The Amazon rainforest covers a big part of South America, standing out as the most bio-diverse and largest region you can see in the entire world. There is a huge landmass covered so it is impossible to enjoy it all when going to just one place. This is why you want to take a look at all of the very best Amazon wildlife watching locations highlighted below as they offer great options for all tourists that love nature.
Manaus – Brazil
This is a truly classic destination for Amazon wildlife watching. It is an unexpected modern city with 2 million residents right in the middle of the beautiful rainforest. Many high star jungle lodges can be considered scattered in the area and you can choose out of different cruise liners to find some exotic wildlife. If you just want to enjoy a daily trip, various start in the city. Just remember that Manaus is isolated. You need to be on a riverboat or a domestic flight to reach it.
Rurrenabaque – Bolivia
This is the Amazon haven you find in Bolivia, a jungle town that is filled with upmarket travelers and backpackers. We recommend that you consider a 3 day pampas tour as this is really cheap and you get to enjoy a safari experience that puts you in front of different crawlies, monkeys and caiman. If you have a higher budget available, consider the Chalalan lodge, which is located in Madidi, a really diverse national park.
Iquitos – Peru
Iquitos is the world’s largest city you cannot reach via road. This is how isolated it is. If you are an upmarket traveler you do want to consider it since there are numerous luxury river cruises you can choose from. Iquitos is Peru’s most lucrative of all the numerous eco-tourism hubs. If your budget is not so high, there are some jungle lodges that are reasonably priced and various day tours that allow you to have a great Amazon wildlife experience.
Coca – Ecuador
Ecuador has so many great Amazon hubs to consider but Coca is one that is often mentioned as being the very best. This is mainly because it is really close to Yasuni National Park, a really bio-diverse region that is quite spectacular, especially if you want to see birds. There are around 600 species that can be seen. This is one third of all the bird life you can see in the Amazon. If you do not like birds, you can still enjoy countless mammals, inspects, amphibians and reptiles. However, you do want to be quick about your planned visit since the park is now officially approved to drill for oil.
Puerto Maldonado – Peru
This relatively unknown Peru Amazon destination is truly world class, located to the east of Cusco, close to borders with Brazil and Bolivia. We are talking about a jungle town that is right between Manu and Tambopata national parks. All bird lovers will love a visit to the area as they get a chance to see the lovely rainbow colored macaw, together with other colorful exotic animals.
Leticia – Colombia
If there is only one Amazon destination you can visit in Colombia, it has to be Leticia. It is perfect for rainforest exploration and is located right on a border with Brazil and Peru. Intrepid travelers can thus easily explore some Amazon sections in all the 3 countries in just 1 day. Local jungle lodges are recommended so you can start a multi-day rainforest exploration for great wildlife watching.
Pantanal – Brazil
While Pantanal is not technical an Amazon part, it is a really close wildlife spotting location that is quite stunning. This huge flooded swamp is a great spot for those looking for wildlife watching. Even if tours are expensive, the bird life and fuzzy mammals you can see will make everything worth it.