When thinking about the Amazon rainforest, Brazil is often the first country that comes to mind. But with an extension of six million square kilometers (2.3 million square miles), the Amazon rainforest covers swathes of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia as well.
If you want to visit the Amazon and are going to one of these countries anyway, then the in-country option will give you a great experience. But if you’re choosing a country to visit based on its Amazon experience, read on to find out which will suit you best!
Since the Amazon Basin covers such a huge area, there are many options for visiting the rainforest. For the sake of conciseness, this article highlights the key hubs in each country that are relatively accessible and straightforward to explore.
Which country is best for traveling to the Amazon?
Choices for exploring the Amazon range from Colombia right down to Bolivia, but the best one for you depends on plenty of different factors.
For me, the combination of accessibility and more remote experiences means Ecuador and Peru are my top choices. Both have a mix of high-end and more economical accommodation options, as well as luxury river cruises, which can offer a particularly unique way of approaching the rainforest.
What’s more, since you can travel overland by bus to Puerto Maldonado and El Coca, they are excellent options for those on a strict budget.
Keep reading for more information about the different places to visit in the Amazon below; this table below summarizes different aspects you might want to consider when deciding where to travel.
| Peru: Puerto Maldonado | Peru: Iquitos | Ecuador: El Coca | Colombia: Leticia | Bolivia: Rurrenabaque | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to get there (the lowest cost return ticket, with checked bag at time of writing) | Flights $155 USD; bus $32 USD; both from Cusco | Flights $170 USD from Lima | Flights $245 USD; bus $20 USD; both from Quito | Flights $220 USD from Bogota | Flights $200 USD; bus $20 USD; both from La Paz |
| Accessible overland (by bus or car)* | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Good for budget travel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Good for luxury travel | Yes | Yes (cruises only) | Yes | No | No |
| Good for a remote rainforest experience | Yes | Yes, in certain areas | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cheapest two-night all-inclusive package | From $210 USD | From $150 USD | From $100 USD | From $400 USD (accommodation-only from $5 USD) | From $250 USD |
| Are you likely to see river dolphins? | No | Yes | Only on longer cruises | Yes | Yes |
*You can get to Leticia and Iquitos through a combination of bus and boat travel if you have enough time!
Things to consider when planning your trip
Wildlife
One of your key motivations for traveling to the Amazon is likely to see wildlife. The Amazon is the largest and most biodiverse rainforest on earth, home to tens of thousands of different kinds of plants and thousands of bird and animal species.
Alongside the experience of being immersed in the lush jungle, most people want to see key species on their visit. When you think of animals in the Amazon, monkeys, sloths, capybara, parrots, macaws, caimans, frogs, and maybe even anacondas, come to mind.
The good news is that, wherever you go, you’ll have a good chance of seeing at least some of these animals and birds. Tours are designed around wildlife sightings and the good guides are excellent at making sure you can tick species off your list.
No matter how good your guide is though, what you see during your trip will be dependent on various factors: where you are, how noisy your group is, if it rained recently, and just blind luck!
The lodges, cruises, and tour companies mentioned later in the article have great guides to increase your chances of wildlife sightings.
But what if you want to see the pink river dolphin? Or wild cats?
Seeing an ocelot or a jaguar is a bit of a long shot anywhere, but the deeper into the rainforest you go, the better your chances. The Tambopata Reserve in Peru probably has the highest rate of visitor sightings of these stealthy creatures. In fact, on their website they claim that 35% of visitors see jaguars on the boat ride to/from the lodge!
Pink and grey river dolphins are another main draw for many visitors. They are most commonly seen in the Amazon River and its main tributaries, so sightings around Iquitos in Peru and Leticia in Colombia are common.
In Ecuador, you’ll only see river dolphins if you take a longer cruise down the Napo River, towards the border with Peru, or if you head into the Cuyabeno Reserve. Bolivia has its own species of dolphin that you can see in different areas, including in the Pampas del Yacuma.
To tour or not to tour?
In all the destinations, you can arrive at the main travel hub and organize day trips from there. However, staying in the cities limits how deep into the jungle you can get and the environments and wildlife you see.
All-inclusive tours usually include two or more nights in a jungle lodge, camping, or a cruise. These tours take you further away from big towns, allowing you to explore deeper into the forest and increasing your chances of animal sightings.
Pro tip: If you are staying at an all-inclusive lodge, make sure your flight schedule coincides with their shared transfer times. This will likely be the first flight of the day, but check with your chosen lodge for details.
When’s best to visit?
The Amazon Rainforest is a year-round destination. As the name suggests though, you should expect rain all year.
There is more precipitation during the rainy season (November through April) and certain areas can be flooded during this time. If you plan to travel by bus to reach one of the main jumping-off points for tours into the jungle, be aware that landslides and floods may cause travel disruption. During May through October, rainfall is lower, but you’ll still see tropical showers most days.
