We will depart Cusco early in the morning traversing interesting valleys between the Andes Mountains and picturesque countryside communities. We will visit pre-Inca tombs of the Lupaca culture and later will stop in Paucartambo, a beautiful colonial town. Along the way, we will stop for lunch in the cloud forest. From here we continue our descent through the cloud forest, a zone rich in endemic species, such as the Cock of the Rock, the Peruvian national bird that performs a unique courting ritual. We can also see orchids, bromelias, ferns, etc. We will continue to observe the spectacular nature along our journey until we arrive at our Paraiso Lodge where we will spend our first night.
Early in the morning, we will take a boat and head to the macaw clay lick, a wall along the riverbank where different species of parrots, such as the blue-headed parrot, white-eyed parakeet, chestnut-fronted macaw, among others, gather every morning. Here they eat the clay, which is rich in minerals and helps them digest and remove toxins from their bodies. After, we will return to our lodge for a delicious breakfast.
Following breakfast, we will take a hike through the forest for 2.5-3 hours. We will return to the lodge to eat lunch and then you will have free time to rest at the lodge or bathe in the river. In the afternoon, we will visit Lake Machuwasi and explore the area in balsa rafts, observing birds, such as the pre-historic hoatzin and, with luck, other animals such as monkeys and capybaras. On the way back, we will walk through another part of the forest to look for caimans, insects and amphibians. This will be followed by dinner at Amazon Manu Lodge where we will spend the night.
Hotel
5am
