Back to grid

Best rainforest destinations in South America

Back to grid
Manaus
Amazon's gateway to lush rainforest adventures
7.5
A city of over two million people sits deep in the Brazilian Amazon beside the Rio Negro. Boats travel to the Meeting of Waters, where dark and sandy coloured rivers run side by side. Jungle lodges and river cruises start here. The Teatro Amazonas opera house dates from the rubber boom.
Highlights:
  • 🕍 Tour historic Santo Antônio Cathedral and local markets
  • 🌊 Visit Meeting of Waters confluence at sunrise
  • 🚡 Explore Amazon rainforest canopy via aerial tram
Yasuni National Park
Untamed rainforest, ancient wildlife sanctuary
7.6
Compared with lodges near towns, this Amazon national park in Ecuador feels far more remote. Travel is by canoe and motorboat along rivers, often with local Indigenous guides. The park is a UNESCO biosphere reserve with jaguars, giant otters and many monkeys. Visits are usually arranged through lodges.
Highlights:
  • 🏕️ Camp overnight beside the Putumayo River, stargazing included
  • 🐆 Spot jaguars and giant otters in their natural habitat
  • 🪂 Explore the Amazon canopy via guided zip‑line tours
Iquitos
Amazon’s gateway to jungle adventures
8.4
A busy river port in northern Peru has an easygoing feel and no road to the rest of the country. Boats and planes bring in visitors and supplies. Iquitos is the starting point for jungle lodges and riverboat cruises on the Amazon and its tributaries. Belén market sells fruit, fish and herbal remedies.
Highlights:
  • 🍴 Stroll through San Pedro Market, taste quinoa empanadas
  • 🗿 Explore Sacsayhuamán ruins, trace Inca stonework
  • 🏔️ Climb Machu Picchu sunrise, capture the misty peaks
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Amazon wilderness teeming with life
8.1
A reserve in the northeastern Amazon of Ecuador has black water lagoons and forest that floods at high water. Visitors travel by motorised canoe to jungle lodges and then paddle quietly through the flooded channels. Wildlife includes pink river dolphins, monkeys, caimans and many birds. Night walks are a common activity.
Highlights:
  • 🐬 Spot pink dolphins swimming in the lagoons
  • 🛶 Take a canoe ride on serene waterways
  • 🌳 Explore dense jungle trails with expert guides
Manú National Park
Pristine Amazon biodiversity wonderland
7.3
Rain is lighter from May to October in this biosphere reserve in southeast Peru, so travel is easier. The park covers lowland rainforest and cloud forest that rises towards the Andes. Clay licks on riverbanks attract flocks of macaws and parrots. Visits are arranged through licensed tour operators.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Cruise down the Madre de Dios River at sunrise
  • 🦜 Spot macaws and toucans at a clay lick hide
  • 🌿 Take a guided jungle trek through the Amazon rainforest
Mindo
Lush cloud forests and vibrant hummingbird haven
8.1
Small family farms in this cloud forest town offer chocolate and coffee tours as a regular part of village life. Mindo lies about two hours northwest of Quito, so many visitors come for a weekend. Hummingbird feeders, butterfly farms and bird walks at first light are popular.
Highlights:
  • 🚁 Take a canopy zipline tour above rainforest canopy
  • 🦜 Spot colorful hummingbirds perched on blossoms
  • 🌲 Hike misty cloud forest trails near Mindo
Kaieteur National Park
World's Most Powerful Single-Drop Waterfall
7.7
The falls carry the most water after heavy rain, but the park can be visited in drier months too. The Potaro River drops about 226 metres in one plunge, far higher than Niagara Falls. Most visitors fly in from Georgetown on a small plane. Tiny golden frogs live in giant bromeliads nearby.
Highlights:
  • 🐦 Spot rare Guianan cock-of-the-rock bird nearby
  • 🥾 Hike rainforest trails to panoramic waterfall viewpoints
  • 🌊 Witness the majestic Kaieteur Falls, tallest single-drop
Iguazú National Park and Reserve
Epic Waterfalls and Wild Rainforest
7.9
Visitors usually follow three set routes, called the Upper Circuit, Lower Circuit and Devil's Throat trail, on raised walkways. Subtropical forest on the Argentine side has coatis, toucans and butterflies. A small train carries people from the entrance to the trails. Many visitors arrive early to see more animals.
