Search results for

We took a four night trip to the Peruvian jungle and the Macaws at this clay-lick were a highlight from the boat trip up the river.

From our lodge, Posada Amazonas, we headed into the jungle to spend time with the local medicine man. We had a fascinating tour of the community garden where we chewed on some leaves and learned about the different medicinal properties of the plants and trees around us. Then we visited the medicine man’s workshop, where the remedies were created in some amazing looking contraptions. They poured us some samples of their most popular healing remedies. And finally, of course, was the shop, where large bottles could be purchased, because you can’t find this stuff at home! For sale: Para Para (an aphrodisiac; we were told this is only for men) Chuchuhuasi (made from the bark of a large canopy tree, this is a local remedy for arthritis pain) Uña de Gato (cat’s claw - multipurpose remedy: boosts the immune system, promotes cardiovascular health, and also has anti-inflammatory properties) Love Potion (well, um... probably needs no explanation)

When thinking about the Amazon Jungle, Brazil may first come to mind—and rightly so, as the largest portion of the rain forest is indeed in that country. However, the Amazon also makes up 60 percent of Peru’s land. Experience this fantastic landscape at Manu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Try to spend a minimum of five days in the park, keeping in mind that the farther into the jungle you go, the more likely you are to see a wide variety of wildlife. Given that the park encompasses microclimates that range from more than 13,000 feet above sea level down to 984 feet, you will find a great diversity of vegetation, birds (800 species), and mammals (200 species) here. Not to mention butterflies—an incredible 1,300 butterfly species live in the jungle.