IN PICTURES - Joined the World Heritage Site since 1987, the Manu National Park is home to the greatest biodiversity on the planet. Wild and preserved, it is difficult to get to a sanctuary that holds many secrets.



Source Le Figaro Magazine
Suddenly, the engine is silent. The boat aboard which we slip a few hours on the Madre de Dios River slowly lets go with the flow. A finger on his lips, the boatman tells gesticulating a sandy beach bordering the lush jungles of the Peruvian Amazon. Baffled, we few tens of seconds to see it. Two yellow topaz eyes glow in the shade of a huge trunk of dead wood. Laying there, sphinx, a jaguar is watching ... A leap would be enough to reach us. Luck is too good, then, quietly, suppressing somehow our nerves, we decided to grab it and try an approach. The beast rises and, as if to mock us, nonchalantly goes a little further down the beach, revealing under the sun its sublime spotted coat. He will continue his nap on the edge of the forest, still eying us from this intense look.
While much more quiet and shy than its cousins​​, wild jaguar is not such an unusual encounter for the visitor who ventures into the Manu National Park. This nature reserve (there are 11 in Peru), still preserved of all the horrors of the outside world, covers more than a million and a half acres and has the greatest biodiversity on the planet. A title less eloquent than the figures illustrate.


It counts for example some 850 species of birds. On one small plot, researchers identified 200 different tree species. On the website of Unesco, which recognized as the core of the Manu Biosphere Reserve in 1977 before as World Heritage Site ten years later, it is reported that about 200 species of mammals 100 species of bats and 77 species of amphibians live there. Already considerable, though these figures are understated. The vast majority of the reserve has indeed never been explored. Only a small area (about 20%) is available to researchers and scientists as well as tourists blessed with a permit issued by a small number of agencies.
Arturo is a Machiguenga, a tribe resident of Park Manu, currently in "contact phase" is the only one of his clan to be able to work for the "outdoors world."
But it is not enough to fill paper formalities to access Manu. It comes after a journey of several days, as the saying goes, is as important as the destination. After leaving Cuzco, which rises to 3400 meters in the heart of the Andes, it is necessary to cross the mountains by jeep on steep slopes to reach the site of Tres Cruces de Oro (Three Gold Cross), where Andes meet the Amazon. According to legend, the sunrise would produce the illusion of three cross floating above the forest. Here at nearly 4,000 meters above sea level, we appreciate the spectacle of the Amazon extending like a carpet on the horizon; that Claude Levi-Strauss liked precisely describe in Tristes Tropiques as "a heap of frozen bubbles, a vertical pile of green blisters."
The mind numbed by altitude sickness, muscle shivering in the bitter cold running through the thick layers of clothing, heavy clouds are patient before this striking mural and when the first rays flashed on the landscape, or percent the weather warms instantly. Go through Tres Cruces involves a detour of several hours and forced to wake up in the middle of the night so as not to miss the first light of dawn. But this viewpoint Andes is the step most symbolic, the perfect entry point for anyone coming in the Amazon for the first time. Because it allows, among others, to see the evolution of trees and vegetation along the descent.
Ballet scarlet macaws is one of many shows that await visitors to the park Manu.
At this altitude, only a few dwarf trees litter the hilly. Quickly, these shrubs give way to vast cloud forests of the biological station Wayqecha, bordering the Manu National Park. Located mostly between 1500 and 3000 meters, the forests that cover the slopes of the Andes owe their name to the layers of mist drape them permanently. The clouds pushed by southerly winds come get hooked. Imbued with a mystical atmosphere, they are also crucial. Cloud forests are not only an ecological floor where develop unique and unknown species - during our visit in a position to study a new green frog, fluorescent and transparent, had been discovered - but they represent as 50% of the water supply of the Amazon and are occasionally beautiful hikes on the canopy. If the weather is fine appointments, breathtaking views of the treetops is revealed; otherwise, monkey bridges will give you the amazing feeling of walking on clouds.
The further down and the forest becomes lush, thick and impenetrable. Mountainsides disappear under a green curtain on which the flowers form a myriad of erythrinas tiny red spots.
In this wilderness, the density of vegetation and the presence of uncontacted tribes limit opportunities to venture far from the lodges.
We pass through small villages like Kosnipata ("Above the Clouds"), where coca growers, whose leaf is used to make cocaine but also serves as a basic ingredient for Coca-Cola are working, and percolates in drink against altitude sickness. Arrived in Atalaya, we exchange our jeep against a canoe, on which the rest of the journey will unfold. Every day is between five and six hours of sailing ahead on the Madre de Dios, who travels the Amazon along the Manu National Park nearly 100 kilometers to finally sink into the public area of the reserve. As we progress to the mountains melt away into the forest.
