Best-things-to-do-in-Iquitos-Peru

    How to visit Iquitos: The complete guide to hotels, sights & Amazon Adventures

    Last updated on September 10th, 2026 at 03:52 pm

    Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

    Planning a trip to the world’s largest city unreachable by road? In this post you will find all you need to sort out your logistics and sightseeing for a seamless trip – where to stay, how to get around, and the best experiences to book for an unforgettable adventure.

    When I first got to Iquitos I thought of it as a bit of a grubby noisy town and not much more. And I can’t be blamed too much as it is a bit grubby and its definitely quite noisy! As well, most people think of Iquitos as a jumping off point to either a jungle tour in the Amazon or a boat to the tri-border port of Leticia Colombia, Tabatinga Brazil and Santa Rosa in Peru!

    But as it turns out there is more to Iquitos than meets the eye! I spent more time than I had planned there – enjoying myself! I’ve put together this list of things to do in the town in between jungle adventures and boat journeys. Wildlife, culture, food and eccentric films all make the list! Read on for what to do in Iquitos!

    Contents

    (Use this to skip ahead if you need to)

    Trip Planning Checklist and top recommendations

    The 22 best things to do in Iquitos!

    Where to stay in Iquitos

    How to get to Iquitos

    What to pack for Iquitos

    Frequently asked questions about Iquitos

    Travel tips for Iquitos

    Related Posts

    22-best-things-to-do-in-Iquitos-Peru
    Welcome to Iquitos Peru!

    Trip Planning Checklist and top recommendations

    These are the booking platforms I personally use for all my travels. If you book through these affiliate links, it helps support this site and keeps me producing free travel guides – at absolutely no extra cost to you. Thanks so much for the support! Cheers!

    If you just want to book – these are my top recommendations:

    And for general planning…

    All in one – if you want to book flights and accommodation as a package, use expedia

    Flights – use skyscanner or booking.com to find and book your flight. I often find the same flight cheaper than booking direct with the airline!

    Accommodation – I use booking.com for hotels, Hostelworld for a hostel, and Vrbo for holiday houses.

    Internet – buy a yesim eSim or Airalo before you go. I use both depending on where I am going.

    Tours and Activities – book with Viator or GetYourGuide.

    Car rental – I usually use DiscoverCars

    Insurance – I usually use EKTA , but another good option, especially if you are from the US is SafetyWing. EKTA works well as they accept any nationality, any age and its ok if you are already traveling – which is perfect for me!

    Buses, trains, ferries – In Europe I use Omio. In the Americas I use Busbud. And in South / SE Asia 12Go is by far the best option for buses, ferries and trains. But I am starting to use 12Go in Latin America and Australia too as it expands its network. In China use Trip.com.

    Hiking – I use AllTrails for online and offline hiking trails. It means you know exactly where you are on the trail and makes getting lost a lot harder!!

    Thanks so much if you used one of these links – it costs you nothing but helps me keep writing!

    Murals-around-the-streets-of-Iquitos
    Murals around the streets of Iquitos

    The 22 best things to do in Iquitos

    Many travelers treat this buzzing little port city as a gateway to the rainforest, but it has its own unique culture, interesting markets, and wonderful wildlife rehabilitation hubs. If you are wondering what to add to your itinerary, here are the top things to do in Iquitos before or after your jungle excursion. Starting off with things around town….

    Notes:

    • Of course the big ticket item here is a jungle trip – that gets its own section further down!
    • I do not talk about Ayahuasca ceremonies in this post. This is something you need to research on your own due to the number of scams and frankly dangerous fake “shamans” and “centers.” I am not against Ayahuasca at all, but will not give advice on it other than to say to research it very very carefully.

    Around town…

    You can easily get around a lot of these things in a day as they are all pretty close! Just use the colorful jungle buses or the wonderful moto-taxis (motorised rickshaws) to get to any a bit further from the center.

    Note that the local moto-taxis do not seem to charge foreigners more than the standard price. So don’t worry too much about bargaining etc – its not generally needed. Just check the usual price with your hotel and then check with the driver before you get in!

