Bellinis & Bug Spray: What you can expect on a gay tour of the Peruvian Amazon.

Mimosas, macaws and howler monkeys. That’s what our Peru: The Amazon and Machu Picchu Gay Tour is made of!

This 9-day luxury Peru tour hits all of the country’s major highlights, including the Amazon. But before you go screeching anaconda, take a breathe and light some incense. This is the Amazon for beginners.

Read on for what our gay Amazon excursion is really like.

Slumber in rainforest luxury

Don’t worry, you won’t be sleeping in some hodgepodge hut. We’ve already booked private cabanas at the award winning ecolodge, Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion. The three-walled jungle cabanas open onto the serene jungle, giving you a direct view of the Amazon’s beauty right from your hypoallergenic bedsheets.

“But what about the mosquitos?!” you gasp in falsetto. Great question! An extra fine netting will have you singing ‘mosquit-NO’ into the Amazonian night.

Dine on the finest tropical ingredients

Rice, beans and cilantro are just the tip of the culinary iceberg on this gay tour. Expect an array of inspired dishes that reflect the lush surrounds and local produce.  Freshly squeezed passion fruit juice and açaí bowls at breakfast. A zesty river fish ceviche for lunch. Perhaps even roasted guinea pig (cuy) for dinner!

Vegetarians will also be gobsmacked by the quality of animal-free dishes available.

And don’t think we forgot about Happy Hour!

From 5:30-7:00 pm, treasure a tropical libation such as a pisco sour or chilcano on the hotel terrace while enjoying the verdant vista. You may even witness the squabbles of nearby howler monkeys or the buzz of hummingbirds as you kiki with your fellow travellers.

Ride this (Amazon) riverboat fantasy

We’ll enjoy a number of excursions into the rainforest. But perhaps the most exciting is our guided Amazon longboat tour. With life-preservers laced, we’ll zip along the river beds, eyes peeled for the subtle splash of a black caiman or giant river otter. We’ll also have binoculars on-hand to glimpse majestic birds hunting the riverbeds for amphibians and small fish.

Cruise the canopy

Sub your loafers for hiking shoes before climbing the canopy tower bridge for a truly immersive treetop experience. At 91ft/28m, the tower gives you incredible views of the forest. As you stroll along the seven hanging bridges, take your time photographing such fauna as white-throated toucans, three-toed sloths, woodpeckers, trogons and squirrel monkeys.

Enjoy a guided nature walk at night.

As dusk settles, the hum of cicadas takes over, and 950 species of bat awake from their slumber. Armed with headlamps and an expert guide, we’ll venture into this dark ecosystem. Our leader will point out arachnids venturing out of the woodwork. They’ll discuss the unique habits of nocturnal toads and frogs. And while it’s extremely unlikely to spot a prowling jaguar, we’ll discuss these fascinating felines in detail.

Other Bits and Bobs

Lingering questions? Here are a few last-minute South American soundbites:

• Yes, there are a lot of bugs. But nothing a bottle deet and a mosquito hat can’t fix.
• As hard as we try, we can’t seem to install air conditioning throughout the rainforest! But things usually cool off in the evenings, ensuring you get a comfortable 8-hours of shut-eye.
• No, you won’t pull a J Lo, battling 30-foot anacondas on the Amazon river. Nor can you expect a school of flesh-eating piranhas to attack our boat. But even if you did sustain an injury (a scraped knee, perhaps?), our expert guides are well-equipped to handle any emergency.
• All of the group excursions and nature walks are done at a leisurely pace and are completely optional. So if you’d rather have an afternoon lounging around the ecolodge bar, by all means, order that third guava-tini!

If you want more information about this incredible experience, never hesitate to get in contact!

Click here for more information about Out Adventures’ luxurious Peru: The Amazon & Machu Picchu tour.

If you’re more interested in a 4-day gay hike to Machu Picchu, click here.

All photos courtesy of Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion.