Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Peru Amazon: four nights on the river below Iquitos
6 days from Lima: fly to Iquitos and spend four nights at an Amazon river lodge, with canoes at dawn, a canopy walkway, a riverside community and night walks, then fly back to Lima.
6 days · Round trip from Lima · up to 12 guests
High water at Iquitos, where the boat to the lodge starts Photo: Gabymuaa, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atardecer.JPG)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Lima
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Easy to moderate. Forest walks of 1 to 3 hours on flat but muddy or root-crossed trails, in heat and humidity, with rubber boots lent by the lodge. Several hours a day sitting in canoes and boats. The canopy walkway means climbing a tower stair and crossing swaying suspension bridges high above the ground. No altitude: Iquitos sits at about 100 metres. Every walk and the walkway can be sat out at the lodge.
- Meals included
- 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 595 (estimated price)
- Season
- Year-round; high water December to June, low water July to November
Highlights
Why this trip
- Four nights at one river lodge, so the Amazon gets three full days, not one
- A canoe on the water at first light, when birds call and monkeys move, and a boat on the main river where river dolphins are usually seen
- Sunrise from a canopy walkway, level with the treetops where toucans and tanagers feed
- An afternoon in a riverside village with a local host, paid for by the visit, not a staged show
- Night walks for frogs, insects and sleeping birds, and a boat after dark to find caiman eyes
- A manatee rescue centre in Iquitos on the way back to the airport
- No altitude: a rainforest trip that suits anyone who cannot or would rather not go to Cusco
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 595 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Lima
Jorge Chávez International Airport to your hotel in Miraflores
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Lima
- Drive about 1 h
Fly into Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), where a driver meets you in arrivals for the drive to Miraflores, about 20 km and up to an hour in Lima's traffic. If you are joining after one of our Andes trips, you may already be in Lima, and we collect you from your hotel instead.
Evening
Plan to land by mid-afternoon so you can join the evening; the latest arrival time is confirmed with your final itinerary. Miraflores sits on cliffs above the Pacific, and the malecón, a clifftop path of parks and lookouts, is a short walk from the hotel. In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a briefing on the days ahead: how the lodge works, what to pack in the soft bag, how the canoes run and what the river is doing this month. Then we walk to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner, a good place for a first ceviche, and an early night before the morning flight.
Included
- Pick-up at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) or your Lima hotel
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner in Miraflores
Free time: Free until the evening briefing; the Miraflores malecón is a short walk away
Fly to Iquitos and down the Amazon
Lima to Iquitos by air, then by boat down the Amazon to the lodge
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Amazon river lodge
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
We leave Miraflores at about 6:30 to 7 am, an early start set by the airline schedule and the only departure before 8 am on this trip that is not for a dawn outing. The flight of about an hour and fifty minutes crosses the Andes to Iquitos, a river city reached only by air or by water. Lodge staff meet us, our large bags go into storage at the lodge's town office, and a short drive takes us to the river port. From there a covered speedboat runs down the Amazon, between one and a half and three hours depending on the lodge we confirm, past floating houses, fishing canoes and long beaches or flooded banks, depending on the season.
Afternoon
Lunch is served on arrival. After settling into rooms with their own bathroom, a resident naturalist guide leads a first walk on the trails near the lodge, teaching the group to move slowly and listen.
Evening
After dinner we go out again with torches on a night walk for tree frogs, stick insects, spiders and roosting birds.
Included
- Flight from Lima to Iquitos
- Luggage storage in Iquitos
- Speedboat down the Amazon to the lodge
- Afternoon forest walk with a naturalist guide
- Guided night walk
- All meals at the lodge
Easier option: Skip the night walk and stay at the lodge after dinner; the boat ride is seated and covered, with life jackets.
Free time: An hour or two free at the lodge before the afternoon walk
Activity: The 6:30 to 7 am start from Miraflores is set by the morning flight schedule; it is the trip's only early start that is not for wildlife. The first walk is about 1 to 1.5 hours on flat trails.
Dawn canoe and the river dolphins
Amazon river lodge: a creek or lake by canoe, the river by boat and the forest at night
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Amazon river lodge
- By boat
Morning
We are on the water by first light, in two canoes of up to six, gliding along a quiet side creek or oxbow lake while the forest wakes up. This is when the birds are loudest and easiest to see: kingfishers, herons, parrots flying over in pairs, hoatzins grunting in the bushes, and with luck a sloth or a troop of squirrel monkeys in the trees above. Back at the lodge for a late breakfast. Late in the morning we take the boat out onto the main river to look for pink river dolphins and the smaller grey ones, which surface to breathe where rivers meet or the current slows. The hottest hours are free for a hammock, a shower and a book.
Afternoon
In the late afternoon the naturalist guide leads a walk through the forest to see the giant trees and the plants local families use for food and medicine.
Evening
After dinner we take the boat out with a spotlight to find the red glow of caiman eyes along the banks.
