Around Iquitos

V!VA User‘s Description

If you don't want to do a river cruise, the best way to see the Peruvian Amazon near Iquitos is to visit one of the many jungle lodges in the area. Some of them are only a few kilometers from Iquitos and can be visited overnight, but most of them are more remote and visits can last several days.

The lodges offer similar activities: guided walks, shamanic tours (including use of the hallucinogenic ayahuasca), canoe rides, swimming, fishing, bird watching, visits to local communities and more. You can establish your activities with the lodge guides upon arrival. Although they offer similar activities, the lodges differ from one another in several respects, including quality of naturalist guides and shamans, cost, comfort and location.

If comfort is important to you--if you want to see the Amazon without really roughing it--you may want to check out one of the more luxurious lodges near Iquitos. But if what you really want is to see animals like monkeys, toucans and maybe even jaguars, you'll want to select a very remote jungle lodge. Iquitos is a city of a half-million inhabitants, and there are not many wild animals within about 80 kilometers or so.

Costs generally reflect levels of comfort, and you can expect to pay significantly more for a luxury lodge. A little bit of bargain shopping can go a long way: there is a lot of competition among the lodges, and you can often find discounts and special rates, especially if you're in a group or can make last-minute plans. Be sure to do your last-minute lodge shopping in the reputable agencies in Iquitos; guides who apporach you on the street or in the airport are most likely con artists and should be avoided at all costs.