Amazon

The Amazon River snakes through Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, with Peru holding claim to a major portion of the waterway (including the source of it all, Río Mantaro). The rainforest is most commonly accessed through the cities of Iquitos (a two-hour flight from Lima), Pucallpa, or Puerto Maldonado (a few hours’ drive from Cusco), with most visitors using them as jumping-off points for river cruises or stays in eco-lodges.

Landing in the northern Amazonian gateway of Iquitos, Peru’s largest jungle town, the only way in is via plane (or a weeklong river trip!). Hop on a large riverboat, then a smaller canoe, and you’ll find yourself on a nearly-untouched part of the Amazon in the remote Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. It’s the second-largest protected part of the Amazon, with remarkable wildlife that calls it home: the pink dolphin, Amazonian manatee, red-faced spider monkey, jaguar, and more than 500 species of birds can be found here.

A Glimpse of Village Life: Many isolated local communities call the rainforest home with tribes still maintaining a very traditional way of life. Descend from the boat on tierra firme to see the giant water lilies, go for a walk in the bush, and visit thatched-roof villages where locals still commute in canoes. Beautiful local children run to meet you and will invite you to a special rainforest dance. Women make jewelry from colorful seeds of jungle plants. It’s an up-close look at what life is like in this remote area of the world…and truly affords a deep appreciation of the comforts of our modern life.

Deep into the Night: By far the most adventurous excursion that will channel your inner Indiana Jones.In late afternoon, head out on the skiffs deep into the jungle to navigate the maze of black water tributaries and cruise alongside pink freshwater dolphins. As the sun sinks behind the canopy, the rainforest turns pitchblack and comes alive with nighttime insects and creatures. But first…a champagne aperitif at sunset. As you search for animals, the expert guides will point them out–and maybe even pull a cayman out of the water with their bare hands. Exhilarating.

Picture Perfect: Sunset on the Amazon looks like it may have been hand-painted. The river’s calmness is so mirror like at times that it’s hard to discern where the sky ends and begins. Sip a pinkish, tart Camu Camu sour, made from a local jungle fruit, on the Upper Deck and revel in Mother Nature’s greatest nightly hit.