3-Day Tour in Iquitos: Get to Know the Amazon River & See Pink Dolphins

City: Iquitos, Jungle // Activities: Amazon jungle trek, bird watching, boat tour, fishing //

Welcome to an unforgettable tour in the Amazon jungle of Iquitos! An intense blue in the sky, a hidden sound that slowly wraps you, a familiar smell of freedom, a warming sensation emanating from your skin. Although it may sound like a song, there is such a place: the amazon rainforest. Come to Iquitos and dare to live an adventure in the nature, far from the hustle and bustle of the city; with boat rides throughout the Amazon River that will delight your senses and renew your spirit. Get in touch with the city and its colors, explore its protected reserves and immerse yourself in the local flavors while tasting exotic jungle beverages. Don’t spend much time thinking about it, put on your sunglasses and grab your suitcase because with this Iquitos Amazon tour fun is guaranteed.

Itinerary:

DAY 1: LIMA - IQUITOS AMAZON TOUR - HELICONIA AMAZON RIVER + MONKEY ISLAND

You will either be picked up from your hotel in Iquitos or you will be welcomed by lodge agents at counter number 5 of the Iquitos airport baggage area (please arrive before 9:00 am). The guide will call your name once you enter the airport (no worries, the airport is tiny) and he will accompany you to the administrative office in Iquitos, where you can store your luggage safely.

Afterwards, you will be heading to the port of Iquitos, from where you will take a boat through the Amazon River. During the ride, you will see the convergence of the Amazon River (brown water) with the Nanay river (dark water), a spectacular phenomenon. You will also see the enormous size of the Amazon river and its little rural houses along the river banks.

After a while, you will make a little stop at the Monkey Island (in dry season you will visit the "Fundo Pedrito", where you can see the Victoria Regia plant, alligators, turtles etc.), on which endangered species of monkeys of the Peruvian jungle are protected and preserved. Watch them eat, play and maybe one of them will want play with you, too!

Afterwards, you will continue the ride for around 60 more minutes. Once you arrive at the lodge, the staff will receive you with a refreshing regional fruit juice. Then, the check-in will be done, and you will be taken to your room so you can relax a little. Afterwards, you will have lunch in the restaurant of the lodge.

In the afternoon, the first Amazon tour will start along with experienced guides walking through the Yanamono Reserve for almost 2 hours. You will be able to identify diverse fauna species, such as Helicona flowers, medicinal plants and giant trees. Listen carefully to the stories your guides tell you about them! On the way, you will see different bird species and with some luck you might see monkeys and bats.

Afterwards, you will go back to the lodge so you can rest before seeing your first sunset in the Amazon rainforest. When night falls, especially in the flooding river season, it's time for a magical open boat tour through a channel of the Amazon River. There won't be any light or sounds as we will turn off the engine so you can enjoy the impressive sounds of the Amazon jungle. If there is a clear sky, you will see the wonderful moonlight, as well as the stars. For many of our clients, this is one of the most incredible moments of the tour. You will return to the lodge for dinner and rest afterwards.

DAY 2: BIRD WATCHING + ARTISANAL FISHING + LOCAL COMMUNITY VISIT + PINK DOLPHINS + JUNGLE TOUR

Day 2 of the Amazon tour will initiate very early with a boat ride to spot many different bird species. After returning to the lodge and having breakfast, you will visit a riverside village of an indigenous tribe of the Yaguas community. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn more about their lifestyle, their customs and their traditions. Prepare yourself for a dance with them and a contest with the blow gun.

In the afternoon, you will be part of a small fishing expedition trying to catch some piranha only with a stick and a piece of meat. If the expedition is a success, you will also have the opportunity to watch the unique pink dolphins. Then, you will go back to the lodge to enjoy a typical regional lunch.

In the evening, you will do a jungle walk to witness the charming transformation of the jungle in a nocturnal environment. Even though you have walked through the jungle on the first day already, the perception of the jungle at night feels entirely different. This is the best time to observe frogs, timid snakes and sloths or tarantulas. Just listen to the magical sounds of insects, birds, cats and owls! After around 30 minutes, you will return to the lodge to enjoy dinner and rest pleasantly.