Temperatures are stable year-round, with highs of around 30°C (86°F) and overnight lows of 18°C (64°F). Occasionally, cold fronts can blow up from Antarctica during winter months (July and August), causing temperatures to drop below 18°C (64°F)
What activities can you expect to do?
The exact activities vary depending on which area and specific lodge or cruise you choose, but most packages include jungle walks, boat rides, canoe trips, and night-time cruises.
There is often access to canopy towers or walkways, so you can see the rainforest from a different perspective while fishing for piranha or heading for night-time walks into the jungle are often on the cards, too. A few hotels and tours include options like tree climbing and biking.
The Amazon Basin is home to a variety of environments, including rivers, smaller streams, lakes, and clay licks. Each favors different species more than others, so it’s good to look for an itinerary with a variety of different environments that it visits.
Peru
Best for:
- Puerto Maldonado: Incredible wildlife spotting – from macaws to wild cats – and high-end, deep jungle experiences.
- Iquitos: Luxurious river cruises and seeing pink and grey river dolphins.
Peru is home to the second largest area of Amazon rainforest after Brazil, with over 60% of its territory regarded as “Amazonia”. Much of the rainforest is difficult to access, so most tourism focuses on two main hubs: Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos.
Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado is in the south of Peru, not far from Cusco, and is the gateway to the Tambopata National Reserve. Its easy access and rich wildlife make it a popular option.
There are a variety of jungle lodges in the area. Some are only a 30-minute boat ride from town, while others will require bus and boat travel of up to four hours.
The quality of lodging varies greatly. The luxurious Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica costs from $600 USD for a two-night, all-inclusive stay, while a similar stay in a much more rustic lodge costs from $210.
True nature lovers enjoy the Tambopata Research Center, an active research station where you can find comfort and delicious food, as well as excellent wildlife spotting. It is the most expensive option though, starting at $1,200 USD for a two-night, all-inclusive trip.
How to get to Puerto Maldonado:
- Flights from Cusco take 50 minutes and cost from $155 USD return
- You can fly direct from Lima too (1 hour 40 minutes) from $240 USD return
- You can also take the bus (9-10 hours) from Cusco, which costs from $16 USD one way.
NOTE: if you are staying at an all-inclusive lodge, make sure your flight schedule coincides with their shared transfer times.
A note on luxury in the Amazon
Several lodges are sold as luxury options, but people used to high-end travel in cities may need to adjust their expectations a little. While the quality of food, furnishings, amenities, and guiding are excellent, the installations are adapted to the environment.
Most lodges are built in a traditional, somewhat rustic style. To aid ventilation, there are gaps between the ceilings and tops of the walls, and sometimes one side is completely open. The beds have full mosquito nets to protect you from critters at night.
Some rooms have ceiling fans, but they may not work all the time, as electricity isn’t available 24/7. No lodges have air conditioning.
Some cruises offer a true luxury experience, with air-conditioned cabins, gourmet cuisine, and even plunge pools on private decks in some cases. These are only available starting from Iquitos in Peru and El Coca in Ecuador.
Iquitos
Iquitos is in the north of Peru, not far from the border with Colombia and Brazil. It’s on the Amazon River, which has a lot of sizable settlements along it and is a main thoroughfare for boat travel.
Some of the lodges are on the Amazon itself, whilst others are located on tributaries like the Marañon or Ucayali Rivers. Moving away from the Amazon River can give you the feeling of being deeper into the rainforest.
Lodge quality is a little lower here than around Puerto Maldonado. You can find two-night packages from $150 USD in very rustic lodges, up to $1,000 USD in fancier properties. But even the more expensive lodges reach a maximum of three-star quality.
One of the best is the Treehouse Lodge ($900 USD for a two-night stay), located 2.5 hours from Iquitos, on the edge of the Pacaya Samiria National Park, which offers a unique experience. While the rooms are still rustic, they’re built into the trees and are connected by hanging walkways. During the rainy season, the area floods, and sometimes river dolphins come to play under the hotel!
You may opt for a river cruise if you’re looking for a really high-end experience. There are several cruise companies operating in the area. Aqua Expeditions and Delfin Amazon Cruises offer some of the most luxurious ships, where you can enjoy the comfort of air-conditioning and closed cabins, as you journey deep into the Pacaya Samiria National Park. Cruises don’t come cheap, however, costing from $3,750 USD for a three-night cruise.
How to get to Iquitos:
- There are no roads into Iquitos, so the only access is by plane or boat*
- Flights from Lima take around 2 hours and cost from $170 USD return
*You can take a boat from various places including:
- Yurimaguas: 80-minute flight to Tarapoto from Lima (from $150 USD return) plus three hours by bus, or 23-hour bus journey (from $40 USD one-way) from Lima. The boat journey then takes at least two days.
