Iquitos – day 1 to 2

Our adventure started off by flying in from Brussels to Lima. We didn’t leave the airport just yet as we had booked another flight straight to Iquitos. We spent 4 hours waiting at the airport for that next flight. I really recommend to avoid waiting yet another few hours after an international flight, but in this case, we immediately wanted to fly north in order to be able to travel downwards.

Iquitos is a city located in the middle of the jungle, which connects tourists with their future jungle experience. We stayed in there for about two days before we’d start our 5 day-jungle trip.

My 3 tips for you:

• Check the timing of the year: rain season or not?
• Bring repellent (a lot!)
• Read my article

The Amazon Jungle – day 2 to 6

We stayed at the ‘Ayahuasca Ecolodge’ with Louis as our local tour guide. Oh, what do we love this man! Despite being there during the rainy season and being eaten by mosquitos, it was one of the most interesting experiences so far. Regardless of the several hikes I’ve committed myself to, I have never had been this close to nature. We stayed at the lodge for 4 days, 3 nights. Read here more on how to book a stay in the jungle.

My 3 tips for you:

• Stay at least two nights
• Buy enough bottled water to take along
• Bring a headlamp and breathable clothes that cover your skin (arms and legs) completely

After these few days in the jungle, we traveled back to Iquitos by boat where we stayed for one more night before we’d fly back to Lima.

Lima – day 8 to 10

After this intense experience between the tall trees, snakes, insects, and air thick environment we had decided to spend some days in the capital city of Peru: Lima. We stayed at a random hostel we found last minute, rested out prepared ourselves mentally for the next heavy adventure. Besides resting and strolling around, we didn’t do much since we knew we’d come back to Lima later on our trip.

Huaraz – day 10 to 17

It is only a 7-hour bus ride to get from Lima to Huaraz. Oh, do I love this place. Huaraz is known to be a paradise for hikers and nature lovers. Coming from Lima and Iquitos we found the weather a bit colder. Chilly weather, coming along with a lot of rainfall. Especially at night. The city has an average temperature of 14 C, with a good deal of rainfall during the summer months.

But hey, still no reason to hold you back! As I mentioned before, it’s a paradise for nature lovers!  We joined a 3-day trekking into the Andes Mountains: the famous Santa Cruz Trek.

The tour company we traveled with was Galaxia Expeditions and it totally satisfied our needs. Of course, if you’re an experienced hiker you could do the trek without a guide. Besides from the Santa Cruz trek, Huaraz offers many other trekking opportunities such as Laguna 69 (1-day trek), Huayhuash (multiday trek), etc.

My 3 tips for you:

• Get off your lazy ass and go hiking/trekking
• When you trek/hike outside the season be prepared for lots of rain
• If you decide to trek/hike with an agency: negotiate & compare

Lima – day 17 to 20

Thanks to past travels we had met great people from Lima, they gave us the best local experience ever. There’s plenty of things to do in the capital city of Peru: bicycle tours, paragliding, free walking tours, party, beach, etc. Of course, despite the local encountering we still felt obligated to be the typical tourist. I very much dislike water but I still got convinced to go swimming with sea lions, didn’t regret it a moment (maybe a little bit)! There isn’t too much information about this activity found online, so go ahead and check out my tips for swimming with sea lions

My 3 tips for you:

• Try to get to know some of the nightlife of Lima
• Do a free-walking tour
• It’s a big city; be aware of pickpocketing

Cusco – day 20 to 23

Cusco is known the be the cultural heart in the Peruvian Andes range: Macchu Pichu, Sacred Valley, hiking, rafting, … As we only had a few days to spend in Cusco we decided to participate in a tour that’d visit several places in one day. It was a good tour and lovely to have seen most of the places in a short time but of course, I recommend taking your time to see these beautiful spots.

• Chinchero
• Moray
• Maras
• Urubamba
• Pisac

Aside from these impressive places, there are also many interesting museums found at the city center, such as: Museo de Historia Natural, Museo Inka, Museo de Arte Precolombino. Peru wouldn’t be Peru if you wouldn’t encounter massive markets; my favorite market was the Centro Artesanal Cusco. Stroll around, found some cheap food and juices, get a souvenir, …

Accommodation wise we stayed at the (not so international) Incama hostel/hospedaje. We booked a private room and found our cheapest option here. Friendly people, big room, central location, not too expensive.

