Iquitos and Pacaya Samiria

Iquitos Is The Largest City In The World With No Road Connection To The Outside, And The Gateway To The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (1982), A Flooded Rain Forest Of 2 Million Hectares With Pink River Dolphins, Manatees, Caimans And River Boat Cruises. · Iquitos, Loreto

Iquitos is the largest city in the world with no road to the outside: you arrive by plane from Lima in about 1.5 to 2 hours, or by slow cargo boat from Yurimaguas or Pucallpa in 3 to 5 days. It is the gateway to the Peruvian Amazon and to the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, about 2 million hectares of flooded forest holding pink river dolphins, giant otters, manatees and caimans. The honest picture is that the logistics are long and the city itself is chaotic, hot and not pretty, with mototaxis everywhere and a rough edge around the port. What you come for is the river: a 2 to 4 day trip with a licensed operator, a lodge stay or a cruise. Plan for 30 to 35 C all year, mosquitoes, a yellow fever certificate and a week at least. Ayahuasca retreats are a large part of the local tourist trade and are unregulated, so treat them with extreme caution. Book wildlife trips ahead, check every operator's licence, and keep a spare day for delayed flights and boats, because river levels and weather change plans.

Amazon river city reached only by air or boat, with the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve about 180 km up the Maranon and Ucayali rivers, Iquitos, Loreto, Peru

The city runs every day, with markets busiest in the early morning and most shops closed in the hot midday hours. Belen market is at its best before late morning. The reserve is open all year but access is only by licensed tour, and water levels decide which routes run. Confirm opening days of the rescue centre and the butterfly farm, which can close on some days. Entry to the city streets is FREE.

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