On the banks, there is soil erosion and the watchful eye will detect black or white caimans, turtles and jaguars that rest there. In some places the vegetation has covered dead trees, rising above the other trees, ceibas overlook the forest. These giants with sometimes white trunks and carved by rather large buttresses to house one or two men, along this part of the Amazon. This same ceiba which according to the Mayans of Central America, contained the spirit of the forest. Other trees stand out from the crowd, such as mahogany or cedar Amazon: two of the world's most expensive deer species.
On the road sui down along the Andes, the spectacle of the jungle climbing mountains.
Find themselves surrounded by the mythical and mysterious forest provides a rare sense of excitement: it is at the end of the world, the heart of a terrible wilderness, and especially completely unknown. For the Manu National Park, which is reached after two days of canoe has a characteristic other than to host a plethora of species in the world's biodiversity. Of uncontacted peoples living there called again: the Machiguenga, the Yaminahuas and Amahuacas. In exile since the early twentieth century after being enslaved by the settlers, the indigenous peoples are protected from contact with the outside man by international and national laws strict: hence the formal ban tourists leave the restricted area of ​​Manu.
These laws are designed to maintain their integrity (these tribes are for example not immunized against certain bacteria that we carry), but also to protect us. The Mascho-Piros mark the beginning of their territory by two crossed bamboo. Ignoring this warning may result in serious consequences: a ranger was killed a few weeks before we arrived. We are the first to have resided inside Manu after the tourist area was closed following the tragedy. Suffice to say that sleeping in a lodge without electricity, surrounded by the Amazon and adjacent lands of such tribe is a fascinating experience.
On the banks of the Madre de Dios, lurking on the edge of the Amazoni a jaguar resting in the shade of trees.
In the evening, the Madre de Dios blazes sunset on one side and flickering reflection of the moon on the other. On site, only the necessities: a bed, a mosquito net and candles. In such an atmosphere - and having previously jammed his chair against the door of his hut, you never know - you fall asleep easily overwhelmed by the stifling humidity and almost palpable that permeates the air, and despite the noisy silent of the jungle. And what a special charm to be awakened at dawn by the howler monkey, whose guttural cry could be compared to a long complaint of stomach, or a bathtub drain that empties.
On rare occasions, these uncontacted make appearances on the beaches of the Amazon. "I once saw a long time ago, says Fiorella, our guide. They had to be four or five unarmed and almost naked, a simple loincloth hiding their private parts. Some had beards. "A description that matches the images taken by the BBC in 2012 as the Machiguenga Some tribes have decided to enter a" contact phase ". Our boatman, Arturo, is the only one of his tribe have the right to work outside the reserve a few months a year. He has traveled to Cuzco, but never in Lima, the capital, has neither Michael Jackson or Barack Obama, but can name most of the players of the FIFA World Cup, Argentina's Messi first. "Some people want us to live our tribes still like animals, says Arturo. It's a shame. Outside, there are things that could help us live better. "
The panorama of the Three Golden Cross at 3700 m altitude. The perfect place to watch the game between the Andes and the Amazon.
If hiking in Manu are limited because of uncontacted tribes but also the thickness of the jungle, some rides are worth visiting. The Cocha Salvador, a former arm of the Madre de Dios River, is traversed as a freshwater lake, where a family of giant otters call home. If by luck you get to mealtime, attraction worth seeing. When in a group, these fearsome predators, able to tackle the biggest black caimans, do not hesitate to approach the raft of their hosts ... peacefully. Another must: the Colpas (clay cliffs) on which come to feed at set times dozens of scarlet macaws, parrots these majestic plumage rainbow sky. Visit the Manu National Park is a sight at all times.
Cut off from the world - do not expect to have any telephone network, and all the better - it offers its visitors a unique experience: that of exploring fully wild. And if the magnetism of this incredible reserve does not attract fortunately terrible swarms of tourists, we came across the night in the lodges atypical travelers to the charm of the place. As this Japanese lady living in Hawaii, who decided to try their luck at 80, accompanied by his little son. "I wanted to see two things before I die. Manu, and the Taj Mahal. I started with the hardest. From India seemed a little too easy for my taste. "
TRAVEL BOOK

