Leaf cutter ants, Tambopata National Reserve, Amazon Rainforest, Peru

Peruvian Amazon

The sparsely populated Peruvian Amazon Rainforest blankets more than half of the country in northern Peru and is quite literally teeming with exotic wildlife ranging from black caiman to jaguar and giant otter to monkeys and macaws. Nurtured by the mighty Amazon River and its numerous tributaries, the Peruvian Amazon Basin is home to some of the world’s richest biodiversity.

Many eco-lodges are nestled into the Peruvian Amazon, offering visitors a thrilling opportunity to experience this unique biodiversity and culture. A visit to the Amazon Rainforest of Peru is guaranteed to be a long-lasting and enriching experience.

Scarlet Macaw, Manu National Park, Peru
Scarlet Macaw, Manu National Park, Peru

A little more about the Peruvian Amazon

Made famous during the great rubber boom of the late 19th century, Iquitos marks the gateway for many visitors embarking on river expeditions into the northern rainforest which shares its borders with Brazil and Colombia. This bustling urban oasis resides on the western banks of the Amazon River and is only accessible by boat or aeroplane. The southern rainforest of Peru is least explored and shares its borders with Bolivia and Brazil. A journey into its dense selva usually begins with a flight into Puerto Maldonado. Expeditions from Puerto Maldonado often lead to Tambopata National Reserve and the Manu National Biosphere Reserve.

Capybaras
Capybaras

Manu National Park

Inaccessible, pristine and illegal to enter without a guide, the Manu National Park has largely escaped the destruction that has been inflicted upon other parts of the Amazon Rainforest. Due to a combination of fortune and forward thinking, the stunning array of endangered wildlife that lives in this fragile habitat has avoided falling victim to the avarice of the modern world. Packed with flora and fauna, Manu National Park is a fantastic place for spotting some of the Amazon’s most iconic species. Jaguars, peccaries, and spider monkeys hide within the forest, whilst colourful frogs, giant otters and black caimans thrive in the park’s rivers and lakes.

Experiences

Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.

Parrots Clay Lick, Amazon, Ecuador

Observe Clay Licks

From the seclusion of a hide, or from a riverboat, watch as hundreds of brightly coloured macaws and parrots gather to gorge on clay.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Stand up paddle boarding

Stand Up Paddle Boarding

Take to the calm waters of the Amazon Rainforest to embark on a stand up paddle boarding adventure atop inky black rivers.

Suggested Holiday Idea

River Turtles, Tambopata National Park, Peru

Explore Tambopata National Park

Travel around the Tambopata National Park in the Amazon Basin, looking out for the river turtles and black caimans that inhabit its waters.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Negro River, Amazon, Brazil

Swing in a Hammock

After a morning of adventure, head back to your cabin to swing in a hammock to read a good book (or simply for a siesta).

Suggested Holiday Idea

Amazonian Boat, Brazil

Cruise the Amazon

Sail on the world’s mightiest river during an authentic Amazon cruise that navigates far off the beaten track.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Pink Dolphins, Samiria National Reserve, Amazon Rainforest, Peru

Search for Pink River Dolphins

Head out to try and find the elusive and magnificent pink river dolphins, which only live in the fresh waters of the Amazon Rainforest.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Pastaza River Basin, Amazon Rainforest

Amazonian Country-Hopping

Consider exploring the Amazon in more than one country, moving between Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Colombia or Bolivia to experience the remotest corners of the Amazon Basin.

Suggested Holiday Idea

Need Holiday Inspiration?
Browse our Peru holiday ideas.

Our Peru experts have created and curated these holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something to spark ideas for a unique adventure.

Meet our experts

A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.

Rachael Tallents

Adventure, discovery and my curiosity for people and the natural world is what drives my love of travelling.  I am grateful for my parents’ desire to explore, and from an early age my eyes were open to diverse landscapes, cultures, and underwater worlds.

For the last 16 years, I have worked for a leading luxury tour operator designing incredible journeys for discerning clients and travelled to some magical places. I am excited to have joined Steppes Travel, and to be working for a company with such strong ethical and sustainable values.

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Paul Bird

Reaching the sun gate and marvelling over Machu Picchu unveiled one of the most impressive landscapes that Paul has seen in his global travels.

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Sue Grimwood

I was inspired to travel south from an early age. My form teacher when I was nine made us listen to tapes from Shackleton’s expeditions, I didn’t know it at the time, but it obviously left a deep impression on my psyche.

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John Faithfull

My love affair with travel began in a vintage Italian train carriage at sunset on a hot and sticky September evening in 1983. Sardined into a two-bench compartment, I’d spent five hours sharing sweaty thighs, broken-Italian pleasantries and furtive glances while rattling towards Turin, stopping at every wisteria-draped village along the way.

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Roxy Dukes

If your passion is the outdoors and you are looking to delve into South American culture, Roxy recommends one of the lodge-to-lodge hiking programmes to explore the Sacred Valley and beyond. Hopping between the quiet mountain towns, meet the locals that live off the grid and immerse yourself in the welcoming spirit of Peru.

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