    1. See the wildlife – including paranhas!

    Catch-a-piranha-for-dinner-in-the-Amazon-River-near-Iquitos
    Catch a piranha for dinner in the Amazon River near Iquitos

    You are no doubt here to see the Amazon, not just Iquitos so I will start with some basic wildlife. I wanted to catch a piranha and see the pink dolphins – my main goals. You might be happy to hear, if you are like me and focused on the wildlife, that you can do these things from Iquitos without going on a jungle tour. And you may even see more animals than on a jungle tour (even though I did that too)!

    Check out these trips from Iquitos. You can go catch piranhas in the morning, then (we hope) see the dolphins and sunset on the river later in the day. Or spend a whole day visiting wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers along the Amazon!

    2. Stroll the Malecon and check out the old colonial buildings and tiles

    The-Old-Palace-Hotel-on-the-malecon-in-Iquitos
    The Old Palace Hotel on the Malecon in Iquitos

    The Malecón Tarapacá is a somewhat weathered riverfront promenade running along the Itaya River (which is a tributary of the Amazon). It, and the surrounding streets, are the “social” and tourist center of the town. It is generally more pleasant than other parts of town to enjoy a drink and a meal and wander!

    Sadly the town’s wonderful old colonial buildings are mostly in disrepair and crumbling. But you can easily glimpse times gone by (late 1800s to early 1900s) and what must have been some beautiful buildings just strolling around the general area near the Malecon.

    The Old Palace Hotel, for example, was once the finest hotel in town. But sadly now it is used by the military and you can only see it from the outside. It is still worth taking a look as everything from its ceramic tiles to the wrought-iron balconies came from Europe when it was built in 1912. One surviving colonial style hotel is the Casa Morey Hotel which you can visit or even better stay in. (I highly recommend staying here. It was fun to imagine yourself back in the day!)

    3. Explore the Ayapua boat museum – Barco Museo

    The Ayapua boat museum is an authentic 1906 German-built steamboat (no longer floating) on the riverbank.

    Inside are lovely restored Victorian-style salons complete with rubber-boom artefacts and history, historical maps, navigation instruments, and old photos of early explorers. You learn about not just the wealthy wonders of the boom but also the atrocities and exploitation of the indigenous tribes.

    You can also see the engine room, the wheelhouse, and small scale ship models. And there is an area dedicated to the making of the film Fitzcarraldo (see 16 below). Its quite an interesting place!

    4. Learn about local tribes in the Museum of Amazonian Indigenous Cultures

    This museum is right on the Malecón and displays the clothing, rituals, and history of the diverse tribes living deep within the Amazon basin. It is about $3 to enter and worth a little of your time.

    Boat-Museum-and-Museum-of-Amazonian-Indigenous-Cultures-in-Iquitos-peru
    Boat Museum and Museum of Amazonian Indigenous Cultures in Iquitos

    5. Walk across the Plaza de Armas – Iquitos square and St John the Baptist Cathedral

    The green center of the town, this plaza is a nicely kept green space to relax in a couple of blocks back from the Malecon and river. On one corner is the St John the Baptist Cathedral, and on another the fascinating Iron House (see 6 below). The Hilton Hotel is also on the plaza.

    6. Visit and / or eat at the Iron House (Casa de Fierro)

    The Casa de Fierro was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself!! It was prefabricated in Belgium, and bought by a wealthy rubber baron at an international exposition in Paris. It was shipped across the Atlantic and up the Amazon River in pieces, then assembled in Iquitos in 1890 – all a result of the city’s rubber-era wealth.

    I love the inside of this building – absolutely make sure you go upstairs to see the interior iron walls of the stunning restaurant. It is a lovely place to eat as well!

    There is a fun little story behind this “house” that is unfortunately fake news. You might read in blogs that it was a misdirected shipment meant for an entirely different city (like Quito, Ecuador), and that the rubber barons just kept it because it accidentally arrived in Iquitos. Sadly its not true!

    The true twist to the story is that originally it was twice the size it is now but when the baron realised the plot of land was too small for it, he had it split into two identical buildings. The other one was sold, changed hands many times, and was eventually sold for scrap metal!! Sad but true.

