Iquitos is the perfect destination for ecotourism and adventure lovers, for those seeking direct contact with nature who enjoy hikes along Amazonian forests or navigating along the greatest river in the world, and it is the perfect way to find refuge in lodges and shelters incredible well located in the middle of the jungle. But at the same time, Iquitos surprises us with a modern city that keeps secrets and legends in every corner, with great cultural and commercial activity.
Iquitos, capital of Loreto and the province of Maynas, is the heart of the Peruvian jungle. It beats, and it gives life and strength to the amazon, to that almost 30% of the national territory comprised by the Region of Loreto. The city stands on the shores of a secondary arm of the Amazon River, surrounded by a great number of rivers and channels, and in the middle of a nature that dazzles for its diversity and beauty. It is an attractive national and international destination; its unbeatable Amazonian geography, its history and architecture, its immense biodiversity and varied ecosystems, the gastronomy, folk medicine and cultural movements place Iquitos in the highest Rank of places visited by tourists.
Our explorations in Iquitos are, appropriately, in-depth and immersive-with rewarding natural history experiences and engaging cultural experiences with the local Inhabitants of each area, plus wonderful company aboard ship, excellent meals that highlight regional flavors, and music. The sound of macaws and toucans flitting through the canopy, the change in temperature and humidity on your skin as the day passes to dusk, the shape-shifting jungle horizon as birds hide for the night and caiman and night monkeys emerge.
The Loreto region forms an impressive set of ecosystems that range from the high mountain forests of the Marañón and Huallaga basins to the extensive Amazon plain where the great Amazon River is formed. This, one could say, is the heart of the Peruvian jungle, where the rivers that form the Amazon converge: the Marañón and the Ucayali. Loreto is also the largest department in Peru, covering nearly 29% of the national territory. Upon entering Iquitos we find a set of low-lying forests with flat relief crossed by the Amazon.
The Amazon region is the area with the most biodiversity in the world, rich of plant and animal wild life as well as indigenous local people. Spend your days exploring, viewing wildlife, fishing and relaxing in comfort on the cruise. Experience up close the cry of colorful tropical birds, the lush smell of the rainforest, countless flowers, towering trees, pink dolphins playing alongside your boat, incredible reptiles and amphibians, iridescent butterflies, and captivating monkeys.
Loreto is one of the regions of the Peruvian Amazon, located in the northeast of the country. The trip from Lima to this department by plane takes approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes. It is bordered to the north by Ecuador and Colombia, to the east by Brazil, to the south by the department of Ucayali and to the west by the departments of San Martin and Amazonas.
There is not a single person in Iquitos who does not get excited when referring to “their” Amazon River and there is no traveler who is not left speechless when seeing, for the first time, this giant of murky waters stretching out to touch the thin green line of the forest miles away. The Amazon is the father of rivers and the symbol of the Peruvian jungle. Iquitos, that joyful city like few others that lives to the rhythm of cumbia and the roar of its thousands of mototaxis, is an invitation to get to know it and enjoy it. There are many reasons: beautiful lodges located in the forest, cruises that can turn the river crossing into an unforgettable experience, markets whose explosion of color and aromas transport the visitor to another dimension, ease and friendship, lots of friendship in abundance. The jungle of the northeast is a wonder that every Peruvian should explore. I assure you that you will not regret it.
Loreto is the Peruvian department with the greatest diversity of ethnic groups and indigenous languages. The State is currently working on preserving these languages, as they are in danger of disappearing: Urarina, Taushiro, Ticuna Cahuapana, Huitoto, Tucano, Peba-yagua and Záparo. The typical dances come from the original tribes: Shitaracuy, La Cajada, Chimaychi, Pandilla, Changanacuy, Pishta, and Llana are examples of dances that have fused ancestral customs due to the fusion of races.
The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is located on one of the largest depressions in the Amazon, an aquatic world where the forests remain flooded for much of the year. It was created in 1982, located in the provinces of Loreto, Requena, Ucayali and Alto Amazonas, in the department of Loreto. This is the second largest protected area in Peru and the fourth in South America.
The main objective of the reserve is the conservation of the extensive aquatic ecosystems representative of the lowland forest of the Peruvian Amazon and its spectacular genetic diversity; to promote research into wild flora and fauna, both terrestrial and aquatic, and ensure proper management, particularly of endangered species; and to encourage the development of surrounding populations through the use of resources, as well as through tourism.
Visit the Amazon rainforest of Peru The Loreto Region, with its capital Iquitos, is located in the Amazon, which takes its name because it is made up entirely of the Amazon basin that gives rise to the Amazon River, a natural wonder and by far the most megadiverse life basin on the planet and whose […]
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