Experience the untouched beauty of the Manu Reserved Zone on this 7-day, 6-night adventure deep into the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. This journey takes you through diverse ecosystems, from the misty cloud forests teeming with colorful birds to the pristine lowland jungles of Manu National Park.
Traveling down the Manu River, we enter the park’s most protected area, where wildlife thrives undisturbed. Explore Lake Salvador, home to giant river otters, hoatzins, Agami herons, and a variety of monkeys, including the white-fronted capuchin and tiny pygmy marmoset. The rainforest canopy comes alive with macaws, oropendolas, and caciques, creating a symphony of nature.
Guided by expert naturalists, you’ll embark on jungle hikes, boat excursions, and night walks, witnessing the Amazon’s incredible biodiversity. Whether you’re a wildlife lover, photographer, or adventure seeker, this expedition offers an unforgettable immersion into one of the world’s last truly wild places.
If you dream of an authentic tropical adventure, the Manu Reserve Zone is the perfect destination. Nestled within Manu National Park, Peru’s most famous and biodiverse reserve, this vast, untouched rainforest offers an unparalleled wildlife experience.
Covering nearly a million hectares, Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve is one of South America’s largest protected areas and a hotspot for tropical wildlife.
Your journey takes you deep into the Manu Reserve Zone, a pristine rainforest dedicated to conservation. Enjoy thrilling boat excursions, jungle hikes, and hidden lagoon explorations, immersing yourself in the heart of the Amazon.
This biodiverse paradise is home to:
Discover one of the best places in South America to experience the Amazon’s raw beauty and extraordinary wildlife.
You will receive a detailed briefing from your guide 1 or 2 days before your Manu Reserve Zone 7 Days 6 Nights. Your guide will personally meet you at your hotel, giving you the perfect opportunity to ask questions, review the itinerary, and make any final preparations for your journey into the Amazon.
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel in our company van between 05:30-06:00 am. We’ll then embark on a journey along winding Andean roads to Manu National Park, We will cross beautiful inter-Andean valleys and picturesque villages until arriving at the pre-Inca tombs of Ninamarca. The next stop will occur in the village of Paucartambo which features a beautiful colonial bridge.
From Paucartambo the altitude will keep on increasing and the setting gradually gets enveloped by a cloudy mist. The road leads you to Acjanaco pass consisting of the main gateway to Manu National Park. Once across Acjanaco Pass (3550 m / 11.647 ft).
From here we travel down through pristine cloud forest which feeds the local flora unique to this clime. We will continue our drive down the hill through the pristine cloud forest passing different picturesque waterfalls and lush scrubland. We will be stopping in the cloud forest to spot the Peruvian National Bird, Cock of the Rock. Our local tour guide expert will be explaining more about the distinct bird in detail.
We’ll arrive at our lodge, where you can unwind and rejuvenate after an exhilarating day of exploration.
After an early breakfast, we continue our adventure with our minibus, we will pass the village of coloradito and cross the river to get to the small port of Atalaya (600 meters).
On the way, we will stop for some short walks to observe birds and to visit a local orchid garden. We can also go on short walks along the road to look out for monkeys and birds.
In Atalaya, we embark and start our 3 to 4 hours-journey in a 15-meter motorized canoe down the Alto Madre de Dios River. Today we enjoy the changing landscape and have the opportunity to see a lot of wildlife along the rocky banks of the river, such as Fasciated Tiger Herons, Purplish Jays, Skimmers, Vultures, caimans and some of the 13 monkey species that live in Manu. In the afternoon we reach the Dorado Lodge, where we spend the night.
In the evening, we do a night walk to see many insects, frogs and snakes.
Today, we will continue our boat ride downriver towards the lowland forest, travelling into the Reserve Zone of Manu. We reach the mouth of the Manu River and after a short stop at the Limonal Guard Station where our permit is checked, we travel upriver into the Manu National Park.
During this boat trip, the scenery and wildlife viewing along the banks of the Manu River are fabulous! White Caimans (Caiman crocodylus) sunning on the beaches, turtles, capybara and plenty of colourful birds may bee seen. And there is always the possibility of seeing greater animals such as Tapir and Jaguar.
