The Manu Lodge overlooks a 1.24-mile-long and 590 ft. wide oxbow lake, which is surrounded by huge, vine-festooned tropical trees. Herons, kingfishers, hoatzins, monkeys and black caiman may be seen from a couple of lake piers or from a comfortable catamaran, and on the edge of the lake there is a mineral lick where rare birds such as razor-billed curassows and piping guans are often seen.

The Manu Lodge is constructed of fine mahogany cut from logs left on the beaches of the Manu by the annual January-March floods. The lodge is elevated on reinforced stilts and is divided into two communicating blocks. A and B. Block A is in three levels, a spacious lower level containing a bar, meeting area and a dining room/lounge for up to 44 people, a smaller second level containing two double rooms with a magnificent vista of the lake nearby, and a still smaller third level that features an observation room. Block B contains ten double rooms spaced along a wide, screened corridor/porch. The entire lodge, including both blocks and porches, is screened and accessible from outside through screened double doors. The kitchen, showers and latrines are located away from the main building in clean, comfortable buildings.

Manu Lodge is considered the best place in the tropics to see and photograph or film Giant River Otters. These two and a half, 70 pound-mustelid is a gregarious mammal that lives in small groups. A family of six to eight Giant Otters visit the lake every other week and our clients may see them from within 50 ft. right in front of the Manu Lodge building without disturbing them. Using the lake riverbanks, or our lake piers and being quiet guarantees wonderful sightings of these large carnivores as they fish, feed their cubs, preen and play.