    Inside-the-Iron-House-restaurant-in-Iquitos-Peru
    Inside the Iron House restaurant in Iquitos

    7. Explore Belén Market and the Pasaje Paquito

    This is a noisy and rather large space full of everything you might want – or not! what sets it apart from your normal chaotic markets is the ranges of local fruit products and the Pasaje Paquito – an alleyway with medicinal plants at its center. You will see vendors selling local aphrodisiacs, medicinal plants, and “love potions” – you can try the “Jungle Viagra” here! Check out the labelled bottles and see what intriguing names you find! (In the pic below you can see names like “plunge in slowly,” “machine,” “if you take it out I’ll kill you” and “wait for me in your dreams!”)

    Belen is the more dangerous part of town so they recommend you take a local guide. I did go on my own once but was fortunately stopped by a young man who told me not to go where I was heading as it was too dangerous. It was fine just in the market area, but with a guide later, I also got much more insight into the fruits and the lotions and potions – it was way better.

    I recommend this excellent tour of the market and floating village (see 8 below) to learn a lot more than you will by just walking through on your own: Belen Market and La Venecia Loretana Tour With A Local Guide

    But to be fair, this one is also highly rated Belen Market & Floating City 2-3 Hour Private Tour

    8. Visit the floating village of Belén

    Just below the Belén market is the floating neighborhood of Belén. Although it is only really a floating village in the wet season. In the dry season you can walk around the houses on what becomes the riverbed in the wet season.

    For a few soles, you can hire a local boat and driver at the waterfront to paddle you through the floating houses, schools, and shops. Just make sure you either go with a guide (who will help you hire the boat) or that you are very savvy and know what you are doing – this is the “less safe” part of town. (Make sure you get directions and don’t go into the wrong area like I tried to.) I do recommend one of the tours in 7 above!

    Explore-the-Pasaje-Paquito-stalls-in-the-Belen-Market-in-Iquitos-Peru
    Explore the Pasaje Paquito stalls in the Belen Market in Iquitos

    9. Learn about the city of Iquitos at Mi Museo Iquitos

    This museum is actually a good place to start in the city as it shows you the whole history of Iquitos from the ·discovery· of the Amazon river and the founding of the city through all the stages like the rubber boom and war with Colombia! The staff are really enthusiastic and will give you a tour if they are available at the time – and its all free!!

    10. Eat these local foods at these great restaurants….

    You definitely should try these local Amazon specialties before you leave town – you wont find them elsewhere in Peru!

    • Juane: Seasoned chicken and rice packed tightly into a bijao leaf ball and boiled (meant to look like the head of St. John the Baptist).
    • Tacacho con Cecina: Mashed, grilled green plantain balls served alongside smoky, dried Amazonian pork.
    • Patarashca: Fresh local fish (like paiche) covered in wild cilantro, sweet chili, and onions, wrapped in leaves, and grilled over open charcoal.
    Tacacho-con-Cecina-at-Ikiitu-Restaurant-in-Iquitos-peru
    Tacacho con Cecina at Ikiitu Restaurant in Iquitos

    And some great options for where to eat them are…… drumroll….

    • Restaurante Blanquita – cheapest as a no-frills, local favorite, which is famous for its wood-fired jungle cooking, fresh paiche, and traditional juanes. Plenty of locals will be dining with you.
    • Ikiitu – mid range in the prices but a lovely restaurant where you will see locals (with a bit of money) dining rather than other tourists. It is well known for serving some of the best authentic Amazonian dishes in town (with an air-conditioned dining room and pleasant music to go with it)! A favorite for me!
    • Restaurante Fitzcarraldo – more expensive (not much more) but right on the malecon with river views and decor relating to the famous film it is named after (see 14 below). It has these regional plates alongside local coffee and plenty of western style food options too.
    • Al Frío y Al Fuego For an upmarket and a fun experience you can take the complementary private shuttle boat out to this floating restaurant which has a “Combinado Loretano” platter of these regional specialties all together! Get the boat from here.

    11. See or buy some artisanal art and crafts….

    There are a few places with artisanal art and crafts around town – next to the Hilton Hotel, along the Malecon and Alemeda in the evenings, and at the Anaconda Artisan Market on the waterfront. There is quite a bit of tourist tat around, but also some good craft – especially authentic Shipibo textiles (with maze-like geometric patterns representing cosmic energy pathways and icaro healing songs) and genuine Amazonian wood carvings.

