RAINFOREST TOURS

The Peruvian Amazon jungle is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth. Most species have probably still not been discovered, or adequately studied. As a nation, Peru has the largest number of bird species in the world and the third largest number of mammals; 44 percent of birds and 63 percent of the mammals inhabit the Peruvian Amazon. Peru also has a very high number of species of butterflies, orchids, and other organisms.

The Peruvian Amazon is traditionally divided into two distinct ecoregions:
The lowland jungle (in Spanish Selva Baja) is also known as Omagua region, Walla, Anti, Amazonian rainforest or Amazon basin. This ecoregion is the largest of Peru, standing between 80 and 1000 meters above sea level. It has very warm weather with an average temperature of 28°C, high relative humidity (over 75%) and yearly rainfall of approximately 103 in.
The highland jungle (in Spanish Selva Alta) is also called Rupa-Rupa region, andean jungle, ceja de selva. This ecoregion extends into the eastern foothills of the Andes, between 1000 to 3800 m above the seal level. The eastern slopes of the Andes are home to a great variety of fauna and flora due to the different altitudes and climates within the region. Temperatures are warm in the lowlands and colder in higher altitudes. There are many endemic fauna because of the isolation caused by the rugged terrain of this area.

The primary cities located in the Peruvian Amazon include:

• LOWLAND JUNGLE
o Iquitos at 104 m (Loreto region)
o Pucallpa at 154 m (Ucayali region)
o Yurimaguas at 182 m (Loreto region)
o Puerto Maldonado at 139 m (Madre de Dios region)
o Nauta at 111 m (Loreto region)

• HIGHLAND JUNGLE
o Tarapoto with 181,000 inhabitants at 350 m (San Martín region)
o Jaén with 86,743 inhabitants at 729 m (Cajamarca region)
o Moyobamba with 77,000 inhabitants at 860 m (San Martín region)
o Bagua with 65,000 inh. at 400 m (Amazonas region)
o Rioja with 60,000 inh. at 848 m (at San Martín region)