The Best Areas of Amazon Jungle To Visit In Peru: Make The Most Of Your Experience

Peru’s Amazon Rainforest offers one of the best areas of Amazon to visit.

To provide a summary:

• Peru has the second highest amount of rainforest after Brazil.
• Peru offers one of the most thought out tourism industries in Amazonia.
• There are more claylicks in the Peruvian Amazon than anywhere else in South America.
• Along with Ecuador, Peru’s rainforest is located in western Amazonia. This offers the most wildlife (linked to the nearby Andes Mountains).

With these things in mind, the Peruvian rainforest is an incredible place to visit. Enjoy beautiful scenery, relaxing cruises, adventure tours and fantastic wildlife.

But where in the vast Peruvian jungle do you visit?

First, let’s first have an introduction to this tropical forest and cover:

• Protected rainforest areas
• Differences between regions
• Recommended Amazonian attractions
• Gateways to the Peruvian Amazon
• Our recommended lodges, cruises and tours to experience Amazonia

Jump straight to our recommended tours for Peru’s Amazon Rainforest

An Introduction to the Amazon Rainforest

Crossing nine nations, the Amazon Rainforest covers 40% of the South American continent.

This is the world's largest rainforest. And it's home to more life than anywhere else on Earth.

The next largest forests of the Congo in Africa and the tropical wilderness of New Guinea can fit comfortably inside the Amazon.

The vast tropical forest is fed by the mighty Amazon River. This ranks as one of the world’s largest rivers. Fed by over 1,000 tributaries and crossing the continent, the Amazon is the world's largest river by volume and the second longest after the Nile.

Beginning as a trickle in the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Andes, the giant river travels the continent to its mouth in Brazil. Near the Brazilian city of Belem, the Amazon expels an incredible quantity of water into the Atlantic Ocean. It's even said that early sailors could drink fresh water from the ocean before sighting the South American shoreline.

The majority of the Amazon Rainforest is contained within Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela. Within these areas, you can enjoy some incredible wildlife. See the iconic Amazon Rainforest animals, such as macaws, tapir, monkeys and even jaguar.

The Amazon contains several different types of vegetation. And it isn’t just limited to rainforest. Dispersed within the Amazon, you can find seasonal forests, flooded forests and even grasslands. These areas contain their own wildlife communities and add to the diversity of Amazonian life.

Peru’s Amazon Rainforest

Peru contains the second highest amount of Amazon Rainforest after Brazil. And the Peruvian rainforest is one of the best regions to visit.

There are two main gateways for the Peruvian Amazon. These are Iquitos as a port of the Amazon River in Peru’s north and Puerto Maldonado in the south. Puerto Maldonado provides access to the incredible Tambopata National Reserve and Manu lowlands.

The southern Peruvian Amazon offers more claylicks than anywhere in South America. This is the rainforest accessed from Peru's gateway town of Puerto Maldonado. From here, you can enjoy visiting the licks to see hundreds of colorful birds.

The parrots visit these areas to eat clay. This is thought to provide essential salts and to help neutralize toxins found in the birds’ diet of unripe fruits and seeds.

You can experience the claylicks from fantastic lodges. These offer guided tours to Tambopata’s claylicks. And two recommendations are the Tambopata Research Center and Refugio Amazonas Lodge.

In addition to the claylicks, within the Peruvian Amazon you can find beautiful lakes home to lake-living wildlife. Some of these are even home to endangered giant river otters.

In Peru's north from Iquitos you can enjoy fantastic cruises to enjoy the Amazon River. There are also jungle lodges for guided expeditions of the Iquitos rainforest.

To make the most of Peru's Amazon Rainforest, you can see our selection of the top Amazon tours in Peru.

Protected areas in the Peruvian Amazon

Peru has protected around 15% of its land area.

And among these parks and reserves are some fantastic protected areas of Amazon Rainforest. Some favorite regions of protected rainforest include:

• The Tambopata National Reserve
• The Manu National Park
• The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
• The Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve

The Tambopata National Reserve

Tambopata is found in southern Peru near the gateway jungle town of Puerto Maldonado. The Tambopata National Reserve offers a fantastic area of Amazonia to visit.

Protecting 274,690 hectares, the reserve includes forest fed by the Tambopata and Heath rivers.

Because Tambopata is so close to the gateway jungle town of Puerto Maldonado, this is often the best choice for a short 2 or 3-day rainforest tour. This is because you can be in areas of high diversity after a relatively short amount of travel time.

