//
Jungle trips are the main reason to visit Iquitos as it serves as a launch point for trips into the Amazon. Single day or multi-day trips can be booked. You are taken out on a boat and can view wildlife such as monkeys, alligators, giant lily-pads, baby caimans (sort of like mini-alligators), anacondas, boas, tarantulas, and more.
Your taxi driver or hotel concierge will be more than happy to contact a tour guide for you, as they get a kickback for the referral. However by using this kickback referral system, you will be guaranteed the highest possible price and lowest possible service. Besides, in Iquitos there are no official tour guide associations so never pay attention to street guides or freelancer guides; at the best, they are expensive, and at the worst, corrupt and dangerous. Visit or contact directly a bunch of regular (licensed) tour companies' offices and compare their prices and guides. Usually, their offices are located around the Main Square. A nice-looking travel agency's office it may be a sign of quality. An unsightly office or an aggressive vendor or guide could not be good or, at worst, scammers. Guides and staff could be friendly but they are sellers expecting your money.
If you need to know regular companies or guides and their record of complaints, contact iPeru', the government tourist information office. Their nationwide service is free and reliable and they may assist you in case you have problems or need to do procedures anywhere over Peru. The iPerú address is 161 Napo street (right off from the Main Square) and they open including on holidays, or contact them by +51 65 23-6144 or their 24-hour line +51 1 574-8000 or they email iperuiquitos@promperu.gob.pe. In Iquitos, they work from Monday to Saturday 09:00-18:00, and Sunday 09:00-13:00. They have an office in the Arrival Lounge of the Iquitos' Airport (phone +51 1 616-7300 extension 1828).
The biggest square in Peru, there are very good 'Chifa' (Peruvian Chinese) restaurants around the square.
Centro de Rescate Amazonico
Run by the ACOBIA NGO, supported by the IIAP-Institute for Investigation of the Peruvian Amazon and the Dallas World Aquarium. This projects aims to rescue orphaned manatees, whose mothers have been killed by locals for food, and other animals such as ocelot. They also have educational programs for local communities and schools about the importance of the preservation of this species. The employees are very enthusiastic about the animals. This is probably the only place in the world where you can bottle-feed manatee babies. Take a mototaxi from downtown to get there. They also accept volunteers to educate local school kids.
It houses spectacled alligators, paiches (the biggest freshwater fish in the Amazon basin and one of the longest fish in the world), and the Victoria amazonica (the biggest lily-pad in the world). The admission fee includes a bucket of fish food.
At Pilpintuwasi you can see the complete life cycle and learn about the impressing development of butterflies. At the Amazon Animal Orphanage you can see the rescued endangered animals that were ill-treated, such as anteaters, monkeys, tapirs or Pedro Bello, the Jaguar. Pilpintuwasi is on the Nanay River Front near the village of Padre Cocha. It's about 20 min by boat from Bellavista-Nanay. There are boats all day long. During the dry season you have to walk about 15 min from the village. Volunteers are also regularly needed for help!
The Monkey Island
Here they have a variety of monkey species (some endangered), as well as a sloth, some coatis, a pair of toucans and macaws, all of which are free to roam and go into the jungle, but are domesticated and hang around for the food. They happily play, climbing on visitors (and try to take things from you such as glasses, wallets). You can go as part of a day-tour (see below), or a visit is included in the itineraries of several lodge stays, e.g. Cumaceba. To go there by yourself, catch a moto-taxi to Bellavista-Nanay, walk 100 m through the market to the water and organise to hire a boat from the boat owner's association. A return trip by fast boat should cost S/50 per person, or by small boat S/25 per perso.
Reserva Piedral
Fossil Creek Wildlife Reserve was created in May 2016 in the Terra Firme forests of the communities of Roca Eterna and Nuevo Union de Boyador. The reserve consists of 1000 hectares of primary rain forest and the drainage system of the legendary Quebrada Piedral. There are two small jungle huts and a trail system you must be accompanied by a guide. This unique reserve is the only with quick access from Iquitos to Virgin rainforest that is teeming with wildlife. Help the sustainable development of the Amazon Region by travelling responsibly.