In the afternoon, we arrive at the Albergue Casa Matsiguenka, where we spend three nights in double rooms. The lodge is built in a typical matsiguenkan style.
Optional, we will do a night walk.
Casa Matsiguenka.- A rustic native owned lodge run by the Matsiguenkas themselves, with its own exclusive trail system. There will be modern facilities available; there are toilets and reasonably warm showers, screened twin rooms, with comfortable beds and mosquito nets.
After breakfast, we’ll spend the morning at the lake Cocha Salvador. We plan to paddle across the lake on a floating platform (catamaran) observing the animal life on the lake. We might encounter the Agami Heron (Agamia agami), Hoatzin, Osprey, Sungrebe, and there are also Spider monkey, Brown Capuchin monkeys, White-fronted Capuchin monkeys, who are usually feeding on fruits nearby and therefore are relatively easy to sight.
A specially constructed platform that looks out to the lake, enable us to look for a family of Giant Otters (Pteronura brasiliensis the world’s largest freshwater carnivores) that lives here. This Otters are found in large families in Manu and each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish per day. So with that in mind, it’s most likely that they can be seen eating large fish on logs at the lakeside.
After that we will continue exploring the forest, where we might encounter troops of monkeys. This is a particularily good trail to see Woolly and Black Spider monkeys we’ll pay special attention to the plant life on this walk and take it slowly listening for the rustle of vegetation or the soft sound of fruits falling to the rainforest floor that may be try the presence of animals or large birds.
Later we will visit Otorongo Lake where we can get up to 20 m high observation tower overlooking the lake to spot wildlife. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit in this lake. We stay overnight at Casa Matsiguenka.
Upon leaving the lodge, we will hike up the Madre de Dios River for hours in the trees to the comfortable Dorado Lodge lodge facility. This strategically located lodge facility is jointly owned and managed by a local conservation group and is a base for scientific research for birders in the area and a center for visitors wishing to explore the rainforest.
We should arrive in time for lunch and to explore a trail through virgin forest to a lookout point on a cliff above the river to observe the flights of parrots and macaws as the sun sets. Those who wish can participate in a night walk with their guide in search of nocturnal animals such as tapirs.
Day 6: Dorado Lodge – Madre de Dios River – Rainforest Lodge
This morning, we board our boat on the Alto Madre de Dios River, traveling upstream through the breathtaking Amazon landscape. Along the way, we’ll observe the incredible diversity of bird species that call this region home.
A stop at the natural hot springs is optional, offering a chance to relax in the warm, mineral-rich waters before continuing our journey. By afternoon, we arrive at Amazon Manu Lodge, where we’ll settle into our comfortable rooms for our final night in the jungle.
As night falls, the rainforest comes alive with its magical symphony of sounds. For those seeking one last adventure, an optional night walk provides the perfect opportunity to spot nocturnal wildlife and experience the jungle in a whole new way.
We leave the lodge after breakfast and head back to Cusco. In the morning, while we go upstream on skiff will still opportunities to see wildlife along the river and its banks. On the way back from Antalya town, we’ll make stops along the way and have lunch at a scenic place. We’ll arrive back in Cusco by 6:00 PM and drop you off at your hotel.
*** Please bear in mind that there is road construction and improvement in Manu Cloud Forest some delays are expected due to traffic time being limited to certain hours. Apologies for any inconvenience in advance.
We recommend economizing on your luggage for this Manu Reserve Zone 7 Days 6 Nights. Travel light and think about bringing layers instead of big jackets, etc. Be selective and pack light. Choose quick dry clothing if possible, we will be in the jungle!
The price for the Manu Reserve Zone 7 Days 6 Nights tour varies based on group size and is valid from March 2025 to January 2026, with rates in USD.
This is a group tour, meaning other travelers may join. Our expert guides ensure a comfortable and well-organized experience, adjusting the pace to accommodate all participants so they can fully enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Amazon.
***The tour requires at least 3 participants to operate, with a maximum of 8 people in the group for a more personalized experience.
