The classic African safari has some serious competition in South America. The Peruvian Amazon delivers all the awe of a game drive, but swaps dusty plains for lush jungle, jeeps for canoes and zebras for pink dolphins. This is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth — home to at least 10% of all known species — and Peru offers some of the region’s best access, luxury accommodations and guided experiences to help make a client’s trip extraordinary.
Now, more than ever, is the time for travel advisors to put the Peruvian Amazon front and center in their adventure-loving clients’ travel plans. It makes a meaningful addition to a trip to Machu Picchu, which draws nearly 1 million visitors per year. It also opens the door to one of the most vital ecosystems on Earth. This isn’t a destination to put off for “someday” — it’s a place to prioritize now.
Here’s how to get the right clients on board for a trip to the Peruvian Amazon — and how to craft an unforgettable adventure for them.
What Makes the Peruvian Amazon So Special?
It’s easy to understand the appeal of the Amazon for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. It’s a one-of-a-kind ecosystem that’s home to an astonishing variety of wildlife: pink dolphins, sloths, howler monkeys, iguanas, tree frogs and toucans, to name a few. Travelers can spend their days fishing for piranha from canoes on lazy rivers, then take a guided trek through the jungle after dark to see animals that only come out at night.
The Amazon stretches across eight different countries, so why choose Peru as your gateway to this enchanting biome?
“The Amazon is a pretty storied place for people, and Peru has the best infrastructure and access to it,” said Gabrielle Venturi, sales director at Vaya Adventures, which specializes in private tailor-made travel worldwide, particularly South America.
What also sets Peru apart is that it offers two distinct regions where travelers can explore the Amazon, each delivering a different flavor of adventure. In southeastern Peru, the Puerto Maldonado region is easy to reach from Cusco and features lodge-based stays in the jungle. The northern region, which is accessible from the city of Iquitos, offers travelers the chance to cruise waterways on riverboats with a higher level of luxury.
“The main differences are going to be in the type of wildlife you’re seeing and the actual lodging options,” noted Jasmine Scott, elite Latin America specialist at Audley Travel, which offers tailor-made vacations and private tours of the Peruvian Amazon and many other destinations.
Who the Peruvian Amazon Is For (and How To Sell It)
The Peruvian Amazon isn’t for everyone — but for the right client, it’s a dream destination.
Scott tends to see the most interest in this destination from travelers in their 60s and 70s who’ve already seen a lot of the world and want to finally check the Amazon off their bucket list.
“On the other end of the spectrum are younger travelers or families who are really active and looking to do something adventurous and outdoorsy,” she added.
It’s an especially rewarding destination for travelers with a genuine curiosity about nature — not just those chasing big wildlife moments — since animal sightings can be fleeting.
“You’re going to see animals for sure, but it’s in a dense jungle environment,” Venturi explained. “You’re going to see incredible bird life and quick glimpses of primates through foliage. It’s great for travelers who have an interest in learning about the ecosystem, the incredible diversity of flora and how people live in the jungle.”
For some travelers, the Peruvian Amazon is a vacation destination in its own right. Venturi estimates that about 10% to 15% of her travelers plan their entire trip around exploring the Amazon. The rest of the time, they treat it as an add-on when traveling to see Peru’s other highlights, like Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.
When marketing the Amazon, lead with the sense of discovery and immersion; it’s not just about spotting animals, but stepping into one of the world’s most complex and awe-inspiring ecosystems. Highlighting expert-guided excursions, cultural connections and the chance to explore a threatened landscape can help seal the deal.
And don’t forget to explain just how accessible it is (relatively speaking). Remind clients that Peru has a strong tourism infrastructure and that the rainforest is just a short flight away from major cities, like Lima or Cusco, making the journey easier than they might expect.
Planning Trips to the Peruvian Amazon
The biggest consideration when building an itinerary to the Peruvian Amazon is whether your client wants to go north or south.
The southern Amazon offers a more budget-friendly and immersive experience, with travelers staying at jungle lodges and spending more time on the ground. It’s known for world-class birdwatching, flexible excursions tailored to weather and wildlife activity and a deeper sense of connection to the rainforest itself.
However, there is a trade-off: fewer creature comforts than some travelers might be used to.
“Even the luxury lodges are still rustic to a certain extent,” Scott said. “Sometimes one wall of the room is completely open to the elements, like a porch, and you’ll have mosquito netting over your bed. Electricity may be turned off at times during the day.”
For clients headed to this part of the Peruvian Amazon, Scott recommended lodges like Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica and Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion.
“Inkaterra also has properties in other parts of Peru, so they have a bit of consistency in terms of the level of service they provide to clients,” she said.
But what the region lacks in modern amenities, it makes up for in unforgettable, spontaneous moments in the jungle. Scott recalled a family of six she helped visit the Peruvian Amazon. Their daughter was stung by a bee during a jungle hike, and without skipping a beat, the guide pulled a bug from a nearby tree, opened it up, and smeared it on her wound. Her pain stopped immediately.
“For everyone on the tour, it was mind-blowing,” Scott said. “You can talk all about the medicinal properties of the flora and fauna in the Amazon, but to be able to see it in real life is just so cool.”
In contrast, the northern region is best known for its multi-day river cruises — a great fit for travelers who want to experience the Amazon with the comfort of air-conditioning and great cuisine, or those who already know they love cruising. Scott recommends Jungle Experiences for entry-level trips and Delfin for higher-end Amazon cruises.
It’s a more structured experience, though — the river cruises stick closely to their itineraries, leaving little opportunity for spontaneous exploration or following the whims of nature.
There’s also seasonality to consider. During the dry season (generally June through November), the water is low, which means more opportunities for jungle walks and more concentrated populations of fish.
“You’re almost guaranteed to catch a piranha, and it’s really interesting to see how people fish for them,” Venturi said.
During the wet season, the Amazon basin is flooded, which reduces opportunities to explore the rainforest by foot. Instead, travelers can tour the many waterways by skiff. Plus, the higher water levels keep you much closer to the treetops, where there’s a lot of animal activity. You may even have the chance to go swimming in the Amazon — a thrill that sounds like the beginning of a horror movie, but guides know safe spots, and it makes a great story back home.
“For a lot of people, there’s no way they’re getting in that water. But I’ve done it, and just being in this beautiful jungle environment swimming in the water makes you feel really close to nature,” Venturi said.
And that feeling — whether you experience it when you spot pink river dolphins, breathe the humid jungle air or paddle silently past a tree full of monkeys — is what makes a trip to the Peruvian Amazon something your clients will talk about for years.
“Everyone should visit the Amazon once in their life,” Venturi said. “It’s worth it to feel the jungle and enhance your appreciation for what a rainforest is.”
Originally appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of The Compass magazine
Joni Sweet
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