The Amazon Forest

The Amazon basin contains approximately 390 billion individual trees representing nearly 16,000 species. It also holds roughly 10% of all species currently living on Earth, produces around 10% of the world’s terrestrial oxygen, and regulates rainfall patterns across South America. About 17% of the original forest has been cleared since the 1970s, with the rate of loss varying significantly by country and political period. Visiting the Amazon through operators who fund conservation work is arguably more useful to the ecosystem than not visiting: ecotourism money is one of the few economic arguments that competes with cattle farming and soy production for the land.

The basin spans nine countries. Most visitors access it through Brazil (Manaus), Peru (Iquitos or Puerto Maldonado), or Ecuador (Quito then by light aircraft to a jungle lodge).

Manaus, Brazil

Manaus is the most accessible gateway. The city of around 2 million people sits at the confluence of the Rio Negro and the Amazon River. The Meeting of the Waters, where the dark tannin-rich Negro and the sandy-coloured Amazon run side by side for kilometres without mixing – due to differences in temperature, flow speed, and water density – is visible from boat tours and is one of the more striking natural phenomena accessible on a half-day from the city.

The Teatro Amazonas opera house (1896) was built during the rubber boom in the Belle Epoque style. The rubber boom collapsed when British explorer Henry Wickham smuggled rubber seeds out of Brazil in 1876, breaking the Brazilian monopoly by growing competing plantations in Malaysia. The Teatro remains as evidence of what concentrated extractive wealth looks like in stone and marble.

Iquitos, Peru

Iquitos is accessible only by air or river – no road connects it to the outside world – which keeps it different from Manaus in character. The Tambopata National Reserve and the Manu Biosphere Reserve are accessible from the south via Puerto Maldonado. The Colpa Colorado clay lick near Puerto Maldonado draws hundreds of macaws and parrots at dawn to consume mineral-rich soil; it is one of the most concentrated wildlife spectacles accessible in the Amazon.

What to Do

Guided treks with a local naturalist are the core activity. The forest does not reveal large animals easily without expert guidance; a good naturalist reads sign you would never see and knows where species feed and shelter at different times. Early morning walks are optimal for wildlife; night walks reveal the nocturnal layer including caimans, nocturnal primates, and tarantulas.

Canopy walks on suspended bridges at 40+ metres give a different perspective on forest structure. Most wildlife lives in the canopy, not on the forest floor – which takes most visitors by surprise.

Birdwatching in the Amazon rewards preparation. Over 1,500 species are recorded in the basin; having a field guide and an expert guide changes what you see by an order of magnitude.

Choosing an Operator

The difference between a tour that extracts value from the forest and one that contributes to its protection is visible in how guides operate and how lodges are built. Choose operators certified by recognised ecotourism standards. Staying longer in one location – five days rather than two – gives the forest time to reveal itself.

Allow at least 4 to 5 days to justify the journey time to any Amazon gateway. The dry season (June through November) gives better trekking conditions and lower water levels that expose river beaches and canopy structure. The wet season (December through May) floods the varzea forests and allows canoe travel through the treetops, which is a different and equally valid experience.

Practical Notes

Pack waterproof gear, strong insect repellent, quick-dry clothing, and yellow fever vaccination. Malaria prophylaxis requirements vary by destination; check current recommendations from a travel medicine clinic before travelling. Cash in local currency is essential for smaller operators and indigenous guide fees.