MANU BIRDING EXPEDITION · 9 DAYS

At a glance

• Duration: 9 days / 8 nights, from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. Shorter or longer versions available.
• Difficulty: Moderate. Long road days on the Manu Road, early starts, boat travel and forest trails; Wayqecha sits at about 3,000 m.
• Focus: Specialized birdwatching, with a pace adapted to birders: dawn starts, long sessions at key spots and time to look for target species.
• Best time: May to November (drier season). Possible all year.
• Operated with: Amazon Journeys, in lodges next to the Amazon Conservation research stations.

Highlights

• More than 3,000 m of elevation in one trip: cloud forest, foothills and lowland rainforest
• The canopy walkway at Wayqecha, suspended above the cloud forest
• An Andean cock-of-the-rock lek on the Manu Road
• A river expedition down the Madre de Dios to Los Amigos
• The 60 m observation tower at Los Amigos, above the Amazon canopy

Key species by ecological zone

Cloud forest (Wayqecha, about 3,000 m, 200+ species): Red-and-white Antpitta, Marcapata Spinetail, Grass-green Tanager, Golden-collared Tanager and, with luck, Orange-breasted Falcon. Hummingbirds and mixed flocks of tanagers on the forest edge.

Foothills (Manu Biolodge / Villa Carmen, about 520 to 1,200 m, 460+ species): Andean Cock-of-the-rock on the way down, foothill tanagers, toucans and a high diversity of forest birds along 35 km of trails.

Lowland rainforest (Los Amigos, 550+ species): macaws and parrots, Hoatzin on the oxbow lakes, canopy species from the tower and bamboo specialists of southeastern Peru.

Sightings depend on season and luck; your guide adapts each day to the target list of the group.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Cusco to Wayqecha: Early departure from Cusco with birding stops in the high Andes and the Acjanaco pass, the entrance to the Manu area. Afternoon birding around the lodge. Night at Wayqecha.

Day 2 – Wayqecha cloud forest: Optional pre-dawn trip to the Tres Cruces viewpoint for sunrise over the Amazon. Full day on the trails and the canopy walkway, looking for cloud forest specialists. Night at Wayqecha.

Day 3 – Down the Manu Road: Slow birding descent through the cloud forest, with a stop at the cock-of-the-rock lek. Arrival at Manu Biolodge (Villa Carmen) in the foothills. Night at Villa Carmen.

Day 4 – Villa Carmen: Full day on the station's trails, streams and forest edges, at the meeting point of the Andes and the Amazon. Night at Villa Carmen.

Day 5 – To the river: Short transfer to the port of Atalaya and boat trip down the river, birding along the riverbanks. Night at a riverside lodge.

Day 6 – River journey to Los Amigos: Continue by boat down the Madre de Dios River to the Los Amigos Biological Station, at the meeting of the Los Amigos and Madre de Dios rivers. Night at Los Amigos.

Days 7 and 8 – Los Amigos: Dawn sessions on the observation tower, forest trails, the Cocha Lobo oxbow lake and the bamboo forest. Nights at Los Amigos.

Day 9 – Return: Boat to the port of Laberinto (about 4 hours) and transfer to Puerto Maldonado for your flight to Cusco or Lima.

Included

• Private ground transport from Cusco to Atalaya
• Boat transport on the rivers and transfer from Laberinto to Puerto Maldonado
• 8 nights in lodges (Wayqecha, Villa Carmen, a riverside lodge and Los Amigos)
• All meals during the expedition
• Specialized bilingual birding guide
• Entrance fees and activities as described

Not included

• Flight from Puerto Maldonado
• Drinks, travel insurance and tips
• Binoculars and camera equipment

Good to know

• Spend at least 2 days in Cusco before the trip to acclimatize.
• The Manu Road is a winding dirt road; bring motion-sickness medicine if you need it.
• Lodges are simple and comfortable, with solar power. The Los Amigos dock has more than 100 steps up to the lodge.
• Pack layers for the cold cloud forest and light clothes, rain jacket and insect repellent for the lowlands.

Plan this trip with us

Tell us your dates, group size and target species on WhatsApp and we'll send you a tailored quote.

Photo credits: Bill Bouton (CC BY-SA 2.0) and Ludovico Alcorta (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.