On this trip, our goal is to awaken the spirit of your ‘inner jaguar’. It is like a call from the jungle to our urban souls. When we first arrive in the jungle, our curiosity is awakened and we venture into that green and exotic world we’ve read about in books or seen in documentaries. Accompanied by a guide and with the appropriate equipment, we enjoy the biodiversity of Manu, but there is something else beyond scientific names and tourist experiences.
When you live in the jungle and share with its people, you understand that there is an inner awakening that needs to be explored. Our connection with nature has been lost due to modern life, forgetting our roots and where we are heading. That’s why we created ‘Jaguar Awakening’, to rediscover the hidden side of our world and awaken that inner jaguar that we all carry within us.
This journey is like an initiation for each visitor, through activities such as breathing, meditation, jungle walks and tree-hugging. We have taken the first step so that our passengers begin the path of reconnection with nature and themselves. The jungle speaks, we just need to listen carefully.
Our Jaguar Awakening program is an invitation to renew ourselves, connect with nature, and carry that consciousness of conservation and care in our daily lives. The jungle teaches us that everything is connected, that we are part of a whole, and that we must protect what gives us without asking for anything in return.
You can also check out our other experiences in Manu: The Exploration to the Heart of the Manu National Park is a 6-day tour and perfect for you if you have time and are a jungle fanatic. If, on the contrary, you have less time available, we suggest the Manu Community and Wildlife Experience.
For more general information about the region and how to travel there, we put in your hands our Travel Guide to Manu in Southern Peru.
Note: All programs in the jungle may have slight variations, depending on the reports of our experienced guides and weather conditions, in order to maximize activities success, like the observation of wildlife.
Heading into the enchanting realm of the jungle during the rainy season (December to March) can be quite the adventure, yet there are a few things eager explorers should keep in mind. While the lush landscapes of the Manu rainforest are tempting, tours in this area sadly take a pause due to the heavy rains, making it a bit tricky to explore to your heart’s content. But hey, don’t let this dampen your spirits! When one door closes, another opens, and in this case, it leads to the spectacular Tambopata.
For the wanderlusting souls yearning for an unforgettable jungle experience, Tambopata opens its arms wide, beckoning with its biodiversity and vibrant ecosystems. Even during the rainy season, our tours in Tambopata are in full swing, offering you a magical escape into nature’s lap.
Price Includes
Pick-up time: 05:00 to 5:15 AM
In the early hours of our journey, we will visit the chullpas of Ninamarka, ancient pre-Inca funerary precincts. From there, we’ll continue to the picturesque colonial town of Paucartambo—once a vital commercial hub during the Inca era, connecting the Kosñipata Valley (your upcoming destination) with Antisuyo, the jungle region of the Inca Empire, and the capital of Tahuantinsuyo, Cusco.
Next, we’ll venture into the lush cloud forest, where the mighty Andes transition into the Amazon. We will ascend to the Acjanaco Pass (3,550 masl), the gateway to Manu National Park.
Throughout the journey, we’ll make several stops to uncover the secrets of the cloud forest—the kingdom of giant ferns. At a special point along the route, we will pause together to simply breathe. In today’s fast-paced travel culture, this moment of stillness will offer a glimpse of what lies ahead. The fragrances of the Amazon are indescribable—you’ll feel the freshness instantly as it fills your body, with each breath awakening your senses.
We will continue our journey until we arrive in Villa Salvación, the capital of Manu Province, where we will spend the night.
Meals included: Box lunch, dinner
Estimated arrival time: Between 5–6 PM
Included activity: Guided breathing experience
Note: The day before departure, we offer a briefing at your hotel around 6 PM. We will reach out to confirm this time or adjust if needed. Of course, this will also be an opportunity to address any questions you may have.
Early in the morning, we will take the public bus and continue our journey to the Shintuya Community (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes). Shintuya is one of the largest communities within the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve.
After breakfast, we will explore a medicinal garden, taking time to connect with nature through a guided meditation experience.
Later, we’ll immerse ourselves in the Harakbut culture—you can take part in a handicraft workshop or set out on a jungle exploration in search of local fauna, surrounded by the extravagant sounds that make this place so mysterious.
We also have the opportunity to visit a hidden waterfall deep in the jungle—a truly secret spot. (Don’t forget your swimsuit!) Along the way, we’ll explore the rainforest, looking for different species of plants and animals that may cross our path.
In the evening, we’ll return to the lodge for dinner and well-earned rest.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included activities: Jungle trail, Harakbut arrow handycraft, meditation experience
Transportation: Public bus from Villa Salvación to Shintuya (Departure time: between 4:40–5:00 AM).
Accommodation: Shintuya Aguas Calientes
At dawn, we will wake up to the sounds of the forest and begin the day with breathing and meditation, expanding our senses and aligning them with the magic of the jungle.
After breakfast, we will set out to explore the trail system, with plenty of opportunities to encounter local fauna in its natural habitat.
Following lunch, we’ll gather for a brief session to prepare for the meditation experience, which includes a cleansing bath in the hot springs—a revitalizing moment to connect with the energy of the land.
Later in the evening, we’ll come together around a campfire, where we will enjoy traditional dishes crafted from fresh, local ingredients. These options are thoughtfully prepared to accommodate different dietary preferences. Among them, you’ll get to try “Endoew”—pieces of fish cooked in bamboo, as well as bananas and other locally sourced delicacies.
