3 DAY TOUR FROM PILLCOPATA

After recent successes, we have decided to officially launch our 3-day tour from Pillcopata!  This is the first tour of its kind to begin and end in Pillcopata giving the tourist more flexibility and freedom!

We had the pleasure of taking our most recent 3-day tour from Pillcopata with Arthur and Guillermo.  We began our first day in Santa Rosa de Huacaria, where the local shaman, Alberto, stepped in as our cultural and spiritual guide for the day.  Opening up his house, we had a traditional beverage called Masato with him as we gathered around to hear a Matsiguenga story of creation.  After a nice swim and lunch with his daughter, Alberto re-joined the group for a walk through his medicinal plant garden, where we received a comprehensive overview of the healing plants of the jungle.  

On the second day, we stopped at a Coca Plantation on the way to Atalaya, where I was able to grab some nat geographic worthy photos of their resident rehab 2-toed sloth.  We spent the afternoon at Lake Machu Huasi with tanagers, oropendolas, caciques, hoatzins, wattled jacanas, pale-eyed blackbirds, brown capuchin monkeys, and squirrel monkeys.  Back at Casa Felipe, I gorged on Felipe’s grapefruit tree taking in the fluttering butterflies while I embarrassed myself trying to show off my Gloria-esque skills eating a grapefruit like a local.  Gloria and Oracio lead my first night hike where we met a green vine snake and common squirrel monkeys graced us with their animated calls.

Our final day began with an exhilarating trip to a parrot clay lick where the chatty parrots kept our heads spinning as they darted from one side of the river to the other.  On the way back to the lodge we were able to see a rare Roseate Spoonbill hunting for fish along the riverbank.  Taking advantage of the trail system at Casa Felipe, we hiked to the Ceiba Tree, where we were able to put an image with the Matsiguenga legends we had heard a couple days before. 

Thanks to Arthur, Guillermo, Gloria, Oracio, Ellie, Alberto, and Amy! Come back and see us again soon!

3 DAY TOUR FROM PILCOPATA

Cusco to Pilcopata: Passengers will arrive by public bus or van from Cusco to the village of Pilcopata.  There are two public busses charging s/.30, departing from Control de San Jeronimo in Cusco.  Apu Kañaqwai has night busses departing Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings at 5pm.  Gallito de las Rocas operates a day bus departing at 4:30am Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Stareck operates vans that depart around 10am daily for s/.40.  These vans depart Control de San Jeronimo when they are full. 

Apu Kañaqwai

084-779303

Cusco to Pilcopata: Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday – 5pm

Pilcopata to Cusco: Monday and Friday – 5pm

Gallito de Las Rocas

084-859508

Cusco to Pilcopata: Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 4:30am

Pilcopata to Cusco: Monday, Wednesday, Friday – 6pm

DAY 1: PILCOPATA, HUACARIA, VILLA CARMEN

We begin our day at 5:30am with breakfast at the lodge, followed by our hike to the native community of Santa Rosa de Huacaria, 700m.  Huacaria is buried deep within the jungle and possesses many treasures of indigenous Amazonian life.  Our trip to Huacaria will allow us to share experiences with our native guide, view their schooling system, swim in the river, walk a nearby trail with a local medicinal plant specialist, and with their permission, visit their Tambo (location where Machigenka and Huachipari ceremonial rituals are performed).   After having lunch with a member of the community, our car will pick us up as we head to Villa Carmen, a nature reserve near to Pilcopata with an extensive trail system and animal rehabilitation.  From Villa Carmen, we will walk back to our lodge in Pilcopata, 840m, where we will have double sleeping accommodations with a private bathroom. 

Total Travel Time: 4.5 hours hiking, 40 minutes in van

DAY 2: ATALAYA, MACHU HUASI

From Pilcopata we embark on our journey to Lake Machu Huasi, 485m, first in car, stopping at a local coca plantation, followed by a motorized canoe journey down the rapid Madre de Dios River.  From the river’s edge, we will see the first signs of our trail to Lake Machu Huasi.  We disembark our motorized canoe and hike down the 20-minute trail to Lake Machu Huasi, where we will be able to observe wildlife from our locally handcrafted bolsa raft.  Around the lake is a trail system with several lookout towers for our best chance to view the largest rodent in the world, the Capybara.  After spending the afternoon at the lake, we will go to our lodge via boat.  After dinner at the lodge, there will be an optional night walk to view the frogs, spiders, snakes, and nocturnal monkeys of the jungle.

Total Travel Time: 1 hour in van, 3 hours hiking, 2 hours in boat

DAY 3: MACHU HUASI, PILCOPATA

We begin our day at 4:30am with a short boat ride to Parrot Clay Lick, where parrots and other birds eat from the salty clay to aid in their digestion process. From the lick, we head back to the lodge, where a hot breakfast will be awaiting us.  After breakfast we will hike approximately 2.5 hours as we trace our way through the forest to view the infamous Ceiba tree, the tree of life.  After the hike, we pack up our backpacks and head to our canoe where we will enjoy our picnic lunch from the river before catching our van back to Pilcopata. 

Total Travel Time: 1 hour in van, 1 hour in boat, 2.5 hours hike