MANU

Location and Geography:
The Manu National Park, with an area of 1,716,295.22 hectares, is located within the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios, and includes all of the Manu River basin. It is the largest protected natural area of its kind in Peru. The National Park was recognized as a Natural Patrimony of the Humanity in 1987 and previously (1977), UNESCO recognized it as a core zone of the Biosphere Reserve. The Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone is found the same department of Madre of Dios, where one can also observe a great variety of flora and fauna. Because of the variation in altitudes, from 200m up to almost 4,000m, it contains almost all the subtropical ecological formations of eastern Peru. In this immense area, there are species and ecosystems of great scientific interest.

Altitude:
Found between 365m (1,200 ft) at Boca Manu on the Amazon plain and 4020m (13,200 ft) at Waskar Mountain with craggy mountains and countryside.

Access Ways:
There are two ways to access the Reserved Zone of the Manu National Park:

1.- Leaving from the City of Cusco, it is a 12 hour trip overland and then approximately 6 hours on the Alto Madre de Dios and Manu Rivers.

2.- 30 minutes from Cusco by light aircraft to the town of Boca Manu and then approximately 4 hours navigating the Manu River.

Visiting the National Park is permitted only in the adjacent areas or those areas designated the Reserved Zone and Cultural Zone, which have the same attractions and housing for tourists.

Culture and Traditions:
More than 800 species of birds and 200 species of mammals are protected in this Park.
There are more than 120 species of fish and reptiles that are also abundant and varied, as well as insects and other invertebrates which surpass more than a million species. In this area it is also possible to observe birds which are very hard to find in other areas of the jungle such as the harpy eagle, spoonbill, jabiru, etc. There are also wild fauna species such as the wild goose or Orinoco goose (Neochen jubata), Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana), common wooly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha), red-faced spider monkey (Ateles paniscus), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), jaguar (Panthera onça), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) and the north Andean deer (Hippocamelus antisensis).

In addition to the flora and fauna, more than 30 rural communities live in the vicinity which maintain the Quechua language.
There are also native Amazon peoples belonging to different linguistic groups which have occupied the area for generations such as the Matsiguenka, Amahuaca, Yine, Amarakaeri, Huachipaire, Mashco-Piros and Nahua ethinc groups.


ATTRACTIONS - MANU
In its almost million and a half hectares, the park protects a biodiversity unparalleled in the world. Its territory encompasses the altitudes of the high plains, the cloud and tropical forests and the Amazon plain. To descend and start navigating the upper Madre de Dios River, you pass through the point named Salvacion and descend into the lower zone of the park, noticing beautiful beaches and abundant vegetation. Later the reddish waters of the Manu River meet up with the crystal clear waters of the upper Madre de Dios, to arrive in the Manu Biosphere Reserve. Then you go through the Boca Manu-Pakitza section to see diverse animals.

The Rain Forest:
The principal characteristics are the vegetation and the tropical humidity, and it occupies (or previously occupied) the whole park. It appears when the climate is sufficiently hot and strong and the rains are well distributed, except for small areas where the land is lacking or inappropriate for the development of trees, or where the land is young and has not had time to develop.

Cultural Zone:
The Cultural Zone is one of the three zones of the Manu National Park which covers the high mountains, cloud forests and the lower jungle.

In this zone, there are some villas, colonial towns and native communities working in the activities of collection harvesting, agriculture and logging on a minor scale which is directly controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture and the authorities of the Park Headquarters.

Cloud Forest:
Crossing the southeastern Andes, travelers usually find themselves in a blanket of clouds which mark the start of the Cloud Forest.

This mysterious and ghostly world is home to species such as the Cock-of-the-Rock, the spectacled bear, ferns, bromeliads and orchids in a range of altitudes from 3500m to 1500m.
Being the least studied and cataloged area, this area contains at least 50% endemic plants, plants which are not found anywhere else in the world.

Dense clouds and frequent rains (around 6 meters annually) are the reason for the plant cover and sustain the continuity of an always green, dense forest. The perpetual humidity of the Cloud Forest has made it an ideal environment for epiphytes, plants which live on other plants and take nutrients from their surroundings, not from the soil. Mosses and lichens start the process of colonization in the accumulated earth in the branches which unleashes the growth of ferns, bromeliads and orchids.

Reserved Zone:
This zone situated on both sides of the Manu River covers a vast extension of primary forest which is solely dedicated to two activities: tourism and research.

As the river is the only form of access to this area, it is relatively easy to have control and protection from people unauthorized to enter. Scientists consider this area a laboratory of mega-diversity for flora and fauna.

Manu River:
The chocolate colored, tepid waters of the Manu River start in the chain east of the Andes and end in Boca Manu when they unite with the upper Madre de Dios River, forming one of the most important hydrographical points in the Peruvian southeast jungle, the Madre de Dios River.


OTHER ATTRACTIONS:

Lakes:
Along the Manu River, one can find various lakes. Two of the most frequently visited are Salvador, being the largest, and Otorongo. These lakes offer a spectacular view of the forest.

These lakes and the surrounding forest are home to interesting animals such as caiman, birds, anacondas, monkey and the giant otter which is in danger of extinction.

Giant Otters or River Wolves:
The otters are extremely social animals. They live in family groups which are accustomed to hunting in groups using their whiskers to detect fish in the dark lake waters. An adult can eat up to 4 kilos of fish per day.

The animals (Pteronura brasilensis) occupy the highest position in the Manu food pyramid. The aquatic mammal can reach up to 1.8 m long and weigh more than 32 kilograms. The giant otters are very territorial animals, and because of this it is highly possible to see them in the Salvador and Otorongo Lakes.

Intangible Zone:
This Intangible Zone is one of the largest protected areas in the world and is rich in flora and fauna. No tourism in any aspect is permitted in this zone. Entrance is only permitted for scientific and biological ends. Such is the case of the Cocha Cashu biological station where, during the last 25 years, Peruvian and foreign scientist have conducted an investigation into the cataloging of all the flora and fauna.

Many ethnic groups exist, such as the Matshiguenkas/Kugapacoris, Yoras/Yaminahuas, Mashco Piros, Amahuacas and others. Some of these groups still do not have contact with the outside world.

Collpa Guacamayos:
Very early, at sunrise, we start to travel the banks of the river to arrive at a wall of clay (Collpa, or clay lick) where hundreds of parrots and macaws of ten or more species arrive and land in the nearby trees to then go down to the Collpa. They arrive in discreet pairs or in large groups depending on the species.

Weather:
The average temperature varies according to altitude. In the low areas it is 24ºC (75ºF) and in the high areas it is 4ºC (39ºF).

When to Travel:
A huge amount of rain falls between the months of October or November to April or May. The dry season is June to September and the weather is variable. Therefore, during the dry season it could rain at any moment, so taking the proper precautions is recommended.