Pirwa Travel Guide for Iquitos & the San Juan Bautista Festival
There’s no doubt- Iquitos is one of the best ways to see the Peruvian Amazon. Founded on the left bank of the Amazon River as a Jesuit mission catering to the Napeano and Iquito indigenous communities, Iquitos grew rapidly in the late 1800s and early 1900s, mostly due to a series of rubber and oil booms that made the city very diverse in population and gave it a strong Amazonian, European, and Bohemian feel- it’s even home to an isolated community of Sephardic Jews. Today, it’s still the major fluvial port and the cultural, urban, and commercial center of life in the Peruvian Amazon, even hosting the plaque commemorating the Amazon as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World (which belongs to all the countries boasting part of the Amazon). Despite of being the world’s largest inland city that is inaccessible by road, it has been steadily gaining a reputation as a party town.
climate
In Iquitos’ standard rainforest climate, you’ll be feeling the heat and the 85% humidity. November through May is considered the rainy season, although the difference between rainy and dry seasons is not strongly
marked as in other parts of Peru. However, even if the rain doesn’t increase much, the river level can fluctuate by as much as 40ft due to rainfall and snow melt on the eastern slopes of the Andes. The river reaches its high point in April-May.
Unless you are not planning to leave the city and explore the surrounding jungle, you should take anti-malarial pills in preparation for your trip. The yellow fever vaccine is also recommended if you are participating in a tour of the Amazon. Remember to apply insect repellent liberally throughout your visit.
gettin in & around
Most visitors arrive by plane, although the
city can also be reached by boat from any navigable port on the Amazon River (popular journeys include departures from Coca in Ecuador, Yurimaguas or Pucallpa in Peru, or from the country’s boarder with Colombia and Brazil). Domestic flights to Iquitos can vary from $55 USD in the low season to $200 USD in the high season. Once there, small motorboats known as peque-peques offer public transport to nearby cities.
Transport within the city is dominated by motorcycle rickshaws known as tuk-tuks, which generally cost 1.50-2 soles, although a standard rate from the airport to the city center is 6-8 soles. If you feel like exploring independently, you can rent a motorcycle for your use as well.
what to do
Any trip to Iquitos should begin with a visit to the Main Square. The city’s historical booms and busts left it with a uniquely diverse style. Wealthy rubber barons left their mark with exuberant tiled buildings. The gothic Matriz de Iquitos Church with Swiss clock, the pre-fab Casa de Fierro, Iron House, (designed by the same architect as the Eiffer Tower,) and almost 90 other baroque and rococo buildings provide a counterpoint to the rustic palafittes, malocas, and huts which characterize the rest of the city. There are also omnipresent displays of the brightly colored Amazon Pop Art, known as Wild Naïve, a self-taught local style referencing hallucinogenic ayahuasca experiences.
Other major tourist attractions include Monkey Island, Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Zoo, and Belén Market, the largest traditional market in the Peruvian Amazon. Many visitors pass through Iquitos because they want to explore Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, and visit the indigenous communities. Ayahuasca sessions with an Amazonian shaman are also increasingly popular, althrough recent abuses underscore the necesity of doing your research ahead of time. If possible, try to do a Canopy Walk as well- one of the best ways to appreciate the world’s most diverse bird population is to meet them at their level!
big events
Iquitos’ water and paint fights of Carnaval are among the best in Peru. The other major celebration is the Feast of San Juan (in honor of patron of the Peruvian Amazon, John the Baptist) on June 24th, when families flock to outings along the riverside. Celebrations begin as much as 10 days in advance.
The feast has a unique Amazonian flavor 
despite having been imposed by the Spanish during the period following the Conquest. The city crowns its queen, hosts folkloric dance contests and parades, and sponsors open air concerts with traditional instruments such as bombos, drums and flutes. To really get into the spirit, you should eat traditional Juanes (tasty chicken and rice parcels steamed in bijao leaves, whose shape supposedly represents the head of John the Baptist on a platter) and dance the shunto jump. The traditional Pandilla is danced around decorated palms or posts laden with gifts along the top known as an Unsha before it’s chopped down to distribute the gifts. Taking a dip in the rivers, the baño bendito, is believed to ensure health and happiness in the coming year.
For more information about trips to Iquitos, including transport to and from or Amazon excursions, contact Pirwa Travel Service at pirwatravel@gmail.com.