My 3 tips for you:

• I’ve skipped Machu Pichu – don’t make the same mistake as I did!
• Avoid eating out at the city center of Cusco, try to find cheaper places around.
• Negotiate with the tour companies.

Puno – day 23 to 27

We arrived in Puno without a plan. With no accommodation yet, we figured we would just let it come to us. We came from Cusco to Puno by night bus (+- 9 hours), meaning it was only 6 o’clock in the morning when the bus arrived. We saw the sunrise over Puno, so that was definitely worth it! Of course, we were worrying a bit that finding accommodation at this time might be difficult… But nope! As we were walking into the center we encountered a lady offering accommodation at a hospedaje. The price was really fair, and later on -when we talked to other people- we got to know that we had found the cheapest option. Cheers to that! Arriving at Puno feels like going back in time: many locally dressed people and this time not for tourism reasons. 

The reason why we visited Puno is because of Lake Titicaca. Puno is the highest navigable lake above sea level but besides that, it’s also very popular with its floating islands.

Don’t expect much from the Uros island. I really felt like being trapped in a zoo, overwhelmed by the ‘locals’ asking for money in all kinds of ways. Of course, the floating island is really something you need to see when there, so don’t skip it if you’re there.

I heard people talking about a homestay at the floating islands, and they had a great experience. Maybe, if you have enough time to travel, this might be something you’d like to look into.

The next stop of the boat was the Island of Taquile. Be aware, it’s quite a climb to get to the main square… But absolutely lovely. Even though the boat said they are just transportation and not a tour, the had planned on eating lunch together at a restaurant at the main square. We just sneaked out from the group so we could go on by ourselves. We found this lovely family-owned place that I can only recommend. At that moment we really regretted not bringing any stuff to sleep over at their hostel. They were very kind and their prices aren’t high. So if you are planning on spending the night at Taquile island, this is the place to be:

My 4 tips for you:

• Spend the night at Taquile Island
• Don’t just accept the tour offers of vendors on the street. Go to the port and book your trip there.
• Avoid hostels and try to find hospedajes, much cheaper!
• Wander through ‘Calle Lima’ at night.

Border crossing Peru & Chile – day 28

Puno was my last stop in Peru before heading to Chile. This is where I continued traveling alone. From Puno, I traveled to Tacna, where I took a bus to Arica (Chile). Unfortunately, I had limited time during my travel to Peru. We weren’t able to see the whole country, sadly. Other must-see places in Peru are (according to travelers I’ve met along the trip):

• Machu Picchu – Depart from Cusco. I consciously skipped Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain, however, I don’t recommend skipping it. For the Dutch readers among you, read here how to get to Machu Picchu on a small budget.
• Arequipa (close to Puno)
• Huacachina (desert oasis)
• Mancora (beach)
• Colca Canyon (south of Peru – hiking)

Any other recommendations? Questions? Please let me know, I’d gladly listen!

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While researching this activity I realized there’s definitely poor information about this on the world wide web – so here you go!

PS, I already warn you for the pictures: some water came into the Go Pro case & ruined the quality of most pictures. Also, I was terrified. WATER and SEA LIONS from close-by aren’t my cup of tea.

Option 1 – Islas Ballestas (can’t interact with the animals here, read further for swimming!)

In Peru, you can easily visit the Islas Ballestas. These famous Islas Ballestas are groups of islands that are located about 4 hours from Lima. You’d have to navigate yourself to the small town named ‘Paracas’. What’s so special about these islands? How does ‘penguins in Peru’ sound to you? Strange? Well, that’s the spot to encounter wildlife such as sea lions, penguins, pelicans, etc. This tour consists of a boat ride and some information on the islands and the animals.
I, myself, didn’t make it to Islas Ballestas but instead, I went for an alternative:

