Planning Your Own Amazon Adventure

The Peruvian Amazon

Peru is where the Amazon river starts. It begins as snow and glaciers high up in the Peruvian Andes. This melts into small mountain streams which gather force as they tumble down the steep Andean mountainsides. These rivers have gouged out deep canyons and flow along dangerous rapids which have provided thrills and hair-raising experiences for a limited few.

Further down the mountains, the rivers pass through temperate mountain forests which are almost permanently shrouded in mist. These forests have become known as "Cloud Forests", and contain a rich variety of plants and animals – where tropical Amazon species mix with mountain species. It is the home to many unique species of orchids, birds, and butterflies. Then, at a few hundred feet above sea level, the mountains stop and the Amazon basin begins.

Peru is a great place for an Amazon adventure because it offers lots of choices. The rainforests are less developed than in Brazil, which means more opportunities for travelling into remote areas and seeing wildlife in its natural environment. My journey through the Manu Reserve with Expeditiones Manu is one of my best and most memorable experiences ever! Travellers can combine their Amazon experience with visits to the other wonderful places which Peru has to offer – including Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and Nazca to name a few. Cuzco gets special mention because its a terrific place for adventures. In addition to taking a journey into the Manu Reserve, visitors can hike the Inca Trail, visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, go river rafting on the Apurimac, spend a day horse riding around Inca ruins, visit cathedrals and museums, or take one of the many the guided tours available. There's loads of low-cost accommodation, and plenty of pubs and restaurants to enjoy the evenings.

Manu Reserve

Access into Manu Reserve is difficult. This makes trips very pricey, and they may become even more expensive in the future if visitor numbers are restricted. Restrictions on visitor numbers are being considered as a way to minimise tourist impact on the environment.

The cheapest Manu tours cost about $US 600 per person for five days. Be careful choosing tours since some operators aren't environmentally conscious and use unqualified guides. Consider paying the extra money to go with a guide who can tell you more about the wildlife and ecology, and who ensures that your visit causes minimal disruption for the animals and their environment. Some tours cut costs by skimping on the quality of food provided when camping, so ask about the menus and snacks offered during your journey.

Most Manu tours involve camping, but you can also stay in rainforest lodges. Lodges at Manu Wildlife Centre are highly recommended, although there are also several other lodges to choose from. Staying in the middle of the rainforest, you shouldn't expect a five-star hotel (or even electricity) – but lodge stays mean comfortable beds, toilets, showers, and good food. You still get to experience rainforest walks and other short expeditions, learn about the ecology, and see animals in their natural environment.

Adventurers mounting trips on the Madre de Dios river can proceed onto Porto Maldonado, though this takes about a week and is an arduous journey. Lots of things can go wrong travelling through the jungle or on the river – so talk with the local people, take the right equipment, and (most importantly) take a guide who knows the area and who can help if you get lost!

Iquitos

Another popular point for Amazon tours is the town of Iquitos. With 400,000 people, it's Peru's largest jungle town. There are no roads to get there, so the only way in is by airplane or travelling along the river. Iquitos is full of markets selling local produce – exotic fruits, fish, and handicrafts. The most interesting markets are located in the "floating city" of Belén – the so-called Venice of Peru where the waters of the Amazon flow right through the town durning the high-water season. Elsewhere in the city there are beautiful old colonial buildings and left-over relics from the excesses of the Amazon rubber boom. Iquitos is also Peru's biggest Amazon river port – a place where you can get cruises on luxury riverboats which will take you to remote riverside villages where you can meet the local people or venture on guided excursions into the surrounding rainforest.

If you're really adventurous, you can travel to Iquitos by river – going along the Urubamba and Ucayali rivers. The Urubamba flows through one of the valleys below Machu Picchu, and later goes through a notorious (and beautiful) rapid called the Pongo de Manaique which should only be attempted in the dry season (June to September). The journey goes through some interesting and remote areas, but will take two to three weeks meaning that you need to be well equipped and have a guide.

Should You be Concerned About Terrorism in Peru?

A major concern in the past for tourists travelling into Peru has been the risk of terrorism. Peru's two revolutionary movements were the Sendero Luminoso ("Shining Path") and the Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru (MRTA). The Shining Path were the biggest and most violent movement, regularly attacking government and foreign-owned targets. Their ideology was a mixture of indigenous nationalism and Chinese Maoist philosophy. During the 1980s they were engaged in a brutal war with the government, in which countless thousands of innocent people and suspected "collaborators" were killed by both sides. The MRTA was the group responsible for the infamous siege of the Japanese Embassy in December 1996.

One suggested reason why the revolutionary movements became so big was widespread public outrage at the blatant corruption of government officials. Corrupt officials frequently stole money for themselves and lived in luxury, while the rest of the population remained poor and endured harsh conditions. Prior to 1990, the Peruvian economy was grossly mismanaged, and inflation was 10,000%. A second reason for the growth of the revolutionary movements was the treatment of suspected guerilla sympathisers. If a person was known to have sympathies with the guerillas, then all their friends and family were also automatically suspected by the government. For many people it was safer to run off and join the guerillas than face the possibility of torture or death by government troops at home.

Changes came when President Albert Fujimori was elected in 1990. He introduced sweeping economic reforms which, although painful at first, have resulted in growth and real improvements for most Peruvians. Inflation has dropped dramatically, and is currently running at about 10 percent. Fujimori also launched a crackdown on government corruption, trying and convicting corrupt officials. He dealt with terrorism, firstly by offering an amnesty to guerillas who turned in their weapons and rejoined society. Many former guerillas took up this offer, seeing it as an escape to their many years of violence. Eventually there was only a handful of the most hardened guerillas left, and the remainder of the movements were crushed in a series of military operations and its leaders were captured. This meant an end to the long and bitter war with the Shining Path – many formerly guerilla-controlled territories have now been reopened without any further incidents. Recent evidence shows that the Shining Path's leaders were every bit as corrupt as the corrupt government officials they were fighting against – living luxurious lifestyles and heavily involved in the drugs trade.

The MRTA movement was also mortally wounded. Most of its leaders were already in prison when they struck the Japanese Embassy in December 1996. The siege was seen as a last ditch effort by the movement – but the long siege ended in a skillfull operation by Peruvian marines several months later. All the terrorists were killed in the gunfight, and one hostage died as the result of a heart attack. This final act seems to have resulted in the end of the MRTA. It is unlikely that the revolutionary movements will survive in any strength, since the government has cleaned up its act and now has something positive to offer the Peruvian people.

When travelling in Peru you may meet former guerrillas who now run shops, farms, and even work as tourist guides. Their stories are fascinating, and their comments reveal how greatly things have changed under the Fujimori government. The govenment is very right-wing, but wins praise from many for putting an end to the problems and having improved lifestyles for most Peruvians. The economy is growing, and Peruvians now have more opportunities than ever before.

Although the terrorism problems in Peru seem to be over, things could potentially change if the government runs into trouble. If you are concerned, check current news sources and US State Department's advice for visitors to Peru.

More Information

Visit the links in the References section of this site. It includes links to travel companies offering trips in Peru, as well as other more general information. Also check the references for books. One book which deserves special mention is Lonely Planet's Peru guide which includes a section on the Peruvian Amazon.