Loreto
(220 meters) above sea level |
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Map of Loreto |
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The World’s Nature Reserve
The mighty Amazon, the longest river in the world that unites the people that live in the heart of the rainforest, crosses this region. Its forests grow on white sand and are home to an extremely diverse array of flora and fauna. Loreto has exotic scenery in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, which is home to pink dolphins, and the Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, with its huge variety of orchids and butterflies.
Coexisting with native communities is part of daily life. Its cities are architecturally beautiful. Loreto is an experience that you live to the full.
- Location: In the north-east of Peru, it mainly comprises the Selva Baja (lowland rainforest) or Llano Amazónico (Amazonian plain) region. It is also a border region.
- Size: 368,852 km2 (142,415 sq.miles).
Routes & length of stay
7 Days(minimum |
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Recommended for Loreto
- Nature lovers, who can traverse the Amazon rainforest and find trees as tall as 196.85 feet or small, beautiful orchids. It is also easy to see monkeys, tarantulas and toucans.
- Intrepid adventurers, who can float down the Amazon River and discover its many tributaries. There, you can see pink and gray dolphins and go visit the village of Grau and its lookout. Treks and hikes through the deep jungle, even at night, are organized, but you have to keep in mind that it takes patience and a little bit of luck to catch sight of some exotic mammals.
- Plant watchers, who will have no complaints after seeing the splendid Victoria regia, a lovely floating aquatic lilly with one-meter diameter circular leaves.
- Bird watchers, who will enjoy their trip to Lake Zungaracocha (12.43 miles from Iquitos), Quistococha, and the Allpahuayo – Mishana National Reserve. There are birds that can only be found on the many islands formed by the Amazon River.
- Those interested in mysticism and popular traditions, who can visit the Bora community of San Andrés or simply talk with one of the natives (who many times are specialized tour guides) to learn more about the magical world of the Peruvian jungle.
What to buy?
You can find a great variety of handicrafts in the area, such as pottery pieces featuring geometric designs, hand painted fabrics and many other objects, both decorative and utilitarian, made from materials found in the region.
What to eat?
Iquitos has a host of restaurants to satisfy the most refined of palates, where chefs take advantage of regional resources, such as the palm heart, an essential ingredient in salads, yet also prepare
international foods. The paiche, an extraordinary Amazon fish, is a main ingredient for dishes in which its delicious meat is marinated in tropical fruit juices before being accompanied by different sauces.
The most popular restaurants offer creative regional dishes, like the famous chicken juanes (a type of rice tamale wrapped in banana leaves), the tasty tacacho (roasted bananas with deep fried pork) or the delectable soup, worthy of the best restaurants, called inchicapi.
The meat of game animals is also a succulent choice, the best being paca, deer and caiman (farm raised, not the ones living in the wild). Of honorable mention are stimulating traditional drinks like huitochado and chuchuhuasi, which are reported aphrodisiacs.
Typical dishes Loreto
- Chonta or palm salad: Chonta salad, classic dish of the Peruvian Amazon; especially for hot weather. Chonta is a product obtained from the center of the palm, coconut particular. Traditionally served at Easter. It is prepared with chontas, onions, spicy, lemons, tomatoes, salt and pepper. To use the soft parts of the chonta you must put them in lemon and chop; mixed with other ingredients with olive oil. He served with meat or fish.
- Inchicapi: It is an iconic soup of the Peruvian jungle. It is prepared with chicken, poultry, cassava, maize, corn, cornmeal, onion, garlic, cilantro, chili lime and other ingredients. It is customary to eat with the family. For inchicapi you must have some expertise and desire to prepare it, to get it right.
- Paiche to Loreto: It is a dish made with pirarucu, which is cut into sheets before being fried together with other ingredients. You can also use the whole fish and season with pepper, cumin, salt, pepper and lemon lime. The arapaima is a fish typical of the jungle and one of the delicious flavor, which is preserved with salt and can be used after several days. Moreover, there are other variations of the dish as hash and rolling pirarucu paiche. It is customary to serve with plantain and salad chonta.
