PERU TOURIST INFORMATION
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Home > Iquitos Tourist Information > Places of Interest in and around Iquitos
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Introduction to Iquitos / Iquitos Attractions / Getting to and from Iquitos / Around Iquitos / Jungle Cruises / Jungle Lodges / Accommodation in Jungle Lodges / Independent Travel / Pacaya Samiria National Reserve /
Iquitos has a population of 300,000, and is Peru’s largest jungle city, although Pucallpa has grown rapidly in recent years and now vies with Iquitos for this title. However, there is little doubt that Iquitos is the most interesting of the jungle cities, and in its heyday it was one of the grandest cities in the whole of the Amazon basin.
The jungle area around Iquitos was quite densely populated before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, and it is estimated that there could have been as many as 300,000 natives living here. However, the arrival of the Spanish, and European diseases with them, decimated the population. The first European to see the Amazon River was the conquistador Francisco de Orellana, who arrived at the river on 12 February 1542, after having left from the Peruvian highlands.
Although missionaries moved into the area, the jungle was largely ignored by the Spanish, and it was only in 1864 that Iquitos was founded. The city quickly found itself at the centre of world interest, as the process of vulcanisation made the rubber tree, indigenous to the Iquitos area, one of the most valuable commodities in the world. Iquitos prospered in the rubber boom, and much wealth was created in this period, when the rubber barons were born. However, this wealth did not last, and when seeds of the rubber tree were smuggled out of Peru, the monopoly enjoyed by Iquitos ended.
Unlike in most of the Peruvian Amazon, Iquitos does not have distinct dry and rainy seasons as it is so close to the equator. Instead, it can rain throughout the year, but it is unusual for there to be several days of uninterrupted rain. Therefore, the area is a good jungle destination at all times, especially when it rains heavily further south from October to April, making jungle trips to other destinations more difficult. Despite the uniformity of rainfall in Iquitos, the water level of the Amazon River varies tremendously throughout the year. This is affected by the rainfall in the areas feeding the tributaries of the Amazon, and the Amazon River increases in width by several hundred metres between the months of November and April. These are the best months for viewing wildlife, as the available land area is significantly reduced. Therefore, the wildlife is forced onto a smaller landmass, making it easier to spot.
The city of Iquitos is the only interesting jungle city in Peru, and it is
worth spending a day wandering round exploring it. The Boulevard
(**) along Malecón Maldonado is a lovely pedestrian area alongside the river,
with many bars, cafes and restaurants, often with live music at weekends. There
are beautiful views across the Amazon River, although the river is quite far
away in the low water period.
Iquitos has many wonderful tiled houses from its high period around the end of
the 19th century. Among the finest of these is the former Hotel Palace
(**), now army barracks, on the corner of Jr. Putumayo and Malecón
Tarapacá. From the same boom period in Iquitos’s history is the Casa de
Fierro (**) on the Plaza de Armas. This interesting, although not
beautiful, iron structure was built by Gustav Eiffel, and was brought over from
Paris at the end of the 19th century. The building now houses shops and
restaurants. The Plaza de Armas itself is quite spacious and
also has the Iglesia Matriz on it.
The Museo Amazónico (**) (entrance $1, open Monday to Friday 9am – 1pm, 3pm – 7pm) contains an interesting collection of statues of native tribes people from the surrounding jungle. It also contains interesting exhibitions on the native cultures of the area. The Museo Municipal (*) on the Plaza de Armas has a collection of stuffed fish and animals as well as some native art. Entry is free. The Biblioteca Amazónica (Malecón Tarapacá 345) contains a large collection of documents on the Amazon Basin.
Puerto Belén (**), a large shantytown by the edge of the Itaya River, is one of the most interesting districts of Iquitos. Many of the houses here are built on stilts because of the major changes in the river level between high and low water, and some houses are even built on rafts, so they float up when the river rises. The district is called the Venice of the Amazon as most people get around by boat on the river, although it is far more similar to a far-eastern river market. It is worth taking a trip around the port in a canoe, which will cost around $0.50 for a 15-minute ride. The market is also worth wandering around and has many wonderful fruits. Be careful with belongings, however, as the area is very poor. A mototaxi to the port costs about $0.60 from the centre.
2 kilometres west of the centre is the Lago Moronacocha, which has beautiful sunsets.
There are several spots close to Iquitos that make for good escapes from the
city. One of the most popular is Quistococha (***) (open 8am –
5pm, entrance $1) a park/zoo set on the shores of a beautiful jungle lake. The
zoo contains many jungle animals, including pumas, jaguars, ocelots, tapir,
river otters, monkeys, snakes and caiman, although the cages are often far too
small. There are also several good walks on jungle trails. The lake itself is
beautiful and there is a lovely white sandy beach from where it is possible to
swim or hire a boat. There is a basic restaurant with limited choice, and it is
better to bring a picnic. Combis for Quistococha leave from Belén market and
from Parque 28 de Julio and charge $0.30. There are several other bathing spots
close to Iquitos. The small port of Bellavista Nanay, 2km from
Iquitos, has a good, sandy beach from June to November, and also has some Boras
and Yaguas native communities nearby.
