Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
Price: 380 US$
Highlights:

Paucartambo Colonial Town.
The Manu Biosphere Reserve.
The Cock-of-the-Rock dance
Woolly monkeys.
Visit to a parrot’s clay lick.
Exploration of a small ox-bow lake.
Jungle trekking to observe primary and secondary forests.
Bird-watching

Atalaya Tour

This three-day tour starts in Cusco and takes you through the breathtaking landscapes of the Andes into the lush Amazon jungle. On the first day, you ascend from Cusco to the Manu Biosphere Reserve, starting in the high Andes and descending into the cloud forest, a realm of misty tree canopies and vibrant wildlife, including Peru’s national bird, the Cock-of-the-Rock. Overnight is at a lodge in the cloud forest. The second day involves a boat journey from the fluvial port of Atalaya, exploring river confluences, a parrot’s clay lick, and the diverse ecosystems of the Amazon, including primary and secondary forests. The day ends at the Palmaceda lodge. The final day begins with a jungle walk and concludes with a return to Cusco, encapsulating an immersive experience in both Andean and Amazonian environments.

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Day 1: Cusco – Cloud Forest

You wake up early to leave Cusco and begin a winding ascent into the Andes. The road eventually winds down to the town of Paucartambo Colonial Town, where you will stop briefly to stretch your legs. Leaving Paucartambo you begin your ascent through eucalyptus groves, cultivated fields, and remnant patches of native vegetation. Forty minutes from Paucartambo you reach Acjanaco at 3,500 meter atop the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes. At this point you have entered the Manu Biosphere Reserve where you are above the clouds gazing below into the lush jungle of the Amazon. As you ascent down from Acjanaco, the baron Paramo starts to change to an elfin forest.

Here you will stop for lunch to admire the view. As you descend further into the cloud forest where the tree canopy covered by mist gives life to numerous epiphytes, moss, luscious green ferns and the kur-Kur (high land bamboo). This area is a natural playground for a vast number of birds. You make your way to an observation post where, with a little luck, you will be able to watch the fascinating dance of Peru’s National bird, the Cock-of-the-Rock and hopefully spot the Woolly monkey. We will spend the night in our lodge.

Day 2: Cloud Forest – Atalaya

After breakfast, we set off to the fluvial port of Atalaya, where we shall ride a boat upriver towards the Amaru Mayu camp. During the boat ride, our guide will tell us about the different confluences of rivers in this area. We'll take the boat to go to a parrot’s clay lick. That morning we will spend most of the time by boat. We will also visit a small ox-bow lake. Depending on the time we will penetrate to the jungle doing some tracings, we'll observe the difference between two types of forest: primary and secondary. We'll take this opportunity to learn more details about different aspects of the Amazon jungle and visit the Mirador, a high place with spectacular views. Lunch an free afternoon in the camp (with the most active members of the group we can continue our walks looking for different mammals or taking short boat rides in nearby places).

During the boat ride late in the afternoon we'll engage in bird-watching on both river banks. Once in Atalaya, we'll change our boat for a private car and drive to Palmaceda lodge.

Day 3: Chontachaka - Cusco

After breakfast, we shall take our last walk through the jungle. Leaving behind the cloudy forest, we'll go for the last part of our trip which takes us back to Cusco, the Inca capital.