The reserve offers continual forest with other protected areas. Connected areas include the Madidi National Park and Bahuaja Sonene National Park. This allows wildlife to move freely in a vast area of protected tropical forest. As a reference, when taken together this protected areas mosaic is about the same size as Belgium.

On guided tours, enjoy an abundance of wildlife. See many tropical birds, several different monkeys, tall emergent trees and many different flowers. You can also enjoy many claylicks where you can watch colorful parrots.

And to experience the rainforest, there are some fantastic lodges in the Tambopata region. These offer professionally guided rainforest tours.

A favorite recommendation is the Tambopata Research Center. This is a great option for deep jungle adventures and for the best wildlife opportunities. It's also the only lodge actually inside the Tambopata National Reserve.

Click the video below for an introduction.

There are also lodges closer to town, such as the Posada Amazonas for giant river otters and the Refugio Amazonas in the Tambopata buffer zone.

Let's have a look at the wildlife you can see from these three lodges. The percentages represent your chance to see each animal.

The Manu National Park

The Manu National Park is one of the more famous areas of Peruvian Amazon. This vast expanse of forest covers 1.7 million hectares of lowland rainforest and Andean forest.

An incredible diversity of species are found in Manu National Park and the park has won world records for diversity. Although visitors are not permitted inside the national park itself, you can tour the reserved zone and connected Amarakaeri Communal Reserve.

Lake Salvador in the Manu Reserved Zone is one of the main attractions of the area. In and around the lake, enjoy spotting giant river otters, many different birds, and different monkeys in surrounding rainforest.

Like Tambopata, the Manu region is also famous for claylicks and you can see many colorful macaws gathered at the clay. From the Manu Wildlife Center, enjoy a large macaw claylick and have a high chance of spotting tapir at the tapir lick.

The Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve

Located around 150 km from Iquitos, a port city of the Amazon River in northern Peru, you can find the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve.

The reserve was founded for local initiatives as well as protecting the range of the rare red uakaris. These are monkeys that have red fur and a bald head. And they live in the middle of the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo area.

The Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve contains both flooded and non-flooded forest. And you can find many different emergent trees, bromeliads and orchids.

There are many monkeys that live in the reserve. On expertly guided tours from the Tahuayo Lodge, you can spot howler monkeys, capuchins, tamarins, pygmy marmosets, titis, and saki monkeys.

For an introduction, click the video below.

The reserve is also home to an impressive diversity of birds. Species to see include hoatzins, oropendolas, macaws, toucans, and colorful cotingas and tanagers.

Although rarely seen, camera traps have revealed a healthy population of jaguar. The cameras have also captured images of very rare black jaguar visiting the area.

To enjoy guided tours of the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve, you can check availability with the Tahuayo Lodge (the only tourist lodge for the reserve) by clicking the tour bubble below.

The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

Accessed from Iquitos in Peru’s northern Amazon, the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is one of the largest of Peru’s protected areas. This is a mostly flooded area of Amazon Rainforest best experienced on a rainforest cruise.

The reserve protects just over 2 million hectares of tropical forest. Within this vast expanse of rainforest, you can find an incredible diversity of animals and plants.

The tributaries here are often blackened by nutrient-rich waters. This causes the water to perfectly reflect the trees and sky giving the Pacaya Samiria its other name of 'The Forest of Mirrors.'

In addition to spectacular scenery, enjoy watching many different animals. Spot pink river dolphins, colorful birds and several different monkeys. You will also find giant trees with orchids and bromeliads perched on the branches.

There are some fantastic cruises for the Pacaya Samiria flooded forest. Our favorites are the Delfin cruises, such as the Delfin III, which is a luxury Amazon River cruise.

You can also choose the Delfin I, which is one of the most exclusive luxury cruises in the Amazon Rainforest.

The cruises offer high-end comfort, delicious cuisine and excellent guided tours. From the vessels, you will explore Amazonia to enjoy fantastic wildlife opportunities with skilled naturalist guides.

Attractions in Peru’s Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest is a fantastic places to visit. Within this vast forest, lodges have often been built near the best areas for wildlife viewing. Because of this, lodges are often placed near oxbow lakes or claylicks.

Claylicks

Claylicks are areas of exposed ground, usually on the riverbank, where different animals come to feed from salt-rich and medicinal clay.

In the Amazon Rainforest, the most famous animals that visit the licks are the large and colorful macaws. However, many other animals, including parrots, monkeys, peccary, capybara and tapir also visit the different licks.

Because of the draw to parrots and herbivores, predators such as margays, ocelots and even jaguar patrol the claylicks looking for an easy meal. It’s not unusual to see these animals catch their prey when watching the birds.

