Iquitos is located on the banks of the headwaters of the Amazon river, the longest and widest river in the world. It is the most important city in the Peruvian Amazon jungle and a good point for discovering the fascinating diversity of jungle flora and fauna, as well as the mysterious beauty of rainforest. One of Iquitos main attractions is the hanging bridges found in areas surrounding some of the lodges.
Iquitos is a romantic and seductive city with a rustic charm and unique culture reflecting an intriguing history. Located 4 degrees south of the equator, the ethnic character is drawn from many indigenous tribes and European and Chinese immigrants who began to populate the area in the mid-1800's.
The economic heyday of Iquitos was the era of the rubber boom from about 1880 to 1912. During this time vast fortunes were amassed because the Iquitos region was the world's foremost source of raw rubber.

Great injustice was perpetrated upon the indigenous people during this time by foreign entrepeneurs who ruthlessly exploited them for labor. Many tribes were decimated and some eliminated entirely as a result of this exploitation.
A number of buildings constructed during the rubber era, many adorned with ceramic tiles imported from Portugal and Italy, remain in use in central Iquitos, especially along the old riverfront called the Malecon Tarapaca.
The people are peaceful, friendly and industrious, most with close lifestyle connections to the rivers and rainforests, which surround Iquitos for hundreds of miles in all directions.

Main Tourist Attractions

PLAZA DE ARMAS
The Plaza lies in the city center around which one can see the remains of the opulence that came with the rubber boom, long since over: houses adorned with Portuguese tiles and Italian marble. Other highlights are the Iron House or Casa de Fierro built by Eiffel, and the Casa Fitzcarrald.

BELEN
Belen is the liveliest part of the city, and all the types of jungle produce may be bought there: tropical fruit, fish, river turtles, medicinal herbs, local handcrafts, etc. The main attraction are the houses that float on the river during the high-water season, producing a veritable maze of canals, pontoon bridges, river craft and stores. River taxis may be chartered to take a tour of this exotic neighborhood.

QUISTOCOCHA TOURIST COMPLEX
Situated on the shores of a lovely lake screened, the complex is crisscrossed by trails along which one can walk and observe different species of monkeys and birds living in their natural habitat. The Complex also has an aquarium, a snake section and a small zoo with different animal native to the region.

Native tribes that live near Iquitos include the Cocamas, Witotos-Boras, Yaguas, Ticunas, and Orejones.