Peru

Manu Macaw Lick at the Manu Wildlife Center

Manu Wildlife Center is incredibly remote and wild. Wildlife enthusiasts, birders, and nature photographers find Manu worth the extra effort and travelling time. The Manu Wildlife Center offers more wildlife sightings and a higher level of comfort, at a lower price than any other lodge in the the Manu region. This trip has two major wildlife attractions – the Macaw lick and the worlds only known Tapir lick where in the comfort of mattresses and mosquito nets you may watch the largest of all South American Land Mammals visit mineral lick.

Explore 40 miles of scientifically-designed forest trails surrounding the Manu Wildlife Center. Areas surrounding MWC are free from hunting pressure. Lowland deer, tapirs, monkeys, and the occasional Jaguar inhabit the forest trails. Caimans, piranhas, and anacondas live in the rivers and lakes surrounding Manu Wildlife Center.

•View monkeys and colorful canopy birds from strategically located canopy platforms atop a 120-foot high spiral staircase. From the Center's observation tower numerous canopy birds can be sighted such as Sclater's Antwren, White-shouldered, Masked, and Paradise tanagers, and Green and Black-faced dacnis.

• Visit the only accessible Macaw and Parrot Lick in the Manu area just minutes from our lodge. From a silent, floating catamaran blind pioneered by our macaw researchers, we marvel at the emerald green and electric blue parrots and the gaudy Red-and-Green Macaws that arrive by the hundreds to gobble down the clay. This mobile blind allows us to approach within 20-30 yards (18-27 m) of the 25-foot-tall (8-m-tall) clay bank for excellent photo opportunities. No other Macaw Lick in the world currently permits such close-up, comfortable viewing of this spectacle of nature.

• Visit the world's largest known Tapir Clay Lick. From the comfort and safety of a house blind elevated 13 feet above the lick, observe and photograph these wiggled-nosed, 550-pound beasts: the largest land animals in South America.

Set in the splendors of the incomparable lowland Amazon, a visit to the Manu Wildlife Center offers a unique experience of primary rain forest and jungle rivers. Experience an adventure that will truly last a lifetime.

Manu Wildlife Center:
• 22 fully screened double-occupancy bungalows with large living area and private tiled bathrooms with hot water showers.
• Screened dining room.
• Activities building with fully stocked bar and reading room.
• A professional staff and safe, comfortable accommodations await your visit to the internationally famous Manu Wildlife Center.

2008 Prices:
4 days (Mon.-Thurs., Wed.-Sat. or Fri.-Mon.) = $1170 per person double occupancy
5 days (Thurs.-Mon. or Sat.-Wed.) = $1270 per person double occupancy
(minimum of 2 people). Single supplement for 4 days is $150, 5 days is $200.

2009 Prices:
4 days (Mon.-Thurs., Wed.-Sat. or Fri.-Mon.) = $1350 per person double occupancy for 2-4 people, $1290 for 5-9
5 days (Thurs.-Mon. or Sat.-Wed.) = $1490 per person double occupancy for 2-4 people, $1430 for 5-9
(minimum of 2 people). Single supplement for 4 days is $225, 5 days is $300.

4 day Itinerary

This trip has two major wildlife attractions – the Macaw lick in which hundreds of brightly colored macaws and other parrots congregate to eat the clay which is essential to their digestion making it certainly one of the world's great wildlife spectacles and the worlds only known Tapir lick where in the comfort of mattresses and mosquito nets you may watch the largest of all South American Land Mammals visit a mineral lick. Other attractions include several ox-bow lakes and walk up canopy towers enabling east access to the rainforest canopy

Day 1: We pick you up at your hotel in Cusco and drive to the airport for the 35 minute flight to a small airstrip cut into the rainforest at Boca Manu. On arrival at the airport, you will be met by your rainforest guide. Our motorized dugout will take you on the two hour (approx) trip down the Madre de Dios River to the Manu Wildlife Center, a strategically located lodge. On the river journey we will see our first Amazonian wildlife and riverside birds such as Skimmers, Terns, Herons, Egrets and Orinoco Geese. We should arrive at the lodge for lunch and meet some of the visiting biologists working here. In the afternoon we explore a trail that leads out to a lookout point high above the river to watch roosting flights of Parrots as the sun sets, and we may encounter a troop of monkeys in the forest. Those who wish can do a night walk with the guide in search of nocturnal inhabitants of the forest. Night Manu Wildlife Center. L:D