The claylicks offer guests almost guaranteed wildlife spectacles with hundreds of colorful parrots seen at one time.

Enjoy seeing the many different species of Peruvian macaws. These include blue-and-yellow macaws, scarlet macaws, red-and-green macaws, chestnut-fronted macaws, red-bellied macaws, blue-headed macaws, and red-shouldered macaws.

Some favorite lodges to enjoy the claylicks are the Tambopata Research Center and Refugio Amazonas Lodge from Puerto Maldonado in Peru’s south.

Amazon Lakes

Lakes in the Amazon Rainforest are often oxbow lakes. These are areas where tributaries of the Amazon River once flowed but have since changed direction.

This has left behind bodies of water cut off from the rest of the tributary. And they often have an oxbow shape due to the river once curving its way through the forest.

These lakes attract a wide variety of Amazon Rainforest animals. Different trees and plants start to grow, which attract a variety of monkeys as they fruit and flower. The lake itself provides home to caiman crocodilians and many different fish, including the giant arapaima. Cormorants, herons, and hoatzins then patrol the lake edges.

Sometimes, the lakes also provide home to endangered giant river otters. The otters can often be seen at the fantastic community-owned Posada Amazonas Lodge.

Two fantastic examples of oxbow lakes include:

• Lake Tres Chimbadas from Posada Amazonas Lodge (Giant otters)
• Lake Condenado from Refugio Amazonas Lodge (Hoatzin, Horned Screamers)

Where To Visit In Peru’s Rainforest

There are some fantastic areas in Peru to experience the tropical forest and to find fascinating animals and plants.

The two best regions to experience the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest are Iquitos in the north and Puerto Maldonado in Peru’s south.

Puerto Maldonado

Puerto Maldonado is a fantastic gateway to Peru’s Amazon Rainforest. This is the best choice if you’re interested in a short rainforest experience of 2 or 3 days. The incredible diversity of animals and plants are found in the nearby Tambopata National Reserve.

The protected areas from Puerto Maldonado to visit are the Manu National Park region and Tambopata National Reserve. Both of these areas offer outstanding levels of wildlife.

When to visit Puerto Maldonado

Puerto Maldonado offers a consistent temperature with a tropical climate. The year is mainly separated into a wet season and dry season. Although rain can fall at all times of year, which nourishes the trees and plants, the rain is more intense over the wet weather months.

Puerto Maldonado also experiences cold fronts blown up from Argentina. You will experience these over the months of May through September when temperature can get down to 43° F (5° C) for a few days at a time

As with other tropical environments, the main temperature difference is between day and night. This is instead of between months. For more information on Puerto Maldonado, you can see the Puerto Maldonado travel guide.

Recommended lodges to experience the Amazon Rainforest from Puerto Maldonado are:

1. The Tambopata Research Center

   The Tambopata Research Center is one of the deepest lodges in the Amazon Rainforest. And it offers comfortable accommodation with different suite types, including luxurious deluxe suites. From this comfortable lodge, enjoy expertly guided tours deep in Tambopata National Reserve. Due to the lodge’s position, the surrounding rainforest is at carrying capacity for wildlife. Visitors even enjoy a 20% chance of seeing jaguar by the river. Click the video below for a quick intro.
   
   
   View The Tambopata Research Center video
   Puerto Maldonado, Peru

   
   
   The lodge is also located near one of the largest macaw claylicks in the Amazon Rainforest. You can see hundreds of parrots gathered at the clay. Led by skilled guides, explore the rainforest to find many different animals and plants. You’re likely to see spider monkeys, howler monkeys, tamarins, peccary, and a diversity of different birds. You will also enjoy stunning scenery of the Tambopata region.
   
   

   

   

   

   

   4, 5 days+

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   The Tambopata Research Center

   Puerto Maldonado, Peru

   Positioned in the middle of the wildlife-rich Tambopata National Reserve, near one of the largest macaw clay licks in the Amazon Rainforest, you will ...

   • Deep Rainforest Lodge, Access to Tambopata's Macaw Claylicks

   From $ 1,296

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   Includes: all meals, accommodation, selection of guided tours, transfers from and to puerto maldonado airport.

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   Marc

   I wanted to take a break from my typical daily routine and immerse myself in nature, and this is exactly what I found at the Tambopata Research Cente…

2. The Refugio Amazonas Lodge

   The Refugio Amazonas Lodge offers a fantastic experience for a 3 or 4-day tour of the Amazon Rainforest. This is a comfortable lodge in the buffer zone of the wildlife-rich Tambopata National Reserve. Enjoy guided small-group expeditions in the Peruvian Amazon.
   
