Exploring Peru's Manu Forest Reserve

Peru's Manu National Park, since 1997 a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, is just one of this South American country's treasures. Thanks to the variety and rarity of its ecosystems and their scientific interest, Manu is considered to be one of the most significant parks in the world. Its Reserved Zone is now open to visitors.

The next three hours in the canoe pass quickly as the great current of the Madre de Dios River carries the canoe through its waters, brown in color like those of her great cousin, the muddy Mississippi. Herons are seen strutting on the sandy banks of the river along with Muscovy Ducks, and vocalizing Macaws in twos and threes streak across the sky in the determined fashion of folks who are late for an important appointment.

Along the way Doris explains how and why the vegetation along the river's edge grows and struggles for a small space of sunlight and then dies as the never ending fight to live continues. She explains how the indigenous people, aware of the fragile nature of their rainforest, gather floating fallen trees from the river for their building needs instead of cutting from the jungle floor.

Trails to explore

With the coming of dawn, the forest wakeup calls begin with the deep, roaring hoo hooing and grunting sounds of the Red Howler monkeys, followed by the clack and basso chortle of the Russet Backed Oropendola that nests in the Mango tree outside the screened dining room. Armed with all the essentials like rubber boots, bug spray, sun screen, long sleeve cotton shirts, cotton pants, hat and flashlight, you are ready to hit the trail. There are trails into the forest of varying degrees of difficulty. Some of the trailheads lead directly from the grounds of the lodge and other trails are only accessible by canoe. Many trails end at the edge of a river or lake where platforms secured on two dugout canoes--a sort of catamaran--are boarded for a quiet float across the water for close up views of giant South American river otters at play as well as some of the more than 650 species of birds spotted in this area including Heron, Horn Screamers, Hoatzin, Greater Ani and Chestnut Macaw. Night treks are an option as are catamaran expeditions before moonrise to spot Black Crocodiles resting on the riverbanks. Flashlight beams from the catamaran light reptilian eyes like glowing coals before the creatures slip into the dark waters.

Monkeybusiness

One trail leads into the habitat of the Brown Capuchin monkeys who shake and rattle the branches high up in the treetops in hopes of frightening intruders. Troops of as many as seventy Squirrel monkeys with their marvelous Disney faces stare at the intruders with curiosity and then go about their business of racing through the trees. All the while, flashes of the Razor Billed Curassow are seen, tapir tracks are spotted and that pungent odor in the air means that a herd of peccaries recently has passed by.

One of the difficult and more interesting trails leads into the habitat of the best known monkey in the Peruvian jungle, the Spider Monkey. The trailhead is reached by canoe with a climb up the riverbank to an entry into the jungle. The trail leads across small streams that require a bit of balance and the trusty rubber boots to walk over bridges made of chopped tree trunks. There are some climbs and descents requiring a bit of careful negotiating through the narrow, bushwhacked jungle growth. It's worth every effort. You will know that you are truly in some primeval rainforest. Spider Monkeys can often be seen hanging by their prehensile tails eating fruits and leaves while sounds of the Common Piping Gwan punctuate the air. A Quechua word for Spider Monkey is maquisapa, meaning long arm. The word describes them perfectly. Unfortunately, they are hunted for meat and have mostly disappeared close to human settlements.

Mealtimes at the Lodge

Explorandes not only provides its clients with excellent nature guides, but with excellent chefs as well. If you are lucky, Edgar Barcena may be your chef, performing his culinary magic for you out there in the middle of nowhere. His provisions come out with you from Cusco. His three course dinners for American visitors are American style, but with a decidedly Peruvian accent. He plans his menus according to the nationality of the lodge's guests, and he has his own special offerings for Germans, Japanese, French, etc. After graduating from the well-known cooking school, Huampani in Lima, he was chef for Entur Peru and in the kitchens of the Posadas del Inca in Urubamba and Cusco. Your group will crown him the king of soups. His memorable Crema de Maiz is one to try at home, so here it is.

Crema de Maiz (serves from four to six):

Make a stock of chicken and vegetables such as turnips, carrots onions, etc. Enough for six cups.

In a frying pan, brown a medium size onion, several minced garlic cloves and huacatai, a Peruvian herb, but 6-8 leaves of cilantro, finely chopped, will work as a substitute.

Add one cup of the stock to the browned vegetables and cook on low heat for five minutes.

Put the cooked onion and garlic back in to the main soup pot and add 1 pound of corn, fresh scraped off the cob and then finely chopped in a blender or Cuisinart.

Set the pot on medium heat and stir for 5 minutes.
Beat three eggs in a separate bowl.

Cube about two cups of a mild white cheese and add to the eggs.

Add broth to eggs slowly, cover, turn off heat and let stand until cheese is melted.

Serve and, "buen provecho," or, "enjoy."

There's more to Peru

Explorandes' master guides are extremely knowledgeable and sensitive to the needs and desires of their clients. At the very least, they are able to open one's eyes to a Peru most people never see. They are there to help you explore Ollantaytambo where the Inca stored grain in hillside caves, the incomparable Machu Picchu, Peru's Colonial architecture and Maras, where rock salt has been mined for thousands of years and is still being mined in the old way. Spread out over 100 hectares, the little pools of hardening salt looks very like bricks of soft cheese like Brie. Nearby in Moray is the newly excavated circular terracing of the Inca botanical laboratory. All these are in the dramatic sacred valley of the Inca, Urubamba. Then there is the great valley of the Inca pyramids in Tucume, Lake Titicaca, reportedly, full of Inca gold, the gigantic and mysterious drawings of the Nasca desert, and much more. The Spaniards came searching for gold treasure in Peru long ago. Today, Peru's treasures are there for the rest of us to discover.

Manu Expeditions and Explorandes.

Explorandes represents 25 years of experience in leading trekking and river expeditions throughout Peru and ten years in doing the same through Ecuador. They work mostly with tour operators and travel agents abroad in providing trips on a fixed departure basis in the areas of cultural, soft and hard adventure. They offer a staggering number of itineraries, but specialize in customizing these for special interests. If you are interested in discovering much more of Peru, best to check out their outstanding Website.

Manu Nature Tours: www.manuperu.com

Manu Expeditions: www.ManuExpeditions.com

Tourism and Culture: www.rumbosperu.com

Peruvian Recipes (Excellent but in Spanish): www.geocities.com/Athens/Crete/7763

Tourist Information: www.perutravelnet.com

As in many crowded cities, street crime of the purse-snatching variety remains a problem in Lima, and normal precautions should be observed. There are tourism police, but some reports have cast doubt on their reliability.