    Notes:

    To be sure you get genuine textiles, if you do not see the ladies actually sewing them, check the back. It should be quite messy with thread knots and clear hand-stitching. Machine made replicas are smooth and relatively flawless on the back.

    For wood carvings – if it is light weight it is a fake dyed balsa wood imitation. True local carvings use heavy hard woods which should also have messy grain patterns.

    If you are looking at fish scale art like earrings and fans made from Paiche scales, bend it slightly. If it creases permanently it is plastic. Real scales have some flexibility. Equally real red-and-black Huayruro seeds are rock-hard. If you try to press your fingernail into the seed and it leaves an indentation, it is a painted plastic bead.

    12. Take a Ride on the “Jungle Colectivo” (Wooden Buses)

    Before you leave, make sure you go for at least one ride on an Ómnibus de Madera (Wooden Bus) or Jungle bus! These are vintage, open-air transit buses built entirely out of colorful painted wood on top of old truck chassis. they are fun and noisy and very cheap. I used them so much going to and from Puerto Nanay, that I became quite adept at swinging myself onto one passing by!
    Note that this is a great way to get to Puerto Nanay (no 14.) Just jump on one going along Condamine Street and get off at the port!

    A-jungle-bus-zips-past-in-Iquitos-Peru
    A jungle bus zips past in Iquitos Peru

    13. Have a drink with a difference

    For a drink with a difference – and in the most wonderfully smelling “bar” you will ever go to – head to El Musmuqui! Here you will find the whole of the Amazon – in bottles – everything from the local fruits to reptiles! It has a lovely interior and decor, a wonderful fruit-laden smell and the shots and drinks are not too pricey at all. It really should be on everyones bucket list – even just for one drink! They do have non-alcoholic drinks too!

    14. Visit Puerto Nanay food market and eat your heart out….or not!

    Completely dive in or be grossed out but the Nanay Market (at Puerto Bellavista-Nanay) is famous for its local delicacies – notably the suri (a palm tree beetle larvae). You can eat the fat little wrigglers either raw or cooked!! (See the photo.)

    Don’t worry, there is plenty of fresh fish and cerviche here too. These are other things the market is well known for:

    • Patarashca – seasoned fish wrapped in bijao leaves – watch them grill it in front of you.
    • River Fish – like paiche, doncella, sábalo, and palometa – you can also watch them cook it on the grill in front of you.
    • Exotic Fruits – seasonal Amazonian fruits like aguaje, cocona, and camu camu.
    • Macambo – roasted cacao-family seeds – meant to be full of nutrients which is very believable.
    Puerto-Nanay-food-market-in-Iquitos-Peru
    Puerto Nanay food market in Iquitos – look closely!!

    15. See the most famous local band – Explosion de Iquitos (if they are not touring)

    These guys are famous locally but also across Peru – but when they are home they play every Sunday at the Centro de Convenciones del Pardo in what is now a legendary Sunday afternoon-into-night show! If they are in town – perhaps put it on your list. You can check their offical Explosión De Iquitos Facebook Page to check where they are and what they do!

    16. A rather quirky local thing – Discover the film “Fitzcarraldo“

    The film Fitzcarraldo is almost completely off everybody’s radar. It is something of a legend in film circles – a 1982 epic adventure-drama film directed by the acclaimed (maybe slightly mad) German filmmaker Werner Herzog which was centered here in Iquitos.

    You can watch it in Spanish here and watch it in English here!

    It is famous both as “a cinematic masterpiece and for having one of the most chaotic, dangerous, and insane movie productions in Hollywood history!”

    The story follows Brian Sweeney Fitzgerald (“Fitzcarraldo”), an eccentric, opera-obsessed Irishman living in Iquitos during the 19th-century rubber boom. His ultimate dream is to make a fortune in the rubber industry so he can build a grand opera house in the middle of the Amazon jungle. He has a mad plan to pull a massive 320-ton steamship over a steep, muddy mountain with the help of local indigenous tribes. What makes the film a cult legend is that Werner Herzog refused to use special effects, miniatures, or studio models. He insisted on actually dragging a real, full-sized, 300-ton steamship over a mountain in the Peruvian jungle.

    The production lasted three years in the jungle and was plagued by disasters – things like one crew member having to chainsaw off his foot after a bite from a highly venomos snake, and the locals offering to kill Kinski because of his horrendous tantrums!!!

