Iquitos and the Amazon River

Iquitos, forest walks or days on the river? Choose your Amazon stay before choosing your flights.

Aerial view of the broad Amazon near Iquitos, bordered by green riverbanks.
The Amazon near Iquitos, seen from the air in 2014. Resizing, compression and display cropping by Perutrip. Image license: CC0 1.0. · Río Amazonas cerca a Iquitos — Freddie989, Wikimedia Commons. CC0 1.0. · Photographer · Source photograph · CC0 1.0

What to expect

A hotel in Iquitos, a lodge and a riverboat make three different trips. Start with where you want to spend your days. Allpahuayo Mishana suits a focused forest visit; Pacaya Samiria needs room for the approach through Nauta and time on the river. A longer wildlife list on a website does not make a better trip.

How it fits into a journey

Choose one main stay. Add Iquitos before or afterwards and treat Allpahuayo as a separate outing, not a quick stop with all your luggage.

Practical answers

Should I visit both Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado?

Only if comparing two Amazon areas is an important part of your trip. With limited days, I would choose one and stay longer.

How do I compare jungle packages?

Ask for a daily plan naming the departure point, overnight locations, included transfers and maximum group size. Compare prices afterwards.

Plan your days in this region

Choose where to stay, what to see and how to travel onwards. These pages help you put those choices together.

Is this no longer correct? Tell us →