Day 1: Lima / Iquitos / Heliconia Amazon River Lodge (L,D)
You will be met and welcomed by our staff at the Luggage Claim area of the Iquitos Int’l Airport where our staff will assist you and transfer to our Office in Iquitos town proper. A briefing about our services, what to expect during your stay, the do’s and don’ts in the jungle and some essential tips will make your stay comfortable. Soon after, you will transfer to the Iquitos Port, where you will board one of our speedboats to take you to the Heliconia Amazon River Lodge along the Amazon River.
During the boat ride observe the noticeable convergence of the brown turbid waters of the Amazon River with the dark waters of the Nanay River. Enjoy the impressive jungle landscapes with the rustic small houses of the riverside towns.
Then have a short stopover in Monkey Island (in dry season you will visit Fundo Pedrito), a family social enterprise focused on conserving and protecting endangered monkey species in the Northern Amazon. The goal is to enlighten rainforest guests on the effort to reintegrate monkeys and their survival in the wild. See the monkeys free in this reserve, not in cages. Their temporary stay here depends on their capability to adapt back to its jungle habitat.
After a 60 minute boat ride arrive at the Lodge where our staff will welcome you with an exotic jungle drink. Then check-in and settle in your room, at your leisure. Afterward taste your first Amazonia cuisine lunch.
In the afternoon, begin your first excursion: set out to a jungle hike into the Yanamono primary rainforest reserve, for approximately two hours accompanied by our expert guides. They will point out and identify several flora species such as heliconia flowers, medicinal plants and giant trees. You will also have the chance to sight several birds species such as the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes Aura), Black Fronted Nanbird (MonasaAtia). And with a little luck you will be able to view a family of small monkeys such as marmosets (Saguinus Fusicollis), the Titi (Callicebus Mollock Mollock) and the squirrel monkey (Saimiri Boliviense).
Return to the lodge for rest and relaxation and be enthralled by your first, must-not-miss Amazon Sunset. As the darkness of evening comes around, take a boat ride along one of the Amazon River’s tributaries for an exciting evening in the jungle. With no lights, the jungle flora and fauna sparkle along the river’s edge. Your expert boat guide to take you to where you can appreciate and listen to the magical sounds of the jungle. If it is a clear night, you will see the bright magnificent moonlight, as well as observe the stars and constellations. With some luck you can also see some falling stars which are quite common in the area. Then motor back to the Lodge to rest and relax for an early wake up the next day.