    Places in Iquitos you can see things relating to the movie:

    • Restaurante Fitzcarraldo has photos, movie memorabilia, and old production notes.
    • One of the permanent exhibition salons in the Ayapua boat museum is all about the movie. It has production photos, behind-the-scenes stories, and details about director Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski.
    • La Casa Fitzcarraldo is the actual colonial-style villa where Werner Herzog, Klaus Kinski, Mick Jagger, and Claudia Cardinale stayed during the years of filming. It is now a hotel and you can also just drop in for a drink, swim in the pool, or visit their massive tree house. That all sounds very nice so I went, but cannot recommend you go unless you area die hard movie fan. It is severely run down, the staff are lazy and disinterested – particularly in cleaning. It is really grubby even around the pool. And there is a 10 sol entry charge.
    Visit-El-Musmuqui-for-fascinating-drinks-in-Iquitos-Peru
    El Musmuqui is the place to go – for fascinating drinks in Iquitos

    Close by Iquitos…

    These places are close enough to Iquitos to take a bus or boat and head off for a few hours!

    17. Visit CREA (Amazon Rescue Center)

    CREA is the first of the rescue and rehabilitation centers I visited. You get the local jungle bus going to Varillal (just check with the driver that’s where hes going). Then jump off at the spot marked as CREA Amazon Rescue Center on googlemaps. The driver may not know it, but if you have it saved you will know when to hop off.

    Rescued-baby-manatee-at-CREA-near-Iquitos-Peru
    A rescued baby manatee at CREA – this one will be released when it is old enough to survive alone!

    Once you are there the CREA staff will put you into a group for a tour of the center. If you go out there alone (not as part of a tour) often you will end up with a private tour like I did. When I was there, there were 3 adult and 2 baby manatees, lots of macaws, tortoises, monkeys, a tapir, and more. The hard part is learning about where and why they were rescued. But these are the lucky ones. They have released over 200 manatees back to the rivers, hundreds of macaws (do not buy souvenirs with macaw feathers as this means cruelty to captive birds), lots of monkeys and so on. It is an interesting place!

    When you are finished, just go back to the road and wave down the next bus going by, to head back to town or to the Amazon Aquarium on the way.

    18. See what’s in the river at the Amazon Aquarium – Acuario del Amazonas

    Also off almost everyone’s radar and something you can combine with going to CREA, is this Amazon Aquarium. As the Amazon River is pretty dirty with no visibility – unless you catch a fish, or see a caiman on the river bank etc you don’t really know what is in the water there. This aquarium lets you see what there is!

    Im not usually a fan of zoos or aquariums, but I made an exception for this one as it has good facilities and the team there teach you a lot about whats going on under the water! You will find the aquarium just off the highway here. Its easy to get a motor-taxi there but you might end up walking back the few blocks to the highway after unless you arrange your driver to come back to pick you up.

    19. Visit the Pilpintuwasi butterfly farm & animal rescue center

    Pilpintuwasi is a rescue center for Amazon animals and a lot of them have quite sad stories to tell – before they got to the center. This is also not a zoo so be aware that what animals are there when you visit entirely depends on what animals have been rescued.

    But you are going to see monkeys for sure, a jaguar that was caught as a baby and cannot survive on its own in the wild, maybe a sloth or two, tortoises, maybe a tapir, and so on…. There is also a lovely butterfly house as the center breeds butterflies for conservation.

    The rescue center is on the edge of Padre Cocha village on the Nanay River near Iquitos. Take a public boat from Bellavista-Nanay port (about 4 soles and takes about 20 minutes), then grab a moto-taxi to take you to the center (about 3 soles). (When you get to the entrance of Nanay port go to the dock to the left hand side not right hand side to get the boat.)

    Note that you can volunteer here – minimum a week and 100 soles per day to cover accommodation and food.

    Glass-wing-butterfly-and-a-rescued-giant-anteater-at-the-Pilpintuwasi-butterfly-farm-animal-rescue-center-in-Iquitos-Peru
    Glass wing butterfly and a rescued giant anteater at the Pilpintuwasi butterfly farm & animal rescue center

    20. Check out the caimans and giant lilies at the Fundo Pedrito Crocodile Farm….

    Fundo Pedrito is a small locally run eco-farm located a little bit downriver from Iquitos.

