How to Explore the Amazon Jungle from Cusco, Peru
Manu National Park, which forms part of the Amazon Rainforest is just 70 km north-east of Cusco, Peru. If you are visiting Cusco, then taking the opportunity to visit this unique eco-system is highly recommended.
Manu National Park has a rich diversity of life, and is home to an estimated 10 million different species. Manu National Park covers a vast area of the Amazon Rainforest in Peru, but the presence of The Andes Mountains creates a physical barrier, making it a difficult region to reach. The journey into the Peruvian jungle and its isolation from the rest of the world, makes this an exciting adventure for anyone visiting Peru.
In this post, I have answered some of the key questions anyone planning to visit Manu National Park from Cusco.
Table of Contents
The Road to the Peruvian Jungle
Travelling along the Alto Madre de Dios River
What is the Accommodation in Manu National Park Like?
Getting Back to Cusco and Other Destinations
About Manu National Park
Manu National Park is part of the Amazon Rainforest and is located to the north-east of Cusco. It is often referred to as the ‘heart of Peru’ and covers an area of 2.2-million-hectares, making the Manu National Park one of the largest nature conservation areas in the world.
The Madre de Dios River, which feeds into the Amazon River, is an important waterway and artery that runs through the park and connects it to other regions and countries such as Bolivia. This river acts as an important transport route through the area and is also an important ecological haven. This river will be the focus for many trips and tours throughout the Manu National Park.
Manu National Park is a great location to experience the ecological diversity of the Amazon Rainforest, with possible opportunities to see a great number of different birds, giant otters, boar, jaguars, primates, snakes and the caiman basking along the river beds.
Many remote areas of the Manu National Park are also home to uncontacted indigenous tribes and other tribes with limited knowledge of the wider world.
The Road to the Peruvian Jungle
The Manu National Park can be reached from Cusco, with several tour operators providing bus trips to the jungle. Given the size of park, and nature of the roads and settlements, I would strongly advise arranging a visit through one of the tour operators. Other travel options are very limited.
A typical trip to the Manu National Park can take 3 to 6 days and often involves a coach trip to the edge of the rainforest, a river cruise and a flight back to Cusco.
The coach trip to the Manu National Park is not for the faint hearted and is an experience in itself. The trip takes you over the Andes from Cusco to Puerto Atalaya. This part of the journey can take a full day of travelling.
Along the way to the edge of the rainforest you will see pre-Incan tombs at Ninamarca and Paucartambo, a pretty village in the Mapacho Valley. The road then descends through a cloud forest, before reaching the rainforest. There will be spectacular views of The Andes and opportunities to see the Peruvian national bird, the bright red Cock of the Rocks. It may also be possible to see Hummingbirds and Woolly Monkeys.
The route is both breathtaking and scary as the road climbs and descends along a very winding road that can be extremely narrow and muddy. The road follows the edge of some steep cliff edges in some places. It can be a chaotic and anxious experience, especially when a vehicle coming the other way tries to pass your coach!!! There will be several moments where you may not want to look out of the coach window, as the coach gets extremely close to the edge of the cliff and a sheer drop to the valley floor is visible.
The road travels along to Atalaya, a small village and river port along the Rio Alto Madre de Dios. Some tours may have an overnight stay before reaching Atalaya.
Travelling along the Madre de Dios River
Upon arriving at Atalaya, most tours will embark on a river boat cruise in a motorised canoe. This cruise can take several days.
The boat trip will take you towards the lowland rainforest. Along this part of the trip, you may see a variety of birds including Kingfishers, Herons and Vultures. You will also see the awesome sight of caiman resting along the riverbanks.
Some highlights of the river boat cruise through Manu National Park include:
Hot Springs – An early treat along the riverboat cruise is a visit to the hot springs near Atalaya Port. This is a great place to emerge yourself and relax in the warm flowing water.
Nature Walks - There will be several opportunities to stop and undertake nature walks through the rainforest.