   The lodge offers one of the only children’s trails in the Amazon, which makes it a great place for families with small children. Enjoy a canopy tower to spot toucans, parrots and other birds flying over the rainforest canopy. You will also visit small claylicks and have a chance to visit a large macaw claylick. Pick from a range of activity options offered from the Refugio Amazonas. These include the canopy tower, ethnobotanical trail, lake visits and a number of others.
   
   

   

   

   

   

   4, 5 days+

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   The Refugio Amazonas Lodge

   Puerto Maldonado, Peru

   The Refugio Amazonas Lodge & Spa is an Amazon Rainforest lodge located in the buffer zone of Tambopata National Reserve. Explore the surrounding rainf...

   • Comfort Lodge, Short Travel Time

   From $ 760

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   Includes: all meals, accommodation, selection of guided tours, transfers from and to puerto maldonado airport.

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   Sarah

   The lodge was a fantastic, beautiful, clean, eco-friendly, and exciting place to tour the amazon. The facilities were fabulous, beautiful, and unique…

3. The Posada Amazonas Lodge

   The Posada Amazonas is a community-owned lodge near a fantastic lake for spotting endangered giant river otters. The lodge is a great option for a 3 or 4-day experience of the Amazon Rainforest.
   
   Enjoy guided tours led by members of the Ese-Eja community to explore the surrounding rainforest. See several different monkeys, colorful birds, different reptiles and amphibians. You will also find tall rainforest trees and delicate flowers.
   
   In addition to the resident giant river otters, the nearby lake is home to hoatzin birds, caiman crocodiles and horned screamers. From Posada Amazonas Lodge, you will also visit a working community farm and enjoy the ethnobotanical trail. You can also visit a small claylick to watch colorful parrots. On tour from Posada Amazonas Lodge, there are different activities. These include the tall canopy tower for watching birds over the rainforest canopy, rainforest walks and night hikes.
   
   You can also enjoy a selection of add-on activities, including jungle mountain biking.
   
   

   

   

   

   

   3, 4 days+

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   The Posada Amazonas Lodge

   Puerto Maldonado, Peru

   At the Posada Amazonas Lodge, enjoy a comfortable experience of Peru’s Amazon Rainforest from Puerto Maldonado. Because of the position inside the Es...

   • Comfort Lodge, Short Travel Time

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   Includes: all meals, accommodation, selection of guided tours, transfers from and to puerto maldonado airport.

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   Tina

   Exceptionally clean, easy to maneuver, the staff was excellent, the food was remarkable. Everything is from a fresh local farm. Outstanding. Everyone…

Iquitos

Iquitos is a port city of the Amazon River to enjoy guided tours of the Peruvian Amazon. Choose from different lodges for the rainforest and multi-day cruises of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

Famous as the largest city on Earth unconnected to any other by road, you can visit the city aboard a direct flight from either Lima or Cusco.

The main attraction here is enjoy a tour from an Amazon Rainforest lodge or cruise. However, there are also some different things to do in Iquitos itself.

A favorite thing to do in Iquitos city is to enjoy visiting the Manatee Rescue Center.

Here, you can see manatees and turtles being cared for before their release into nearby protected areas. This option is included on many cruises and different rainforest lodges can add this to your itinerary.

When to visit Iquitos

Like many other tropical areas, Iquitos is a fantastic place to visit no matter when you wish to travel. However, there is a wetter season from October to June.

Note that wet weather can be expected at all times of year. The rain often falls towards late afternoon and evening then clears by the next morning. This means it doesn’t usually affect your experience. But sometimes the rain can last for a few days at a time.

For more information, you can see the Iquitos Travel Guide.

There are some fantastic tours from Iquitos, including deep jungle lodges and Amazon RIver cruises.

Our recommendations to experience the Iquitos Amazon Rainforest are below. These offer exploration of the Pacaya Samiria Reserve and Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve:

1. The Tahuayo Lodge

   This is a Rainforest Alliance certified lodge and one of the favorite lodges in Amazonia for wildlife lovers. On this Amazon tour, you can experience both the main Tahuayo Lodge and Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center.
   
   
   View The Tahuayo Lodge video
   Iquitos, Peru

   
   
   Enjoy a deep rainforest experience to see fantastic wildlife on guided walks. Spot pink river dolphins in the Amazon’s tributaries, many different monkeys, toucans and macaws. You can also find anaconda, blue morpho butterflies, poison dart frogs and caiman crocodilians.
   