Included
- Dawn canoe on a creek or lake with a naturalist guide
- River dolphin search by boat
- Late-afternoon forest and plant walk
- Caiman-spotting boat trip after dark
- All meals at the lodge
Easier option: Sleep in, skip the dawn canoe and join the group for the dolphin boat after breakfast.
More active option: A longer late-afternoon walk of about 3 hours deeper into the forest with the naturalist guide.
Free time: Midday free at the lodge
Activity: A 5:15 to 5:30 am start for the canoe. Canoes are low and stable; you sit for about 2 hours, so bring a cushion if you have a bad back.
Sunrise on the canopy walkway and a riverside village
Amazon river lodge to the canopy walkway, then a riverside community
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Amazon river lodge
- By boat
An early start again, because the treetops are busiest in the first hours of light.
Morning
We reach the canopy walkway at or soon after sunrise, climb the tower stair and cross a chain of suspension bridges strung between tall trees, high above the forest floor. From up here you look across the tops of the trees as mist lifts off them, and the birds that live up high come close: toucans, tanagers, parrots and, on good mornings, monkeys crossing the branches. Your naturalist guide carries a telescope to bring the distant ones closer.
Afternoon
Breakfast is back at the lodge or packed for the walkway, and lunch is at the lodge. After the midday rest we visit a riverside community the lodge works with. A local host shows us how families here fish, farm their plots and live with the rise and fall of the river, and we visit the school when it is in session. The visit is paid to the community, and crafts are on sale with no pressure to buy.
Included
- Canopy walkway at sunrise with a naturalist guide
- Visit to a riverside community with a local host
- All meals at the lodge
Easier option: Stay on the tower's first platform or at its foot while the group crosses the bridges; the village visit is mostly flat and short.
More active option: Stay longer on the walkway with the guide while the rest of the group heads back for breakfast.
Free time: Midday free at the lodge
Activity: The walkway means a long stair up a tower and narrow, swaying bridges with side nets; tell your guide if heights are a problem. Exact height and access depend on the lodge we confirm.
Flooded forest or forest trails, your choice
Amazon river lodge: a dawn canoe, a free morning and a last night walk
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Amazon river lodge
- By boat
Morning
The last full day has a second dawn canoe, chosen by the season. From about December to June, when the river is high, we paddle between the trunks of the flooded forest, where fish swim among the roots and birds nest just above the water. From about July to November, when the water drops, we go to a lake or a sandbank where birds gather, and walk a trail that is under water for half the year. After breakfast the day is yours: rest at the lodge, fish for piranha with a local guide using a simple line and bait, or take a longer walk with the naturalist guide.
Afternoon
The heat is strongest in the early afternoon, so most groups keep moving in the morning and late afternoon.
Evening
At sunset the boat goes out on the main river to watch the sky colour over the water. After the last lodge dinner there is a final night walk for anyone who wants another look at the forest after dark.
Included
- Second dawn canoe: flooded forest at high water, a lake or sandbank at low water
- Piranha fishing with a local guide
- Sunset boat on the main river
- Guided night walk
- All meals at the lodge
Easier option: Skip the dawn canoe and spend the morning in a hammock; join the sunset boat in the evening.
More active option: A longer morning walk of about 3 hours with the naturalist guide, looking for monkeys and birds.
Free time: Morning after breakfast and the early afternoon free at the lodge
Activity: Another 5:15 to 5:30 am start for the canoe. The night walk is optional.
Back up the river and fly to Lima
Amazon river lodge to Iquitos by boat, then by air to Lima
- Breakfast and lunch
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
After an early breakfast the speedboat carries us back up the Amazon to Iquitos, a last chance to spot dolphins and herons from the deck. We collect the large bags and, on the way to the airport, stop at a manatee rescue centre on the road out of town, where orphaned Amazonian manatees are raised before being returned to the wild; the visit is short and the animals are fed in front of you.
Afternoon
Lunch is in Iquitos before an early-afternoon flight to Lima of about an hour and fifty minutes. The trip ends at Jorge Chávez International Airport in the mid to late afternoon.
Evening
Flights from Lima to North America mostly leave in the evening or late at night, so book one leaving after about 9 pm. If you are going on to Cusco and Machu Picchu, an evening flight or a flight the next morning works, and we can add a night at the Miraflores hotel as a priced add-on, not included in the trip price.
Included
- Speedboat up the Amazon to Iquitos
- Manatee rescue centre visit
- Lunch in Iquitos
- Flight from Iquitos to Lima
- Drop-off at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM)
Activity: Book a flight home leaving Lima after about 9 pm.