There are several native villages near Iquitos, including San Andrés,
Santo Tomás and Santa Clara. These can be
reached by taxi or by combi from the corner of Jr. Próspero and José Gálvez.
There are good flight connections between Iquitos and Lima and Tarapoto. TANS Peru (Próspero 215, T 223581) and AeroContinente (Próspero 232, T 243489) fly to both these cities. Grupo 42 (Jr. Sargento Lores 127, T 234632), an army airline, has flights to Santa Rosa on the Brazilian and Colombian border. Flights leave on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 8am, take 1.45 hours and cost $50. Flights return to Iquitos on the same days in the afternoons.
Aerotaxi Transservice (Jr. Arica 960, T 223277) offers an air taxi service.
The airport is a few kilometres south of the city. Mototaxis charge around $1 to get to or from the airport, and there are also taxis available for a bit more. There is a tourist information booth at the airport with information on the city and jungle tours.
There are no bus connections to Iquitos from the rest of Peru, although there are a few roads going to nearby towns. Combis to Nauta leave from the corner of Jr. Próspero and Jr. José Gálvez when it has not rained. When it rains the road becomes impassable. If it has not rained the journey takes about 3 hours and costs $3.
The main port in Iquitos is Puerto Masusa, from where large
passenger boats leave. Take a mototaxi from the centre for $1. There is also a
smaller port from where speedboats leave at Embarcadero El Huequito.
Large boats are slow, taking passengers and cargo. They provide you with a space
to sling a hammock and basic food (but not water) for the journey. Most boats
also have bunks in cabins available for a few dollars more, although these are
not necessarily any more comfortable. Boats get very full and travel slowly, and
the journey should only be undertaken by anyone looking for an adventure and not
afraid of discomfort. Be prepared for delays, as boats often take a long time
loading and unloading at intermediate stops. Make sure you bring a hammock to
sleep in and ropes to hang it from. Bring food, as what is provided is unlikely
to satisfy. Bring lots of water, as there is little for sale onboard. It is
possible to buy drinks and food when the boat stops at small ports, although
this can be infrequent. Watch your belongings carefully on the boat, as there is
nowhere to leave them safely. Tie up rucksacks in your hammock during the day,
and bring a padlock to keep bags closed.
To buy a ticket, just turn up at the port and find a boat leaving for your destination. All paperwork is handled directly by the captain. Boats tend to leave around 4pm and it is possible to buy a ticket right up until the boat leaves, although bunks fill up long before, and by 4pm there is very little room to hang a hammock.
Speedboats are available to the border with Brazil and Colombia only, and the journey is much quicker and more comfortable this way, although it is also much more expensive.
There are also luxury cruise services to some destinations. Information on these services is included in the jungle tours section.
Brazil/Colombia border
Large passenger and cargo boats leave from Puerto Masusa for Islandia,
on the Peruvian side of the border. The journey takes 3 days and costs $14.
Speedboats (Yates) leave from the Embarcadero El Huequito. These charge $50 to Tabatinga on the Brazilian side of the border. The journey takes 8 hours and boats leave at 6am every day except Monday. Boats seat 18 people and the price includes lunch. Speedboats stop at Santa Rosa, the last town on the Peruvian side of the border, to sort out papers. There are two companies operating speedboat services, both with offices on the 3rd block of Jr. Raymondi, 3 blocks up from the Plaza de Armas. Trans Acuatico Rápido Mayco (Raymondi 384, T 233157) has boats on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Transportes Amazónicos de Turismo, (Raymondi 344, T 231278) has boats on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Boats return to Iquitos on every day except Tuesday, and the return journey takes 9 hours.
Pucallpa
The only passenger services to Pucallpa are in large passenger and cargo boats
leaving from Puerto Masusa. The journey takes five to six days and costs $17.
Yurimaguas/Lagunas
The only passenger services to Yurimaguas are in large passenger and cargo boats
leaving from Puerto Masusa. The journey takes three days and costs $10. Boats
pass Lagunas after two days, and the journey to Lagunas costs $7.
The reason most people travel to Iquitos is to visit the jungle around the
city. Being at only 100m above sea level, the jungle around Iquitos is different
from that of the Manu National Park or that around Puerto Maldonado, for
example, which are higher. The temperature is hotter and the rain patterns very
different, and the wildlife, and the bird life, that lives in the jungle vary
considerably from the higher areas far upstream. Another great experience unique
in Peru to Iquitos is the magnificent sight of the Amazon River, which is
several kilometres even this far from its mouth, almost 4,000km away on the
Atlantic.
The area around Iquitos is heavily populated, meaning that little wildlife can
be seen within about 50km to 100km of the city. If you wish to see animals you
are better off going further from the city. Upriver of Iquitos is probably less
inhabited.
Many jungle tours include trips to native communities. Many of these trips are rather unauthentic, largely consisting of a dance and music show specifically for tourists. It is possible to have a more authentic experience in an indigenous community further from Iquitos. Wildlife seen will vary from tour to tour, but most will include pink and grey river dolphins, both of which can usually be seen on the river. Piranha fishing is also included on most tours. Many tours also include the chance to see the giant Victoria Regia Lilies.
