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Peru
Iquitos and The Amazonas River
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Iquitos is Peru's most important city on the banks of the Amazon River, and much of the elegant architecture of the 19th century rubber baron years remains standing. Trips can be made from Iquitos to a number of typical jungle inns, with visits to native communities such as the Bora and the Yagua. But the region's greatest treasure is its marvelous biodiversity. It includes the Pacaya-Samiria and Allpahuayo-Mishana natural reserves, the reserved zones of Gueppi and Santiago-Comainas and the Rio Abiseo National Park, remarkable to nature lovers worldwide.
Only 20 km (12 miles) from Iquitos, on a paved road, stands the entry to the National Allpahuayo-Mishana Reserve, which holds the greatest number of species of trees per hectare (close to 300); the largest number of reptiles (140 species); as well as 28 endangered species such as the otter, the harpy eagle, the red uakari and the giant armadillo.
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Three-toed sloth
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South of Iquitos, 84 km away (52 miles) by paved road, is the port of Nauta: nearby, the confluence of two great rivers, the Marañon and the Ucayali, give birth to the majestic Amazon, the world's largest river, which runs for more than 6,788 km (4,217 miles) before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
Opposite Nauta lies the National Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, with two million hectares (five million acres) of lakes, lagoons, swamps and wetlands. This is the territory of the manatee or sea cow, the pink dolphin, the charapa turtle, and the anaconda. It is the largest flood forest in Amazonia. It is also called the Mirror Jungle because of the perfect reflections of the jungle and skies that can be seen in its rivers and lagoons.
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Yagua dancers
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The best months to visit are between April and October, to avoid the rainy season. Expect high heat and humidity during the day, cool nights, and heavy rain at any time of year.
Activities
Eco-tourism, wildlife watching (pink river dolphin), anthropology, river exploration, angling, water-skiing.
Nearby Attractions
The city of Iquitos: native communities near the city, lakes and lagoons. |
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