Quistococha Tourism Complex
Visiting Hours: Mon – Sun 7.00 am – 5.00 pm Location: At Km 6.5 on the Iquitos-Nauta road, south-east of Iquitos (30 minutes by car). Located near the Quistococha lagoon. The complex comprises 369 hectares of natural forest, with...
Belén Port and Town
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: On the left bank of the Itaya river, south-east of Iquitos. Its origins date back to the beginning of the 20th century, and it comprises homes built on top of balsa wood rafts that float...
Amazon Museum
Visiting Hours: Daytime, although the best time to see all the activity at the market is between 7.00 am and 1.00 pm Location: Malecón Tarapacá No 386. Built in 1863. The standout features of the museum are its large...
Tarapacá esplanade or boulevard
Visiting Hours: Daytime and at night. Location: One block from the Plaza de Armas. Designed at the peak of the rubber industry boom in memory of the fallen heroes from the War of the Pacific. One block from the...
Mother Church
Visiting Hours: During Mass. Location: Plaza de Armas in Iquitos. A church in the neo-Gothic style, built between 1911 and 1924. It has just one nave with a carved wooden pulpit on the right-hand side. A fascinating detail is...
lake Rumococha (Lago Rumococha)
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: 3,8 Km from iquitos southwest of the city of Iquitos on the banks of the Nanay RiverIt has form of closed arch and is known for its calm waters for fishing and facilitate the practice of...
Santo Tomas village (Caserío Santo Tomás)
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: 16 km from Iquitos It located on the banks of the tranquil waters of the Nanay River. It is a good place to swim, ski or ride by speedboat or canoe. The area is inhabited by a...
San Andrés Boras Ethnic Community (Maynas)
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: Depart from Bellavista Nanay port by speedboat, on the Nanay – Momón rivers (20 minutes). On the banks of the Momón river. Local inhabitants come from the Alto Putumayo area, on the border with Colombia....
Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm (Maynas)
Visiting Hours: Tue – Sun 9.00 am – 4.00 pm. Last guided tour at 2.45 pm. Location: 15 minutes on foot from Padre Cocha. Home to more than 20 varieties of exotic butterfly in an beautiful habitat of tropical...
Padre Cocha (Maynas)
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: 20 minutes from Bellavista by motorboat. On the left bank of the Nanay river. Inhabited by the Cocama Cocamilla ethnic group, a community of artesans who mainly make pottery. From here, tourists can visit both...
Santa Clara Beach
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: 12 km south of Iquitos, on the shores of the Nanay river (30 minutes by car). The turning is 500 metres before the airport. During the dry season (July – November), when the level of...
Zungarococha Lake
Visiting Hours: Daytime. Location: 12 km from the Iquitos airport security booth (30 minutes by car). The right bank of the Nanay is ideal for swimming or canoeing amidst beautiful scenery.The small Corrientillo lagoon is nearby, where traditional stews...
Festival Employers Santa Clara -Loreto
Celebration date: August -08 Festival Santa Clara is located 15 kilometers from the city of Iquitos, on the banks of the Nanay River , the main tributary of the Amazon .History indicates that in the early twentieth century , a...
Founding of Iquitos-Loreto
Loreto Begins: January-05 Ends: January-05 Allegorical celebration with civic parades and festivals in which the entire town participates. It commemorates the arrival of Peruvian sailors to Iquitos on January 5, 1864, which led to the city becoming part of the national...
Carnival Loretano
Celebration date: Feb -18 The carnival has different ways of being held in the countr; in each region the European custom mixed with those of each of the different regions of Peru traditions is why every Carnival is an...
Feast of San Juan (Fiesta Patronal de San Juan)
Celebration date: June -24. The Feast of San Juan is a celebration of great importance that has celebrations throughout the region of Loreto.There are different party to this ritual practiced by devotees in the area. It is important to...
Feast Virgen of the Nieves and Tourism Week Yurimaguas- Loreto
Bgins: Aug -05 Ends: Aug -15 Yurimaguas makes a big celebration of the Feast in honor of the Virgen de las Nieves and Santa Maria Maggiore, while performing the activities to mark Tourism Week this city with serenades, dances,...
