The Manu Biosphere Reserve is famous as one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world, and it is certainly the most wildlife-rich area of the Amazon that is accessible to visitors.
It is a vast and pristine wilderness encompassing 1,880,000 hectares of grasslands, cloudforest and tropical lowlands, with an incredible diversity of flora and fauna. Visitors have a high chance of spotting giant otters, jaguars and ocelots, and over 1,000 species of bird have been recorded.
Visiting the reserve
The park is accessed from Cuzco, and can be reached either by a quick, exhilarating ride in a light aircraft to the airstrip at Boca Manu, deep within the reserve, or by a two day road and river journey.
The latter offers the chance to stay en route at the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge in the cloudforest, which gives the rare chance to see the colourful eponymous birds, and Amazonia Lodge, another prime birdwatching location.