Ultimate Iquitos Travel Guide (+ Map)
TL;DR
Iquitos is a chaotic, captivating Amazon gateway where jungle life, river culture, and historic charm collide – making it absolutely worth a visit if you’re craving an adventure you won’t find anywhere else in Peru.
Planning a trip through Peru and wondering whether Iquitos is really worth visiting? You’re not alone – many travellers are intrigued by the world’s largest city with no road access, yet unsure about its chaos, safety, or how to plan a visit to the Amazon from here. After navigating cargo ships, jungle lodges, floating neighbourhoods, and the remnants of the rubber boom ourselves, we’ve gathered the practical, honest insights you need. This guide is for curious adventurers, budget backpackers, and culture lovers alike – anyone drawn to a place where river life meets city life in the most surprising ways. We’ve been there, figured out what actually works, and are excited to help you experience Iquitos with confidence.
Iquitos Travel Guide
Iquitos Map
Is Iquitos Worth Visiting?
Of course, Iquitos is a great base to visit the Amazon rainforest. But it is more. It’s the largest city in the world that cannot be reached by road, which gives it a unique atmosphere. Still, Iquitos strikes a balance between remoteness and jungle vibes, and comfort and city vibes. The azulejo-covered buildings from the heyday of the Amazon rubber boom – some of them well-maintained, some in decay – add to the ambience.
Belen, euphemistically called the Venice of the Amazon, is another place where river life and city life blend. It is the swimming suburb of Iquitos, and instead of walking or driving, the mode of transport of choice is swimming or taking a boat. A visit to the market in Belen will present you with more plants and animals from the Amazon than you could possibly see in the jungle itself.
Iquitos feels like a city of contrasts: The traffic is chaotic and loud, while the Amazon is relaxing and quiet. You can eat everything from suri grubs to pizza. You can look for wildlife in the jungle or for deeper answers in an ayahuasca ceremony. Go ahead and see which side of Iquitos you prefer!
Where We Stayed in Iquitos
For a budget stay, we can highly recommend Flying Dog Hostel Iquitos. They have private rooms and dorms, and their location is super central. Other pros are
- A free breakfast is included.
- Nice staff and the option to store your luggage for Amazon tours.
- A kitchen and free drinking water.
We also spent a night at Victoria Regia Hotel, which is such a nice treat after a journey on a cargo ship and/or a tour to the Amazon rainforest. We loved everything from the rooftop pool to the amazing staff to the fully air-conditioned room with a hot shower.
How to Get to Iquitos
Iquitos is the world's largest city that cannot be reached by road. You have only two options to get here:
- Flying. There’s a limited number of national connections to destinations like Lima or Tarapoto:
- By boat.
We took the cargo ship from Yurimaguas to Iquitos, which was one big adventure – so much so that we wrote a complete blog post about it:
How to Get Around Iquitos
The centre of Iquitos is walkable.
Your best option to get to destinations that are further away, like the port or the airport, is tuk-tuks. At the time of our visit, Uber was not available. InDrive seems to have just launched in Iquitos. We always asked our accommodations or tour operators to call us a transfer, which worked well.
Things to Do in Iquitos
1. Plaza de Armas and Historical Centre
Like in every South American city, the Plaza de Armas or main square is its heart. You’ll find the obligatory “Iquitos” sign and the church here. Additionally, the Casa de Fierro (”the Iron House”) is located on this square. Its walls, ceiling, and balcony are plastered in rectangular sheets of iron.
Walk around a bit more to find buildings covered in colourful tiles called azulejos – a reminder of Iquitos’ rubber trading days.
The Galería de Arte Amazónico combines a free art exhibition with a beautiful historical building.
2. Iquitos Malecon
The Malecon or Boulevard of Iquitos is just a stone’s throw from the Plaza de Armas. This riverside promenade invites you to take a stroll and relax for a while.
It’s a great place to grab a bite or a drink – from street food to Westernised options. Some of the restaurants are literally on the river.
Speaking of on the river: There’s a cute artisanal market on stilts, which is arguably the best place in the city to buy souvenirs.
3. Iquitos Museums
Right along the Malecon, you can find the Boat Museum. Here, you can visit the first steamship of the Amazon, dating back to the 1880s. Additionally, there’s some information about the rubber industry.
