Cusco is located in the southern Peruvian Andes and is the main tourist destination in Peru with around two million visitors each year. Cusco sits on the location of the capital for the Inka Empire, which spanned from 13th century to 1532. Because of this, the city is a mix of colonial and Inka architecture and the city itself is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As well as the wealth of archeology, Cusco is the base to experience a contrast to lowland Amazon Rainforest, the misty cloud forest of Manu National Park.

Manu National Park Cloud Forest

The largest National Park in Peru, Manu contains an astonishing diversity of life. Manu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and contains many endangered, threatened and endemic plants and animals, and also lots of species that are still unknown to science. Because of the position of Manu, which includes land on the eastern slope of the Andes, you can visit the Manu Cloud Forest and see the contrasts to lowland rainforest. Enjoy incredible Cloud Forest bird life and see different Orchids and other flowers. You may not think of bears living in the Amazon Rainforest, but the Cloud Forest offers many exceptions as you will stand a chance of seeing the only bear on the continent, the Spectacled Bears that live in these dense Andean rainforests.

Manu National park Lowland Rainforest

As well as the Manu National Park Cloud Forest, you can combine tours from Cusco to experience the lowland Manu rainforest to see beautiful Oxbow Lakes home to Giant Otters, Turtles, Caiman and many birds. The park offers a change to see Clay Licks to see Macaw Parrots and Tapir (South America’s largest land mammal), and of course the forest itself with its abundant Monkeys, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians.

Archaeology

Being the ancient capital of the Inkas, Cusco is full of archeological sites. Here you can visit the famous Machu Picchu, however, given the restrictions and the worries about degradation along the Inka Trail, there are alternatives. For example, behind Machu Picchu is the Cradle of Gold, built to rival its famous neighbor. You can take the Weaver’s Way to Machu Picchu as well to see Lares and the andean communities of Patacancha and Willoq.