There are a number of species of monkeys that live in the rainforest along the river. It is an amazing experience when you on a nature walk and realise you are being followed by a hoard of monkeys high up in the trees. You may experience these beautiful animals protecting their territory by throwing nuts and sticks at you. This all adds to the experience and adventure of being on their land.
A particularly notable experience for us was the panic when several wild boar past our tour group. There was a real stench in the air, followed by a frantic rush of boar travelling at speed through the rainforest floor. It was not until after the event that we realised how dangerous our situation was !!
The night time walks are also amazing, where you might see frogs, insects and snakes. Your tour operator may even try and catch a baby caiman to show the group.
Caves at Guadalupe Lodge – If your tour visits Guadalupe Lodge, then the caves are only a 10 minute walk from it. This area has been cut into the mountain, and is a rich habitat of species suited to dark conditions, such as, bats.
Machuwasy Oxbow Lake - A common trip is a visit to the Machuwasy Oxbow Lake. This lake is reached by a short hike from the Madre de Dios River. The lake is then explored via a catamaran. This is where the giant otters live.
All along the Madre de Dios River you will come across indigenous villagers going about their business, such as fisherman or children playing. You will receive a friendly wave and smile.
What is the Accommodation in Manu National Park Like?
The majority of the organised tours arrange accommodation in one of the dedicated lodges found in the Manu National Biosphere Reserve, such as Amazonia Lodge, Maquisapayoj Lodge, Guadalupe Lodge or Manu Lodge. These lodges offer basic rooms, with shower facilities. They often include sheets, blankets, towels and mosquito nets, but check with your tour operator.
Getting Back to Cusco and Other Destinations
Some tours travel back to Cusco by coach whilst other arrange a flight back.
The flight back to Cusco itself is an experience.
Flights are from the Boca Manu airstrip, with its grass runway. This airstrip is within a clearing in the rainforest and can only be served by small planes.
Whilst the flight time to Cusco is around 45 minutes, as the plane has to ascend over The Andes, expect a fair amount of turbulence, which can be a little unsettling.
If you travel on to Puerto Maldonado, a larger settlement among the Madre de Dios River, you will be able to access transport heading towards Brazil and Bolivia.
Rainforest Volunteering
The Rainforest is vulnerable to deforestation through illegal lumbering, crash and burn farming and other non-sustainable uses of the land. In reaction to this, there are a number of conservation projects in the Manu National Park that seek to preserve the Amazon Rainforest and its wildlife. There are a variety of opportunities to volunteer and become part of these conservation programmes. These are unique experiences that bring lasting benefits to the rainforest.
What is the Weather Like in the Manu National Park?
The best time to visit Manu National Park is during the dry season, which runs from May to August.
The weather can be cool when travelling over the Andes, but the temperature warms up when travelling through the cloud forest.
The temperature in the lowland forest ranges between 25 and 36°C (78 to 95°F) during the day and around 18 to 25°C (64 to 77°F) at night.
What will I need for my Trip to Manu National Park?
Most tours will include fees for entering Manu National Park, transport, food and drink, and accommodation. But some spending money will be required.
In addition, the following items would be recommended for any trip to Manu Manu National Park:
A backpack to carry your things during the day. This should ideally be waterproof or have a waterproof cover
A personal first-aid kit that includes anti-inflammatory tablets e.g. Ibuprofen
A reusable water bottle
Toilet paper
Deet or mosquito repellent (recommendable 40% DEET)
A camera or phone with a good camera, together with power bank battery, camera charger, and adapter
Binoculars
Good torch or headlamp with extra batteries
Comfortable hiking trousers
A warm jacket and sweater
A raincoat
Hiking boots
Long-sleeve T-shirts and shirts
Sun hat, sun cream, sunglasses
Swimming costume
Reusable plastic bags
Biodegradable soap
I hope you have found this blog post about Manu National Park and the Amazonian Rainforest in Peru helpful. I would love to hear your thoughts or if you feel something is missing from this post, please email me and let me know at [email protected].
