Casa Machiguenga is an eco-lodge located in the Manu National Park in Peru. It is a community-based tourism endeavor that can be considered a partial success.
Peru offers a wide range of amazing places. The Manu National Park is the largest park in the country and is an area of thousands of wonders (more than 1000 species of birds, about 15000 species of plants, up to 250 varieties of trees in one single hectare). As tourism developed, the native communities took a backseat. This is why the project of an eco-lodge was initiated in 1996 to help the local communities to regain the area.
The accommodation in Casa Machiguenga is very simple and rustic, it uses solar energy for the radio and has a water filter system to help protect the environment.
Casa Machiguenga is a good example of community-based tourism as the project is coming from the community and 100% of the earnings are going to them. It enabled the creation of a craft shop, medicines, boats and engines have been purchased.
Nevertheless, today the lodge needs to raise funds in order to reinvest and be sustainable.
TELLING KAZBEGI 