Manu Wildlife Centre Tapir & Macaw Clay Licks

General Info

Manu boasts the highest bird, mammal, and plant diversity of any park on Earth, including 1,000 of the world's 9,700 bird species, 200 species of mammals, and 15,000 species of flowering plants. See frolicking Giant Otters, hundreds of parrots and macaws at a riverbank clay lick, dancing Cock-of-the-Rock birds, playful monkeys, and huge Lowland Tapirs, all from the rustic comfort of the Manu Wildlife Centre.

Itinerary

Day 1 Manu

A transfer service from your hotel to Cusco airport will be followed by a 45-minute commercial flight to Puerto Maldonado, then you will be transfer by van to Santa Rosa Village we will get there in about two-hours and half journey, you will cross the Inambari river for a 15 minutes boat trip to Puerto Carlos, here you will start your 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 in between we plan on a delicious boxed lunch at the beginning of the boat journey to Manu Wildlife Center.
After dinner there will be an enchanting night walk along the trails, in search of the nocturnal birds and animals of the rainforest. (l/D)

Day 2 Manu

Another early start (inevitable on wildlife expeditions), is followed by a short boat ride downstream. We take a 20-minute trail through palm plantations to a cut-off channel of the river, where we find the Macaw Lick. A spacious hide provided with individual chairs and a convenient place for cameras and binoculars is our ringside seat for what is usually a very spectacular show. We enjoy a full breakfast here while waiting for the main actors to arrive.

In groups of 2 and 3 the big Red-and-Green Macaws come flapping in, landing in the treetops as they eye the main stage below —the eroded clay banks of the old channel. Meanwhile the supporting cast appears: these may included Blue-headed, Mealy, Yellow-crowned, and Orange-cheeked Parrots— and the occasional villain, a menacing and unwelcome Great Black Hawk.
The drama plays out in first in tentative and then bolder approaches to the lick, until finally nearly all the macaws, parrots and parakeets form a colorful and noisy spectacle on the bare banks, squabbling as they scrape clay from the hard surface.
(Please note that the clay lick is most active from August to October and less so during the months of May and June.)
We return to the lodge for lunch, and then we continue to explore and discover the rainforest, its lore and plant life, on the network of trails surrounding the lodge, arriving in the late afternoon at our 34 m/112 ft Canopy Tower. On its platform we witness the frantic rush-hour activity of twilight in the rainforest canopy, before night closes in.

Later 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 5 m / 17 ft 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 10-20 m/33-66 ft) 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. (B/L/D)

Day 3 Manu

We set off early for Cocha Blanco, an old oxbow lake full of water lilies 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. Wattled Jacanas step lightly on the lily pads, dainty Sun Grebes paddle across the water, supple-necked Anhingas air-dry their wide, black wings, and perhaps an Osprey scans for fish from a high branch.

Among the bushes near the waterline, Hoatzins, which look like rust-colored, punk chickens, announce their presence with distinctive, bizarre wheezing and grunts. Woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans and parakeets all finally come swooping in to trees surrounding the lake. Many of them roost around the lake for the night.
After lunch at the lodge our guide is available to lead us on freewheeling expeditions in search of further wildlife encounters, or we may take one of the lodge’s many trails on private and personal excursions to commune with the spirits of the rainforest.

This evening, from the late afternoon until after Dinner, we offer an opportunity to search for caiman and other nocturnal life along the riverbank by boat (If the level of river allows it) (B/L/D)

Day 4 Manu

Rising at dawn we board our motor-canoe to visit Cocha Camungo, an oxbow lake. Each of these forest lakes seems to have its own personality, and after circling these enchanted waters by catamaran to look birds and other lakeside fauna, we will explore the forest trails and visit the 40 m/130 ft canopy platform, set amongst the massive branches of a giant kapok tree. This platform provides a beautiful view of Cocha Camungo, as well as the forest canopy, and on very clear days we can spot the distant ranges of the Andes above the undulating treetops of the forest.

After lunch at the Center we will explore the forest trails, with the emphasis on visiting the fruiting and flowering trees that our experienced naturalist guides have been monitoring. Here we will hope to encounter more monkey species as well as numerous species of birds. Before or after supper, avid explorers will have a second chance to visit the Tapir Clay lick. (B/L/D)

Day 5 Manu

After early breakfast, we leave near dawn by motor canoe for the two hour return trip to the Manu landing strip, taking advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river. Depart Boca Manu on the return flight to Cuzco. (B)

Prices

Description	Price
3 Night package Manu Wildlife Centre	$1135
3 Night Single Supplement	$260
4 Night package Manu Wildlife Centre	$1360
4 Night Single Supplement	$345

Available from April to October
3 night package departs Monday
4 night package departs Thursday
Please ask our South American experts for 3, 5, 6,7 or more night package prices.

Please note that the program may vary slightly so as to maximize your wildlife sightings, depending on the reports of our researchers and experienced naturalist guides based at the lodge.

Domestic flight tickets to/from Puerto Maldonado are not included

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