MANU Peru and its “Mega Diversity”; all the studies undertaken until now have shown that this is the richest part in the world, a spectacular paradise. Geographically the most diverse country in the world; from the rich Humboldt Ocean Current and the Majestic Andes Mountains, to the Lush Amazon Rainforest. Between these extremes are dry forests, high elevation grasslands, and cloud forests; that result in an unsurpassed geographic and climatic area, that is reflected in its complex bio-diversity; where you can find thousands of different species of flora and fauna. We will across the Andes driving and by boat from the highlands to the jungle lowlands; this trip includes a visit to a Cock-of-the-Rock display ground. Manu’s only accessible macaw clay lick. Oxbow lakes with Giant Otters, a colorful diversity of birds and mammals, access to a large canopy platform and much more! One night in the cloud forest, one night in the forested Andean foothills and three nights in the jungle lowlands. Bus & boat transportation and airfare Boca Manu/Cusco From the Andes to the Rain Forest: 6 days/5 nights Day 1: We will leave early to the Cloud Forest, and pass through traditional Quechua communities and over the spectacular eastern range of the Andes to the village of Paucartambo. After a short visit of this picturesque village famous for their production of masks used in local festivals we ascend to the last pass overlooking the Amazon Basin and descend through the cloud forest from 3500 meters to 1600 meters a.s.l. This is a spectacular journey passing cascading waterfalls and multicolored birds along the way; a paradise for birders. After approximately 7 hours on the road we arrive to our comfortable lodge in the Cloud Forest, and will spend the night within earshot of a mountain river.
Day 2: Pre breakfast early walk and visit the lek of beautiful Peruvian national bird: “The Andean Cock-of-the-Rock”; a wonderful sight as up to 15 bright red-orange males dance and sing attempting to attract and mate the duller, colored females. After visiting the lek we return to the Lodge for breakfast and then spend some hours of the morning walking on the road looking for cloud forest birds, and with luck, Common Woolly Monkeys. Depart by bus for Atalaya (3 hours bus ride); where we will meet the boatmen and take a canoe with a 55 hp outboard motor on the alto Madre de Dios River to the lowlands to get Lodge.
In the afternoon we will start to explore one of the 20 km of gridded forest trails which surround the lodge.
Day 3: Early in the morning, we take a short hike on the trails. After breakfast we leave buy boat downstream to Manu Wildlife Center. We will pass and see the last ranges of the Andes, settlements, native communities and stop at a local Piro Indian Village; the largest settlement in the area where there is a small handcraft shop. In the afternoon we visit the strategically located 120-foot Canopy Platform; built in the top of a huge Kapok Tree (ceiba pentandra). Monkeys and colorful canopy birds can be sighted such as such as macaws, Sclater's Antwren, White-shouldered, Masked, Paradise tanagers, Green and Black-faced dacnis, etc.
Day 4: Rising before dawn, visit the only large accessible Parrot and Macaw clay lick in the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind we enjoy excellent views and photo opportunities of the Natural Great Show: first hundreds of medium-sized and large parrots, mostly Blue-headed (Pionus) and Mealy Amazons with a smattering of Orange-cheeked Parrots (Pionopsitta barrabandi), and then the large Red and Green Macaws (Green-winged, or Ara chloroptera) arrive to eat the clay.
In the afternoon walk two miles through the forest on a mostly flat trail to the world's largest known Tapir clay lick. Using a blind we wait quietly for the 550-pound wild tapirs to arrive. We observe them with flashlights and take flash pictures without scaring them away. We walk back to the lodge at some time between 9:00 and 11:30 p.m, depending on our luck with tapir sightings and determination of the observers. Day 5: Early in the morning we will visit Blanco oxbow lake. This lake has populations of a variety of water birds, including the weird, punk-crested Hoatzin, monkeys, and Giant Otters also fish and raise their cubs on this lake. After lunch explore some of the 30 miles (48 km) of clean forest trails near the lodge with a good chance to see some wild life including the spectacular, mustachioed Emperor Tamarin. Exploring the forest trails with emphasis on visiting fruiting or flowering trees that our researchers tell us are attracting some of the 11 species of monkeys found in the area. Day 6: After breakfast at dawn you board our motor canoe for the two-hour return trip to Manu airstrip, from which you fly to Cusco, where your jungle adventure ends. | 
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