5-day Manu Reserved Zone tour – Guadalupe lodge, Casa Matsiguenka lodge

• Breakfast on Day 1
• Binoculars (available to rent)
• Personal items (e.g. toiletries, repellent)
• Single supplement for private room ($110 USD)

• Insect repellent (at least 40% DEET)
• Sunblock and hat
• Long pants, long sleeves, T-shirts
• Hiking shoes and sandals/slippers
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Water bottle or canteen
• Camera or phone + charger or power bank
• Raincoat or poncho
• Personal hygiene items
• Swimming clothes
• Avoid bright colors (no red, pink, or orange)

Join our 5-day Manu Reserved Zone tour and explore one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. This deep Amazon jungle tour takes you from Cusco to the heart of the Manu Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Peru. You will travel by road and boat into the remote Reserved Zone, home to macaws, monkeys, giant river otters, and maybe even jaguars.

With improved access and comfortable lodges, this 5-day Manu jungle tour from Cusco is perfect for nature lovers and adventure seekers. You’ll visit Cocha Salvador and Otorongo oxbow lakes, explore hidden rainforest trails, and enjoy river safaris led by expert local guides.

5-day Manu Reserved Zone tour highlights

• Deep jungle tour inside the Manu Reserved Zone
• Explore the Manu Biosphere Reserve from Cusco
• See giant river otters at Cocha Salvador
• Visit the famous Macaw Clay Lick
• River boat ride through the Manu River
• Stay at the community-run Casa Matsiguenka Lodge
• Guided jungle walks and wildlife observation

Wildlife you may encounter on this 5-day Manu Reserved Zone tour

During this 5-day Manu Reserved Zone tour, you’ll have great chances to see many amazing animals in the wild. The Manu Biosphere Reserve is home to some of the best wildlife in Peru. In the jungle and along the rivers, you can spot giant river otters, caimans, capybaras, monkeys, and many types of colorful birds. If you’re lucky, you might even see a jaguar resting by the riverbanks. The Manu jungle tour also includes visits to oxbow lakes like Cocha Salvador, where animals come to drink and play. You’ll explore the rainforest with expert guides who help you find wildlife like howler monkeys, spider monkeys, toucans, macaws, and frogs. This Manu national park tour offers one of the best chances in South America to see rare and wild animals in their natural habitat.

Activities included

• Scenic drive through the Andes and cloud forest
• Riverboat navigation on the Madre de Dios and Manu Rivers
• Wildlife viewing and birdwatching
• Visit to oxbow lakes (Cocha Salvador, Otorongo)
• Clay lick observation for macaws and parrots
• Jungle hikes with local, English speaking guides
• Optional night walk in the rainforest
• Visit to a native community (Diamante)

Itinerary overview

This 5-day Manu Reserved Zone tour begins in Cusco. On the first day, you’ll travel by car through the Andes, visiting small villages and the Ninamarca pre-Inca tombs. After crossing the Acjanaco Pass, you descend into the cloud forest and spend the night at Guadalupe Lodge. The next day, you’ll drive to the native community of Diamante and then take a boat down the Madre de Dios and Manu Rivers. Along the way, you can spot monkeys, birds, and possibly jaguars before arriving at Casa Matsiguenka Lodge deep in the jungle.

On the third day, you’ll explore Cocha Salvador by catamaran, where you might see giant otters, black caimans, and many birds. In the afternoon, you visit the Macaw Clay Lick to see colorful parrots and red-and-green macaws. On the fourth day, you return by boat, watching the sunrise and looking for wildlife on the Manu River. You return to Guadalupe Lodge for one last night in the jungle. On the fifth day, you head back to Cusco, enjoying the beautiful views of the cloud forest along the way.

What to expect on this 5-day Manu National Park tour

This 5 day Manu Reserved Zone tour is a true deep jungle experience. To reach the heart of the Manu Biosphere Reserve, you’ll travel by road and boat over the first two days. It takes time (about 11 hours on day 2) to get there, but the reward is huge: untouched rainforest, amazing wildlife, and peaceful nature. One of the highlights is staying at Casa Matsiguenka, a lodge run by the native Matsiguenka community. They care deeply for the forest and live in harmony with nature. As this is a protected area, we arrange special permits for your visit. Please respect the environment and help protect this special place during your Manu jungle tour.

About Manu National Park

The Manu Reserved Zone is part of the Manu Biosphere Reserve, a protected area that covers cloud forest, lowland rainforest, and Andean highlands. It is one of the richest places in the world for plant and animal species. Manu is home to over 1,000 bird species, 13 monkey species, giant otters, tapirs, caimans, and many colorful butterflies and frogs.

Because it is so remote, the Manu Reserved Zone has remained mostly untouched. You’ll stay in lodges that are operated by local communities and use solar power to protect the environment. This tour gives you a rare chance to see a wild and pristine part of the Amazon jungle in Peru.