PeruNorth's musings on events & destinations in Northern Peru, Amazonia ... and beyond. Detailed tour reviews.
With almost two thirds of Peru being classified as being within Amazonia, there are numerous entry points to the ‘selva’. However, the two most popular starting points for a Peruvian Amazon adventure are the cities of Puerto Maldonado in Southern Peru, and Iquitos in the North.
A common question, then, is which one is ‘better’. An understandable, but very tricky, question!
Bruce and Martha, an adventurous couple in their 60s from Tennessee, put together an ambitious itinerary with PeruNorth, eschewing Machu Picchu to take in lesser-visited parts of Peru that encompassed a full range of the country’s contrasting geography: coast, desert, mountains and jungle.
English couple, Jordan Fry & Annabelle Burt had a deep interest in the natural history of the rainforest and took the time to visit Muyuna Amazon Lodge (in the North) in June 2018 and Tambopata Research Centre (TRC) in July. Here is their comparative review:
To date, 94 people have died, and an estimated 700,000 have been left homeless, as a direct result of the landslides and flooding, brought on by unusually heavy rains on the Western side of the Andes.
What, then, is causing all this destruction? To understand this, we need to look at Peru's coastal climate which, in a similar way to southern California, blends strong desert and offshore influences.
A good maxim when packing to go on holiday is 'half the luggage; twice the money'! Peru has plenty of shops, selling everything from Alpaca sweaters to camera batteries, and by spending in them, visitors are doing their bit to support the local economy.
Moreover, we once had a client arrive for a two-week holiday in Belize with just hand luggage ... and this was by choice, not at the whim of the airline. He had two shirts and would wash one, while he wore the other.
Nonetheless, Peru North understands that this is not the norm, and so please see our advice on what to bring. Northern Peru is a very diverse place, geographically, climatically and culturally, so there will be variations according to your exact destination. We will start with the essentials, and then suggest additions, according to the region or activity.
In the 1970s, biologists began exploring the rainforest canopy, experimenting with tree-climbing gear, platforms, and even hot-air balloons to study little-known plants and animals which lived only in the tree-tops.
Now, for many visitors ascending into the canopy is a real highlight of their Amazon experience.
