The park encompasses virtually the entire watershed of the Manú
River, from the sources of its tributaries high in the Andes, to its emptying
into the Madre de Dios River. As the surrounding area is largely undeveloped,
the only direct access to the lowlands is by boat, up the Manú River. This
singular entry point is easily patrolled by park guards. The road
Cusco-Paucartambo-Shintuya borders the southern section of the park and
provides access to high-Andean ecosystems, such as grasslands (puna) and
montane forest and scrub.
