Day 1 - Cuzco - Cloud Forest - Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge
Leaving Cusco after breakfast around 7:00am we travel through traditional Quechua communities and through the spectacular eastern ranges of the Andes to the village of Paucartambo, passing snow-peaks and small Andean farmsteads. We will have time here to look around this picturesque village We then ascend to the last pass overlooking the Amazon Basin and begin the breath taking descent from 3500 meters to 1600 meters above sea-level to our comfortable lodge in the orchid laden Cloud Forest. This is a spectacular journey passing cascading waterfalls and multicolored birds along the way. In the late afternoon, we'll walk into the lodge to the sounds of Quetzals, Trogons and Gray-breasted Wood-Wrens. Night at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge or Paradise Lodge. (L/D) (lodge)

Day 2 - Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge - Manu Learning Center
Pre- breakfast walk to a nearby spot in the Cloud Forest where the strange and beautiful Cocks-of-the-Rock display at dawn. This is a wonderful sight, as up to 25 bright red-orange males dance and sing, attempting to attract the favors of the duller, burgundy colored females. After visiting this lek we return to the Lodge for a leisurely breakfast and continue in our all terrain bus to the Madre de Dios River and our motorized dugouts and we begin our journey down the river, past the last folds of the Andes to the Manu Learning Centre perched high on a bluff. he Manu Learning Centre (MLC) is designed to function as a multi-use facility to provide field researchers, educational groups and volunteers with comfortable accommodation and space in which to work. Constructed to compliment its surroundings, using a fusion of traditional thatching techniques and modern design, the concept of the Manu Learning Centre expands beyond its' facilities to include key objectives such as impact minimization of the site on the local environment and the promotion of sustainable resource management. This afternoon we will explore the trail system with our naturalist guides, watch one of the worlds prettiest sunsets over the Madre de Dios River and find out from our knowledgeable guides about the Amazon Rainforest. Night Manu Learning Center Lodge. (B/L/D) (lodge)

Day 3 - Manu Learning Center - Manu Rainforest Lodge
MLC attracts an array of parrots and macaws thanks to the spectacular red mineral lick, or Collpa carved out by the Alto Madre de Dios River. This Collpa is the only one of its type in the area, and is visited daily by hundreds of colorful and noisy parrots and macaws, as well as guans, pigeons and doves. These in turn draw raptors such as the ornate hawk eagle. It is one of the best places in the world to see the endangered Blue-headed Macaw. We will visit this Clay Lick at dawn and after the spectacle return for breakfast an a look at the Orchid garden. We continue our journey down the Madre de Dios River to it's confluence with the Manu River. We’ll pass settlements and native communities during the trip. Just before we get to the village of Boca Manu we pass the native community of Diamante. Their culture is Piro and this is the largest settlement of Amerindians in the area. We turn up the Manu River leaving the relatively clean waters of the Madre de Dios behind; we enter the clay laden waters of the Manu River. We’ll at the park ranger station at Limonal to present our permits and visit an overgrown oxbow lake where many Parrots and Macaws come in to roost we travel another hour to our destination – The comfortable Manu Rainforest Lodge situated close the banks of the Manu River. We are now deep in the pristine Manu rainforest. Over night Manu Rainforest Lodge. (B/L/D) (lodge)

Day 4 - Manu Rainforest Lodge - Lake Salvador
This morning we'll walk very slowly from camp for 4-5 hours through the forest to Cocha Limonal. We may encounter troops of Monkeys. This is a particularly good trail for Black Spider Monkeys. We'll pay special attention to the plant life on this walk and take it slowly listening for the rustle of vegetation or the soft sound of fruits falling to the rainforest floor that may betray the presence of animals or large birds. Your guide will explain some of the basics of rainforest ecosystems and point out some of the medicinal plants of the area used by local, indigenous groups. We may cross paths with a group of Peccaries - a species of wild boar found here. We'll be met at the river by our motorized dugout for the hour trip upriver to the lodge for lunch and some free time. After lunch we head upriver as deep into the park as allowed, to Cocha Salvador. Beaches, especially in the dry season, are loaded with nesting birds and feeding Herons, Egrets, Orinoco Geese, Terns and Skimmers to name but a few. Some beaches will host sunning White and Black Caimans (South American relatives of the Alligators)/ and breeding Side-necked Turtles. Hundreds of Sand-colored Nightjars roost during the day on logs and beaches and there is a chance of encountering a sunning Jaguar - the world’s third largest cat. In 2009 one in three of our trips saw Jaguar in Manu. We will see some species of primate on this river trip, possibly Red Howler Monkeys or the smaller Squirrel Monkeys. Overnight at Lake Salvador. (B/L/D) (tented camp)

Day 5 - Romero Rainforest Lodge - Manu Rainforest Lodge
Cocha Salvador. Some of the time will be spent canoeing the lake on a floating platform observing ox-bow lake animal life from the water. We may encounter an Agami Heron or a Sungrebe and Brown Capuchin Monkeys are usually feeding on fruits nearby. Specially constructed piers that jut out into the lake enable us to look for a family of Giant Otters that live here. These, the world’s largest freshwater carnivores, remain common only in Manu, having been hunted to extinction throughout most of their former range. Each animal consumes between 4 and 5 kilos of fish daily and often they can be seen eating large fish on logs at the lakeside. A visit to the lake of Cocha Otorongo is planned, where observation piers and a 20 meter observation tower in the rainforest canopy overlooking the lake are available for observing wildlife. We will also be on the lookout for a large family of Giant Otters that inhabit this lake. We boat back to Manu Rainforest Lodge in the late afternoon, to a refreshing shower, snacks and iced drinks. Over night Manu Rainforest Lodge. (B/L/D) (lodge)

Day 6 - Boca Manu - Cuzco
Leaving the lodge we'll head down the Madre de Dios River for 45 minutes to the Boca Manu Aerodrome. Early morning flocks of birds pass over the boat, and we may see a Capybara, the world’s largest rodent. Arriving at the airstrip we board our aircraft for the 45 minute flight over seemingly endless rainforest and then over the Andes, passing glaciers and snow peaks to the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco, where our staff will be waiting to take you to your hotel. (B)