Day 2: Early start to-day for the Macaw Clay Lick. This is truly one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles as hundreds of Parrots and their larger relatives, the Macaws, congregate at this traditional locality to eat the mineral rich clay that is essential to their digestion. We'll use a blind (hide) to get close to the birds. The noise alone is incredible and the sight of these brightly colored birds at the lick is a sight not to be forgotten. As the lick slows down in midmorning we'll head for Cocha Blanco, an old, ox-bow lake, in search of a family of Giant Otters that live there, and canoe around the lake on our floating platform looking for other wildlife. After a leisurely lunch at the lodge we'll explore other trails in search of Emperor and Saddleback Tamarins, and we have seen the rare Goeldi's Monkey repeatedly in this area. Night at the Manu Wildlife Center B:L:D

Day 3: Full day to explore the forest and trails around the lodge.. We'll be on the lookout for Monk Saki - an uncommon and rarely seen monkey of the tierra firme forest that is occasionally seen here. We'll explore trails where groups of Manakins , perhaps the most enigmatic of neo-tropical birds, perform their strange mating dances and walk to one of our blinds at a large mammal lick where Guans and forest Parakeets and Parrotlets come for clay. Here too, groups of Black Spider Monkeys visit on occasions for clay to help their digestion. Those who wish will return with the guide to the lodge in the late afternoon, however there is an opportunity to stay at the lick after dark until midnight to see what nocturnal creatures come to the lick. Tapirs, the largest South American land mammal are frequent visitors with up to 12 animals visiting in one night Other nocturnal creatures are always possible. Night at the Manu Wildlife Center. B:L:D

Day 4: After breakfast we head upriver (about 2 hours) to the small airstrip at Boca Manu. 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 35 minute flight over seemingly endless rainforest and then over the Andes, passing glaciers and snow peaks to the ancient Inca capital of Cusco where our staff will be waiting to take you to your hotel. B:

5 Day Itinerary

Day one : Early morning our representative will pick you up from your hotel to transfer to Cusco airport. A thirty-five minute flight in a radar-equipped twin engine plane takes you to Boca Manu. Here you take a motorized canoe for the 90 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios River to Manu Wildlife Center to arrive for lunch. The afternoon will be spent exploring some of the 30 miles of clean forest trails that surround the lodge. On these trails you have an excellent chance to encounter some of the 12 species of monkeys, which include the Monk Saki and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest. After dinner you will have a short night excursion to explore nocturnal life in the rainforest.

Day two : Rising before dawn, we take a 25 minute boat journey downstream to the only large parrot and macaw clay lick in the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind we are afforded excellent views and photo opportunities of hundreds of medium-sized and large parrots arriving first at the lick, followed by the large Red-and-Green Macaws arriving to eat the clay.

Please note that :The clay lick activity reaches its best from August to October and decreases during the months of May and June. During the dry season (June-September) the water level on the river does not always allow for a floating blind and it will then be sitting on the ground.

After lunch at the Center we continue to explore the forest trails surrounding the lodge, and plan to spend the late afternoon up a 34 meter canopy platform. Here, we watch the last frantic activity in the rainforest canopy, or rush hour, before night settles. We can return for dinner back at the Center, or pack our meal for the leisurely hike about 60-75 minutes through the night forest to the Amazon’s largest known Tapir clay lick. Here we climb a 17 by 17 foot observation platform perched almost 20 feet above the lick itself where we wait for the lumbering Tapirs to arrive. Then, using powerful flashlights we hope to observe and photograph them in action. Our scientific reports reveal that tapirs usually visit the clay lick between 9:00 pm and midnight; however, their activity continues until dawn. (B/L/D)

Day three : After another early morning departure by boat and short hike from the river, you have what promises to be an exciting visit to Blanco Oxbow Lake. This lake has populations of a variety of aquatic life and water birds, including the prehistoric-looking hoatzin and the possibility to see the resident family of giant otters. After returning for lunch at the Center your guide is available to further explore the forest trails for more wildlife encounters. Alternatively, time is available to independently practice your abilities and experience this expanse of rainforest habitats on your own.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. (B/L/D)

Day four : Rising at dawn you will board the motor-canoe to visit the Camungo Oxbow Lake. In addition to touring the lake by catamaran to look for the resident family of giant otters and other lakeside fauna, we will explore the forest trails and visit the 40 meter or 130 foot high canopy platform. This platform provides a beautiful view of the Camungo Lake as well as the forest canopy, and on very clear days it is possible to look over the rainforest to the Andes. 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. Again, before or after supper, those explorers still with enough energy will have another chance for an additional visit to the Tapir clay lick. (B/L/D)

Day five: 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. From here you fly to Cusco, where your jungle adventure ends. Arrival at Cusco Airport, reception and transfer to your hotel. (B)

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.