Visit Amazon

Conditions along the Amazon River in Peru divide into two seasons: a high water season from December through May and a low water season that lasts from June until November. Cruising the Amazon in either season promises rich rewards with breathtaking opportunities to view and photograph magnificent plant and animal life unlike anywhere else on earth.

Weather in this region of the Amazon remains generally warm with some rainfall even during low water season. In fact, despite being the “rainy” season, during the high water months, the Amazon only gets about 10% more rain than in the low water season. So, as you choose the time of your Aqua Expeditions cruise on the Amazon River (in either season), we suggest you consider the following three key points:

1. Some rain will fall in whichever season you choose. This is the Amazon Rainforest.

2. You will see spectacular Amazon wildlife, birds and plant life any time of year on the Amazon.

The Amazon basin is as lush and green as it is because it gets an abundance of rain — 3.6 meters, or 12 feet, a year on average. In a typical year, the Amazon River rainforest experiences 200 rainy days, which means that there will be days of rain even in the low water season. However it rarely rains all day. Rain most often falls in passing cloudbursts, which allow Aqua Expeditions to coordinate our excursions accordingly. When it does rain, we provide sturdy ponchos to ensure our guests stay extremely comfortable so they can focus on the astonishing Amazon jungle scenery.

High Water Season on the Amazon: December Through May

Peru’s rainy season runs from December through May, which is summer and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. This is our relatively cooler and wetter season when the Amazon region receives more than half (60%) of its total annual rainfall. During the high water season, the average temperature is 86°F (30°C), only 12°F (7°C) cooler than in the average low water season.

Benefits of visiting Peru’s Amazon at this time of year include the dramatic high water panorama. The Amazon Basin’s rivers and streams rise about 23 feet (7 meters) higher than during the low water season. Aside from the striking visual affect, this also means that every river, creek and lake is navigable. Thus, Aqua Expeditions tenders are able to cruise further along the wildlife-rich waterways of Amazonia and bring our guests up close to more plants and Amazon animals than during the low water season. Flooded waterways carry us significantly deeper by water into the Amazon jungle canopy, where our kaleidoscope of Amazon birds flutter about. Although the odds of sighting wildlife do not change significantly between the two seasons, you are likely to see more of some Amazon wildlife favorites such as monkeys, turtles and caimans during the high water months.