Amazon Iquitos
3
Day Itinerary •
Peru
Three days in the Peruvian Amazon from Iquitos puts you deep inside the most biodiverse ecosystem on earth, the largest tropical rainforest in the world, accessible only by river or air. Iquitos is the largest city on earth with no road connection, a remarkable river metropolis of 400,000 people surrounded by an extraordinary sea of jungle stretching unbroken to the horizon in every direction. This focused route covers the essential Iquitos Amazon experience. The extraordinary Pacaya Samiria National Reserve with its flooded forest and pink river dolphins, nocturnal caiman spotting by torchlight on the black water tributaries, indigenous Yagua and Bora community visits, piranha fishing on the Amazon tributaries, and the extraordinary Belen floating village market on the Amazon riverbank.
Best Time To Visit
June to November, low water season for wildlife
Getting There
Fly into Coronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta Airport (IQT)
Getting Around
River boat and motorised canoe throughout
Budget Per Day
Approx 80 to 250 USD per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, boat travel and jungle walks
DAY 1
IQUITOS
MORNING
BELEN FLOATING MARKET AND AMAZON WATERFRONT
The most extraordinary market in the Peruvian Amazon, a labyrinthine waterfront bazaar where canoes loaded with jungle produce, exotic fish, medicinal plants, live animals and extraordinary river foods tie up along the Amazon bank at Belen district. The extraordinary variety of Amazonian fruits, catfish, paiche river fish, jungle herbs and local shamanic remedies is unlike any market in South America. Best visited at dawn before 7am with a local guide. Free to enter. 30 min mototaxi
MIDDAY
MANATEE RESCUE CENTRE AND IRON HOUSE
The extraordinary Amazon manatee rescue centre at the CREA facility, where orphaned Amazonian manatees are rehabilitated for release. The Amazon manatee is one of the most extraordinary and endangered mammals in the river. Then the remarkable Iron House on the Plaza de Armas, allegedly designed by Gustave Eiffel for the rubber boom era, a prefabricated iron structure shipped from Europe to the middle of the Amazon jungle in 1887. 1 hour river boat
AFTERNOON
RIVER TRANSFER TO JUNGLE LODGE
The extraordinary journey upriver by motorised canoe from Iquitos port into the Amazon tributaries, as the city skyline recedes and the unbroken jungle closes in on both banks. Pink river dolphins often accompany the boat in the wider channels. The extraordinary scale of the river, hundreds of metres wide with an invisible current of extraordinary power, is the first revelation of the Amazon. Arrive at lodge for sunset.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm and Animal Orphanage 20 minutes upriver from Iquitos is one of the finest small wildlife centres in the Amazon, with an extraordinary butterfly house and a remarkable collection of rescued Amazonian animals including giant anteaters, tapirs and monkeys. The owner, an Austrian woman who settled in the Amazon decades ago, often conducts tours personally. Entry approx 25 soles.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Dawn coffee at Belen market Extraordinary fresh tropical fruit juice and local patarashca jungle fare at a market stall at 5:30am. | Lunch: Al Frio y al Fuego, Iquitos The finest restaurant in Iquitos, a floating restaurant on the Amazon serving extraordinary Amazonian cuisine. | Dinner: Jungle lodge dinner First night at the lodge. Fresh river fish, yuca, plantain and Amazonian jungle produce.
DAY 2
JUNGLE LODGE
MORNING
PINK RIVER DOLPHIN ENCOUNTER IN THE OXBOW LAKE
The extraordinary pink river dolphin, the largest freshwater dolphin on earth, inhabits the Amazon tributaries and oxbow lakes in extraordinary numbers near Iquitos. Dawn canoe trips to the oxbow lakes give the finest close encounters, as the dolphins surface to breathe in the still water with the jungle mist rising from the river. The remarkable pink colouration of adult males is extraordinary. Swimming with dolphins is possible at some locations. 30 min canoe
MIDDAY
JUNGLE WALK AND MEDICINAL PLANT TRAIL
A guided walk through the primary rainforest with a local guide who identifies extraordinary medicinal plants, edible jungle fruits, enormous ceiba trees, extraordinary leaf-cutter ant trails, poison dart frogs and the remarkable Amazonian ecosystem layer by layer. The extraordinary density of life per square metre of Amazonian primary forest, estimated to contain more species than all of Europe, is apparent at every step. 1 hour canoe EVENING PIRANHA FISHING AND CAIMAN NIGHT SPOTTING 3 hours Fish for piranha from dugout canoes in the Amazon tributaries using simple lines and raw meat, an extraordinary activity that produces results within minutes as the extraordinary red-bellied piranha strike with remarkable ferocity. After dark, take the canoe into the black water tributaries with torches to spot caiman, whose eyes reflect the light at extraordinary distances along the river bank. Both are among the finest Amazon experiences.
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Yagua indigenous community on the Amazon tributary near most Iquitos lodges offers visits to see traditional blowpipe making, face painting and extraordinary demonstrations of the hunting techniques that sustained the community for centuries before contact. Visit with the lodge rather than through the mass-market operators in Iquitos for a more genuine experience.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Lodge breakfast Fresh tropical fruit, Amazonian coffee and local bread before the dawn dolphin excursion. | Lunch: Lodge lunch Fresh grilled paiche or dorado river fish with yuca and fried plantain. Extraordinary local produce. | Dinner: Lodge dinner Piranha soup is the extraordinary local speciality. The fish you caught earlier may appear on the menu.
DAY 3
PACAYA SAMIRIA AND RETURN
MORNING
PACAYA SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE CANOE EXPEDITION
The most extraordinary protected area in the Peruvian Amazon, a vast flooded forest reserve of 2 million hectares where the canoe glides between the submerged trunks of trees in an extraordinary cathedral of water and jungle. Giant river otters, red howler monkeys, extraordinary giant Victoria amazonica water lilies, macaws and extraordinary river birds inhabit the reserve. Entry approx 30 soles. A guide is mandatory and included in all lodge packages. 2 hours river boat
MIDDAY
RETURN TO IQUITOS AND AMAZON FAREWELL
The extraordinary return journey downriver to Iquitos, watching the jungle recede as the city reappears on the horizon. Stop at a riverside Ribeirinho community along the way, a river-dwelling community whose extraordinary floating house village exists entirely on the Amazon and its tributaries, moving with the river level seasonally. The extraordinary resilience and ingenuity of life on the Amazon is remarkable. 30 min mototaxi
AFTERNOON
IQUITOS PLAZA DE ARMAS AND DEPARTURE
The extraordinary Plaza de Armas of Iquitos, a remarkable colonial square in the heart of the most remote large city in the world, surrounded by the extraordinary tiled facades of rubber boom-era mansions and the Iron House. The Iquitos malacon waterfront promenade at sunset, overlooking the vast brown Amazon flowing towards the Atlantic 3,700km away, is an extraordinary final moment in this remarkable city.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Quistococha Zoo and Lagoon 13km from Iquitos central is not a zoo in the conventional sense but a remarkable rescue centre set around a beautiful lake, with free-ranging Amazonian wildlife including extraordinary giant river turtles, manatees in the lake, caiman and Amazonian birds. The lake itself is extraordinary for a late afternoon swim. Entry approx 5 soles.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Lodge breakfast Final breakfast at the lodge before the morning Pacaya Samiria canoe expedition. | Lunch: On the river Packed lunch eaten in the canoe inside Pacaya Samiria reserve. Fresh fruit and local snacks. | Dinner: Gran Maloca, Iquitos Outstanding Amazonian cuisine on the malacon waterfront. Fresh river fish ceviche and juane rice parcels.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Iquitos City, Night 1 Casa Morey boutique hotel or Hotel El Dorado Plaza on the malacon. Approx 60 to 150 USD. Jungle Lodge, Nights 2 to 3 Ceiba Tops, Cumaceba Lodge or Refugio Altiplano. All-inclusive packages. Approx 100 to 300 USD per night. Budget Option Local guesthouses in Iquitos from approx 20 to 50 USD. Book lodge packages directly online.
Top Tips
1. Yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for jungle entry. Get vaccinated at least 10 days before.
2. Book your jungle lodge before arriving. Reputable lodges fill up weeks ahead in high season.
3. Bring a headtorch, insect repellent with DEET and lightweight long sleeves for night activities.
4. Pink river dolphins are most easily spotted in oxbow lakes. Early morning is the finest time.
5. The Belen floating market is best visited at dawn before 7am with a local guide for safety.
6. Caiman spotting by canoe at night is extraordinary. The reflective eye-shine is unmistakable.
Total Budget
120 to 400 USD/day