Peru and Ecotourism

Everybody is becoming increasingly aware that our planet is in peril. The rainforests of the Amazon are like the canary in a coalmine telling us how damaging we have been to the health of the planet. The rainforest is sometimes called the lungs of planet earth, so if those lungs fail, it can have terrible repercussions the world over. It is daunting and worrisome, but perhaps the best way to get a sense of how important the Peruvian ecosystem is to visit it firsthand.

Most people have heard of deforestation in the rainforest. It’s just another fact that people hear and then go on with their day. Only until you actually visit the place do you get a true sense of its majesty, and more deeply feel the regret of the rainforests slowly dwindling away. We’ve written here about family tours to Peru, and this can be a good way to instill environmental awareness in children.

Ecotourism in Peru doesn’t just involve visiting the natural splendor of the Peruvian rainforest, but also seeing evidence of the devastation. There are also research centers throughout the rainforest, which can provide tours and information about just how important the rainforest is to the entire world’s future. One thing is certain: when you come back from Peru, you’ll have a renewed appreciation for nature. The more people gain this appreciation, the better it will be for the fate of Peru’s vital rainforests.

One thing that has to be mentioned is that tourism can actually have a negative impact on the ecosystem, as people can impact ecosystems. It is important to treat the rainforests with care and respect. Treat the rainforests as well as you would treat your own home.

Family Vacations in Peru

One could think of a rainforest vacation as mysterious and forbidding. Thoughts of the Amazon conjures up images of giant spiders and piranha. All told, it may not seem like a place to take the kids. Au Contraire: Peru is an absolutely ideal place to go on a family vacation. The Amazonian rainforest is the closest the natural world gets to being like an actual amusement park. If you want to inspire a sense of wonder about nature, and spark a child’s imagination, visiting Peru is a great destination.

Not to take anything away from the majestic cities of Europe, but traipsing from one historic building to another is just not as interesting to children as it is to adults. A child’s interest is peaked by natural wonders, and those historic sites like the pyramids or Machu Picchu spring up out of the jungle, full of amazing fauna and wildlife.

One of the best ways to tour Peru with a family is with a kid-specific tours. In Peru, you find all types of tours – Amazon river tours, birdwatching tours, as well as tours specially designed for families. If you don’t choose to have a specialized tour guide (though this is recommended) just know that Peru is definitely kid-friendly territory. It may not be a great destination for very small children, such as toddlers, if you are hiking throughout the jungle, and older children must understand the rules of safety, but many families travel throughout Peru every year and return enlightened and enriched by what Peru has to offer.

Peruvian Culture

What makes Peru such a fascinating country is the variety of culture in the region. Though it has its major emphasis in Amerindian and Spanish cultures, there is also evidence of European, African, and even Asian traditions as well. Put together, this is what gives Peru some of its “magical” qualities. When you visit Machu Picchu, you feel as if you’re visiting a place of universal significance – not just a local curiosity. Peru is a crossroads of many different traditions and ideologies throughout history.

It’s important to learn about Peruvian history before you arrive because this will make your trip that much more fulfilling. One method would be to visit your local art or natural history museum to learn about Peruvian relics. Museums in Peru have a wider variety of historical displays, but visiting a museum beforehand can act as a sort of primer.

As you’ll see in much of Peruvian art, religion plays a major role. As reflected in Peru’s churches and paintings, religious iconography is prevalent – though it is of a different character than the religious art traditions of Europe. Recent art in Peru is more eclectic and less religion-based and shows increased worldwide influence.

What may be most amazing about Peru is that the country itself is like a living museum. Seeing art within the confines of a museum is one thing, but actually traveling to Machu Picchu or the Mayan pyramids is more like experiencing history first hand. It is the closest one can get to a time machine and has to be experienced to be believed.

The Weather in Peru

Everyone wants to know how to pack when you go on vacation. Visiting such a tropical locale at Peru offers some challenges. Given the cosmopolitan nightlife of Lima, you may want to pack some evening wear – that’s the easy part, as these clothes may not be very different than back home. However, when you go out to explore the jungles of Peru, things get a little more tricky.

Though South America is full of rainforests, you shouldn’t necessarily prepare for rain – depending where you visit in Peru. The climate in much of Peru is temperate. While not dry – it is generally humid – you will not be guaranteed to hit heavy rainfall either, especially if you visit between the fall and spring. This is good news in terms of how to pack for a vacation as well as ensuring that your trip is not ruined by rain. The jungles of Peru are difficult enough to travel without the extra difficulty of rainfall.

The type of climate in Peru depends on where you’re visiting. The coast is more temperate – given the cool air coming from the oceans, the north is warmer, and the west and south are cooler, given the proximity to the Andean Mountain Range. You are more likely to encounter rain in the winter months, rather than the summertime, whereas in the summer, the rainforests have their rainy season.

Because the summer months can be rainy in the jungle regions of Peru, it is a good idea to have a fallback plan when preparing a trip, should it be raining on a day when you were set to hike or boat within the rainforest. Generally, you will need light and airy clothes, but don’t leave heavier clothes at home either, as these may become necessary.

Birdwatching in Peru

If you’ve never been a birdwatcher before, Peru might just turn you into an aficionado. Peru is often considered the top birdwatching destination in the world. What may be most amazing about Peru’s birdwatching is that there are new species of birds being continually discovered in Peru – meaning that you won’t just be a tourist, but an actual explorer! Maybe you’ll find a species that is not currently on record.

Even if you are spotting perennial favorites, Peru offers some of the most diverse birdwatching in the world – in terms of the size of birds, color, and different characteristics. Birdwatching sometimes gets the reputation of sitting around waiting for a bird to appear. In Peru, it’s close to being in a zoo, where you don’t have to wait very long for another type of bird to fly by, sometimes flocks at a time.

Currently on record are over 1800 species – including the record for the number of bird species in one place: 650 the jungles of Tambopata. If you think of the common American neighborhood, there may be 20 different species of bird, if that, so Peru offers a dazzling cornucopia of bird species. No binoculars are even required, though of course this can make the experience more enjoyable.

The best bird watching is within the jungles of Peru and there are specialized birdwatching tours available. Keep in mind that any tours through popular tourist attractions like Machu Picchu will also be full of different bird species, so even if a tour is not birdwatching-specific, it’s a good idea to have an identifying guide on hand to know just what type of animals you’re seeing.