Highlights:
  • 🌿 Walk the Upper Circuit trail to view multiple cascading waterfalls
  • 🛶 Take a jungle boat ride through the mist of the falls
  • 🌊 Stand before the breathtaking Iguazú Falls at Devil’s Throat
San Carlos de Bariloche
Argentina’s Alpine Wonderland
7.4
Settlers from Germany and other European countries built this lakeside town in Patagonia in the early twentieth century. Nahuel Huapi National Park surrounds it. Boat trips on the lake reach Puerto Blest, where wet Valdivian forest grows with ferns and tall trees. Chocolate shops and mountain views add to the visit.
Highlights:
  • 🏘️ Explore the Bavarian-style Centro Cívico and museums
  • 🥾 Hike the scenic trails of Nahuel Huapi National Park
  • 🚡 Take a cable car to Cerro Otto for panoramic views
Foz do Iguaçu
Where three nations meet waterfalls
7.7
Guarani people lived in the forest around the falls long before European explorers arrived. The Brazilian side of Iguaçu National Park has walkways with wide views of the water. Nearby, the Parque das Aves bird park has large walk through aviaries set in the rainforest.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Take a thrilling Macuco Safari boat ride near the falls
  • 🦜 Explore Parque das Aves, Latin America’s largest bird park
  • 🌊 Visit the breathtaking Iguazu Falls and Devil’s Throat
Puerto Iguazú
Gateway to Iguazú’s Thundering Falls
8.3
A small town in the far northeast of Argentina lies near the point where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet. Puerto Iguazú is the main base for visiting the falls and the surrounding subtropical forest. Hotels and restaurants are close together. Buses to the park run often. The Hito Tres Fronteras viewpoint shows the three borders.
Highlights:
  • 🌿 Walk the Upper and Lower Trails through tropical forest paths
  • 🚤 Take a jungle boat ride under the waterfalls’ spray
  • 🌊 Stand before the roaring Iguazú Falls at Devil’s Throat viewpoint
Villa la Angostura
Patagonia's Hidden Gem
7.5
A small lake town in Patagonia serves as the gateway to Los Arrayanes National Park on the Quetrihué peninsula. The park has a grove of cinnamon coloured arrayán trees with soft, twisting trunks. Visitors walk or cycle in along a forest path or take a boat. Nearby lakes and waterfalls make easy short trips.
Highlights:
  • 🏞️ Relax along the tranquil shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi
  • ⛷️ Admire panoramic views from the Cerro Bayo ski resort
  • 🌲 Hike the enchanting trails of Los Arrayanes National Park
Pucon
Volcano Views and Adventure Bliss
7.6
Compared with the hot Amazon, this lake town in southern Chile has cool forests of southern beech and araucaria trees. Trails in Huerquehue National Park pass lakes and very old trees. The snow capped Villarrica volcano rises above the town. Hot springs nearby offer a rest after hiking.
Highlights:
  • 🚣‍♂️ Kayak on Lake Villarrica to private, serene beaches
  • ♨️ Soak in the soothing waters of Termas Geometricas hot springs
  • 🌋 Climb the active Villarrica Volcano and enjoy crater views
Tayrona National Park
Where Jungle Meets Turquoise Caribbean
7.5
Rainforest grows right down to golden beaches and large boulders on this wild stretch of Colombia's Caribbean coast. Walking trails link the beaches through shady forest. Howler monkeys and many birds live among the trees. Basic campsites and hammocks sit close to the shore for overnight stays.
Highlights:
  • 🦜 Spot howler monkeys and exotic birds along forest paths
  • 🌴 Swim in crystal-clear Caribbean waters surrounded by palm trees
  • 🏝️ Hike through jungle trails to the stunning Cabo San Juan beach
Feedback