Just how good a birdwatching site is the Manú region? According to the British birding expert Dominic Couzens, it’s one of the best in the world. Couzens, a highly-praised author and regular contributor to the BBC in London, includes Manú in his book The Top 100 Birding Sites of the World, ranking it alongside such places as the Florida Everglades, the sub-Antarctic islands of South Georgia, the Rift Valley in Kenya, and the Serengeti in Tanzania.

The reason why is the sheer number of species that make their home in this remote but still accessible part of the Peruvian Amazon. It’s an area of amazing biodiversity. The national park is teeming with parakeets, parrots, macaws, toucans, egrets, hummingbirds, and eagles, including the harpy eagle. Waiting for you are quails, grebes, cormorants, storks, and vultures, including the king vulture. There are ospreys, hawks, falcons, cuckoos, owls, and woodpeckers... the list goes on and on. Suffice to say there is enough here to keep the most dedicated birdwatcher enthralled for a lifetime.

Unfortunately, most visitors to Manú have only a few short days or weeks to appreciate what’s on offer. And what makes this region extra special is that birdwatching is so easy here. The area is relatively easily reached, but it is still a remote and wonderful wilderness. Because humans have had so little impact on the surroundings, the birds are confident, less shy than they might be in other parts of the world, and that makes them readily observable.

When to go

There are really only two seasons in Amazonia: rainy and dry. In the rainy season, from January to June, torrential downpours flood the rivers and cover the forest floor in muddy water. There will be periods of sunshine, but showers occur almost every day. The average temperature is about 80°F. Animals and birds tend to shelter from the rain just as we do, but there are advantages to coming at this time of year. High water levels mean that boats can easily navigate flooded tributaries and forests, getting tourists to otherwise unreachable destinations. Just remember to pack your rain gear!

The dry season is from July through December, when the heat is steaming and the humidity is smothering. It can be uncomfortable for tourists. There may still be showers, but the generally lower rainfall means that water levels will be lower. That, in turn, means that trails will be clearer to follow and mosquitoes less troublesome. The dry season is ideal for hiking and fishing. However, remember that the Amazonian climate is variable. There can be very nice days in the rainy season and wet days in the dry season. Overall, the best option is probably between mid-April and mid-December.