Why the Peruvian Amazon Is Next on My Travel Bucket List
Discover why the Peruvian Amazon is the perfect wildlife‑rich, culturally immersive riverboat adventure — and why it’s next on my travel bucket list.
Talitha Soldera
8/19/20264 min read
The Amazon has lived in my imagination for decades — a place of mystery, wildlife, and deep green silence. This year, I finally decided to stop putting it off and commit to a Peruvian Amazon riverboat adventure, followed by a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu.
If you’ve ever felt the Amazon calling to you too, here’s why this journey became the next big adventure on my travel bucket list.
What You’ll Discover in This Post
Why the Amazon has fascinated me since childhood
How tropical rainforests differ from the temperate rainforest I call home
Why I chose Peru over Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia
Why a riverboat adventure offers the perfect blend of comfort, culture, and wildlife
How responsible tourism supports Amazon communities
A Lifelong Fascination With “The Jungle”
People often assume that, because I’m Canadian, I must live in an igloo. I always laugh—there isn’t anywhere near me that’s cold enough for an igloo at any time of year! Yet I realized I’ve been doing the same thing with jungles.
Whenever I read a book set in a jungle or watch a movie with thick, lush forest, I picture the Amazon—even when the story isn’t set there at all. The Jungle Book takes place in India (a fact reinforced when I visited India’s jungles myself). Many of the Indiana Jones films were shot in Hawaii. At least Anaconda got it right, and Patrick Rollins’ Amazonia had me gripped from start to finish.
Despite my misconceptions, the Amazon has a magical, mythical quality to me. I’ve always felt a sense of awe and reverence for it. I want to experience it for myself—the quiet hum of wildlife, the darkness untouched by city lights, the lush green canopy, the colourful birds and fascinating insects. I want to step into the real thing.
Temperate vs. Tropical Rainforest: A Curiosity I Need to Explore
Living on Vancouver Island means living in a temperate rainforest. The Amazon, however, is a tropical rainforest. Both are humid, rain‑soaked, and full of life—but tropical rainforests are hotter, wetter, and home to primates and reptiles rather than deer and bears.
I’m fascinated to experience the differences firsthand, to feel the heat, hear the chorus of insects at night and see wildlife I’ve only ever read about. (I’m sure both have plenty of mosquitos!)
Why Now?
I first started seriously considering an Amazon trip back in 2024. I reached out to several companies, compared itineraries, and weighed the budget and timing. Other priorities kept pushing the Amazon off the list—until this year, when I finally decided to stop waiting and make it happen.
Why the Peruvian Amazon?
The Amazon River—about 6,400 km long—begins in the Andes and flows through Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Guyana. The rainforest itself represents half of the Earth’s remaining rainforest and is the single largest reserve of biological diversity. Deforestation threatens this delicate balance, making responsible tourism more important than ever.
Most travellers experience the Amazon through Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, or Bolivia. Each offers something different:
🇧🇷 Brazil — Big, Bold, River‑Driven Amazon
Brazil holds the largest portion of the Amazon Basin. The river is widest here, and large cruise ships depart from Manaus.
Pros: Iconic river views, comfortable ships
Cons: Wildlife is harder to spot; no macaw clay licks; limited deep‑jungle trekking
🇵🇪 Peru — The Most Wildlife‑Dense Amazon Experience
Peru offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the entire Amazon—pink dolphins, monkeys, macaws, caiman, sloths, and more. Travellers can choose between lodges, large ships, or smaller riverboats.
Pros: Wildlife density, cultural depth, comfort options, jungle trekking
Why I chose it: To me, Peru has the best balance of comfort, culture and wildlife.
🇪🇨 Ecuador — Accessible, Intimate, Canoe‑Based Rainforest
Ecuador’s Amazon is known for excellent lodges, strong Indigenous tourism, and intimate wildlife viewing.
Pros: Easy access, community‑led experiences
Cons: No pink dolphins; no macaw clay licks
🇧🇴 Bolivia — Raw, Remote, and Incredibly Biodiverse
Bolivia’s Madidi region is one of the most pristine parts of the Amazon.
Pros: Exceptional biodiversity, fewer tourists
Cons: Rustic conditions, fewer creature comforts
Land vs. Water: Why We Chose a Riverboat
Once we settled on Peru, the next decision was whether to stay in a jungle lodge or explore by riverboat.
Lodges offer immersive jungle walks, expert guides, and close‑up wildlife encounters. But the idea of floating down the river, watching the rainforest unfold and exploring new locations each day completely captured my imagination.
Picture sitting in a comfy chair, gliding down the river, scanning the shoreline for wildlife and then disembarking to explore on foot. A riverboat allows us to explore multiple regions, meet local communities, taste regional foods, and enjoy both day and nighttime wildlife excursions.
It’s slow travel at its finest and exactly the kind of experience I love.
A Desire to Understand, Not Just Observe
Travel, to me, is about learning, experiencing, and growing. I want to learn from naturalists, local guides, and communities. I want to understand how people live in the rainforest, what they eat, and how they interact with nature.
That’s why we chose an Amazon Riverboat Adventure with G Adventures, a Canadian company with over 35 years of experience. Their Community Tourism model supports people, places, and the planet while giving travellers meaningful, hands‑on cultural experiences.
Our itinerary is packed with immersive learning opportunities every single day. Over the next few weeks, I’ll share more about the trip and the preparations I’m making.
What I’m Most Excited For
Spotting pink dolphins
Visiting local communities
Nighttime caiman searches
Learning from naturalists
Experiencing the rainforest from the water
Seeing the difference between tropical and temperate rainforests firsthand
Join Me on This Adventure
If the Amazon is calling to you too, I’d love to help you plan a meaningful, comfortable, wildlife‑rich adventure of your own. Whether you dream of a riverboat journey, a lodge stay, or a combination of both, I can help you choose the right itinerary and travel style.
The rainforest is waiting — and it’s even more magical when you experience it with intention.