- Lima1 night
- Amazon river lodge4 nights
- Limaend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Iquitos is hot and humid all year, around 30 degrees by day, and rain can fall in any month, usually as heavy showers rather than all-day rain. The river sets the plan: from about December to June the water is high, canoes go into the flooded forest and animals crowd onto higher ground; from about July to November the water drops, more trails open and sandbanks appear where birds rest. River dolphins live here in every season and are usually seen.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers adding the Amazon to a Machu Picchu or Lima trip
- Anyone who wants the rainforest without altitude
- Bird and wildlife lovers happy with early starts
- Solo travellers who want a set price for a room of their own
Not for you if you want
- Anyone wanting a hotel-style stay with air conditioning and wifi every night
- Travellers who cannot get in and out of small boats and canoes
- Those with a strong fear of heights who would mind missing the canopy walkway
- Anyone hoping for guaranteed sightings of jaguars or other rare animals
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
5 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Lima1 night
- Amazon river lodge4 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 5 nights: 1 in Lima (Miraflores) and 4 at an Amazon river lodge below Iquitos
- A central 3-star-plus hotel in Lima and a lodge room with its own bathroom, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) or your Lima hotel, and drop-off at the airport
- Flights Lima to Iquitos and Iquitos to Lima, economy with a checked bag
- Our own vehicle and driver in Lima, and a local vehicle in Iquitos
- The lodge's covered speedboat between Iquitos and the lodge, both ways
- Canoes and boats for every lodge excursion
- Large bags stored in Iquitos while we are on the river
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, from Lima to Lima
- Resident naturalist guides at the lodge
- A local host for the community visit
Activities
- Amazon: two dawn canoes, a river dolphin search, the canopy walkway at sunrise, forest and plant walks, two night walks, a caiman-spotting boat after dark, piranha fishing and a sunset boat
- A visit to a riverside community, paid to the community
- Iquitos: a manatee rescue centre
Meals
- 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners
- Welcome dinner in Lima
- All meals at the lodge
- Lunch in Iquitos on the last day
Not included
- International flights to and from Lima
- Flights to or from Cusco
- Travel insurance
- Vaccinations and travel clinic advice
- Lunches and dinners not listed
- Drinks, including at the lodge bar
- Tips for guides, drivers and lodge staff
- Crafts and personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 595 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
One night in Lima, four nights at an Amazon river lodge, flights from Lima to Iquitos and back, the lodge speedboat both ways, every lodge excursion including the canopy walkway, a community visit and the manatee rescue centre, 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners, and your See Sight Tours guide throughout.
How big is the group?
The small group runs with 7 to 12 guests. On the water we split into two canoes of up to six with a naturalist guide in each, so everyone sits near the front of the action and the canoes stay quiet enough to approach birds and monkeys.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with you from Lima to Lima and looks after the group. At the lodge, resident naturalist guides who know the local forest lead the walks and canoes, with your guide alongside, and a local host leads the community visit.
How fit do I need to be?
Not very. Walks are 1 to 3 hours on flat but muddy trails, in heat and humidity, and you need to step in and out of canoes. The canopy walkway involves a long tower stair. Every walk, canoe and the walkway can be skipped, and there is no altitude.
I'm travelling solo. Do I pay more?
Only if you want a room of your own, and the price is shown up front: from CAD 595 more for the whole trip, lodge included. You join the same group, the same canoes and the same table as everyone else, with no surprise charges at checkout.
When is the best time to go to the Amazon at Iquitos?
Any time of year; the river changes the trip rather than the weather. From about December to June the water is high and canoes go into the flooded forest. From about July to November it is low, with more trails and sandbanks. Rain can fall in any month.
Will we see pink river dolphins?
Usually, though no sighting is guaranteed. Pink and grey river dolphins live in the Amazon near Iquitos all year and surface often where rivers meet. Birds, monkeys, caimans and sloths are also likely. Jaguars, manatees in the wild and giant otters are present but rarely seen, so treat any sighting as a bonus.
What is the jungle lodge like?
A rainforest lodge on the Amazon below Iquitos, reached by speedboat, with private rooms that have their own bathroom, screens or mosquito nets, resident naturalist guides and access to a canopy walkway. Electricity and wifi may be limited to set hours. We name the lodge when we confirm your dates.
Can I add this to a Machu Picchu trip?
Yes, that is what it is built for. It starts and ends in Lima, so it fits before or after our Lima, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu trip. If you want the Andes and the Amazon in one trip, our Machu Picchu and Amazon trip includes three nights at Tambopata.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations for Peru?
Canadian, US, UK and EU passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist stay; bring a passport valid for six months. For the Amazon around Iquitos, see a travel clinic about yellow fever vaccination and malaria advice at least a month before you fly.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, from CAD 6,110 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, or start from Cusco, ask us and we will quote it.
How much luggage can I bring, and what if the flight to Iquitos is late?
Bring one soft bag for the lodge; your large bag waits in storage in Iquitos. Domestic economy fares usually include one checked bag, and we confirm the allowance with your flights. If the morning flight to Iquitos is delayed, the lodge boat waits for the group and the afternoon walk moves to the next day.
How does booking work?
Prices are per person sharing a room, with taxes, from CAD 3,395 for the small group. Pick your start date and request to book; we confirm your trip within 24 hours, including the flights and the lodge. Nothing is charged until we confirm.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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