The Amazon The Earths Lungs Need Protecting

It’s hard to sum up the Amazon. This vast stretch of South America covers more than 5 million square kilometers, most of it covered in lush rainforest.

Loved by over 40s

View All Trips

It contains almost 400 billion trees and produces 6% of the planet’s oxygen.

There are as many as 500 tribes in the Amazon rainforest

Everything from tiny leaf-cutter ants and poison dart frogs to jaguars, anacondas and huge river dolphins can be found here, in a region that spans nine countries and is the most biodiverse place on Earth.

The Amazon under threat

Human activity isn’t new to the Amazon. Around 5 million people lived here in 1500, before diseases brought by European explorers decimated the population. It remained relatively unexploited until the 1970s, when logging and cattle farming began to eat into the rainforest, helped by the construction of the Trans-Amazonian Highway.

An area the size of Spain was cleared between 1970 and 2000. The destruction of forest cover reached a peak in 2004 before declining, helped by protective legislation in several countries. But the threat to the Amazon has risen again, thanks to increased farming in the Brazilian Amazon and devastating wildfires in 2019.

Understanding the Amazon

The Amazon is a complicated system, and scientists are still working to understand its role in our world. Strange connections exist – like the fact that the rainforest’s fertility is ensured by millions of tons of phosphorus-rich dust that blow across the Atlantic from the Sahara every year.

The great fear is that the Amazon could hit a tipping point when 20-25% of its rainforest has been chopped down, after which it would cease to sustain itself and would become dry savannah. Around 18% of its tree cover has already been destroyed, leaving the world’s greatest rainforest in grave danger.

Visiting the Amazon

Responsible trips can help local businesses and national parks conserve the Amazon. There are some excellent ecolodges across South America, including in Brazil and Colombia. Peru, Bolivia and Brazil are among the places you can spot unique wildlife. Various charities (including the WWF and Greenpeace) have more information about conservation efforts.

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points

See Our Culture Trips

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.