A short walk away, you can find the Indigenous Culture Museum. It’s a small museum that contains numerous indigenous artworks and artefacts.
The Mi Museo Iquitos is the local history museum of Iquitos. It is free to visit, but a bit further away from the Plaza de Armas, so we didn’t venture there ourselves.
4. Belen Market
At the southeast edge of Iquitos lies Belén. Don’t miss the market where jungle produce is traded. It is a noisy, muddy maze of stalls selling everything from basic grains to bottled ayahuasca, suri grubs, and all manner of other unusual Amazonian meats. It’s a fascinating, full-sensory experience, but keep a close eye on your belongings as you wander.
You can go on your own, but this place is super overwhelming and confusing. If you want to try stuff and get down to hidden (and illegal) parts of the market, we highly recommend going on a tour!
5. Belen Boat Tour
A visit to Belen would not be complete without a boat tour (it is also included in the market tour, and we were quite happy that we didn’t have to negotiate a boat ourselves).
Belen is also euphemistically called the Venice of the Amazon. This suburb of Iquitos is full of stilted and floating houses. The majority of this area is flooded, especially during the rainy season, so your only mode of transport is swimming or taking a boat. The housing here is unregulated and chaotic. There is no sewage system: The same water that is used as a toilet is also used for washing.
Yes, visiting Belen is dark tourism, but it offers a sobering, eye-opening glimpse into the realities of life in the Amazon – one that deepens your understanding of the region far beyond the usual jungle treks and river cruises – and hence should not be missed.
6. Amazon Rainforest Tour
You probably didn’t come to Iquitos without wanting to visit the Amazonian rainforest itself. As you can’t just walk out in the wilderness alone, your only option is to go on a guided tour. Your guide will know the best places to spot wildlife. You can also add a layer of cultural exploration when you choose a tour that visits a local village.
We highly recommend that you spend at least one or two nights in the jungle, firstly to really immerse yourself in the experience and secondly to improve your chances of spotting wildlife. There are many comfortable lodges you won’t want to leave (the one on our tour sure was).
We have written a full blog post about our Amazon rainforest tour:
Where to Eat in Iquitos
Here are some of our favourite places to eat in Iquitos:
- Street food: We had the cheapest meal (some sort of fish) during our month in Peru at a tiny street food stall close to our hostel (marked on our map).
- Menu del dia: Mis Raíces has a very affordable menu del dia with a super high standard. Alternatively, you can check out Los Portales.
- With river views: There are loads of restaurants along the Malecon. We liked La Balsa Cafe Restobar because you literally sit on the water. If you want to take it even further, check out Al Frio y al Fuego. You can only reach them by boat, and they have a swimming pool!
How Many Days in Iquitos Do You Need
In all honesty, one full day in Iquitos is probably enough to explore the city itself. The centre, which is sprinkled with beautiful azulejo-covered houses, is rather small. The Belen area can easily be covered in half a day.
We highly recommend you to add at least 3 days/2 nights for a tour to the Amazon – after all, you probably did not come to the middle of the rainforest just to hang out in the city!
Iquitos Itinerary
Day 1 – City Centre, Malecon, & Belen
Use your morning to visit the market and stilted houses of Belen.
In the afternoon, head to the Plaza de Armas and explore the city centre and Malecón. The Malecón is also a great place to have a relaxing end to your day.
Day 2-4 – Amazon Tour
After a day in the hustle and bustle of the city, head to the rainforest for a tranquil escape. Spend a couple of days spotting wildlife and learn about the local life.
Iquitos Tips
ATMs in Iquitos
There are a couple of ATMs around the city centre. We used the Banco de la Nación one because it doesn’t charge us any fees.
Supermarkets in Iquitos
The Los Portales, two blocks from the main square, should provide everything you need – including affordable food options.
Internet in Iquitos
We had great internet both in our accommodation and with our eSIM card.
Is Iquitos Safe
Generally, Iquitos is said to be pretty safe. We saw a lot of police presence around the main square and the Malecón.
Our hostel advised us not to go out at night, and we stuck to this recommendation.
Petty theft seems to be common – especially in the Belen market – so take the necessary precautions.
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