Few people associate Peru with the Amazon but amazingly almost 60 per cent of the country is covered by rainforest which is fast becoming an increasingly popular destination for nature lovers and tourists alike. The rainforests are home, though, to only five per cent of Peru’s total population which in turn means that the country’s jungle remains relatively unspoiled and largely intact. And needless to say its biological diversity is almost unmatched in the world, the numbers of butterflies, insects, birds, trees, plants and mammal species is phenomenal. It is estimated that around 50 indigenous tribes live in the Peruvian Amazon; some have given way to the influences of the modern world while others endeavour to protect their subsistence lifestyles.

In the northern jungle, the most important access point is the lively city of Iquitos through which flows the biggest river in the world, the Rio Amazonas. Just south of Iquitos is the Parque Nacional Pacaya Samiria, almost unrivalled in untouched flora and fauna. Farther south is the Valle de Chanchamayo and the city of Pucallpa which is accessible by road from Lima via Tingo Maria and in the far south the jungle city of Puerto Maldonado is the access point for three protected areas: the Parque Nacional Manu, the Parque Nacional Bahuaja-Sonene and the Reserva Nacional Tambopata.

The Amazon in Peru has become much more accessible over the past few years and now there are numerous tour operators, jungle lodges and river cruises which will help you experience the unique rainforest environment.