Paucartambo Colonial Town The Manu Biosphere Reserve The Cloud Forest The Rain Forest Parrot’s clay lick
Day 1: Cusco – Cloudy Forest You wake up early to leave Cusco and begin a winding ascent into the Andes by car. The road eventually winds down to the 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. Then, 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. You arrive at our lodge, the Chontachaka Ecological Reserve, at 6 p.m. where you will spend the night. After a delicious meal you can enjoy the beautiful surroundings before turning in for the evening.
Day 2: Chontachaka After breakfast, visit to Reserve’s medicinal plants garden. We shall receive information about these plants. Then we shall walk around 20 minutes to arrive to the wonderful Small Waterfall. We will have time to take a bath there and feel a special connection with water. Coming back to lodge, lunch and time to rest. At 3:30 pm we shall start another walking, that one of about 40 minutes, until arrive to the point to observe the Cock of the Rocks, Peru´s national bird. Along the walking we will have the occasion to see the results of the reforestation project being carried out in the Reserve from ten years ago. We could even plant a new tree. After watching the Cock of the Rocks, dinner and overnight in Chontachaka’s lodge.
Day 3: Chontachaka - Atalaya Before dawn, trip by road until Atalaya river port. From there, we shall sail by boat river down to visit a wonderful parrot clay lick. Breakfast. We go ahead sailing river down. We shall make stops and walkings to visit different spots of natural interest. Lunch on boat. In the afternoon, coming back to Atalaya village. We will be accomodated in a house of a local family. Time off. Optionally, short walkings to wacht animals. Dinner and overnigth in local family’s house in Atalaya.
Day 4: Atalaya – Santa Rosa de Huacaria - Chontachaca Breakfast. From Atalaya, trip by road until the town of Pillcopata. From there, access to Santa rosa de Huacaria native community. Time off to enjoy the environement and indigenous Matxiguenkas and Huatxipaire’s hospitality. Trip by road until Chontachaka Ecological Reserve Lodge. Dinner and overnigth in Chontachaka.
Day 5: Chontachaca- 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.