5-Day Manú National Park Bird Watching Tour from Cusco

• Set out on a journey through the lonely highland scenery and isolated Quechua communities that takes you to the pass of Acjanaco, the entry point of Manú National Park.

• From here, begin the descent into the cloud forest, enjoying the marvellous scenery and exotic flora along the way. Look out for exotic birds, butterflies, and insects.

• Reach the rustic lodge, tucked away in the middle of the cloud forest, in the afternoon.

• Rise before dawn. A short walk takes you to a nearby lake to observe the male Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, the national bird of Peru. Also look out for other birds such as torrent ducks, highland motmots, and quetzals.

• After a generous breakfast, head down to the lowland forest, visiting a cocoa plantation on the way.

• In Atalaya, the first navigable port of the Upper Madre de Dios River, board a motorized dugout canoe that takes you across the river to your lodge. Spend the afternoon exploring the lodge trails.

• Go to a small oxbow lake to watch the weird and wonderful Hoatzin, as well as egrets, herons, kingfishers, and raptors. If lucky, you may even sight black caimans. Also watch out for squirrel monkeys, Dusky Titi monkeys, and capuchins.

• After dark, go on a short night walk to spot amphibians and insects, or perhaps surprise some night monkeys.

• See colourful parrots, macaws, araçaris, woodpeckers, tanagers, caciques, and oropendolas, as well as hummingbirds. The lodge gardens come alive with the first light of the day.

• After an early breakfast, climb a trail leading into the montane forest to a watchtower offering splendid views over the river.

• In the afternoon, explore more of the lowland trails around the lodge, hoping to surprise monkeys, toucans, guans, caracaras, tinamous, or perhaps some agoutis or capybaras. You can also opt for passive birdwatching from the porch of your lodge, which gives amazing sightings of tanagers and hummingbirds in particular.

• Go for another stroll in the forest before breakfast. Another smaller watchtower offers views of chachalacas, piping guans, cardinals, and black-capped donacobius.

• After breakfast, return to the cloud forest to spend more time looking out for woolly monkeys, tayras, opossums, and green jays. Relax and watch wildlife from your porch.

• After dark, look out for exotic insects and frogs in the garden.

You may wake up early in the morning to look for more wildlife. There is an orchid garden around the lodge. Keep watch over the San Pedro River and hope that torrent ducks pass by, or perhaps the rare sunbittern.

• Leave later in the morning for your return journey to Cusco. (Breakfast and lunch included).