Puerto Maldonado

Puerto Maldonado, in Peru's southern Amazon, is the most accessible entrance to the jungle. The town itself is nothing to write home about, but it's the best way of reaching one of the many lodges found deeper in the interior. Some lodges are more luxurious than others but all include guided wildlife and bird-spotting excursions, delicious meals and the unforgettable experience of drifting to sleep to the cacophonous sound of the jungle at night.

From Puerto Maldonado, which has daily flights to and from Lima and Cusco, it’s easy to reach the Tambopata National Reserve, one of the most pristine and biodiverse parks in Peru. Once you reach your jungle lodge, you can then push deeper into the jungle in search of giant river otters, spider monkeys, two-toed sloths, pumas and jaguars. If you’re short on time, you could instead visit Lake Sandoval, located within easy reach of Puerto Maldonado by boat. The lake is a great place to spot a range of species, including caiman, turtles, monkeys, giant river otters and a huge amount of colourful birds.