Aguas Calientes, meaning 'hot water,' is the town below the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu. It is so called because of the hot springs outside the town. Set high above a fast-flowing river, with waterfalls close by, Aguas Calientes is characterized by water. Its location within one of Peru's cloud forests may have something to do with that. What exactly are the cloud forests of Peru? Many who have hiked the Inca Trail will tell you about the persistent low lying clouds obscuring the view they have hiked 4 days to see. Yet, when those clouds break, creeping eerily across the mountains, the view of Machu Picchu somehow seems even more mystical. Yes, the Aguas Calientes cloud forests, clinging to the edge of rugged, green mountains, are truly a sight not to be missed.

The Amazon hub of Puerto Maldonado finds itself in a very fortunate location. Not only is it close to Cusco and Puno — two of Peru's travel highlights — it also has two very different kinds of native forests to explore. The Amazon rainforests may be world famous but the cloud forests of the Manu Biosphere Reserve, close to Puerto Maldonado, are just as breathtaking. Getting to these cloud forests — located above the tropical rainforest, on the way up towards the peaks of the Andes — requires planning and patience. The incredibly rich flora and fauna you'll find when you arrive though, is more than worth it. Ecolodges deep within the forest will host you for these multi-day nature expeditions.

Where the Peruvian Andes approach the border with Ecuador, the mountain peaks descend into high-altitude cloud forests before leveling out to the tropical rainforests of the Amazon basin. Here, you'll find the city of Chachapoyas and the famously friendly 'cloud people' who live there. Hiding some of the tallest waterfalls on the planet, ruins of ancient civilizations, and a staggeringly diverse array of wildlife, the cloud forests around Chachapoyas offer exploration at its very best.