FAQs

The National Park is a Protected Natural Area owned and managed by the Peruvian state as part of the national system of protected areas of Peru ((Sistema Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas por el Estado en el Perú – SINANPE). Its objective is to protect and preserve intact ecosystems, which may contain a High biological and aesthetic diversity and landscape of relevant interest, where activities of indirect use can be done as: research, education, tourism and recreation.

The Biosphere Reserve is a representative ecological area with three self-complementary functions: scientific research, conservation and sustainable development. Today, the Manu Biosphere Reserve is divided into a nuclear zone represented by the territory of the Manu National Park, a buffer zone and a transition zone.

Tourist sites are located in the tourist and recreational area of the Manu River. In these spaces, each concessionaire has built ecolodge or adequate and comfortable shelters. They offer services like: dining room, bathrooms, showers and some short ways of connection between all the structures. All beds have mosquito nets to prevent mosquito or insect bites. The details of each hostel are diferent.

Your tour operator will provide drinking water. Some use the bottled water that is brought from the nearest cities and others with filters and / or boiling to purify the water from small springs or the river to make it fit for human consumption. Consult your travel agent for more information.

It is not a requirement, but one should be able to walk a trail of several kilometres to fully enjoy what Manu has to offer.

The amount will depend on the time of day, but as in any Amazon region, there will be mosquitoes. We suggest to wear repellent if needed and long-sleeved shirts and long trousers.

In Southern Peru there have been reported yellow fever, malaria and leishmaniasis, but so far no tourists who visited Manu have reported getting any tropical diseases. However, there is always a possibility, so we recommend following the instructions of your doctor.

Yes, it is open the whole year. The best time to visit is from April to November during the dry season. The heavy rainy season is from February to March, when access by both road and air becomes more difficult and when trails in the forest can become flooded.

If possible, yes please. You will be helping protect the environment.

During the months of May and June, sometimes the temperature can drop sharply as cold fronts come north from southern South America, a phenomena known as Friaje. We recommend some warm clothing if you visit in this time of the year just in case.

For safety reasons, it is forbidden to swim in the rivers and lakes.

No. For safety reasons, you should always follow your guide along marked paths.

It is strictly forbidden. Only the local native communities are allowed to fish and hunt in authorized areas inside the Park.

By Peruvian law in Presidential Resolution 038-2011 through the National Service of Protected Natural Areas (Sernanp) institution, fishing called “chinchorro fishing” has been prohibited. This provision is considered aggressive by the institution, given that it uses huge nets to catch fish in large masses.

The consequences of this type of fishing is the decrease in the population of endangered species, which is an attack on many ecosystems.
Likewise, within the reserved and buffer zones, sport fishing is not allowed, except for the indigenous communities that use this resource for their food.

The climatic conditions are highly variable PNM. The climate is generally rainy and precipitations vary with altitude. In the south (the highest) is recorded from 1,500 to 2,000 mm annually. In the middle sector increases from 3,000 to 3,500 mm. The highest record in the northwest reaches over 8,000 mm. In the dry season, from May to September, rainfall decreases and temperature decreases. The thermal regime is also highly variable, as the Amazon area is warm with an average temperature of 25.6 ° C, and the Andean region is cold with an average annual temperature of 8 ° C.

Malaria: The Malaria risk in Manu is extremely low (less than 0.1 %). We recommend to bring insect repellent and protect yourself with long sleeves instead of taking heavy malaria prophylaxis (please check for the side effects of these medicaments!!) which are not very secure either. If you want you can bring a ´stand by´ medicine in case you get Malaria (which can be detected by blood analysis), but you can also get this medication here. In the south peruvian rainforest there is only the type of Malaria named Plasmodium vivax` which is completely curable.

Drink only bottled or boiled wáter, Be careful with raw vegetables and fruits, Avoid eating at food stalls on the street. Altitude sickness (altitude sickness) can avoid resting the first day of his arrival in the mountains and consume light meals.

It would be greatly appreciated if you pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. We have many ATMS within the historical center to withdraw money.  You can also pay by VISA +5% only in our office we acep all the cards or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 8% service charge, charged by PAYPAL.  Most banks in Cusco allow you to choose to withdraw either US dollars or Peruvian soles.

If you choose to go on a private tour, the tour will be tailored to you. The size of the group depends on you and only you. You can decide exactly who will be on the tour with you. This is perfect for couples, families, or groups of friends. You will have your own personal, mini van, motor boat, chef and tour guide, which means the tour is more personalized and able to satisfy your personal needs.

