Peru promotes its Amazon north

Peru tourism officials are launching a campaign to promote the country's northern Amazon region.

While the Inca trail and the lost citadel of Machu Picchu are well-established on the tourist map, many of the country's northern attractions are less well-known.

The city of Iquitos offers the best route for tourists to enter the Amazon region of Peru, which comprises 50 per cent of its territory.

Iquitos, the capital of the Loreto region, is surrounded by three rivers – the Nanay, the Itaya and the Amazon – which are home to wildlife including the manatee, or sea cow, the pink dolphin, the charapa turtle, and the anaconda.

Iquitos is also a good base for visits to native Amazon rainforest communities such as the Bora and the Yagua.

"The objective of this initiative is to showcase the diversity of our tourism offering in this region," said Elizabeth Barthelmess, general manager of PromPeru.

"The campaign will feature print and online ads showcasing images and attractions from Peru’s northern Amazon region, highlighting the circuit’s archeological, natural and cultural features," she added.

Cox and Kings currently offers nine-day trips to Peru from £1,395 per person. Two night add-on trips to Iquitos cost £450 per person including return internal flights from Lima to Iquitos, full board and excursions. For more information call 020 7873 5000 or visit: www.coxandkings.co.uk.

Sunvil Latin America (020 8758 4774, www.sunvil.co.uk) and Explore (0870 333 4001, www.explore.co.uk also offer tours to Peru. XXX