   The monkeys you can find are particularly diverse. Your guide will lead you along trail walks in the rainforest to find many different monkeys. Spot capuchins, squirrel monkeys, titi monkeys, sakis, howler monkeys, pygmy marmosets and tamarins. A few lucky visitors are even fortunate to see the rare red uakari monkeys deep in the reserve.
   
   The Tahuayo Lodge offers itineraries from 4-days and over. However, 6 days are required to visit both the Tahuayo Lodge and Tahuayo River Amazon Research Center. Tours of 4 and 5 days will be restricted to the main lodge, which still offers abundant wildlife and a range of activities.
   
   Enjoy a private and custom tour as standard to explore the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve. Head out on walking trails, traditional canoes, boat trips and night spotting excursions.
   
   

   

   

   

   

   6 days+

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   The Tahuayo Lodge

   Iquitos, Peru

   From the Tahuayo Lodge, you will explore the Amazon Rainforest’s wildlife-rich Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve with a private guide on a custom itinerary. ...

   • Private Guide, Custom Itinerary

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   Includes: all transfers from iquitos, lodging, all meals, excursions-customized for your interests, entrance fees, tourist taxes, laundry and tips

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   Graham

   What we liked? In a word, everything! Our guide, Herzog, was excellent and we enjoyed all of the activities that he organized for us. We learned so m…

2. The Delfin I Amazon Cruise

   The Delfin I offers you not just a cruise, but a floating boutique luxury hotel in the Amazon. And with only four opulent, oversized suites, exclusivity is your reality. Imagine the space, the comfort and the intimate connection with the Amazon Rainforest, all wrapped in the cocoon of unparalleled luxury.
   
   After incredible excursions, lay on your large luxurious bed watching the rainforest and colorful birds from the privacy of your suite.
   
   Cuisine aboard the Delfin I is an experience in itself and the quality and flavors complement the beauty of Amazonia and the elegance of the vessel.
   
   Deserving the attention, the cruise has graced the pages of CNN Money, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, and Travel+Leisure. Picture yourself in one of the two suites boasting a private whirlpool as you voyage deep into the wildlife-rich rainforest of the Pacaya Samiria.
   
   Click the video below for a short introduction.
   
   
   View The Delfin I video
   Iquitos, Peru

   
   
   But remember, with only four suites, the Delfin I books quickly. And to ensure your space, act swiftly. We advise booking your journey 3 to 6 months in advance. Don't just dream about luxury in the Amazon — embrace it on the Delfin I.
   
   Send your request to the Delfin I cruise to check availability for your travel dates and receive your itinerary using the tour bubble below.
   
   

   

   

   

   

   4, 5 days

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   The Delfin I

   Iquitos, Peru

   Offering an on-board experience second to none, the Delfin I Luxury Cruise begins in Iquitos, north Peru, and takes you on a cruise of the flooded tro...

   • Luxury Cruise, Pacaya Samiria

   From $ 4,600

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   Includes: all meals, accommodation, all excursions, alcoholic beverages, juices, house wines, luxury transfers from & to iquitos airport

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   Stephen

   First class operation. Top to bottom! Loved the attention to detail.

3. The Delfin III Cruise

   The Delfin III offers a luxury Amazon River cruise from Iquitos and is the larger small-group sister vessel of the Delfin I. Although the Delfin III offers the advantage of a lower rate then the Delfin I, service, cuisine and comfort are equally high. And you can also choose the premium suite options at the front of the vessel.
   
   The cruise vessel features hardwood floors and designer furniture. And there is also handmade Peruvian artifacts decorating the interior. The Delfin III provides four classes of accommodation. The lower deck features the Suites, which offer floor-to-ceiling windows to stay connected to the rainforest. This level then has two spacious Corner Suites at the front of the vessel for fantastic views. On the upper deck, you can find the Upper Suites and one very large Owner's Suite as the premium accommodation option. On the upper deck, you can then find the indoor and outdoor lounge, a sundeck with plunge pool, bar, gym and spa.
   
   From the vessel, you will head out with your professional guide for rainforest exploration to see a variety of animals. See several different monkeys, toucans, parrots and many other animals. To check availability for your travel dates, send the Delfin III a request with the tour bubble below.
   
   

   

   

   

   

   4, 5 days

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   The Delfin III

   Iquitos, Peru

   The Delfin III provides a luxury cruise of the Amazon River. The vessel features hardwood floors, designer furniture and is dotted with handmade P...

   • Luxury Cruise, Pacaya Samiria

   From $ 3,700

   / person

   Book now

   Includes: all meals, accommodation, all excursions, select alcoholic beverages, juices, house wines with meals, luxury transfers from & to iquitos airport.

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