Iquitos - Peru

Located on the Plaza de Armas, this Neogothic cathedral was built over a period of thirteen years from 1911 to 1924.  The cathedral has one nave and has a carved wood pulpit on its right side.  A Swiss clock that was added in 1925 still keeps accurate time.

The Iquitos Main Square or Plaza de Armas is the historical central area of town. On Sunday mornings there is a flag raising ceremony and military parade. On Sunday evenings, the plaza is filled with visitors, street entertainers, and vendors. There is an obelisque that is a monument to those from Iquitos who defended Peru in the War of the Pacific in 1879.

The Boulevard and Tarapaca Malecon are located just a block east of the Plaza de Armas on the bank of the Itaya River just before it flows into the main Amazon River. The Boulevard was built at the height of the rubber baron era and was dedicated to the memory of those who died in the War of the Pacific during which Peru lost the Tarapaca region to Chile.

During the day, you get a wonderful view of the river and the floating town of Belen. At night, the Boulevard comes alive with tourists and locals strolling along it enjoying the pleasant night air, bars, restaurants and entertainment. Along the Malecon are many historical building and monuments.

The Iron House (Casa de Fierro) is said to have been designed and built by Gustav Eiffel who is famed for the Eiffel Tower. It was originally built in France and then disassembled and shipped up the Amazon River to Iquitos after the Paris Exhibition of 1898. Rubber Barons Baca Diaz and Anselmo Del Aguila had it reassembled at its present location on the corner of Putumayo and Prospero.

Close to kilometre marker 7 of the Iquitos – Nauta highway, southwest of Iquitos (30 minutes by car). The complex is located at about 15 minutes by car from Iquitos and covers 369 hectares. It is located around the lake Quistococha. The complex has an artificial beach known as Tunchi Playa. Visitors can visit a museum, the aquarium, and zoo with snakes and other exotic animals. There are paths around the lake and small dock on the water where one can rent boats. Furthermore, it has a tourist restaurant, a collection of captive birds, children’s park and sports courts. One can request permission to enter the park by car. This way you can avoid the stairs and the steep grade ramp at the entrance.

The paths of entire complex vary in terms of surface -some are concrete, some unpaved- and also in terms of width, but they generally are 35.1 inches (0.90 m) wide. It is necessary to have some help for the tour if the visitor has limited physical mobility or uses a wheelchair. There are no accessible public restrooms.

Located on the left bank of the Itaya River, southeast of Iquitos. Morning visits are recommended. Its origins date back to the beginning of the twentieth century, and it is composed of homes built on top of balsa wood rafts that float on the waters during the flood season.

It is a traditional regional style. With the passage of time and increase in population, the style has changed and more houses are built on a fixed construction on top of wooden pillars, some of them of two stories. During the dry season, people use both floors, but during the flood season, only the second floor is used; since the entire lower zone of Belen remains underwater, the population uses boats and canoes for transport, which is why it is considered the “Venice of Loreto”.

Belen has two districts: the upper zone where the Belen market and main warehouse are and the lower zone, an informal port and lively commercial center for jungle goods. Today, there are buildings of high-quality materials. It is possible to take a boat rides on the Amazon and Itaya Rivers.

The Pasaje Paquito is located inside the Belen market where you can obtain local traditional medicines and potions.

Bellavista is located at the extreme north of the city on the Nanay River. Just take a mototaxi north on Avenida Marina until you reach the port. In addition to the port, you will encounter a market that specializes in fresh fish. Here you can sample some freshly grilled fish or if you are an adventurous eater, try the suri (palm beetle larvae).

Locals use suri as a traditional medicine for bronchitis. At the port, you can rent a boat and driver to visit the Butterfly Farm, and Bora and Yagua tribes, but better to travel like the locals on the water taxi shuttle boat to the village of San Andrés. The boat drivers who rent their boats and services are notorious for swindling tourists for as much as $100, while the water taxi costs about one sole.

Km 4.5 of Iquitos Nauta highway, this project aims to rescue orphaned manatees, whose mothers have been killed by locals for food. 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. Currently (Dec. 2009) they have 4 almost grown up animals in a pond and 4 babies in a smaller swimming pool. Probably the only place in the world where you can bottle feed manatee babies. The entry is free, but a donation is expected. Take a mototaxi from downtown for about 15 soles to get there. They also accept volunteers to educate local school kids.

Barrio Florido village, river Amazonas (45 minutes by boat from the Bellavista Nanay port, Iquitos). M-Su from 8 AM to 4 PM. edit It houses around 10 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 fish to feed alligators and paiches.

Padre Cocha Village (10 minutes walking from the village), 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 illtreated, 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 20min by boat from Bellavista-Nanay.

There are boats all day long. During the dry season, you have to walk about 15min from the village. Volunteers are also regularly needed for help!

In the immense territories of the department of Loreto, existing a population of native and aboriginal communities that can be visited.

The great majority of these groups has been civilized by Catholic missions and they maintain ingrained many of their ancestral habits, such as their art, language, dances, feeding, etc.