The Amazon jungle is a place that inspires awe and admiration. The Amazon rainforest sprawls across several South American countries, and one of the best countries to visit it from is Peru. A Peru tour to the jungle is a great compliment to a vacation that probably includes Machu Picchu and Cusco. If you include Lima, you'll get to see three very different types of ecosystems and environments in one trip: the desert landscape of Lima, the jungles of the Amazon, and the Andes near Cusco.
The two main places in Peru to visit the Amazon are Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado. If you're planning to visit Machu Picchu as well, it is recommended that you visit the Puerto Maldonado portion of the rainforest, because it is very close to Cusco-only about an hour away by airplane.
Puerto Maldonado is close to the border of Brazil and Bolivia (other countries that hold part of the mighty jungle) and it actually a frontier town used as a launching point into deeper parts of the Amazon. The town has a Plaze de Armas, or a center square, like many cities in Latin America. For a good view of the town you might want to pay a few soles and enter the large obelisk tower.
Once you're done in the city itself (and really, you only need a few hours), you most likely will hop on a boat for your boat ride to your Amazon lodge. There are two rivers by town: the Tambopata River, and the Madre Dios River. They meet near the east end of town. Most lodges are one to two hours away boat.
The type of lodge varies drastically. Some have modern comforts, while others have no electricity or hot water. Some lodges have rooms that are closed off from the elements, while others have rooms with only three walls, so that guests feel at one with the jungle. However, one thing all lodges will have in common is the offer of expert guided nature walks. During these walks visitors are sure to see many different types of animals, such as toucans, parrots, peccaries, and piranhas. Although the big animals of the rainforest are famous (like anacondas and jaguars) these are very hard to spot in the dense growth of the jungle, and they tend to stay away from areas populated by people-even if it is only a few people temporarily at a jungle lodge.
No comments:
Post a Comment