Manu National Park, Peru

The cloud forests of the Peruvian Andes range in altitude from 2,000 to 3,500 m above sea level. The crooked trees with epiphytic plants and lichen hanging from their branches are shrouded in constant mists. There are more than 1,000 species of orchids here, and most of the rare species of mammals live in these forests. They are a rich source of drinking water. The leaves and branches of the trees capture moisture from the clouds and transfer it to the waterlogged soil, contributing to a constant flow of water in the mountain rivers descending into the lowlands.

Manu National Park has been declared a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO and was created to protect the remnants of the Peruvian cloud forests. Here there is a wide variety of rare animal and plant species. It is convenient to visit at any time of the year, but June to September is the driest.