At more than 4.6 million acres (approx. the size of the state of Massachusetts), Manu National Park, in southeastern Peru, is the second largest tropical rainforest reserve on earth and the most important park in the Amazon! Although only 100 miles from Cusco and Machu Picchu, its natural geographical features include one of the world’s largest mountain ranges, the impassable rapids of the Madeira River, and a jungle-covered divide, helping to maintain Manu’s isolation as well as preserving its incredible biodiversity from exploitation. Manu became a National Park in 1973 and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1977. In 1987, Manu was pronounced a World Heritage SiteCone of just 200 select areas recognized in 55 countries around the world representing the finest examples of major ecosystems on the planet. Encompassing an entire unlogged watershed, with ecological zones ranging from Andean puna at 13,000' to low elevation rainforest below 1,000', no other reserve on the planet can compare to Manu in terms of sheer biodiversity! There are an estimated 20,000 plant species (10% of all of the plant species on earth) plus more than 1,000 species of birds (again 10% of the earth’s total) and 13 species of monkeys recorded within its boundaries. The area is home to endangered wildlife such as the Andean spectacled bear, giant river otter and black caiman, as well as several primitive Indian tribes. Manu is also one of the best places in the Amazon to spot rarely observed species such as the ocelot, jaguar or harpy eagle.

Designed to maximize wildlife viewing while learning about the rainforest, this exciting, low-impact adventure offers the best, first-hand understanding of this incredible reserve! We begin our adventure with a scenic 2-day overland journey, allowing us to personally witness the amazing transition from the highlands to the rainforestCopportunities that are missed if one flies into the reserve. From Atalaya we navigate the upper Madre de Dios and Manu rivers in a wooden motorized canoe until we reach Cocha Salvador. Here we enjoy guided hikes through the jungle and paddle canoe excursions on the lake to observe a resident family of giant river otters. Next, we head downstream to a lodge near the Blanquillo macaw lick, one of the largest in Manu. Aboard a floating blind about 50 feet from the river bank, we marvel at the Amazon’s most thrilling avian spectacle as dozens of parrots and macaws descend to eat the clay. A spectacular flight brings us back to Cusco where we finish our explorations of the Inca sites.