Iquitos Travelers Recommend

Many travelers come to Iquitos as a jumping off point for Peru’s fine selection of Amazon lodges. Scattered along the region’s rivers (not only the Amazon River itself), these rain forest accommodations offer the opportunity to commune with nature in some of Peru’s most pristine areas. Here are some your best bets for overnight stays.

Heliconia Amazon River Lodge

Named after one of the most stunning flowers of the Amazon, the Heliconia Amazon River Lodge sits within a 99-acre (40-hectare) rain forest reserve in the northern Peruvian Amazon. A typical 3-day stay at the lodge might include a cruise by canoe along the Amazon River to spot monkeys and tropical birds, a visit to a local sugarcane distillery, and guided hikes through the jungle.

Maniti Eco-Lodge

Situated two hours from Iquitos by boat, the Maniti Eco-Lodge comprises several private bungalows set amid secondary growth rainforest. Most overnight visitors to the lodge spend some time exploring the aptly named Monkey Island for the chance to observe several species in the wild. Other activities include fishing for piranha, cruising the Amazon River in search of pink freshwater dolphins, or taking a nocturnal hike to see, and hear, the creatures of the night.

Irapay Amazon Lodge

Located just 30 minutes outside of Iquitos, this luxury lodge offers a convenient base for exploring the Peruvian Amazon, complete with amenities like a refreshing swimming pool. Itineraries from the lodge often include a jungle hike, a piranha fishing excursion on the Momon River, a nocturnal boat ride, and a visit to a local tribe.

Curassow Amazon Lodge

This lodge gets its name from a rare Amazonian bird, a threatened species called the Wattled Curassow that’s sometimes spotted in the area. Situated on the Yanayacu River, the lodge serves as a base for exploring the nearby Tamshiyacu Reserve, home to sloths, pink dolphins, alligators, and numerous birds.

Ceiba Tops Lodge

Set on the banks of the Amazon River, 25 miles (40 kilometers) outside Iquitos, Ceiba Tops Lodge features luxurious digs with amenities including air conditioning, a swimming pool with a water slide, and a hammock house for relaxing outdoors. After a day spent hiking through the nearby rain forest, overnight guests enjoy live music at the lodge.

Peru’s famed “Gateway to the Amazon” was once just a humble Jesuit outpost in the jungle, until the Industrial Age. With that revolution—particularly after the widespread adoption of the automobile—international demand for rubber exploded. Harvested from the Amazon wilderness and sold here in Iquitos for a fraction of its worth on the global market, the sticky sap gave rise to impossibly wealthy rubber barons who indulged in extravagant architectural marvels, still scattered throughout Iquitos like gemstones.

Today, Iquitos is once again thriving thanks to tourism and oil, but remains quite isolated, as the largest city in the world that can’t be reached by road. Hot, humid and replete with the rainforest's intense biodiversity, it is entirely different from Peru’s windswept deserts and Andean highlands. Dress accordingly and give yourself time to acclimate to the heat. Expect rain throughout the year, particularly February through May, when rising waters make for more interesting riverboat excursions, but difficult hiking.

Day 1: Explore the City

Get started early with a canoe tour of Belen, Iquitos’ famous floating barrio. The early morning hours are when this neighborhood is at its freshest and its famous market is at its busiest. After popping into the amazing maze of stalls selling herbs, tinctures, unusual fruits and even weirder fish, enjoy lunch at one of several floating seafood restaurants. 

Back in the city proper, you’ll find dozens of impressive buildings, the finest around the Plaza de Armas and long the Itaya River. The colorfully Gothic Iglesia Matriz and gleaming Casa de Hierro are among the most famous, but there are many more. If Museums are your game, check out the Museo Etnografico, with exhibits about local indigenous culture, or the Natural Science Museum, with information about local flora and fauna. Otherwise, just stroll the Tarapaca River Walk for soothing views, souvenir shopping at the Mercado San Juan, and perhaps an adult beverage in the breeze.

Day 2: The Birth of a River

Book a trip to the beginning of the Amazon, at the confluence of Maranon and Ucayali Rivers, about 183km (114mi) southwest of Iquitos. This is also the gateway to Peru’s largest, most biodiverse protected area, Reserva Nacional Pacaya Samiria. The vast and perpetually flooded rainforest is home to all manner of wildlife, including the region’s famed pink dolphins and more than 500 species of bird. You could make a day of it or arrange to stay overnight in one of several jungle lodges.

Day 3: Enjoy All the Amazon Has to Offer

This is the largest, most biodiverse rainforest in the world, but chances are that the wildlife wasn’t quite as easy to spot as implied. No problem! Head out to amazing Quistacocha Zoological park, a sprawling 425-hectare (1050-acre) park just 6.5km (4mi) from Iquitos, where you’ll find tapirs, big cats, capybaras, manatees, monkeys, anteaters and all sorts of exotic birds in ample displays amidst the rainforest. There’s even a lake with a petite beach, and kayaks. Other excellent wildlife displays include Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm and Animal Orphanage, Isla de los Monos (Monkey Island) and Fundo Pedrito Caiman Sanctuary.

Or, if you’ve been out on the river for far too long and find yourself aching for some civilization, head to the Amazon Golf Course, an nine-hole oasis where “it's not so much birdies and eagles; more like boas in the rough, caimans sunning in the sand traps, and piranhas lurking in the water holes.” It claims to be the only course in the world where golfers are issued a machete to carry in their golf bag.

The town of Iquitos is Peru’s “Gateway to the Amazon”—an isolated outpost accessible only by boat or plane. The city sits right on the banks of the Amazon River, offering easy access for river cruises on this famous South American waterway. Here’s what you need to know about cruising the Amazon River in Peru.

Day Cruises

A day cruise only gives you a tiny glimpse of the mighty Amazon River, but it’s a worthwhile excursion, especially for travelers in a time crunch. A typical boat tour will navigate the waters of Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve for the chance to spot pink and gray river dolphins, as well as spider monkeys and colorful macaws in the surrounding jungle. Depending on the itinerary, you might also have time for a stop in Nauta to explore the local market.

Multi-Day Cruises

Multi-day cruises through the Amazon rain forest can last anywhere from three days to a week. Sleep in jungle lodges or aboard a luxury river vessel. Different itineraries explore different parts of the region, but almost always include wildlife excursions in search of sloths, monkeys, tropical birds, and local flora (like the giant water lily); night walks; and visits to indigenous villages.

Things to Know

• Day cruises on the Amazon from Iquitos last up to 10 hours, while multi-day itineraries range from three to eight days.

• Cruise boats can access more tributaries of the river during the wet season, but the dry season is better for hiking excursions through the jungle.

• Don’t forget to pack insect protection in the form of repellant and protective clothing.

• Most travelers arrive in Iquitos via a connecting flight from Lima.

• Cruises on the Peruvian Amazon either depart from Iquitos or Nauta, about 90 minutes away.