of birds. Before or after the dinner, those who have energy and want more experience can have a second opportunity to visit the Observation Tower as well as the Mammal or Tapir clay lick.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5: Lodge – Puerto Maldonado – Departure

We leave our lodge very early on the 2:30 hr return boat trip downstream to the Colorado Village. Breakfast is served on the boat while enjoying early morning wildlife activity as we go.  We stop in the far-west type gold-mining town of Colorado to start our overland journey to Puerto Carlos for 45 minutes, then we cross the Inambari River for 15 minutes boat trip to Santa Rosa, and finally a van or bus will drive us in approximately two-hours to the airport in Puerto Maldonado, to take our flight to Cusco or Lima.

Meals: Breakfast