There are several options if wishing to visit the jungle around Iquitos. Visiting a jungle lodge gives a relatively comfortable way to see the jungle, although this obviously limits areas that can be visited to those near the lodge. Some lodge operators own several lodges, which means that they are able to offer days at different lodges, allowing you to visit different areas while staying in the comfort of a lodge.
Another good option for travelling around is to take a cruise in a luxury boat. These move around, meaning that you are in a different location every day, and some of the boats are very comfortable. Cruises tend to be very expensive, however.
The most flexible option is to camp in the forest with a guide. This can be good for seeing wildlife and allows great mobility, although comfort levels are obviously much lower. This option can be the cheapest, although for only one person transport costs can be high.
One of the best and most comfortable ways of seeing the Amazon is on a
cruise, although this is also one of the most expensive ways.
Junglex (Av. Quiñones 1980, T 261583) is a company offering 7-day
luxury wildlife cruises into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve for around
$1,500 per person. Cabins have air conditioning and private bathrooms. The
company has recently opened a lodge on the Marañon River for $250 per person per
night.
Amazon Tours (Requena 336, T 231611, www.amazontours.net) offers cruises down the Amazon in relatively luxurious boats with private cabins with air conditioning and private bathrooms. A 3-day cruise down to Leticia, in Colombia, costs $595 per person. A 6-day return trip from Iquitos to Leticia costs $1095 per person. A 9-day trip to Manaus in Brazil costs $1,395 per person. The company also owns a lodge, the Amazon Camp, which costs $70 per person per day.
There are almost 20 lodge operators in the Iquitos area offering jungle trips for all budgets and time allowances. Many of the shorter trips of only one night offer very little jungle experience, and tend to be quite close to Iquitos. However, you do get a night in the Amazon and a chance to see some of the rainforest. The lodges that are further from the city offer the best chance to see wildlife. Most lodges offer simple, but reasonable, accommodation with private bathrooms and cold water only. All meals are included in the price of the lodge, as is water, although other drinks are generally extra and can be very expensive. Most lodges are reached by motorboat, which average around 50kmph.
The following is a list of the lodges in the Iquitos area, arranged by cost. The prices refer to the cost per person per day.
All prices are per person per day.
$100 to $150 per night
$50 to $100 per night
$30 to $50 per night
It is possible to visit the jungle without staying in a lodge, and camping
gives you the opportunity to get to places that you would not be able to reach
otherwise. Although the level of comfort may be lower, the chance to see jungle
wildlife can be much greater. If you wish to see the jungle in this way a guide
will be essential. All official guides who take tours to the jungle should have
an identity card. Most official guides work for agencies, and the easiest way to
plan a private tour with a guide is through an agency. Agencies often change
hands and reputations change, so ask in the tourist information office which
agencies are offering good tours at the moment. One of the few official guides
not linked to an agency is Alex Weill Rengifo (Alexweill@mailcity.com,
www.jungletrips.4d2.net) based at
Putumayo 184-B on the corner of the Plaza de Armas. He charges around $40 per
person per day. There are many other guides who will offer to take you on a
private tour of the jungle, although these may be unqualified. Of course, they
may still be able to take you on a good tour of the jungle, although the chance
of disappointment is higher and there is little recourse for complaint
afterwards.
One of the biggest costs involved in visiting the jungle is transport,
especially if you are travelling with a private guide. Most private guides will
take a peque peque boat, which can involve many hours of boat travel to get to
your start point. Taking a motorboat is far quicker but much more expensive. If
time is an important factor for you, however, then the cost may be worthwhile.
The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is the largest national park in Peru and
measures almost 2,000,000 hectares in area. Although not at pristine as Manu,
near Cusco, for example, the reserve still offers an excellent opportunity to
see much wildlife, especially in the high water period, when the animals are
forced onto a smaller area of land.
Although located some way from Iquitos, most people who visit the Pacaya Samiria
National Reserve do so from here. There is an entry point from Nauta,
which can be reached either by road or by boat, 200km upriver of Iquitos. There
are no jungle lodges in the reserve, meaning that you must camp if you wish to
visit the park and go with a private guide. This can be arranged through an
agency in Iquitos. Alternatively, William Ahuanari (Jr. Piura 1072, T 251185)
will arrange stays in native communities in the reserve and trips to see
wildlife. A more comfortable, but expensive, way of visiting the park is on a
cruise organised by Junglex. There is an $18 entry fee to the national reserve.
It can be rather expensive to visit the park from Iquitos due to the distance involved. Therefore, many people go to Lagunas independently, from where a guide can be found to take you into the park. Lagunas can be reached by travelling for two days upriver from Iquitos or one day downriver from Yurimaguas. It is also possible to arrange tours from Tarapoto, going via Yurimaguas and Lagunas. Cesar Reátegui at the Hotel La Patarashca in Tarapoto organises 8-day tours to the park from Tarapoto for around $350 per person.
Information used with the kind permission of
www.llamatravel.com -
holidays to Peru from £799. ©
Llama Travel Ltd (UK).
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