Peru has amazing geological and biological diversity. The country is divided into three major geographical regions, each with unique physical and biological characteristics. A narrow coastal plain borders the Pacific Ocean - the adjacent seas are very rich and support one of the worlds largest fisheries, while the land itself is mostly desert but very productive when irrigated. A broad swath of the Andes Mountains runs from NW to SE along the length of the country. This incredibly rugged region features desert on the western slopes, snow and glaciers on the heights, and steep soggy cloud forest and raging rivers on the eastern flank. Then there is the Amazon.

Covering nearly half of the territory of Peru, the Amazon is a place of mighty rivers, vast forests, untold mysteries, and the source of legends since the first Europeans encountered it. Despite all that has been written about the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, the Peruvian portion is fortunately still largely intact. There are hunting, fishing, oil exploration, and increasing logging pressures on the forest, but the widespread destruction that has occurred in other parts of the Amazon Basin has not yet occurred in Peru. Many organizations are working to promote conservation and the sensible, sustainable development of Peru's Amazon region. The government of Peru recognizes the biological and natural importance of this region, but often does not have the necessary resources to do all that it would like to do to conserve and sustainably develop the region.

It is the Peruvian Amazon's isolation that has protected the rainforest. The very steep and geologically unstable Andes Mountains pose a formidable barrier to the construction of roads and railways, and heavy rains, landslides and earthquakes regularly destroy roads, railroads and bridges. Only goods of considerable value are transported over the mountains. While lumber and other natural products can be shipped by boat down the Amazon River, the distances involved are great - the port of Iquitos is ~2,400 miles from the mouth of the Amazon River! Once again, only high value products are worth shipping such long distances. In the Peruvian Amazon itself, water levels in the rivers can vary 30-45' annually, making bridge building difficult or impossible, and also preventing boat access on many rivers during the low-water season. In 2005, a widespread drought and record-low water levels cut virtually all river traffic by larger boats for a period of several months. The lack of stone or gravel in much of the region also makes it difficult to build or maintain roads.

The physical challenges in accessing the Peruvian Amazon by land or river have ensured that the modern ecotourist can easily access pristine rainforest! With convenient air-travel to Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, nearby areas of tall rainforest are among the most easily accessible in the entire Amazon basin. Iquitos itself is a modern city with all the creature comforts of home, yet its backyard is the Amazon rainforest. This combination makes it an ideal jumping off spot for those wishing to explore the Amazon rainforest first-hand.