    It is easy to get to Fundo Pedrito independently – but is also usually included in the tours above for Monkey Island if you go on one of those (just check to make sure). Get a boat from the Nanay Port (from the docks on the right hand side when facing the port entrance). Then walk about 10 mins to Fundo Pedrito.

    You will see the huge paiche fish as well as black caimans. The paiches have faces a bit like eels but are much bigger. They grow up to three meters /12 feet long! You will also see thousands of giant “Victoria Regia” water lilies. They are beautiful and enormous!

    21. See the monkeys at Monkey Island – la Isla de los Monos

    Monkey Island is another rescue center but entirely dedicated to monkeys! They live free-range on a very, very, large and beautiful island!

    There are 7-8 species of monkeys living in the reserve at any one time, and you will definitely get to see many of them, some at close range and others from a distance. Many of the monkeys have very sad stories as to how they got there, but these are the lucky ones that have been rescued and are now either living wildly or relatively wildly depending on their injuries or past treatment at the hands of humans.

    The easiest way to visit is on a tour! (Trust me on this – I grabbed a local public boat to get there, then got stuck there! More on that in a minute!) These are highly rated tour options that include monkey island as well as other wildlife locations (entrance fees included). In hindsight these are great tours as they take you to more than one place which saves a lot of time and also the hassle:

    Going independently

    If you want to go it alone, you can. Go to the Puerto de Productores and get on a public boat – just tell them you are going to la Isla de los Monos and they will point you to the right boat (around 30 soles each way plus 50 soles entrance). But make sure you organise a pick up for later in the day – allow 2 hours to be sure. There was nobody wanting to come in and pick me up because I was just one person so it is not worth it!! I was saved by a family that had hired a boat and agreed to take me back with them!!

    There are instructions here which are slightly different so I would contact the guys at the island first on Whatsapp +51 987610985 (Lucero) or +51 965841808 (Jair) and check about boats if you come alone!

    You can also volunteer on Monkey Island – minimum of a week!

    Monkey-Island-in-Iquitos-Peru
    On Monkey Island in Iquitos

    22. Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve

    This is the most distant of the things to do, but very interesting in that it is a reserve with white sand forests! If you don’t have a car, you need to get on a collectivo minibus to Nauta from the Sachachorro Mall. Ask the driver to drop you at the Irapay Control Post or Allpahuayo-Mishana. (There is a big green road sign for “Allpahuayo-Mishana” just before the entrance which you can keep an eye out for too.) Do check with the driver about being picked up on the way back – some collectivos may be full and drive past, but you should be able to wave one down to get back.

    It is good to go early (8am) when the birds and animals are more active and its not so hot. Take your own food and drink – there is none there. Take something to swim in as you might get the chance to swim in the river. The Medicinal Plant Garden & Varillal Loop leaves from the visitor center and takes you through a botanical garden before going to the sandy-soil forests to see the unusual varillal trees.

    You have to hire a guide at the gates so with entry, it is about 60 soles for a foreigner.

    The Jungle Trip!

    Of course if you are in Iquitos its 99% of the time about the Amazon River and the jungle! The most common trips are three days two nights, with some people opting for 2 days 1 night and others for 4-7 days. Whatever works for you is good.

    Jungle tours usually involve; jungle walks animal spotting and learning about the plants, piranha fishing, looking for dolphins, night walks in the jungle or night boat trips, visiting a village and seeing the giant lilies.

    The most important thing to note is that you get what you pay for! There are budget options but you wont necessarily see or do as much as other more costly trips, and the accommodation can be very basic! My theory is that you are only here once so….

    I have selected some of the top trips for you below if you are short on time and need to book ahead – but also do your research online. Because I was in Iquitos with plenty of time, I booked in town after checking out quite a few options, but I had to wait a couple of days for my trip and the relative price was similar to these below. So these options I think are okay on the prices – and I am only giving you exceptionally highly rated options.

    I also give you the option to stay in the city, but see almost everything you get on a jungle tour, or just the bits you want to see, at the end of this section! Its quite a do-able option.

