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It is the entrance to the National Park of the Manu. At the entrance of The National Park we can appreciate the remains of Inka roads with its respective canals.

Location

The district of Kosñipata is located to the southeast of Cusco, at a distance of 220km, the area that has is of 13,780 feet above sea level until the 16,400 feet above sea level.

Its temperature in of 77 ºF observing only two seasons that are marked, one of them since December to April are the rainy season and the other from May to November consider summer. The population of Kosñipata is of 4,622 people.

The history of Kosñipata dates back since 1950, more than half a century, the whole territory of Kosñipata was made up of a group of haciendas, here we mentioned the following:

• The hacienda “El Trabajo” property of the family Nuñez del Prado.
• Hacienda”Socorro” of Carlos Lizarraga.
• Hacienda” Patria” of the Iwaqui family
• Hacienda “Villa Carmen” from the Muñiz family

All these haciendas were all dedicated to the making of “aguardiente” a type of alcoholic beverage made of caña that was traded in the zone and its surroundings.

Before the creation of Kosñipata, this place was inhabited for two native communities: The Wachipayres and The Machiguengas. They fished and practiced the agriculture in a small portion just for its consumption.

Years after the confrontation started and the cause was, trying to get more land to make more activities and try to be better in the production every day. Until they found out that the population was decreasing, they made the decision to leave in peace, making an arrangement in making one town for all of them, here is when the created the town of Pilcopata, the capital of Kosñipata.

Pilcopata is well-known because its products, accommodation services, restaurants and it is the entrance to the National Park of the Manu. At the entrance of The National Park we can appreciate the remains of Inka roads with its respective canals, there is also cave paintings that represent human scenes, animals and strange signs, these art works are located in a huge area, you have to visit them.

About 15 years ago Kosñipata was dedicated to the extraction of timber, now days this activity is prohibited because of the conservation of the Peruvian jungle. Now the work with timber is minimum, and the community is now dedicated more to the agriculture, but is a lit of bit complicated do to the shape that the road are in, this complicates the transportation of the products to Cusco city.

How do I get to Kosñipata / Pillcopata?

One can reach Pillcopata through Paucartambo and ascending 15.5 miles to the northeast site to Ajnaco and to the natural viewpoint of Tres Cruces, and then you will enter to the picturesque valley of Kosñipata (the land of the clouds). This steep but amazing descent allows the traveler to enter to Pillhuata and San Pedro, in the heart of the cloudy forest of Manu (an ideal place to watch the Gallito de las Rocas) and the towns of Patria, Chonctachaca, Atalaya (boarding port to Manu), Pillcopata, Salvación (entrance to the department of Madre de Dios) and Shuntuya (the end of the road and head office of an old Dominican Mission), located in the shores of the Alto Madre de Dios River. From there, the road to Manu (Boca Manu, 4 hours), you just can continue through river (in “peque-peque” or in a motor boat). You could take a Private Tour in any travel agency which offers this service.