Today is devoted to the birds and wildlife of the forests and lakes of Manu National Park.
Activities are varied each day as we explore these pristine jungle trails, where groups of manakins perform their strange mating dance. We walk through untouched forests to clifftop lookouts over the river and watch roosting flights of parrots and macaws as the sun sets. We also search for the strange Pale-winged trumpeter and primates such as the Emperor tamarin, Wedell's saddleback tamarin, Urubamba brown titi monkey, Gray's bald-faced saki monkey and the rare Goeldi's monkey.
One morning we make a very early start and, after a 15-minute boat ride and a 45-minute walk through a secondary forest, we reach the Tambo Blanquillo Macaw Clay Lick on the banks of the Madre de Dios River (arriving before 05.30). This is truly one of the world's great wildlife spectacles, as hundreds of parrots and their larger relatives, the macaws, congregate to eat the mineral rich clay that is essential to their digestion. This clay lick is over 6-meters high and 250 m long and hundreds of Orange-cheeked parrots, Blue-headed parrots, Mealy parrots, Yellow crowned parrots and other parakeets attend. A little later in the morning Red-and-Green and Scarlet macaws arrive. You may also see a menacing Great black hawk
Mammals such as Tapirs, Red brocket deer and Colombian howler monkey also use this clay lick. There is an observation platform 50 m from the wall, which allows extraordinary photographs, especially when the early morning sun illuminates the clay lick. The noise alone is incredible and the sight of these brightly coloured birds is an unforgettable sight. A hearty breakfast is served in the comfort of this location. As the lick slows down in the mid-morning, we head back to the lodge for lunch and a siesta in the hammocks. Here we can watch multi-coloured hummingbirds coming to the butterfly bushes and bird feeders in the garden.
On another morning we take an excursion to the beautiful Camungo Oxbow Lake in search of families of Giant otters that live here. We navigate on the lake in a paddle catamaran, observing colourful neotropical birds and searching for the rare Agami heron. After returning to our lodge for lunch, in the afternoon we climb the 50 metre Camungo Observation Tower, constructed to allow you to see monkeys swinging through the trees, jacamars hunt and other birds of the treetop canopy, such as macaws. At times you can see mixed flocks of up to 100 different species.
Another day we take a 10-minute boat ride to the Blanco Oxbow Lake, the most important in the area. On this trip we may see peccaries and other wildlife and, if you are very fortunate, you may even see a jaguar resting or sunning itself along the river bank. Birding around this lake is exceptional with over 600 species present, including the bizarre hoatzin (or stinkbird), many kingfishers, flycatchers and so much more. Groups of monkeys are seen feeding on the fruits of trees beside the lakes, while Snail kites feast on the abundance of water snails found here. After returning to your lodge for lunch, enjoy another guided walk.
In the wetter months (January to May) we can walk 1-hour to the Mammal Clay Lick, with the opportunity of spotting several different species of monkeys along the way, including spider monkeys, as well as various reptiles and insects. Here we lie down in permanently set-up tents and wait for animals such as the tapir, white-lipped peccary, capybara and even jaguar to use the lick. In the drier months (June to December) there is not much activity here due to the lack of humidity and alternatives walks are offered.
Note: The order of activities may vary according to weather conditions. Malaria tablets & yellow fever vaccinations are recommended if visiting this region.