The Peruvian Amazon
Here, expert naturalist guides lead you along quiet trails where sightings can include great tinamou, rufescent tiger-heron, mountain caracara and mitred parakeet, among countless others. Wildlife encounters are no less compelling beyond the birdlife. Jaguars, ocelots, marmosets, armadillos and elusive tayras all call this verdant paradise home.
We arrange immersive stays in carefully chosen jungle lodges set deep within protected reserves, or aboard comfortable river boats cruising the waterways of the northern jungle. Explored on foot or by river, the Amazon rewards unhurried discovery, shaped around your pace and interests.
- Vast, sparsely populated rainforest with a strong sense of remoteness
- A rich mix of ecosystems, from oxbow lakes to dense lowland jungle
- Exceptional birdlife, including macaws, toucans and clay-lick congregations
- Opportunities to spot rare mammals such as jaguar and giant river otters
- Insightful encounters with riverine and indigenous communities, offering a deeper understanding of life shaped by the rainforest
- Expert naturalist guides who interpret the rainforest in depth
- Choice of characterful jungle lodges or comfortable river cruises
- Year-round wildlife viewing with subtle seasonal variation
- A powerful contrast to Peru’s Andean and cultural regions
From The Team
“The Amazon adds something very special to a journey through Peru. Beyond the wildlife, it’s the scale and stillness that stay with you. I was fascinated by how little of its biodiversity is fully understood, yet how much of modern medicine comes from it – and travelling by river simply feels good for the soul.”
Experiences in the Peruvian Amazon
A stay in the Peruvian Amazon offers a rich mix of wildlife encounters and gentle exploration, shaped by expert guiding and the rhythms of the rainforest.A stay in the Peruvian Amazon offers a rich mix of wildlife encounters and gentle exploration, shaped by expert guiding and the rhythms of the rainforest.
Glide along rainforest rivers at dusk, spotting birds and wildlife as the forest settles and the light softens.
Explore the rainforest on foot with expert naturalist guides, learning to identify plants, insects and wildlife hidden beneath the canopy.
With exceptional diversity, the Amazon rewards birdwatching at every level, from vibrant macaws and toucans to rarer species near clay licks.
Paddle quietly across mirror-like oxbow lakes, home to birdlife, monkeys and giant river otters.
Seek out elusive pink river dolphins along quieter tributaries, often spotted surfacing beside small boats.
Travel by small boat through narrow channels and inlets inaccessible to larger vessels, revealing a more intimate side of the rainforest.
After dark, venture out to discover nocturnal wildlife, from tree frogs and insects to night-active mammals.
Visit local riverine or indigenous communities to gain insight into daily life, traditions and the rainforest’s cultural heritage.
Between excursions, relax on deck or at your lodge, watching the river drift past and the rainforest reveal itself at a slower pace.
All activities are led by specialist naturalist guides who adapt each experience to conditions, interests and the pace of the day.
Amazon Cruises & Jungle Lodges
We arrange immersive Amazon experiences in Peru using a carefully balanced mix of river cruises and wildlife lodges. Every journey is privately planned around your interests, pace and dates. Here are a few of our favourites.We arrange immersive Amazon experiences in Peru using a carefully balanced mix of river cruises and wildlife lodges. Every journey is privately planned around your interests, pace and dates. Here are a few of our favourites.
Sleek, spacious, state-of-the-art and sophisticated, ‘Pure Amazon’, launching mid-2025, is set to be a luxuriously modern vessel designed specifically for Amazonia.
With excellent eco-credentials, the 45-metre Aria Amazon is a luxury vessel that was specifically designed to take adventurers deep into the Amazon ecosystem with minimal impact.
An expedition on Delfin I cannot be beaten for the luxurious and personal experience it gives of the mighty Amazon and its tributaries.
The Reserva Amazonica is in a unique location for a hotel. It’s in the depths of the rainforest, a 25-minute flight from Cusco, and the 35 cabanas are dotted amongst the trees.
Since its maiden voyage in 2020, Aqua Nera has been setting the standard for river boat exploration in the Amazon region. With a maximum of 40 guests, looked after by 40 staff, you can expect an unforgettable experience that is both adventurous and relaxing in equal measure.
The luxurious Delfin III explores the Maranon and Ucayali Rivers in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve of Amazonian Peru.
Peru Journeys, Designed Around You
These journeys offer a sense of what’s possible in Peru. Each holiday we arrange is shaped privately around your interests, timing and pace, and adapted entirely to the way you like to travel.These journeys offer a sense of what’s possible in Peru. Each holiday we arrange is shaped privately around your interests, timing and pace, and adapted entirely to the way you like to travel.
A thoughtfully paced journey combining wildlife, culture and gentle adventure, designed for families travelling together – with private guiding, flexible days and experiences that engage all generations.
A refined journey through Peru’s most iconic regions, combining exceptional guides, characterful places to stay and carefully sequenced experiences, shaped entirely around your interests and timing.
An energetic exploration of Peru’s landscapes and culture, blending walking, cycling and outdoor experiences with private guiding, comfortable lodges and the freedom to tailor the pace.
Exploring the Amazon as a Family
The Amazon rainforest can be a fascinating part of a family holiday in Peru when planned with care. We often recommend it for families with curious older children and teenagers, as well as multi-generational groups who enjoy nature and shared discovery.
Families can explore from a comfortable jungle lodge or aboard a small river cruise, with expert naturalist guides leading wildlife walks, river excursions and night-time exploration. Each day is shaped around your family’s interests and energy levels, allowing the experience to feel immersive without being rushed. See how this fits into a broader Peru Family Holiday.
Amazon Travel: Your Questions Answered
When planning a journey into the Amazon, travellers often ask us about wildlife, seasons, where to go and how travel works on the ground. We’ve answered some of the most common questions below to help you understand what to expect.When planning a journey into the Amazon, travellers often ask us about wildlife, seasons, where to go and how travel works on the ground. We’ve answered some of the most common questions below to help you understand what to expect.
You can explore this in more detail in our Wildlife of Deepest Darkest Peru article or see how the Amazon fits into a journey such as our Family Adventure in Peru or Luxury Tailormade Peru Journey trip ideas.
In the northern Amazon, the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve is a vast, river-based ecosystem often explored by boat. Wildlife experiences here focus on flooded forests, pink river dolphins, manatees and abundant birdlife along remote waterways.
We match the region carefully to your interests, the pace you prefer and how you’d like to explore – whether that’s from a jungle lodge or aboard a river cruise.
You can see how this fits into a wider itinerary on our Luxury Peru: A Tailor-Made Journey page.
Days are typically shaped around guided jungle walks, river excursions, wildlife spotting and night-time exploration, led by expert naturalist guides who adapt activities to the season and your interests. Between outings, lodges offer relaxed spaces to rest, observe wildlife from the riverbanks or canopy, and enjoy excellent local cuisine — allowing the experience to feel both enriching and unhurried.
You can see examples of how this works in practice on our Peru Family Holidays page or within our Family Adventure in Peru itinerary example.
Truly Amazing Experiences
Over the years we have been lucky enough to travel to a number of countries in Africa but also to Peru and Brazil/Argentina and wherever we have been, we have had truly amazing experiences. Quite simply this is because we have been dealing with a team who not only take the time and trouble to find out what we really want but also who have the detailed personal knowledge of the places that they recommend.
Why Travel with Journeysmiths
We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.We are a boutique travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been crafting the finest tailor-made holidays to the world’s wild places. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you every time.
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