Manu National Park Tour: Boat, Raft & Night Walks

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/13

Duration3d

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Wooden rafts, clay licks and five species of monkeys across three days in the jungle

This 3-day tour from Cusco takes you by bus into Manu National Park's cloud forest, then by boat and raft through the upper Madre de Dios river system to spot wildlife including capybaras, small alligators, five monkey species and hundreds of bird species like cocks of the rocks and ketzals. You stay in two ecolodges with private rooms, walk forest trails for 2 to 3 hours each day, and join free night walks to observe nocturnal animals. The operator has run tours since 1993 and includes a professional guide, all transport, lodging, meals and park entry.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Travel to Manu National Park

Bus pick-up from Cusco early morning
Visit funerary tombs of Ninamarca
Visit native town of Paucartambo
Arrive at Manu National Park (Acjanaco)
Explore cloud forest and observe wildlife
Stay at Manu Green Lodge

Day 2 — Explore Manu Park and Machuwasi

Bus transport to Atalaya village
Observe birds and native plants en route
Boat trip on river
Afternoon 2-hour hike
Raft rides in Machuwasi lagoon
Observe capybara and monkeys
Night walk to see nocturnal animals
Stay at Paititi Lodge

Day 3 — Return to Cusco via Cloud Forest

Visit parrot clay lick
Return by boat to Atalaya
Bus trip back to Cusco
Arrive in Cusco late afternoon

The Experience

The tour starts with a 5:30 AM pickup from your Cusco hotel or the meeting point, then a 4-hour bus ride through Paucartambo to reach the cloud forest at Acjanaco. On the way you pass the funerary tombs of Ninamarca, a native settlement, before arriving at Manu Green Lodge for your first night. The cloud forest itself is where the bird watching begins—cocks of the rocks and ketzals move through the canopy, and you'll spot two monkey species in the primary trees around the lodge.

Day two moves you deeper into the park. A 45-minute bus ride takes you to Atalaya village, where you board a boat for the Madre de Dios river. The afternoon includes a 2-hour forest hike and then raft rides through Machuwasi lagoon, where capybaras and monkeys come down to the water's edge. You'll see native birds, fruit trees, medicinal plants and coca plantations along the way. A free night walk follows dinner, when armadillos, snakes, toads and nocturnal monkeys move through the forest. You sleep at Paititi Lodge in rooms with private bathrooms and mosquito nets.

The final morning takes you to the parrot clay lick—a riverbank where hundreds of parrots gather to feed on mineral-rich clay—before a boat ride back to Atalaya and a bus return to Cusco by 5:00 or 6:00 PM. The guide carries binoculars and a telescope for closer views of birds and distant wildlife. Rubber hiking boots, a first aid kit, mineral water and solar-powered battery recharging are all provided, and a professional cook prepares meals at both lodges.

What’s included

All transport by bus and boat from Cusco.
lodging in private rooms with bathrooms and mosquito nets at two ecolodges.
meals prepared by a professional cook.
entrance ticket to Manu National Park.
a specialized guide with telescope and binoculars who speaks English or Spanish.
rubber hiking boots.
mineral water throughout.
and solar-powered battery recharging at the lodges.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Manu Tour Operator Expediciones Vilca

Is this one for you?The 3-day length fits travelers who can leave Cusco for a full weekend but need to return by evening on day three—it reaches the parrot clay lick and the river lagoons without the week-long commitment of longer jungle tours. If you want to stay longer in the park or need to return to Cusco mid-morning, a different tour length may suit you better.