My Unforgettable 3-Day Adventure Along the Amazon River Near Iquitos, Peru

Day 1: Into the Amazon Jungle

Morning: Journey to the Eco Lodge

My flight arrived into Iquitos at sunrise. I had spent the night sleeping in the airport the night before due to having already been there and needing to fly early that morning. As the plane began to descend, I awoke from my groggy nap and I almost couldn’t believe what I saw out the window. Never have I seen a forest so dense with trees or with such intricate and seemingly random river patterns. I’m still in awe just thinking about it.

The plane landed at one of the smallest airports I’ve ever been to, I grabbed my bag and had one goal in mind: the famed Belen market. I haggled with a tuk-tuk driver in front of the airport over 20 Peruvian soles (about $5) for a few minutes and after we struck a deal, I was off to the Market. To paint a picture, I stuck out like a sore thumb and had foreigner written all over me. I was carrying a 25L day pack on the front and a 65L backpack on my back. So, when we arrived at the market and I tried to get out, it’s no surprise that the driver, in his simplest Spanish, told me “peligroso aqui, peligroso aqui.”

It turns out that the Belen market sees a lot of crime due to some of the black market dealings that happen there. I was later informed that everything is for sale if you know where to look… So, I hopped back in the tuk-tuk and he chauffeured me around the edge of the Amazon river and towards the office.

After meeting my tour guide and two other travelers who were on this adventure, we walked around Iquitos a bit to get one last meal in civilization before heading into the wild. While we were out there, I struck up a conversation with a man in his late 70’s from Colorado and asked about his travels since he seemed a little out of place. It turns out that Iquitos is the Ayahuasca capital of the world and people travel from across the globe to undergo psychedelic therapy there…. The more you know. This gentleman had just finished a whopping 7 days straight of therapy and was on his way out of Peru later that day.

Once we’d had our fill, we walked with our guide through another another market where they were selling the grubs pictured below. I am told that they actually taste very good, but I was just about to start 3 long days in the amazon with 200% humidity, no hot water, and no AC, so I wasn’t ready to risk it… Next time though.

We hopped into a wooden boat that would take us to our eco lodge—a secluded haven deep in the jungle. As we cut through the Amazon’s mighty waters, I felt a combination of awe and nervous anticipation. I could already tell this was going to be a life-changing experience.

Afternoon: Insect Safari and Monkey Encounters

After settling into our eco lodge, we were soon out exploring the jungle in search of exotic insects. With our guide leading the way, we saw an astonishing variety of insects, from luminescent beetles to intricate butterflies.

We then headed to a monkey sanctuary where we were greeted by capuchins, squirrel monkeys, and tamarins, to name a few. These monkeys have all been rescued by the local authorities from the Belen black market and donated to this island preservation where there are no natural predators and plenty of fruit trees. A place that is truly dedicated to the conservation of these intelligent creatures, the sanctuary felt like an enclave of hope amidst the challenges facing Amazon wildlife.

Evening: Pink Dolphins at Sunset

As the sky turned into hues of purple and orange, we got back into the boat to fulfill a dream—swimming in the Amazon with pink dolphins. The sight of these mystical creatures frolicking in the water against the backdrop of a fiery Amazonian sunset felt surreal. We dived in and for a few moments, we swam among them. The experience was ethereal, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the dolphins were just as curious about us as we were about them.

Night: Caiman Spotting

As darkness enveloped the jungle, we embarked on another thrilling activity—caiman spotting. Armed with flashlights, we slowly cruised along the river, scanning the water’s edge for the gleaming eyes of the elusive caiman. After several intense, mosquito laden minutes, we spotted one! The thrill of catching that brief, glowing gaze in our flashlights was both terrifying and exhilarating. Added bonus: we saw a toad on the way back to camp! Day one had been an adrenaline-pumping roller coaster of experiences, and I could hardly wait for what was to come.

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Day 2: Deep into the Wilderness

Morning: Tracking the Jaguar and Capturing Tadpoles

With the break of dawn, we ventured much deeper into the jungle. After about an hour of walking, I noticed a paw print in the mud and pointed it out to our guide. He said that the track was still fresh and the panther had probably come through just a few hours before. Although we didn’t get to see one, the footprints in the mud and the sense of being in a jaguar’s territory was thrilling nonetheless. We were all keeping our eyes on the bushes just in case… Not that we could see more than 10 feet through the dense vegetation.

Next, we took to canoes and navigated through the marshlands. I spotted small black fish looking creatures bobbing up and down from the surface of the water and none of us could tell what they were. Typically the canoe has a bucket, but we had left it behind so our guide gave me his hat to try and catch them. After I caught a bunch of them, he said that these waters are rife with electric eels and these are probably the babies, but after researching back at camp we determined that they are just the largest tadpoles any of us had ever seen, guides included.

Evening: Boating Up the Tributaries and Sloth Spotting

As the day wore on, I had the exhilarating experience of piloting our boat up one of the many Amazon tributaries. Steering through narrow waterways lined with lush foliage, past isolated villages, felt like navigating through the veins of the Earth. And then, the highlight—spotting sloths lazily hanging from trees, blissfully unaware or maybe just indifferent to our presence.

At one point, one of the local villagers brought out her pet baby sloth and we let it crawl all over us. Our guide informed us that there can be up to 200 unique types of insects that live in the fur of a sloth, so it probably would have been better admire it from a distance. Oh well, when in the Amazon.

Night: A Tarantula Walk

Our day concluded with a nighttime jungle walk in search of tarantulas. Armed with flashlights and a healthy dose of courage, we scoured tree trunks and leaves until we found two — their furry bodies almost a work of dark art. An unsettling but fascinating end to another incredible day.

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Day 3: Living Off the Land

Morning: Piranha Fishing

The day began with piranha fishing. With simple rods made from long sticks and 6 feet of fishing line, we dangled meat into the water and thrashed the tips of the poles in the water. Piranhas are attracted to the chaos and once they smell the meat, it’s game on. As soon as you feel a nibble, you set the hook and then fling the piranhas into the boat. These little devils are small, but they’re packing razor sharp teeth. The guides took turns showing their accumulated piranha battle scars on their hands as we fished. My guide explained that all fish in the amazon have knives for teeth except for one, which is armor plated and called the “black devil.”

Afternoon: Tribal Visit and Piranha Lunch

We visited a local tribe who call themselves the Yagua. They still live using traditional means, hunting animals ranging from birds to tapirs using blowguns with poisoned darts. Their longest blowgun is 10 feet long and takes two people to use it! Also, the blow dart quiver always has a lower jaw of a piranha attached to it because they use the teeth to sharpen the darts! We also learned that when other nearby tribes encroach on their land, the Yagua will attack them at night with highly poisoned darts that are intended to kill. I tried using a blow gun and it’s much harder than it looks; guess I won’t be defending Amazonian territories any time soon… Witnessing their way of life, deeply intertwined with the land, was a humbling experience.

We capped off the trip by cooking and eating the piranhas we had caught earlier. The chef got creative and turned the piranha into a lantern fish. Also, piranha tastes like a hearty white fish; 10/10 recommend.

Evening: Back to Civilization

As I took the boat back to Iquitos, I was consumed by a kaleidoscope of emotions—joy, reverence, and a newfound respect for the complex web of life that is the Amazon.

So here I am, back in the digital world, chronicling my analog adventures, and hoping that somehow, my words can capture even a fraction of the magic that was my three days along the Amazon River.