Peru is another country in the rainforest-rich Amazon Basin. Here is where tourists can find the world’s largest macaw clay lick, where up to fifteen species of macaws come to ingest the detoxifying clay. The rainforest of Peru is also home to 1300 species of birds, 90 species of frogs, 1200 species of butterflies, and 10,000 plant species. Peru has 133 million acres of rainforest, ranking it behind only Russia, Canada, and Brazil in the size of its forest land.

General Travel Information for Peru

Visitors to Peru do not need a visa if they intend to stay fewer than ninety days. They will want to make sure their vaccinations are up-dated. Cholera, which is carried through food and water, is a problem, so visitors need to be careful with anything they consume.

The wettest months are January through April within the entire country. In the rainforest, December through April is the wet time of year, although it rains frequently throughout the year. Rain storms are short, however, and if planned for, barely affect the vacation. In fact, a rainforest rain storm is part of the experience.

Peru is predominately Roman Catholic, so the country’s calendar for holiday and festivals follow the calendar of the Catholic Church.

Visiting the Rainforest

Peru has some wonderful guided tours into its rainforest. One is an ecolodge in Tambopata. The ecolodge is a 13-room lodge near the macaw clay lick. In fact, one of the goals of the lodge is to help protect the clay lick. The area where the lodge is located is about the size of Connecticut and an excellent way for researchers and others to be in touch with nature in its most intimate, unspoiled habitat. Visitors will reach the ecolodge via a four to five hour trip up the Tambopata River.

Another rainforest tour is a two-week tour that includes the ruins of Peru’s ancient civilizations, as well as the rainforest. The tour includes one day of rising at sunrise. At this time of day, there is more than the glorious sight of watching the sun come up on the day. Tourists get the chance to see the animal life of the rainforest as it comes alive for the day. It is the most active time of the day for the fish in the nearby waterways. The tour also includes hikes and the chance to really commune with nature.