A recently created park in the jungle territories of the Puno and Madre de Dios departments, the Bahuaja - Sonene National Park (names given by the Ese'eja ethnic group of the Tambopata end Ene Rivers, respectively) serves to protect what are probably the last inhabited tropical forests of the world.
Its 537,053 hectares of rain forests adjoining the Madidi National Park of Bolivia have been expanded with a small area of palm tree savanna (previously protected as part of the Pampas del Heath Sanctuary) to form one of the most biodiversity corners of the planet.
Charles Munn, member of the Zoological Society of New York and ranked by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential personalities of the coming century, claims that the forests in this park shelter more plant and animal species and hundreds of mammals, reptiles and fish.
These are the ancestral lands of the Ese'eja, a tribe on the verge of extinction that was decimated during the "rubber boom" at the turn of the century.

Climate: A marked rainy season runs from December to March though showers are also frequent out of the west season. May through August is recommended for visiting, despite temperatures above 32 ºC.

Access and Services: A rental boat will take travelers up the Tambopata River from Puerto Maldonado, which can also be reached by regular commercial air service. Rustic accommodation is available at some local inns providing basic services for travelers.

Length of stay: Four of five days are enough to tour this easy-to-reach area. (PROMPERU)

The Cerros de Amotape or Amotape Hills, provide shelter to a wide and unique collection of plant and animal wildlife. It was created in 1975 to protect the vast forests of the Amotape Mountain range and the neighboring valleys, subject to intense lumbering activity due to the valuable hard woods that grow there like hualtaco and huayacán.
The American crocodile and the northeastern otter are some of the animals that find shelter in this ecosystem. Both are endangered species on the verge of extinction. Other residents of the dry forest are the Tumbes howler monkey, white-tailed deer, ocelots and more than 100 bird species, many of which are endemic, like the white-winged guan and the northern magpie.

Climate: Dry and extremely hot most of the year with temperatures ranging above 28 ºC. Rainfall increases markedly when the El Niño weather anomaly occurs in the area. April to September is ideal for visiting.

Access and Services: Several gravel roads lead into the forest from the cities of Piura and Tumbes, which can in turn be reached regularly by air or along the North Pan-American Highway. 4WD vehicles, a local tour guide and an ample supply of water and food are advised.

Length of stay: A 3-to-4 day stay is recommended, equally divided between the park's south and north sections. (PROMPERU)

It was created to protect the Grotto of San Andrés. In the park there are not lakes, lagoons or marshes but the humid places are frequent. There are some gorges that given origin to the height rivers, such as El Palto in the north limit and the Tambillo in the northeast sector.

The Huascarán National park is wedged in the White Mountain range, the world's highest tropical mountain chain. The park protects one of the world's most surprising high-mountain ecosystems, featuring 663 glaciers, 269 lakes and 41 rivers, as well as dozens of mountains, 26 of which tower above 6000 meters (18290 ft). It is home to plentiful and diverse plant and animal wildlife including some 800-plant species and several dozen types of animals. Additionally, the park includes 33 pre-Inca archaeological sites like Wilcahuaín and is home to dozens of Quechua-speaking peasant communities that still practice their traditional farming and livestock herding techniques.

Climate: The Andean mountain climate depends heavily on 2 critical factors: humid and warm winds from the Amazon basin that originate heavy rainfall from December to March, and sudden changes in temperature. In the dry season from May to October, the temperature on a sunny day can rise to 25 ºC, followed by intensely cold nights with temperatures plunging below freezing.

Access and Services: The best way to the Callejón de Huaylas is to take the road off Pativilca (kilometer 210 of the North Pan-American Highway) and the head east for the mountains to the lake Conococha, headwaters of the Santa River. The steep climb means travelers should take precautions against altitude sickness. The trip takes six to eight hours to cover 410 kilometers (260 miles) over a winding road in good conditions. Chartered light airplanes may land at the small local airport.

Length of stay: At least three or four days are required for a leisurely visit to the park's main areas. (PROMPERU)

The Manu National Park is Peru's greatest natural treasure and a trove for the number of species it shelters and the diversity of the ecosystems it features. It comprises the whole of the Manu River basin as well as an extraordinary cross-section of altitudes ranging from 4300 masl (13100 ft) in the Andean High Plateau to 200 masl (610 ft) in the Amazon floodplain. It is home of several ethnic groups including the Amahuaca, Huachipaire, Machiguenga, Piro, Yora and Yaminagua, as well as others who still have not made contact with the modern world. The park is the natural environment for over 2000 vascular plants, 1200 species of butterflies, 100 types of birds, 200 kinds of mammals and an unknown number of reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Climate: A well-marked rainy season stretches from December to March although heavy showers are not unusual throughout the year. It is best to visit from May to August, when temperatures exceed 30 ºC.

Access and Services: A gravel road from Cusco leads to the towns of Atalaya and Shintuya (9 and 12 hours away, respectively), a 5-to-6 hour boat trip. It is also possible to fly a light plane from Cusco to Boca Manu (30 minutes) the continue by river boat (4 to 6 hours)
The tourists are allowed only in the Reserve Zone and are permitted to book services with one of the licensed operators. Tourist infrastructure is rustic and simple and camping is allowed within the premises.

Length of stay: Ideally, a stay of 7 to 8 days will provide sufficient time to observe a representative sample of the area's wildlife. (PROMPERU)

The park includes the area covered by the mountains that form the "Bella Durmiente", in an ecosystem of numerous streams, gulches and flowing.

It was created to conserve and to protect the flora and fauna of the zone that includes the well-known Cave to the Lechuzas, main opening of which apparently is a complex system of underground caverns.