The Cock of the Rock Lodge, the first leg of the journey to 1500 m, just below the cloud forest.
helpful

Learn all about the destination, please visit the website of the tourist office of Peru (www.peru.travel/fr). The UNESCO website (http://whc.unesco.org) provides further information on the Manu National Park. For information on health risks, visit the websites of the Pasteur Institute (www.pasteur.fr) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.diplomatie.gouv.fr). Best season: July-August, to avoid the rain! Temperatures range between 25 ° C and 35 ° C.
Getting there

Air France (36.54; www.airfrance.fr) is the only airline to fly direct flight Lima (12 h 30), three times a week from Paris (7 times by counting the flights operated by KLM from Amsterdam Company Air France partner). On board, three cab styles are available: Economy, Premium Economy and Business. From € 898 round trip Economy Class (large touch screen, large selection of movies, USB and several snacks taken during the flight) and € 2221 in Business. On site, Lan Airlines (www.lan.com) performs daily Lima / Cuzco (outbound) and Puerto Maldonado / Lima (return) bonds. Count 2 hours and from 200 € per flight. Once in Cuzco, after 230 km of road to Atalaya and two days browsing Madre de Dios to reach Manu.
Palacio Nazarenas, located in Cuzco.
Organize your trip

Access to the reserve Manu being reserved for accredited agencies, it is essential to contact them prior to organize the trip. Chaskiventura (www.chaskiventura.com), led by the friendly Franco-Peruvian Mario Anaya Gautier, offers modular and multilingual guides formulas, including francophones. Discount for many people. Example for 8 days / 7 nights, it takes € 3,700 per person for a couple and € 2,700 per person for a group of 6 people.
equip

Much of the trip will be in the dugout and jeep. Provide a waterproof coat and special lightweight clothing designed to dry quickly, moisture is such that even the linen is struggling to stay dry. Take hiking boots, preferably rising, and sandals for the evening. Rubber boots will be lent by the lodges. Do not forget flashlights front, the mosquito repellent and binoculars for viewing wildlife and flora. For baggage, a small suitcase and a backpack enough.
staying there

In Cuzco. Rather than spend a night in Lima, try going directly to Cuzco to stay in Palacio Nazarenas (www.palacionazarenas.com), which has been completely restored. Style and luxury. From € 700 a night. On the way to the park Manu. Several lodges with common house for meals and cabins (or boxes) as a bedroom, with bed under mosquito netting and full bathroom. Lighting the candle. Prefer lodges Cock of the Rock and Boca Manu, which have generators (evening). Since the Cock of the Rock, small jungle walks are possible. Note: at Boca Manu, run by a local community, toilets and bathrooms are shared. In the park Manu. The Manu Wildlife Tented Camp is the nerve center of shipments. Despite its name, you sleep in huts and not in tents. The camp has more of a hot water tank. A 10-minute walk, you will find an impressive colpa parrot. On return. The Manu Wildlife Center will be the most pleasant stay lodge. A large common room with library and hammocks, a (very slow) Wi-Fi connection available in the evening in the office and the boxes a little more equipped.
The Fallen Angel bar located in Cuzco.
Eat, drink

In Cuzco. Overlooking the Place d'Armes, the Limo restaurant offers delicious ceviche dishes (from € 20) in a fusion style, all in a cozy atmosphere. For a nightcap, opposite the Palacio Nazarenas, special mention for the wacky decor of the bar Fallen Angel. The perfect place to sip a pisco sour, the famous local cocktail.
What to do

On the Atalaya road, do not hesitate to stop at the Biological Station of Dr. Alessandro Catenazzi to meet with his team of scientists, hike through the cloud forest and watch their collection of frogs. In the jungle, do not hesitate to ask the guide to take you to see the Colpas parrot. Do not miss out either, inside the park Manu, the ride on the lake Cocha Salvador to observe giant otters.
The favorite

A fter having faced the Amazon jungle, travelers ressourceront few days at Inkaterra Reserva lodge Amazónica (www.inkaterra.com). Located in Puerto Maldonado, hotel, Mick Jagger has already privatized for vacation, has beautiful rooms overlooking the Madre de Dios, one perched in the trees. 3 days / 2 nights from € 400, full board, activities and excursions included.