Bird watching in the Peruvian Rainforest (1 Viewer)

The Peruvian Amazon jungle is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth. There is such a variety of species that most of them are probably still not discovered, or at least adequately studied. Peru is the country with largest number of bird species in the world and the third of mammals, with 44 percent and 63 percent respectively inhabiting the Peruvian Amazon. Peru also has a very large number of species of butterflies, orchids, and other organisms. Of the 9,672 known bird species worldwide, over 1,800 appear in Peru, with more than 800 species in the Peruvian Amazon region.

Come to IQUITOS, capital of Loreto, in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest

Loreto is Peru's northernmost region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest region and also one of the most sparsely populated ones, due to its remote location in the Amazon Rainforest. Its capital is the city of Iquitos.

With its 368,852 km², Loreto is exactly 9 times the size of a small European country like The Netherlands. It contains several of the largest natural reserves in the world, with the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (at less than a day’s travel from Iquitos) being the largest one.

Iquitos, with its 376,000 inhabitants, is home to almost half of the entire population of Loreto and is the most important port of the region. It is also the city best suited for tourists and travellers to use as their final destination, from where they can undertake daytrips, excursions and expeditions into the rainforest.

Ok, then what about the sand forest?

How is access to the White Sand forest near Iquitos? How long does it take to get there and are there nearby accommodations?

Phaethon said:

How is access to the White Sand forest near Iquitos? How long does it take to get there and are there nearby accommodations?

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Hi there!

The white sand forest is actually quite close to Iquitos. The Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve can be reached in a few hours by boat, and even faster by road. There are several lodges in the area, but you can also stay at one of the villages if you prefer. If you book a river tour, you will stay on the boat. I went on several river tours to that area as a travel guide myself and I can recommend it. There are many birds to be seen and there are relatively few mosquitoes.

If you are interested, or have any questions, please mail me at [email protected]

Spent 4 days at Tambopata when i visited Peru to do the Inca Trail in 2008.
The Flora & Fauna is incredible in the whole country, but being woken at 5 in the morning in the middle of the jungle by one of the strangest dawn chorus' i'm ever likely to hear was a memorable experience.
Its a place i've promised myself i'll return too one day.

Just, saw this! The poster is obviously not a birder. The Allpahuayo Mishana Reserve - with white sand forest and several newly described species - is 20-30 minutes by road from Iquitos. You don't need to sleep on a boat to go there to see most of the endemics. Having said that, one may stay in the reserve head quaters in relatively basic conditions, if set up in advance.

Birding Peru said:

Just, saw this! The poster is obviously not a birder. The Allpahuayo Mishana Reserve - with white sand forest and several newly described species - is 20-30 minutes by road from Iquitos. You don't need to sleep on a boat to go there to see most of the endemics. Having said that, one may stay in the reserve head quaters in relatively basic conditions, if set up in advance.

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Hi there,

You are right, you don't need to sleep on a boat to go there. I never said that you need to sleep on a boat. It would be nice if people would actually read a post before commenting erroneously on them.

I mentioned you can get to the reserve by car, but IF you book a river tour, which travels throughout the region for several days, THEN you sleep on the boat. It's up to the individual traveller, but if you prefer to stay in the city and just go back and forth on a daily basis (assuming you didn't come all the way down here to spend just one day watching birds) then that is possible too.
BTW, I am curious why you conclude that I am 'obviously not a birder', or why that should even matter.