INTO THE AMAZON: A WEEK IN PERU'S BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT

The Peruvian Amazon holds more species per square kilometre than almost anywhere on Earth. Madre de Dios, in the south-eastern corner of Peru, contains Manu National Park — one of the few places left on the planet where it is still possible to encounter jaguars, giant river otters, and harpy eagles in a single week.

The journey into Manu begins in Cusco, at 3,400 metres above sea level, and descends through four distinct ecological zones to reach the lowland rainforest at 300 metres. This vertical transect — cloud forest, high jungle, foothill forest, and terra firme — passes through more bird species than are found in all of Europe.

Our naturalist guide, César, has worked in Manu for seventeen years. On the second morning, he identifies a rufous-tailed jacamar by a single call before the bird becomes visible. By day five, we have recorded 214 species — including a family of giant otters at the oxbow lake of Cocha Salvador, fishing in formation with military precision.

The nights in the Amazon are as full of life as the days. After dark, guided torch-lit walks reveal caimans in the river shallows, sleeping toucans roosting low in the understory, and tree frogs the colour of jade and poison. The soundscape alone — cicadas, frogs, owls, and unidentified rustlings — is worth the journey.

Sustainable lodges in Madre de Dios operate under strict protocols that protect the forest and support local communities. Revenue from responsible ecotourism is now the primary economic driver for conservation in Manu buffer zones, giving local families a direct financial incentive to protect the ecosystem.