Episode 89 – Exploring the Peruvian Amazon: Wildlife, Culture and Adventure

In episode 89 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy is joined by seasoned travel podcaster and traveller Chris Christensen, who shares his recent experience travelling through the Peruvian Amazon.

Together, they explore why this vast and remote region is far more accessible than many travellers expect, based on Chris’s small-group river expedition in the Amazon basin. The conversation covers what it is really like to travel through the region, from navigating rivers by skiff and spotting wildlife to visiting local villages and learning how daily life changes with the seasons.

Chris explains how the Peruvian Amazon differs from the coastal and Andean parts of Peru many travellers are familiar with, what surprised him most about the trip, and why the experience felt adventurous without being as difficult or intimidating as he had expected.

Episode 89 – What you’ll learn in this episode

📍 Where the Peruvian Amazon is located and why most of Peru lies east of the Andes within the Amazon basin, including how travellers reach the region via Lima and Iquitos.

📅 What an Amazon river expedition actually involves, with daily excursions by skiff, wildlife spotting, village visits, short jungle walks, and time spent onboard the boat.

🚄 How logistics work in a region with limited infrastructure, including flights into Iquitos, travel to the port town of Nauta, and why river conditions shape each day’s itinerary.

🛏️ What to expect from accommodation on a small Amazon cruise boat, including cabin comfort, group size, onboard meals, and the realities of life on the river.

🥢 Cultural experiences along the river, including visits to local villages, meeting a female shaman, learning about subsistence farming and fishing, and sharing traditional meals prepared safely for visitors.

😲 Why the Amazon experience is often easier and more comfortable than travellers expect, despite its remoteness, and how seasonal changes dramatically affect the landscape, wildlife, and daily life.

Places, foods and words/concepts mentioned

Places

• Iquitos >> The largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, notable for being unreachable by road from the rest of Peru. Access is by plane or river, making it the main gateway for Amazon expeditions.
• Nauta >> A port town south of Iquitos, connected by the region’s only road and commonly used as the embarkation point for Amazon river cruises.
• Peruvian Amazon >> The vast rainforest basin east of the Andes, far less visited than Peru’s coastal and Andean regions, made up of rivers, jungle, and river-based communities.
• Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve >> A huge protected area where much of the expedition took place, known for dramatic seasonal flooding that shapes wildlife, fishing, and daily life.
• Manatee Rescue Center >> A wildlife sanctuary near Iquitos that rehabilitates rescued animals including manatees, monkeys, and birds, and offers an educational visit for travellers.
• Lima (Miraflores) >> Peru’s capital and international gateway, where the tour began and ended, with Miraflores serving as the group’s base before flying to the Amazon region.

Foods

• Fish and Bananas >> Everyday staples of local Amazonian diets, commonly eaten by river communities and shaped by seasonal fishing conditions.
• Chicken Cooked in Banana Leaves >> A traditional meal prepared by villagers for visitors, offering a taste of local cooking while being made safe for travellers.
• Dried Yucca and Salted Fish >> Preserved foods relied on by river communities during the high-water season when farming and fishing are limited.

Words / Concepts

• Skiff >> Small motorboats used for daily excursions from the main vessel, allowing access to narrow waterways, flooded forests, lakes, and wildlife-rich areas.
• Blackwater Lake >> Tea-coloured jungle lakes created by decaying vegetation, low in oxygen and safe for swimming only in guide-approved locations due to the lack of piranhas.
• Lungfish >> An Amazon species capable of breathing air, allowing it to survive in low-oxygen blackwater environments where other fish cannot.
• Mobility and Accessibility >> An important consideration for Amazon travel, including getting in and out of boats, navigating muddy riverbanks, climbing basic steps in villages, and walking on uneven terrain.
• High Water vs Low Water >> Seasonal river level changes of up to around 45 feet that dramatically affect wildlife behaviour, fishing, transport routes, village life, and daily activities.
• Packing Tips >> Long-sleeved clothing for insects, closed-toe shoes for walks, water shoes, binoculars, and a camera with good zoom are recommended.
• G Adventures >> The small-group tour company Chris travelled with, offering guided Amazon river expeditions through the Peruvian Amazon.

Links

Podcasts

• Episode #41 – Tips for first time visitors to Peru with Ariana Svenson
• Episode #88 – Visiting Antarctica (what you really want to know!)

Articles

• Argentina Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors

Guest Bio – Chris Christensen

Loved this episode? Have a question? Get in touch!