From Huaraz in the Cordillera Blanca a rough road winds its way down to Huanaco in the Amazon basin and serviced by the worst buses I have experienced on my entire trip.  Packed with local farmers, chickens, goats, dogs and produce, these buses are mobbed by food vendors at every village.  This is quite an experience which can be avoided if travelling on modern direct buses from Lima. 

Tingo Maria was my first stop and what was the heartland of drug/bandit country is now a safe and lovely small town surrounded by lush hills, the street food is fantastic.  In fact the range of fruits and fish dishes is a feature of the Amazon, one type of fish reaches 150kg in weight. 

Next stop Pucallpa, big and bustling town with access to the Shipibi indian village of San Francisco which seems to survive on fish from Yarinacocha lagoon and crafts for tourists. 

From Pucallpa, I started the first leg of my 4000km river trip.  A launch, carrying cargo on the lower deck and passengers with their hammocks on the upper deck, took me down the Rio Ucayali and where it joins the Rio Marañon the Rio Amazonas officially starts.  These launches are great, it took me 10 days and 3 vessels in total to get to Manaus in Brazil which cost me US$70 including three basic meals per day, use of shower and even satellite TV on the Brazil side, the satellite dish having to be adjusted at each bend in the river.   The launches stop a few times per day at villages providing an opportunity to explore and stock up on food.  Don't expect much wildlife, I saw herons, kingfishers, parrots, dolphins and the odd turtle. 

En route I stopped for a couple of days at the huge town of Iquitos in Peru with a good market and reasonably priced jungle tours.  Enjoy a ride on a Motorkar, cross between a rickshaw and a motorbike. 

Next stop Leticia where Colombia, Peru and Brazil meet.  Leticia is a really relaxed and pleasant town which considering its isolation by road appears quite modern, it has a great open air church service.

Feeling that the nearby PN Amacayacu was over visited, I headed south to Sacambu Lodge on Rio Yavari.  Like all lodges, this is made from wood and sits above the river on stilts with individual twin or double rooms, mesh windows, candle light, hammocks to relax, flushing loos and even showers (although watch out for hidden spiders).  I was there on my own but they usually can cope with up to 50 people.  Binoculars are useful as it great to sit watching wildlife and locals pass by.  On this trip I had a go at spear fishing and visited giant water lilies.  The highlight was heading deep into the bush with my guide and spending a night in the wild sleeping in hammocks.  The music of the jungle at night was amazing (play sample)  and my guide took me for a midnight canoe trip - it was a new moon  so perfect for catching caiman and staring at the milky way.  Torch light is used to spot caiman as well as monkeys resting in above in the trees.

From Leticia I then headed to Manaus in Brazil, a city of over a million people and easy to forget that you're in the middle of a jungle.  Here the Amazon is 8km wide and becomes 320km wide at the Atlantic.  Food is great and people, well, Brazilian!  A good road heads north out of the forest to palm filled meadows and climbs to the sabanas of Venezuela.

Tingo Maria, Peru
This small town in the lush Amazon foothills was until recently out of bounds due to the guerrillas.  Coca is the main produce here.  It is very relaxed and its spacious streets give way to outdoor foodstalls selling great local fish served cooked in leaves.  Attractions include caves and natural pools for bathing.

Shipibi Indians, San Francisco, Peru
This is a good excursion from Pucallpa.  You can save some money by avoiding the guides and taking a river taxi there.  I felt free to wonder round the village as they are all busy working on crafts which they are willing to sell.

Tingo Maria, Peru
The lush hills around Tingo Maria are easy to explore via Motokar.  There are caves to explore and bathing rivers to relax.  Many butterflies play in the sun and the music of birds fill the air. 

Amazon, Peru
This is a photo of me (right) with one of the locals.  The cargo boat from Pucallpa to Iquitos takes four days downstream.  Basic food is included with a space for hanging the hammock.

Requeña, Peru
This is one of the many villages that the cargo boat stops for cargo and passengers, providing an hour to look around.  People flood the decks selling drinks and food which is a welcome supplement.

Dried Fish Stall, Iquitos, Peru
Iquitos is an isolated city in the jungle which boomed on the rubber trade at the turn of the century, many interesting buildings from those times can still be seen.  The local market is a fascinating place to see local fish, fruit and meats such as tortoise being prepared.

Fruit Stall, Iquitos, Peru
Never have I eaten so much fruit either whole or as a cocktail sold on the streets.

Sunset, Rio Amazonas, Peru
Best time of day on these lazy boat trips was sunset and sunrise.  Sitting on the roof of the boat watching the wildlife spring to life and the occassional group of dolphins fishing.  Invariably the sky would melt into its impressive spectrum.

Locals, Peru
Our boat  became stranded on a sand bank for six hours so plenty of time to watch local children play next to the boat.

Night Music, Amazon (200K)
One of my most incredible experiences was sleeping wild in the jungle with an indian guide and a hammock.  It was a new moon and a clear night and hear is the night sound of the jungle. 

Tortoise, Peru
Please email me if you know the name of this creature.  Unlike the African plains, Amazonian animals are either under water, in dense trees, really well camouflaged or only feed at night so great perseverance is required when on safari.  My favourite is a lizard that can run on the surface of water.

Caiman, Amazon (80K)
Many jungle trips include a night paddle spotting the red eyes of the caiman with torches, with the locals carefully plucking the young ones out of the water.

Boa Constrictor, Brazil
Boas & Anacondas are all the same family.  They use their coils to asphyxiate their prey then swallow whole.  Anacondas can reach 10m in length and weigh up to 250kg, able to consume a 2m long crocodile.  After a feed they fill with digestive gases and float for a few days whilst they bealch.  Usually found hiding under shallow water.

Amazon, Brazil
The boats from Tabatinga to Manaus are luxury compared to those in Peru.  Still requiring hammocks, the food is a big improvement and ours had a bar with satellite TV on top deck which had to be adjusted for each bend in the river.

Manaus, Brazil
A busy city in the jungle.  Just pass time in outdoor bars were live music plays at night and the ladies dance the samba all day!