Peru

The Amazonas region is famous for its cloud forests, páramo (alpine tundra ecosystem) and exceptional microclimates. It is home to orchids, Andean bears and cocks-of-the-rock, as well as archaeological sites like the enigma of Kuélap, the citadel built between the Andes and the jungle, and mysterious tombs and sarcophagi, the legacy of the Chachapoya culture that once reigned here. Mansions and colonial balconies and a landscape of lakes and gigantic waterfalls like Gocta and Yumbilla create a destination with endless possibilities. Iquitos, capital of Loreto, is isolated from the rest of the world by the impassable rainforest, crossed by the longest and biggest river in the world, the Amazon. The city has a modern and interesting character deriving from popular art.

Puerto Maldonado (Maldonado Port) is the capital of the region and departure point for journeys along the Tambopata & Piedras rivers and the lower part of the Madre de Dios river. This region is also home to indigenous communities that promote ecotourism in regions with some of the richest biodiversity in the world, such as Lake Sandoval, Lake Valencia, Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park and the greatest Manu National Park.

The Manu National Park is one of the most extraordinary places for supporting the greatest biodiversity on earth, recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Its great diversity is a consequence of its location where the Andes meet the Amazon. Its altitudinal range means it supports a variety of habitats such as: Puna grassland, Cloud forest, lowland Amazon rainforest, rivers and lakes (cochas). In its pristine forests one can find huge trees of over 40 meters high, and among the most remarkable animals one can observe Jaguar, Giant Otter, Black-faced Black Spider Monkey, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock, Black Caiman, Harpy Eagle and seven species of Macaws; as well as many beautiful butterflies, colorful frogs, and amazing insects. It is one of the few areas in the world that still supports groups of people living in their ancestral way in harmony with their environment.