Option 2 – Swimming with sea lions on Palomino Island

How to get there?
The first thing you’ll have to do is to get to Callao. Callao is considered to be one of the dangerous places in Lima, however, I didn’t notice any danger. Just don’t provoke and avoid going when it’s dark. It is a port town located about 30 to 40 minutes from the capital city. Tell your taxi or Uber driver to go to ‘Port of Callao’, get out at the square and follow the next instructions:

Find a tour
As we got out of the Uber, we immediately got approached by several tour companies that were selling the tour to Palomino Island. We choose the one that was least pushy and that offered us a fair price. We were the only foreigners in the group, which I like as it gives a more local experience. There were other tours where foreigners did join. If you mind being to the only outsider, choose your tour wisely. Later on, I learned that it is also possible to book this tour in advance (online). Of course, you’re going to pay a higher price. You have got to determine what you prioritize… An example of a company that uses online service is Mar Adentro.

Departure time
These ‘swimming with sea lions’ tours usually start around 10 am. We made sure to be at the location at 9:45 so we could find a tour calmly. One circuit usually takes around 2,5 hours until you get back at the starting point.

Action, action, action!
The boat ride takes about 45 minutes for you to get to the exact location. This gives you the times to enjoy the sun, the views, and the wind in your hair. It’s also the time when you’re going to change yourself into a wetsuit, in order not to freeze when you get into the water. Because YES the water is cooooold. The smell and the noise of the sea lions will give you a heads up once arrived. You’ll be free to drive into the water and swim. Enjoy! The sea lions are super curious and will approach, listen to your guide, and don’t touch the animals. Let them play around and do their thing

Enjoy your dive! Love, Joyce

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How to get to Iquitos?

As already mentioned, Iquitos is completely surrounded by the Amazon jungle which makes it impossible to reach it by car. There are only two ways to reach the city. The first way (and less popular way) is by boat. The boat takes several days which makes it more time-consuming. However, I’ve read and heard good things about the boat trip. Concluded, I can’t tell you much about traveling there by boat, but I’m sure that the World Wide Web has something in store for you. Reaching Iquitos by plane departing from Lima takes about 2 to 3 hours. At the airport in Lima, you can find many travel agency stands that sell tickets for about 200 to 300 sol (ir y revuelta). But of course, there’s still the internet if you prefer to plan your tickets ahead. My flight to Iquitos was one of the most beautiful flights in my life… Make sure you get a seat at the window!

Transportation: from the airport to the city center

When you walk out of the airport many people will try to get you in their taxi… DON’T fall for these people. Walk a little bit further and stop a three-wheeler. These mototaxis (or three-wheelers… however you want to call them) are very efficient and cheap. A mototaxi from the airport to the city center is about 8 to 10 soles. The city center of Iquitos is called ‘Plaza de Armas’.

Accommodation: Hostels or hotels

In Iquitos, you can find everything. From the most shitty hostels to a Hitlon hotel. Because I travel on a budget I stayed at the Casa Celestrial Hostel. I’m mentioning the hostel because I was very satisfied with the hostel since it fitted my budget very well. The stay there was smooth and easy, and a very good location as well. The owner spoke both English and Spanish. If you’d like to check other options I can tell you that generally hostels aren’t expensive in Iquitos – 1 night could cost you between 16 to 22 Peruvian Sol per night.

Tourist scams

People on the street try to address you. First, they try to become your friend by asking about your home country and by asking your name. See, that a trick. The owner of our hostel specifically warned us about that. By knowing your information they will contact the next hostel, tour guide or whatever you’re planning on doing or visiting and they’ll claim that he has sent you there. When that happens, the people of the agency or hostel will have to pay that person a commission. Even though they didn’t do shit.

Wifi

Be prepared for a little internet detox. The wifi in Iquitos isn’t as strong as we know it like back home. So, do much of your research, booking, downloading before you get to the city.

Gateway to the jungle

All tourists who make it to Iquitos are preparing their trip to the jungle. My tip is: don’t book in advance, especially not on the internet. Don’t bite from the first time. The best thing you can do is hear people out, negotiate the price and tell them you contact them later once you’ve decided. There are tons and tons of jungle experiences that are sold in Iquitos. I’ve heard good and bad stories there. I, luckily, had a good experience with our tour. We stayed at a lodge which was very authentic. Our tour guide, Louis, was the owner of the lodge. I cannot express how much I appreciated him. He gave us so many great memories which I am so grateful for. I think I can write a book about him and his stories. If you’d like to know more about my stay or get a contact please contact me in private. I’d gladly provide you his phone number. Ps, post about my stay in the jungle coming soon!

