Experiences and local guides in Iquitos

Nature

Iquitos, home to almost half a million people, stands on the left bank of the Amazon, hemmed in by the Nanay and Itaya rivers, and can only be reached by air or by boat. Near Nauta, about 100 km away, the Marañón and Ucayali join to form the Amazon. To the south lies the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, about 2.08 million hectares of flooded forest known as the forest of mirrors, with more than 1,000 vertebrate species, including pink and grey river dolphins, monkeys, caimans and around 500 birds. Closer to town, the Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve protects forests growing on white sand.

Activities

• Boat trips on the Amazon and the Nanay to look for pink and grey river dolphins, stopping where the dark waters of the Nanay meet the brown Amazon
• Belén market and its neighbourhood of floating and stilt houses on the Itaya, explored by canoe at high water; best visited with a local guide
• Expeditions of 3 to 5 days into Pacaya Samiria from Nauta, by boat and canoe on the Marañón and the Yanayacu Pucate, sleeping in camps or community shelters
• Stays at jungle lodges on the Amazon, Ucayali, Yarapa or Tahuayo rivers, with day and night walks, piranha fishing and searching for sloths and birds
• Birdwatching in the Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, next to the Nauta road, home to species found only in white-sand forests
• Visits to riverside and indigenous communities, such as Kukama, Bora or Yagua villages, to learn about crafts, traditional fishing and medicinal plants

When to go

Iquitos is hot and humid all year, with about 2,800 mm of rain and highs of 31 to 33 °C. The river sets the seasons: it peaks around May, when canoes glide through the flooded forest, then drops 9 to 12 m until September and October, when beaches appear, more trails open and wildlife gathers around lakes and channels. For Pacaya Samiria, May to January is recommended.

How to get there

Iquitos airport (IQT) is about 7 km from the centre, with direct flights from Lima (around 1 h 45), Tarapoto and Pucallpa. No road reaches the city from the rest of Peru: cargo riverboats take 2 to 3 days from Yurimaguas and about 4 from Pucallpa, and fast boats run from the Colombia and Brazil border. The only road goes to Nauta, about 100 km away (1 h 30), the starting point for Pacaya Samiria.