Manú and Tambopata

Why visit Manú and Tambopata?

For nature lovers there can be no excuse not to visit the Manú Biosphere Reserve or Tambopata National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon. The stunning rainforest, cloudforest, lowland jungle and powerful rivers are home to an incredible wealth and variety of birds, mammals and plant life, including giant otters, jaguars, howler monkeys, tapirs, over 1000 species of birds, 1200 species of butterflies and an astonishing 15,000 different flowering plants.
Reasons to visit Manú and Tambopata include:

• Look for the lowland tapir clay licks, and macaw and parrot clay licks, giant otters, jaguars, and 13 species of monkeys in the Manú Biosphere Reserve. A UNESCO World Heritage site, and the largest park in Peru, Manú protects more species of animals and plants than any other park on Earth.
• Look down on the Amazon from the canopy of Manú's cloud forest and see vividly coloured macaws and parrots in its lowland jungle.
• Explore Tambopata National Reserve and adjacent Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, together home to over 1,300 bird species (including 32 parrot species - 10% of the world's total), 200 mammal species, 90 frog species, 1,200 butterfly species and 10,000 species of higher plants.
• Photograph the biggest macaw clay lick in the Amazon rainforest, in Tambopata.
• Spot caiman while on a canoe trip on Lake Valencia or Sandoval - you may even get a glimpse of piranhas in the water!
• Take a night hike or nocturnal river trip and see the animals that venture out after dark.
• Stay in Posada Amazonas, a community-owned lodge in 10,000 hectare Ese'eja Native Community, an excellent base from which to explore the jungle.

When to go to Manú and Tambopata

This area is always humid, and there is rain all year round. There is, however, a 'dry’ season, from May to October, but it still rains! Hiking is easier in the dry season. It is a little cooler from November to April, and many more waterways become navigable as the water levels rise. The Amazon is at its highest point in May and at its lowest in October. September is the best time to visit the macaw clay licks in Tambopata.

For more information about when to travel in Peru, see our When to visit Peru page.