Included activities: Jungle trail, thermal water pools, cleansing bath/water ceremony, meditation experience
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinne
Early in the morning, we will take a boat ride to visit the parrot clay lick, located just 10 minutes away. Here, you’ll witness a spectacular display of sound and color as countless parrots gather—an unforgettable experience.
After this lively encounter, we’ll return for breakfast, then prepare to explore a local farm, where we’ll spend time with the community and learn about their way of life.
In the afternoon, we will take the public transport back to Villa Salvación.
Included activities: Parrot clay lick visit, Amazon tattoo, thermal water pools
Transportation: Public bus to Villa Salvación
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
The Amazon transforms dramatically from day to night, offering a completely different experience depending on the hour. This morning, after breakfast, we will visit MachuWasi Lake, a stunning oxbow lake, which serves as a gathering point for countless species, especially birds. Here, you’ll have the perfect opportunity to observe a wide variety of wildlife in its natural habitat.
Finally, it will be time to say goodbye to the jungle and all the incredible life it holds. We will take public transportation back to Cusco, bringing with us the memories of this extraordinary journey.
Included activity: MachuWasi Lake visit
Transportation: Public bus from Villa Salvación to Cusco (private option for an additional cost), including a transfer from the bus station to your hotel
Meals included: Breakfast, snack
You will be supporting community-based tourism in a remote area, while raising environmental awareness and promoting cultural empathy, in one of the most diverse places on the planet, enjoying a wellness experience and interacting with native communities that seek alternative and additional ways of subsistence in tourism.
Additionally, you will plant your own tree 🌱
Moreover, we…
I was born in Cusco, and from a very young age, I was taken to the jungle of Manu, where I learned to connect with and respect nature. On some occasions accompanying my father on his trips to the native communities, I learned how the villagers live in harmony with the forest, they do not realize it, but they have a deep connection with the jungle, which we outsiders would like to have.
When you understand how important it is to take care of and conserve nature, you want to share this feeling and what better way to do it than by doing tourism. What motivates me is to share what you have lived and know about the rainforest.
Since 2012, I am with Impactful Travel (formerly known as RESPONSible Travel Peru) because they live and feel that tourism is a way by which we can make development while conserving and sharing with visitors. I like to be part of this Impactful tribe.
The accommodation is very basic in during this complete Manu experience, so please don’t expect luxury. But they are comfortable enough for our clients for a few days and they are hosted by native communities. You will get a real jungle experience here, which in fact is highly interesting.
If you book this complete Manu experience through our platform, you will get a private excursion only for you and the other people you book with. But if you prefer to share costs and experiences with like-minded people, we will be glad to try to put you in a group with other travelers. For this, please get in contact with our Travel Designers directly.
Manu tours are inherently costly, and many travelers look for ways to reduce expenses without sacrificing the experience. In response, we have designed our itineraries to strike a balance between affordability and practicality.
To maximize comfort and exploration, we use private transportation on the way to Manu (Cusco-Manu). This allows for convenient and enjoyable stops, ensuring you get the best out of the journey. Once in Manu, we prioritize public transportation and also use it for the return trip (Manu-Cusco) to help keep costs down while maintaining an immersive experience.
However, if you prefer extra comfort on the way back, you have the option to book private transportation for the return journey at an additional cost, which varies based on your group size.
For starters, you can choose to go to this complete Manu experience by private transport for an additional price (find this add-on during the booking process).
Then if you choose to stick to the original plan, please, keep in mind that going by public transport can be different to traveling with a private driver. The drivers can go quite fast during the route and the busses can get quite full. The bus will make one stop on the way to give you time to go to the bathroom and eat something (however, we suggest to take some drinks and snacks for the way). It’s also possible that the bus may leave later than planned. That’s how public transport works in Peru but it’s part of the adventure, so we recommend you to be open to it and enjoy the ride.
This is a great question, a tricky one by the way. Let’s say that when visiting Matsigenka people you will hear Matsigenka (probably the most widespread language in the region), when visiting Harakbut people you will hear Harakbut and you might even notice the difference. And of course, if you stay in the highlands of Manu like Paucartambo and Qero villages, Quechua is the mother tongue. An extra bit of information is that there are so many languages in the Amazon region in general that it is a limitation when, the not frequent but likely to happen events, of getting in contact with voluntary isolated tribes that speak nothing like we know.
On the way to Manu you must be prepared for cold temperatures experienced in the mountain pass. Later on hot and humid conditions are more or less the rule, but again, rainy days can lower the temperatures quite a lot, or extraordinary events called “friaje” or Antartic winds could ruin your plans of sweating the hell out of you.
Find more info about climates in Peru in our blog “Best Time to Travel to Peru“.
Visit a travel doctor who can give you professional advice on what vaccinations may be necessary. If you go into the Amazon jungle, a yellow fever injection is obligatory and malaria recommended as well as a shot for the common flu might be requested by the local authorities.
It is limited but yes, in Villa Salvacion (first night) there is internet service, also in the community of Shipetiari there is internet connection, this service is provided by the hour and in an area designated for this purpose, after coordination with the local guide.
Vegetarian options are definitely possible on this complete Manu experience. However, we cannot promise you vegan options on this tour, as you are going deep down into the jungle. It would be great if you were a bit flexible for these few days. Please, let us know in the booking process if you have any food restrictions.
For questions about booking a tour, prices, preparation for your trip, health and safety or other themes, please check our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you can’t find your question & answer, email us and we’ll add it!
