Manu National Park covers a staggering 1.5 million hectares (3.7 million acres) of terrain, consisting of successive tiers of vegetation. It is protected by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, can only be entered as part of a licensed tour, and is so remote that some of the indigenous tribes that live there have had no contact with the outside world. Its unspoiled atmosphere means that it is home to species that are unknown elsewhere in the world; the tropical Amazon jungle in the lower section is home to literally thousands of species of plants, butterfly and bird, and countless reptiles and insects. Further up, the Andean High Plateau rises to 4300m (14,100ft) and the Tres Cruces lookout on the road from Manu to Cusco offers far-reaching views across the Amazon.
Air: Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport, Boca Manu Airstrip (domestic flights). Water: Motorised launch: Services from Atalaya to Boca Manu, then down the Madre de Dios river. Road: Coach: Services from Cusco to Atalaya; access is then by river.

Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales (INRENA), Calle Diecisiete 355, Urb, El Palomar, San Isidro, Peru
Tel: (01) 224 3298
Website: www.inrena.gob.pe

Peru