Visiting the Amazon Rainforest: Peru or Colombia?

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We were sure that we were going to visit the Amazon rainforest during our trip to Peru and Colombia, but we weren’t sure where it was best to. Obviously, we only visited the rainforest in one location so we can’t compare the two locations from personal experience. Here’s why we decided on going to visit the Amazon rainforest from Puerto Maldonado in Peru, based on research:

·       It’s convenient and affordable to get there. Assuming that you are going to Cusco to visit Machu Picchu (and I sure hope so, if you’re going to Peru!), it’s pretty easy and cost effective to visit the Amazon from Cusco. Our flight to Puerto Maldonado was $100 round trip and 30 minutes each way. On the way back to Cusco, our flight did a quick pit stop in Cusco for 30 minutes before conveniently heading on to Lima.  Other locations require a bit more work to get to. Manu is a 8-10 hour drive from Cusco and doesn’t have an airport that's right there. Iquitos requires a flight from Lima (2 hrs).
·       It has more lodge options and more wildlife. The Colombian part of the Amazon rainforest has not been as developed for tourists. There are fewer accommodation options and only one more comfortable lodge (Calanoa Amazonas). Another consequence of the Colombian rainforest being less developed is there has been less time for tourist dollars to provide an alternative living for locals so hunting still happens and scares away the wildlife.
·       Trips in Puerto Maldonado are cheaper than Colombia. For the same activities and less comfortable accomodations, lodges in the Colombian rainforest were more expensive and were not as willing to offer me a discount.



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