Location

The National Park of the Manu has 1 692 137.76 hectares. It is located to the east in the eastern mountain range of the Andes. It includes the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios and it also includes samples of the tropical rainforest and also there is the high Andean Plateau. The altitudes changes from 1,180 feet above sea level to over 13,123 feet above sea level, it is located in the extreme of the “high Amazonas”, in a remote region in the southeast of Peru. It is located 100 miles from the awesome ruins of Machu Picchu.

Manu  t is the only place in the entire world that has tree ecosystems perfectly differentiated: the Puna – a high-altitude, tundra-like area characterized by pale yellow ichu grass, isolated blue lakes and tassel-eared llamas; the cloud forest – a mysterious world bathed in constant mist and inhabited by brilliant-red Cock of the rocks, spectacled bears and scores of dripping tree ferns; and the lowland rainforest – home of the giant black caiman, giant otter, 13 species of monkeys and over 1.000 species of birds (10%  of the world’s total).

The Manu Biosphere Reserve has largely been protected through the countries both by its remote location and by the presence of native tribes. Manu currently supports four native ethnic groups – two of which are still uncontested - and protects 4.646.564 acres (1.881.200 hectares) of land. One half the size of Switzerland, Manu is perhaps the most species-rich protected area to be found anywhere on earth.

Climate

In the highest zones the temperature varies between 37.4 ºF and 42.8 ºF. In the lower region the average anual temperature is approximately 75.2 ºF.

Flora

The great altitudinal variation allows the existence of a large variety or plant species and forms, estimated at between 2000 and 5000 species of flowering plants. As a means of reference, 179 species of orchids have been registered in the cloud forest.

Fauna

The great diversity of ecosystems has permitted the development of one of the workd’s largest examples of fauna diversity.

The National Park of The Manu is home to a large variety of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, as well as invertebrates.

Two hundred species of mammals have been identified (about 40% of the total number of mammals in Peru). The birds constitute an extremely important community of admirable variety that exceeds 1000 species.