- Pucallpa: 75-minute flight (from $120 return) or 27-hour bus journey (from $25 USD one way) from Lima. The boat journey takes at least four days.
Ecuador
Best for: Easy access trips into the rainforest, whether you’re traveling on a tight budget or seeking an exotic, luxury retreat.
Ecuador is by far the smallest country included in this article (its area is only 25% of Bolivia’s!), which makes the Amazon Rainforest a lot more accessible.
El Coca
Officially named Francisco de Orellana, the town better known as “El Coca” is the main hub for visits to the jungle. El Coca is also easy to get to even if you don’t have the budget for flights, just a 6-hour bus ride from Quito.
The Yasuni National Park is the easiest to reach, with some lodges only 30 minutes by boat from the El Coca Airport. There are also several lodges on the edge of Cuyabeno Fauna Protection Reserve, deeper into the jungle. But, being further away from the city, trips here include four or more hours of extra road and river travel.
Like Puerto Maldonado, El Coca has a great range of jungle lodges nearby. A two-night stay at a basic lodge costs from $80 USD, while a three-night all-inclusive package at a high-end property like La Selva Ecolodge, costs from $1,210 USD (double occupancy).
Anakonda Amazon Cruises offer some excellent high-end cruises on the Anakonda and Manatee ships. You’ll sleep comfortably in an air-conditioned cabin with its own bathroom and private balcony. The included tours, guiding and onboard cuisine are top-notch and there’s a viewing deck where you can relax in an open-air hot tub.
A three-night cruise costs from $2,415 USD. The seven-night cruises take you close to the Peruvian border, where seeing river dolphins is a possibility.
How to get there:
- Flights from Quito take 40 minutes and cost from $245 USD return
- The bus from Quito takes six hours and costs from $10 USD one-way
Colombia
Best for: Independent travelers who want to visit different communities on a shoestring budget. It’s also great if you want to cross into Brazil to continue your South American journey.
Like in Peru, there are many options for visiting the Amazon Rainforest in Colombia. Direct flights from Bogotá make Leticia the most accessible hub, even though you can’t get there by road.
Leticia
Leticia is on the Amazon River and has border crossings with Brazil and Peru. It is a typical South American border town and there are lots of communities upriver of Leticia, however, so it doesn’t feel much like a remote jungle experience if you travel here.
However, it is ideal if you’re an independent traveler and like to hop between towns. A favorite in this area is the “eco-village” of Puerto Nariño. You can travel there by public ferry from Lecticia (two hours) and arrange tours and accommodation on arrival.
Puerto Nariño is surrounded by rainforest, so you can explore hiking trails, take boat rides, watch the river dolphins in Lake Tarapoto, and observe wildlife from the canopy tower. You can also take a day trip to San Antonio, across the river in Peru, for sloth-spotting.
Most accommodation in the area is very basic, some costing just a few US dollars per night. Amongst the cheap accommodations, there are a few all-inclusive lodges with high-end pricing. However, be aware that paying $1,200 here won’t get you the same level of comfort and service as in El Coca or Puerto Maldonado.
How to get there:
- Flights from Bogota take 2 hours and cost from $220 USD return
Bolivia
Best for: Expedition-style adventures where you can explore both pristine rainforest and the flood plains of the Yacuma River.
While Bolivia is often forgotten when thinking about the Amazon, the Amazon basin covers over half of the country. That said, much of it is very difficult to access, so Rurrenabaque is the starting point for most visits.
Rurrenabaque
The unique selling point of this area is that you can visit the Amazon rainforest in Madidi National Park and the neighboring pre-Amazonian wetlands or “pampa”, on the same trip.
On a tour of the pampas, you’ll see a variety of mammals such as capybara and monkeys on the river banks and even river dolphins swimming nearby. Touring the Madidi National Park will immerse you in the rainforest where you can see the huge variety of plants, insects and amphibians that make this one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet.
It’s easiest to visit the area through an organized tour. Our Madidi National Park article explains how these tours work. Activities, meals, and accommodation are included but note that overnight stays can vary from hostels to camping.
Two-night, all-inclusive tours start from $250 USD, but the price may not get you great quality. We recommend the agency Mashaquipe Eco Tours for their knowledgeable guides and focus on responsible travel. A two-night tour costs from $320 USD.
How to get there:
- Flights from La Paz take 40 minutes and cost from $140 USD return if you can find them through BOA, or $200 USD with Ecojet. They only run on certain days.
- You can catch the bus from La Paz for around $10 USD one-way, but it takes at least 18 hours and involves over 3,500 meters (11,480 feet) of descent, much on dirt roads.
With some of the world’s most spectacular nature on offer here, it’s no wonder South America is a must-visit for those wanting to experience it for themselves. To plan an adventure of a lifetime, discover our guides to the best waterfalls in South America, the most beautiful lakes on the continent, and the best treks in the region here.