Buy bottled water, don’t drink from the tap

Water on tap in Iquitos is not drinkable. Always buy bottled water. In fact, when I took a shower I felt very weird afterward. Like … not clean.

Try to avoid touristy restaurants and eat street food

The touristy restaurants of Iquitos are much more pricey than the street food places. Also, how much more authentic is it to eat with locals instead of being surrounded by all English speaking people. At night, street food is found generally everywhere.

Ayahuasca

You’ll get the opportunity to do Ayahuasca. When I was there, I got many opportunities too, but I didn’t do it. I can’t tell you much about it but what I can say is … Be careful. If you do decide to do it, then do it with full awareness. Make sure you’re with trustable people and with a clear head. I’ve heard many great things about it and many people recommended it to me. However, I’ve also heard some horror stories. Know that you’ll be puking your organs out, and you’ll be shitting your pants. However, I heard the trip is nice. I heard that people really get to know themselves afterward. Everyone says it’s a medicine, I’d rather call it a drug but I suppose it’s a matter of perception and everyone should decide for themselves what they consider it to be.

What to do in Iquitos?

Monkey Island – La Isla De Los Monos

Isla De Los Monos or Monkey Island is a sanctuary for monkeys owned by a family and opened up to the public. At this rescue center, you won’t see poor animals being locked up in cages that are way too small for them to live. On the contrary, you’ll see the monkeys running and playing around in open air. Getting there: So, you should be very careful when navigation to Monkey Island. We tried… At the harbor, we contacted a local driver, made a deal and … finally, he dropped us off somewhere that clearly wasn’t Monkey Island. Concluded; we didn’t get to see the real Isla de Los Monos, but instead saw a mournful ‘rescue center’… It was quite sad and poor looking one which made me doubt if it was a real one. Again, a tourism scam.  The real Isla De Los Monos is located about 45 minutes by speedboat. This is the right information I got from the tourism center: take a speed boat from Puerto de Productores (and not Port Bella Vista – this is the mistake we made). There, look for a boat that goes to Varadero. It’s recommended to call the place when your boat leaves to any of these phone numbers: 065 235887, 965841808, or 987610985. By doing that, they can send a smaller boat to pick you up in Varadero.

Belen Market

The Belen market is characterized as a vibrant and exotic place. You can’t miss this out when in Iquitos! The size of the market is enormous and you won’t believe your eyes when you see what you’ll encounter. It’s recommended to go there with a local guide as it is easy to get lost. However, I think if you think rationally, you’ll be able to find your way back. Also, big tip: be aware of pickpockets. It’s commonly known that tourists at this place are a frequent target.

Puerto Belen

They call Puerto Belen the Venice of Iquitos… Only much more poor. You’ll encounter houses put on poles to stay above the water. It is located at río Itaya, right next to the Belen market. We spent half a day at this location, going around by boat. It’s a sketchy area, but it is worth visiting. I recommend you to go there with locals in order to obtain a more local experience. If you’d be interested feel free to contact me and I could provide you the telephone number of a friend we made there. Wear decent shoes or even boots, feet might get dirty. Apologies for the quality of the next video!

Manatee Rescue Center

Ever heard of a Manatee? To me, it is the cutest animal I’ve ever seen. At the Manatee rescue center, you’ll encounter several animals that have been rescued out of several terrible situations, for example out of the hands of local people that keep them (sloths, monkeys, …) as a pet. Of course, there are so many more situations I could sum up. That’s where this team of people comes in. They started out as a rescue center only for manatees and finally grew to what they are now. Visit their website for more information. Getting there: You could reach the place by getting into a mototaxi. The address is Carretera Iquitos – Nauta, km 4,5. You could find it on Maps.me by typing ‘Centro de Rescate Amazonico (CREA)’.

Enjoy your travels! Love, Joyce

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