onthebow

We are planning a trip to trek Salkantay in Peru. We are planning on two nights near Cusco (maybe Huicho) to acclimatize. We have one day before that due to meeting up with other friends.

Would you recommend spending the extra night in Lima, or near Cusco?

We would also like to see wildlife-monkeys specifically. We can start in Costa Rica, or visit the Amazon prior or after the trek. Any thoughts on better rainforest and primate viewing?
Thank you in advance!

mlgb

Amazon has a wider variety but you will need to select where you go carefully and spend several days there.

In Costa Rica you can find the capuchins, spiders and howlers pretty easily, I had less luck with the squirrel monkeys
At the Arenal observatory lodge we saw spider and howler on the morning walk, 9 am.

The capuchins are common along the beaches at Manuel Antonio.

atravelynn

I love the monkey question. A vital one indeed!

If you have loads of time, then you could add Brazil or Costa Rica, but I would think you'd want to concentrate on Peru.

Based on the places I've visited in Peru: Jungle north of Iquitos and Pacayra Samiria; Reserva Amazonica in Puerto Maldonado; Heath River in Tambopata; Sandoval Lodge in Tambopata; Manu, I'd suggest...

If you have just a couple of days, I think Sandoval Lodge would work well. It is a flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado airport, then a 30-minute-ish boat ride and a couple of mile hike and a 30-minute-ish canoe trip to the lodge.

I saw many squirrel monkeys, some Capuchins, a Titi monkey, and Red Howlers, all in a 2-night stay.

The other big draw of Sandoval is the giant river otters. About 95% of visitors see them. I was the unfortunate 5%.

Closer than Sandoval is Reserva Amazonica, which is about 30 minutes by boat from the Puerto Maldonado but I saw no monkeys. It is not as remote so fewer monkeys would be logical.

North of Iquitos are the "Amazon" river trips by boat or you can find a lodge on land. You'll see a variety of monkeys and perhaps pink river dolphins. I'd allow at least 5 nights up here. I had about a week, first flying to Iquitos to overnight, then taking land transport for several hours before boarding a boat. My trip was boat-based, but there are land-based options too.

You can also do as little as a 3-day visit to Heath River where one of the highlights is the macaw clay lick. You'd see a lot of monkeys there. I combined 3 nts Heath River and 2 nts Sandoval for a nice trip. I flew into Puerto Maldonado before taking a 6-ish hour boat ride to Heath River.

If you have at least a week, consider Manu. I just got back from a 10-day trip and saw lots of monkeys, especially spider monkeys. This is a more time-consuming expedition over the Andes. Really cool. There is also a macaw lick there and if you stay in the cloud forest you can try to see the Cock of the Rock bird.

Extra night? I'd stay near Cusco because there is lots to do very safely within walking distance and you can do a 2-3 hour tour to additional archaeological sites.

Have fun. Do consider taking doctor prescribed altitude sickness meds with you. If you don't need them great. If you do need them, you'll be glad you have them. I was glad I had them.

Have fun!

Here is a link to my report that goes into depth on comparison of Heath River and Manu from a wildlife perspective, beginning post #14 (#s in upper right)
http://safaritalk.net/topic/13705-ma...-peru-october/

This report talks about Iquitos in pink text and Tambopata in blue text.
http://safaritalk.net/topic/9397-per...-lodges/page-3

onthebow

Thank you for your reply. Very helpful I will look at the options. Is the trip into Sandoval lodge interesting, or do you feel as if you are just getting there? I assume getting there is one of the highlights.
I was looking at the Inkterra Amazonica- but the no monkeys is a deal breaker!
Do you know anything about posada amazonas or refugio amazonas?

atravelynn

Don't know about posada amazonas or refguio amazonas
If you search this site for those spots or do a wider google search you may find more info.

Monkey populations increase away from civilization because people hunt them, making them scarce and making the survivors skittish.


The trip to Sandoval--the 30-ish minute boat trip from Puerto Maldonado to where you start to walk may have some herons or skimmers other water birds. A little scenic. But it is a wide river with other boats.

The 2 mile walk is scenic and good for birds. I think we saw a distant monkey on that walk.

Then the 45 minute canoe trip started in narrow jungle streams and ended canoeing across the lake to the lodge. Quite lovely. Birds and turtles.

I would say the boat rides and walks undertaken from the lodge were more interesting than the transport to and from the lodge. But boat, feet, canoe did add to variety.