Manu National Park is a journey through ecosystems, not a single viewpoint or easy excursion from Cusco. In southeastern Peru, its protected watershed descends from the eastern Andes to the Amazon, crossing high grasslands, cloud forest, Yunga woodland and lowland rainforest. UNESCO lists 1,716,295 hectares and an elevation range from about 350 to over 4,000 metres. That gradient explains the park’s varied habitats.
The park spans parts of Cusco and Madre de Dios, including the provinces of Paucartambo and Manu. Mountain streams feed the Manu River and, farther south, the Madre de Dios. The terrain is remote; UNESCO describes the World Heritage property as still roadless. Isolation has limited outside impacts but makes access difficult, requiring time, authorized transport and an itinerary for a particular tourism sector.
