Amazon River

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Mototaxis: The Amazon Jungle Transport

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Mototaxis: The Amazon Jungle Transport

When thinking of movement in Amazonia, river transport probably comes to mind. Being home to the longest river in the world, with countless tributaries, it is certainly true that a myriad boats - ranging from dugout canoes to narrow peke-peke speedboats to luxury cruise ships - ply the waterways, carrying people and supplies.

And yet, when you step out of the airport in Iquitos, Tarapoto, Pucallpa, or any city in Peru's Amazon, you will be struck by the sight - and sound - of another form of transport: the mototaxi, which will generally outnumber cars by at least five to one.

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Fitzcarrald: The Legendary Rubber Baron

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Fitzcarrald: The Legendary Rubber Baron

Carlos Fitzcarrald was born to an Irish-American father and Peruvian mother in 1867, and raised in the city of Iquitos, which became the heart of the Rubber Boom. 

Venturing deep into the Amazon in the 1890s, Fitzcarrald discovered a trove of rubber trees in the region of Madre de Dios that now holds Manu National Park.

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Matses Trek

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Matses Trek

PeruNorth is delighted to be able to announce the opportunity to visit the remote Matses National Reserve on a remarkable 12-day journey, during which adventurous clients will be able to catch a glimpse of the unique lifestyle of the private Matses indigenous people, as well as enjoy the bountiful flora and fauna of this unspoilt corner of Amazonia.

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New Addition to Historic Boat Museum - B.A.P America

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New Addition to Historic Boat Museum - B.A.P America

Since December 2015, the Historic Boat Museum of Iquitos has had a highly significant addition to her armada: the second oldest gunboat in the world, B.A.P. America.

Built in Birkenhead, England in 1904, in order to serve in Peru’s Amazon flotilla, she measures 41 m (135 ft) in length and 6 m (20 ft) in width. 

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Visiting an 'Indigenous' Village - Good or Bad?

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Visiting an 'Indigenous' Village - Good or Bad?

We recently received a comment from clients saying that 'a visit to an Indian community ... left us feeling rather uncomfortable: they performed a dance and then sold us trinkets, but we felt quite ambivalent about the whole set-up'. The community in question was that of an Amazonian tribe, the Yagua, visited as part of the Ceiba Tops - and many other Amazon lodge - itineraries. 

In this blog, we examine the pros and cons of these visits. 

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Top 7 Swimming Pools in High Amazon

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Top 7 Swimming Pools in High Amazon

The water in the vast Amazon River system is largely run-off from the Andes Mountains, and some of the most spectacular scenery and interesting wildlife can be found in the region of Northern Peru where these two gigantic geographical features meet - an area known in Spanish as ceja de selva (literally 'jungle's eye-brow') and incorporating a wide range of eco-systems between the altitudes of 500 m (1,640 ft) and 3,000 m (9,840 ft) above sea level. 

Even at a slightly higher elevation, the heat can be stifling, and so a nice swimming pool is extremely welcome for the purpose of cooling down and calmly taking in one's surroundings. We therefore list below some of our favourites in the high Amazon provinces of San Martin and Amazonas. 

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Top 7 Swimming Pools in Iquitos

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Top 7 Swimming Pools in Iquitos

A visit to Peru's Amazon is not all about adventure and adrenaline. There is nothing more pleasurable than enjoying the heat of the jungle, while relaxing in a pool. And luckily for visitors to Iquitos, there are a number of ways to do this, both in the city and the surrounding rain forest. 

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What to Bring on a Northern Peru Holiday

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What to Bring on a Northern Peru Holiday

A good maxim when packing to go on holiday is 'half the luggage; twice the money'! Peru has plenty of shops, selling everything from Alpaca sweaters to camera batteries, and by spending in them, visitors are doing their bit to support the local economy. 

Moreover, we once had a client arrive for a two-week holiday in Belize with just hand luggage ... and this was by choice, not at the whim of the airline. He had two shirts and would wash one, while he wore the other. 

Nonetheless, Peru North understands that this is not the norm, and so please see our advice on what to bring. Northern Peru is a very diverse place, geographically, climatically and culturally, so there will be variations according to your exact destination. We will start with the essentials, and then suggest additions, according to the region or activity. 

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Art of the Shipibo-Konibo

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Art of the Shipibo-Konibo

  • Shipibo-Konibo is an indigenous Amazonian culture, most numerous in Peru’s Ucayali Department.

  • Renowned for distinctive geometrically-decorated textiles.

  • We examine the process behind this intricate art form.

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Amazon Reforestation & Sustainable Farming Project

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Amazon Reforestation & Sustainable Farming Project

An hour by boat from Iquitos, up the River Nanay, lies the hamlet of Fray Martin de Porres, where, in 2010, Latitud Sur began a project to offer viable alternatives to the ecologically-damaging practices of charcoal production, single crop farming, and slash-and-burn agriculture.

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Amazon Canopy Walkways

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Amazon Canopy Walkways

In the 1970s, biologists began exploring the rainforest canopy, experimenting with tree-climbing gear, platforms, and even hot-air balloons to study little-known plants and animals which lived only in the tree-tops.

Now, for many visitors ascending into the canopy is a real highlight of their Amazon experience. 

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Salkantay Trek - Alternative Route to Machu Picchu

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Salkantay Trek - Alternative Route to Machu Picchu

My first multi-day trek was on the Classic Inca Trail way back in 2000 while working as a Tour Leader … and I was immediately hooked. The scenery, the camaraderie, the archaeology and the sense of achievement upon arriving at the Sun Gate of Machu Picchu after four days’ hiking added up to a wonderful experience. 

Now no longer a tour leader accompanying groups around Peru, the opportunity to go trekking in the spectacular Andes mountains have been much reduced. But, after years of longing, I finally completed the Salkantay Trek, one of the alternative routes to Machu Picchu, in July 2015.