Your ticket to the Machu Picchu archeological site is included in the price of the tour. This involves a two-hour guided tour through the ruins of Machu Picchu. This is your general entrance ticket. With your entrance ticket you have the option of buying a ticket to Machu Picchu mountain.

Machu Picchu mountain is an extra hike, that is NOT included in the price of your tour. It costs an extra $15.00 USD for all the tours to machupicchu and an extra $20.00 for the Inca Trail. The hike is about a three-hours round trip journey that you will be able to do after your guided tour. From the top, you will have a 360-degree view. You can see the Machu Picchu ruins from a much higher vantage point. We recommend this if you wish to spend more time at Machu Picchu.

These two tickets must be purchased together, so it is important to let us know as soon as possible if you wish to do Machu Picchu mountain.

The briefing is very important because it is when you will meet your guide. During this meeting, your guide will provide you with important details regarding the trek. If you are participating in any tours. At the briefing, you will also pay your remaining trek balance. You will be given a map to our offices with your booking information.

Yes! You have to bring your original passport and it is very important that it is the same passport number you sent to us to book your Inca Trail Machu Picchu permit, entrance to Machu Picchu, train ticket or other entrances and reservations depending on your choice of trek.

In case you are renewing your passport or changing your name, go ahead and send us your old passport information to secure your permit, and we can change it when you get your new passport number or updated your name for a fee of $25 per person.  We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change.  Before you change your passport keep a copy of your old one.

If you do not wish to pay this fee you will need to bring both passports to Peru with you.  You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new to be to enter the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu or the train.  If you do not have both you will not be allowed to enter the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu or get on the train.

YOUR PASSPORT MUST BE VALID FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS FROM THE DAY YOU ENTER PERU! Most airlines will not let you bord your flight if your passport has less than 6 months left from the date you enter Peru.

Huayna Picchu – The hike to the summit is approximately 45 minutes, along narrow and steep Inca stairs. Once at the top, you get to see the Citadel of Machu Picchu and its surrounding hills and valleys. This is the famous peak in the background of every iconic Machu Picchu photo. Summiting Huayna Picchu is always a top item on most Machu Picchu visitor’s lists which means that you usually need reserve this hike months in advance. Only a certain amount of people are allowed to hike this mountain each day (currently 400). Along this trek you’ll see breathtaking views of the Machu Picchu ruins. The limited number of tickets is a restriction set forth by the ministry of culture in Cusco. This is completely out of our hands unfortunately. Tickets for this mountain are non-transferable.

The weather is very unpredictable and it’s difficult to foresee.  You will have many different varieties of weather as you pass through the numerous microclimates and it will depend on the location. We highly recommend you dress in layers to adapt to the climate changes.

In general, if you exercise regularly and spend 1 to 2 days in Cusco or in the Sacred Valley. You will acclimate normally!

The recommended remedies for altitude sickness is WATER, COCA TEA and OXYGEN IF NEEDED; our guides are trained to treat you  for Altitude Sickness.

The maximum group size is 10 persons. Usually our groups are between 4-10 persons. Amazon Trip Peru specializes in SMALL and PRIVATE groups and provides personalized services.

Absolutely! Included in our packages is picking you up and dropping you off at your hotel on the return from your trek or tour. If you have booked your hotel in the Sacred Valley like Ollantaytambo or Urubamba, we will drop you there too!  Also, if you spend the night at Ollantaytambo before your trek (if your are doing the Machupicchu), we will pick you up there.

Tipping

If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary to you, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the Tour.  It inspires excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many aAmazon Trip Peru Destinations. Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you feel, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

Of course! During  your trek or tour your primary luggage can be stored at our office or at your hotel. Both are free! But is better stored in your hotel because sometimes you will be late and office is already closed to pick up your suit case.

Our Tents:

Enjoy a good night sleep in our 4 season igloo waterproof, spacious and professional EUREKA tent. All our tents are 4 person tents.  ONLY 2 people will sleep in each, leaving lots of room to spread out comfortably and store your duffel bag. They also include a little vestibule in front, giving you some extra outdoor space to leave your boots and walking poles so you don’t have to bring the dirt inside.

Yes, we are a local sustainable & responsible tourism operator, that incorporates the universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our staff to know, understand and respect native communitys and its people.