    2 day 1 night options

    There are fewer 2 day 1 night options that get the good ratings but these are the good ones:

    3 day 2 night options

    These are the best of the best 3 day 2 night trips

    Longer options

    These are the most highly rated longer options:

    Day trips – stay in the city and do the bits you want to do

    These are great half day or day trips from Iquitos that give you much of what you get on a jungle tour. You can pick the bits you want!

    If you go to Fundo Pedrito (21 above) and see the giant lilies, plus go dolphin watching, piranha fishing, and to monkey island, you have a lot covered. Okay its not as intensely in the jungle as at a camp, but be aware that a lot of the lodges are not fully immersed in the jungle either! You will miss out on any night walks looking for tarantulas, frogs or caimans – and maybe seeing some or not, and you miss out on being out sleeping in the jungle as such.

    Attachment Details Jungle-trips-from-Iquitos-Peru
    Jungle trips from Iquitos – make sure you swim in the Amazon for bragging rights!

    Where to stay in Iquitos

    There are plenty of options. I stayed in the hostels below (on separate visits) but have also selected highly rated options to suit different budgets and styles:

    How to get to Iquitos

    There are two ways – by boat or by plane. Iquitos is the largest city in the world (about 400,000 people) with no road access. So you cannot get to the rest of Peru or neighboring countries by road. There are local roads of course but they are purely local.

    You can fly directly to Iquitos from Lima, Pucallpa or Tarapoto – the vast majority of flights are from Lima.

    Alternatively, you can come by boat from the tri-border crossing of Leticia in Colombia, Tabatinga in Brazil and Santa Rosa in Peru. You can take either a slow cargo boat over 2-3 days and nights (usually using a hammock for sleeping which you buy before the trip) or a fast overnight boat.

    You can also come by boat from Yurimaguas which is famously called the “end of the road” in northern Peru! It is the last major town connected to Peru’s national highway system before you have to use a boat! Once again you can take a slow cargo boat over a few days or a fast overnight boat.

    What to pack for Iquitos

    These are the things I had and used /needed on my trip:

    Frequently asked questions about Iquitos

    Q: Should I book a jungle lodge in advance or find a guide at the airport?
    A: Do not find a lodge / guide at the airport. Scams, hidden costs, and low safety standards are common if you do this. You can wait and book in town by visiting the tour agency offices (there are many) if you have time, otherwise book ahead.

    Q: Can I get malaria and other diseases from mosquitoes in Iquitos and nearby? What vaccinations and medications do I honestly need?
    A: Yes, it is in a malarial area. You can also get dengue fever, Zika, and chikungunya in the area. This is why in this location I prefer to use a repellent with deet here. You need to have had a Yellow Fever vaccine and to be taking malaria pills.

    Q: High water vs. low water season: Which is better for seeing animals?
    A: During high water (December–May) the rivers rise, so boats can float through the flooded forest canopy making monkeys and birds easier to spot. In dry season it is easier for walking, but personally I would come in high water season if I had my time again!

    Q: Is Iquitos safe for tourists and solo females?
    A: Yes it is generally safe during the day in central and tourist areas, and during the evenings in well populated and well lit areas like the Malecon. There is a good police presence in town so just take normal precautions, and don’t walk around alone at night or in the Belen area.

    Q: Can I use USD or do I need local currency?
    A: You need local currency. You may be able to pay for some things in USD at big travel agencies or hotels but the rate will not be good.

    Travel tips for Iquitos

    • Use local buses or mototaxis, or walk for most of the sights – the main town is very walk-able and local buses and mototaxis are cheap!
    • Don’t waste your time trying to get a local sim – you can only buy them on the black market or by having a local ID card. Download a reliable e-sim before you go. I used a yesim eSim which ahd excellent coverage, but check Airalo too.
    • Stick to bottled or purified water (including cleaning your teeth) and well cooked food. You are likely to find yourself with D&V otherwise!
    • Use Banco de la Nacion ATMS to withdraw cash if you can. They do not charge a fee and you can take 400 soles per day. The other banks do. You will find their ATMS in Iquitos here.
    • Bring long sleeves and pants – lightweight and breathable. In the evening the mosquitoes are ferocious and this will help a lot – even though you’d rather be in a lot less clothing with the heat!
    • Avoid bright colored clothes for jungle trips. They attract insects that you might not want to attract, and may scare off monkeys and birds!

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