From Ecuador to Brazil, even the average Joe can experience the Amazon's wonders. Photo / 123rf
From Ecuador to Brazil, even the average Joe can experience the Amazon's wonders. Photo / 123rf
When we think of the Amazon, we often envisage Indiana Jones-style adventurists with Bear Grylls survival skills, but it’s not totally out of bounds for ordinary folk. Here are seven places every traveller can visit, writes Eibhlis Gale-Coleman.
If you ever want to be slapped in the face by the paradox of your insignificance , visit the Amazon Rainforest. It’s safe to say it’s massive, with 6.7 million sprawling square kilometres with corners in eight countries. Yet the region is a delicate balance of different ecosystems that demand our protection. It cradles rare wildlife like jaguars and pink river dolphins and houses up to 22% of the Earth’s plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world.
With such diversity, which region you pick is of great importance. These are seven spots to keep in mind.
Yasuni National Park, Ecuador
Yasuni National Park attracts the vast majority of Amazon tourism in Ecuador, where the eastern third of the country lies in the Amazon basin. As a result, it’s an optimal choice for those wanting a slick experience, with clockwork transfers to moderate-to-luxury-priced lodges along the Napo River.
Yasuni National Park’s wet season runs from December until June, facilitating better canoe excursions, flowering plants, and primate sightings.
The park houses 600 bird species plus mammals like tapirs, capybaras, and — for the luckiest among visitors — jaguars. However, indigenous cultural preservation is where Yasuni flourishes, with the Waorani Nation leading the way in celebrating their traditions and extensive botanical knowledge alongside tourists.
Getting there: Fly to Coca or take an overnight bus from Quito. From Coca, take a motorised canoe.
Yasuni National Park in Ecuador is home to 600 bird species. Photo / 123rf
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador
Just north of Yasuni National Park is the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, a quieter region of flooded wetlands along the narrower Cuyabeno River. Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve holds plenty of indigenous culture, including the Siona community, who have shared insights into shaman beliefs and rituals for decades.
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve has a quieter appeal and an abundance of budget-friendly lodgings. You can easily find three-day experiences, including meals and activities, for less than $500.
As a wetland complex, essentially a “flooded forest” ecosystem, Cuyabeno has unrivalled access to lagoons and creeks. This is perfect for spotting pink river dolphins, monkeys, birds and caiman. It’s well-suited to wet or dry season travel, although the wet season is better if you want to swim in its largest lagoon.
Access: Overnight shuttle from Quito to Lago Agrio, then a motorised canoe ride.
Why visit: Precious flooded wetland habitats.
Accommodation: Green Forest Ecolodge
Tambopata, Peru
Tambopata is Peru’s top candidate for Amazon tourism as the most convenient region of protected rainforest (at least by Amazon standards). If you’re hitting Peru for a whistlestop visit, Tambopata is the most realistic itinerary addition. With plenty of lodge options and structured tourism experiences, you can easily organise a three- or four-day tour.
As the second-largest Amazon region, the Peruvian Amazon is special due to its varied elevation, creating a cloud forest phenomenon. Shrouded in mist and cloud, this results in near-constant precipitation rather than a reliance on rainfall.
At Tambopata, you can spot wildlife like boas, macaws, caimans, and primates. There’s also Chuncho Macaw Clay Lick, the world’s largest macaw clay lick, at Tambopata Research Centre.
Access: 30-minute flight or overnight bus from Cusco.
Why visit: Easy access to cloud forests.
Accommodation: Tambopata Research Centre
Tambopata in Peru boasts the world's largest macaw clay lick. Photo / 123rf
Manu National Park, Peru
Manu National Park is better suited to those who like a challenge. Unlike Tambopata, this region of the Peruvian Amazon is quite hard to access. It’s feasible enough through a guided tour, but it’s better for those with more time on their hands.
However, with superb altitude variation, Manu is a stunning place to witness cloud forests. And with wildlife like capybaras, primates and alligators, you’ll have plenty of incredible sightings.
Avoid the May to October wet season, where temperatures boom, and frequent downpours can make that long journey trickier.
Access: Take a bus from Cusco and a boat transfer. Alternatively, take a flight to Boca Manu or Puerto Maldonado and then a boat transfer.
Why visit: More remote terrain and spectacular wildlife sightings.
Accommodation: Treehouse Inn
Manu National Park's altitude variation creates a stunning cloud forest. Photo / 123rf
Manaus, Brazil
Manaus is “the” place to experience the Brazilian Amazon. It’s a beautiful and practical choice, with a plethora of lodges and organised experiences.
Conservation biologist and Manaus expert Marcelo Goncalves de Lima emphasises its beauty, recommending a boat tour of Anavilhanas National Park, the world’s largest freshwater archipelago. Marcelo also recommends the Museu da Amazonia, a formal botanical garden, and sightseeing excursions to spot pink dolphins and primates.
“It is best to avoid the rainy season, from January to June”, Marcelo adds,” The rivers will be full as well, so you will miss the nice white sandy beaches of the Rio Negro and Tapajos”.
Access: Fly from Sao Paulo to Manaus.
Why visit: Flooded wetlands and established tourism infrastructure.
Accommodation: Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge
Cristalino Reserve, Brazil
Cristalino is the wallflower of the Brazilian Amazon, sitting on a private reserve of 11,000ha and accessible only by boat. Public reserves aren’t your only choices when visiting the Amazon Rainforest. Cristalino Reserve is a prime example of more exclusive areas you can access. Only open to guests of Cristalino Lodge, it experiences a pin-drop of foot traffic compared to Manaus.
Unlike Manaus, which is predominantly a wetland forest, Cristalino is a mixed forest reserve. As a quieter reserve, the likelihood of more elusive mammal sightings like jaguars also increases. Brazil holds 60% of the Amazon Rainforest, so researching these private reserves is worthwhile for more privacy and less condensed areas of tourism.
Access: Fly to Cuiaba and then Alta Floresta, followed by two hours by road and boat.
Why visit: Off-the-beaten track on a mixed forest reserve.
Accommodation: Cristalino Lodge
Cristalino Reserve in Brazil is a private reserve known for elusive jaguar sightings. Photo / 123rf
Leticia, Colombia
Colombia holds only approximately 10% of the Amazon Rainforest, but of that 10%, Leticia is the gateway. The border city has an international airport and borders Brazil and Peru. Unlike other options, Leticia sits directly on the banks of the Amazon River, not its tributaries.
The whole city lives and breathes an urban Amazon lifestyle, with parrots roosting amid the sound of motorbikes in its Santander Park and indigenous culture displayed at the Ethnographic Museum. It blends urban sightseeing with a launchpad for wildlife immersion experiences further along the river. Wildlife includes pink and grey dolphins, primates and even sloths.
