Undisturbed jungle areas can be found within the Parque Nacional Yanachaga-Chemillén, 3–4 hours from Chanchamayo [1]. More remote jungle is a day’s journey from Chanchamayo.
A seven-hour combi ride leads to Puerto Bermúdez, a lazy settlement on the Río Pachitea. Both the river and the dirt road (not passable in rainy season Nov.–Mar.) lead all the way to Pucallpa [2], an adventurous journey that runs through the town of Puerto Inca.
Another option is to head to Satipo, two hours along paved road from Chanchamayo [1], and then travel farther by combi to the riverside town of Puerto Ocopa. From here, boats can be hired to descend the Río Tambo, a remote corner of Peru’s Amazon [3].
If you are driving, or not shy about hitchhiking, there is a spectacular dirt road to Huancayo [4] from Satipo, which leads up and over a 4,320-meter pass, Abra Tortuga, in the Huaytapallana range. No regular transport follows this route, a 10-hour journey between Satipo and Huancayo.
Agencies tend to come and go in Chanchamayo [1], but the friendly Rodolfo May, owner of Hostal Golden Gate (just west of Herreria Bridge outside La Merced, tel. 064/53-1483, divnafly [at] latinmail [dot] com), can give excellent information about activities in the area, and with advance notice, can arrange trips.
Lucho Hurtado, the energetic owner of Incas del Peru in Huancayo [4] (Av. Giráldez 652, tel. 064/22-3303, travelinfo [at] incasdelperu [dot] org, www.incasdelperu.org [5]) takes groups into the Chanchamayo area for a five-day, action-packed stay at his father’s farm near Pozuzo [6].
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/peru/the-amazon/chanchamayo
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/peru/the-amazon/-lima-pucallpa/pucallpa
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/peru/the-amazon
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/peru/central-highlands/the-mantaro-valley/huancayo
[5] http://www.incasdelperu.org
[6] http://www.moon.com/destinations/peru/the-amazon/chanchamayo/sights/pozuzo-oxapampa