Every city tour - we recommend taking one during the afternoon since it is not quite so hot - must include 1) a stroll down the Tarapaca Boardwalk that follows the riverbank and that was built during the rubber boom, 2) a visit to the Iron House, designed by Eiffel and forged in the Les Forjes D’Aisseau workshop in Belgium (this was the first of Peru’s pre-fabricated building, whose elements were made in Europe and later shipped to the country; it was put together in 1889), 3) a visit to the Mud House, an old storehouse of the most famous rubber trader of them all, Carlos Fermin Fitzcarrald, and 4) the Amazonian Museum that displays bronze sculptures of the region’s main ethnic groups (work of the late artist, Felipe Lettersten) and old photographs of Iquitos.

Few experiences can compare to sailing on the still waters of the great river, while marveling at the extraordinary views of the Amazon Rainforest. Some companies offer luxury packages in modern, sleek vessels that travel to the most beautiful areas of the region and then enter into natural sanctuaries in search of wildlife. Just imagine enjoying a cocktail on the deck of one of these cruise ships under the moonlight reflecting off the Amazon River. Fusion cuisine, natural beauty wherever you look, and plenty of comfort are the highlights of an unforgettable experience.

Quistococha is located on 56 ha that surround Lake Quistococha. It has an artificial beach called Tunchi Beach, an interesting system of trails, a zoo, and a fish farm where they raise typical Amazonian species. There is also a Site Museum, a fine restaurant, and a boat rental service. A fantastic spot to spend the day.

Located on an area of more than 2 million hectares, Pacaya-Samiria is the largest protected area in Peru. It is a vast depression in a plain crisscrossed by uncountable rivers and covered by lakes, marshes, and aguajal forests; the area is almost completely flooded during the rainy season, just like the Brazilian Pantanal or the Okavango in Botswana. Thousands of fish spawn in its lakes, one being the paiche, which was reintroduced in the Amazon - after years of overexploitation - here in Pacaya-Samiria. Other endangered species you can find are the pink dolphin, black caiman, giant otter, manatee, or sea cow and the charapa turtle.

It is located in the so-called Napo Eco-region and is home to an exceptional biodiversity, which is deemed among the highest in the Amazon River basin and even in the world. Many of the species protected in this area are endemic to the white sand forests or to the black water flooded forests, which are extremely rare in Peru. Allpahuayo-Mishana is the only place in Peru where two endangered primates species are protected: the widow monkey (Callicebus lucifer) and the Equatorial saki (Pithecia aequatorialis); the protection also covers wildlife species with restricted distribution: a dozen species of birds, several reptile, amphibian, and fish species, and over a hundred plant species. On just 57,000 hectares, this important protected area shelters 28 threatened and vulnerable animal species, like the otter, harpy eagle, Goeldi’s monkey, and giant armadillo. Over 1900 plant species have been recorded and, in just one hectare, there are close to 300 species of trees. There are 145 species of mammals recorded, but we have many more to discover, especially rodents and bats that are very elusive. In terms of birds, scholars have registered 477 species within 50 families, including new endemic species from the Napo Eco-region and 21 white sand “specialist” species.