DAY 3: VICTORIA REGIA + CHECK-OUT

On the third and last day, you will enjoy your breakfast before taking the boat to the Yanamono Island, where the majestic Victoria Regia, the queen of water lilies, can be seen. Nowadays known as Victoria Regia, this shallow native water flower of the Amazon River’s basin grows mostly in lakes and wetland. It can grow as much as 40 cm in diameter and is pollinated by beetles. The giant water lilly is well known by its immense circular leaf. Usually, it is shown with a little child sitting in the center of its leaf in order to show its magnitude and strength.

Afterwards, you will return to the lodge for the farewell lunch, check out and then head to Iquitos. Once in Iquitos, you will either be dropped off at your hotel or you'll be taken to the airport (please book flights for later than 5:30 pm).

Included:

• 2 nights in single or double room at Heliconia Amazon River Lodge 
• Boat transfer Iquitos - lodge - Iquitos
• 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners buffet style (fruit juice is included with the meals; drinkable water, tea and coffee is available all day). Please let us know in advance in case you are vegetarian, vegan or if you have any food allergies.
• Monkey island visit
• Local community visit
• Amazon jungle tour
• Boat tour at night
• Searching for pink dolphins
• Observation of Victoria Regia
• Bird watching tour
• Fishing tour per hand

Note: the order of the activities might vary depending on the weather conditions.

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Not Included:

• Beverages (bottled water, soft drinks and liquor) can be bought at the bar in the lodge
• Flight tickets Lima - Iquitos - Lima
• Tips for your guide

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Schedule:

• 3 days & 2 nights
• Check in: 1:00 pm, Check out: 12:00 am

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Recommendations:

• Book your flight to Iquitos in the morning so that you arrive before 9:00 am and for your return flight to Lima in the afternoon later than 5:30 pm. We recommend booking your flight with Latam as their flights tend to be on time for this route.
• Bring a rain poncho, a windproof jacket a flashlight and binoculars
• Use insect repellent, sunscreen and sunglasses
• Wear light cotton clothing, half and long-sleeved pants and cotton shirts (preferably in earth colours, quick-dry material; please avoid using white coloured clothes)
• Wear moisture resistant sneakers (you will be given rubber boots at the lodge)
• Bring your swimsuit so you can use the pool in the lodge.
• There are no additional entrance fees but we recommend to take some coins or 10/20 soles bills on the excursions in case you want to buy souvenirs or give tips to the locals.
• Passenger luggage is limited to 10 kg p. person. You can store the rest of your luggage in the administrative office in Iquitos in order to take only the most essential things.

NOTE: When visiting the monkey island, it is recommended not to use any insect repellent, sunscreen etc. There are bathrooms you can use to get it off your skin.

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 Terms of Reservation:

• Minimum 3 days before
• Minimum 2 people

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 Terms of Cancellation:

• If you cancel 15 days before arriving, there won't be a cancellation fee.
• If you cancel between 14 and 5 days before arriving, you will receive a refund of 60%.
• If you cancel less than 5 days before arriving, there will not be any refunds.

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Info:

• There is no minimum age for children to take part in this tour.
• The maximum number of people in a group per guide is 10.
• There's no wifi available in the lodge, but you will have electricity in the morning, at noon and at night (from 6-8 am, 12-2 pm and 6-11 pm). During these hours, you can turn on the fan in your room, charge your devices etc.
• The activities of the itinerary can vary depending on the arrivals and departures of the flights and also on the weather conditions.
• The transfer from Iquitos to the harbour, from where you take the boat to the lodge, is at 10:00 am. The transfer from the lodge back to Iquitos is at 2:00 pm (both subject to changes due to flight schedules).
• Delayed flight: If your flight arrives later than 2:00 pm, you will spend the first night at the lodge's hotel in Iquitos city (free of charge, subject to availability) and start your tour on the second day.

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