What to bring to Iquitos Jungle? 10 things you should not forget

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Now that you are clear, after much thought, that your next adventure is in Iquitos, you may be wondering what you need for this trip to the Peruvian Amazon. We have no doubt that your backpack will be full of illusions and brimming with the desire to discover the incredible amazon, although you should not forget to carry many other things you will need for such an excursion. In this post, we tell you what to bring to Iquitos, and the 10 essential things should not forget.

Mosquito repellent, the most essential thing to travel to Iquitos

The mosquito repellent can never be missing from your luggage for the tour in Iquitos, you must not forget that you are going to the Amazonian forest.

A lot of dampness and abundant vegetation is the ideal habitat of the mosquitoes, whose bites besides being annoying can become very painful.

So the repellent must be one of your best friends in the Amazon and it is recommended that you apply it constantly. Besides mosquitoes, you will also avoid being bitten by other insects.

And if you add a bed with a good mosquito repellent net, you will be more than prepared to try to avoid being bitten. Although we don’t know if all that will be enough…

Sunscreen, cap, and sunglasses

The sun is a source of health and we all like to have a healthy tan. But we cannot forget that in the areas close to the tropics the sun hits more strongly.

You will be in full nature, very exposed to the sun and a “burn” could ruin the rest of the trip. We recommend a sunscreen of no less than factor 50.

In the same way and for the same reason it is recommended to wear a cap or hat and sunglasses to protect the most sensitive areas from ultraviolet rays.

Cloak or poncho

It is essential if you travel in the rainy season, but don’t imagine that it will be raining 24 hours,

The rain in Iquitos is intense but short and then the sun always comes out.

Even if you do not travel in the rainy season, the weather in the Iquitos rainforest is unpredictable and can change at any time. So in case it rains, you will avoid spending hours of wet travel and possible colds that will spoil the rest of the trip.

Cotton clothes and long sleeves

Although when it’s hot, we tend to think we’ll go cooler and more comfortable with a short-sleeved shirt or suspenders and shorts, for a trip to Iquitos we recommend wearing cotton clothing. It is the most comfortable and coolest fabric for hot and humid places.

These clothes should be in addition to light colors, but not strident or flashy. They have to cover the arms and legs to avoid, besides bites, possible rubbing with trunks or plants.

Flashlight

A tour to Iquitos in the Amazon is a very authentic experience, and even more so spending the night in a jungle lodge integrated into a local community

You may not have all the comforts of a big city, but you can have the experience of seeing alligators at night. For that reason and so that you don’t lose any detail, we recommend that you always have a flashlight (or the same cell phone) at hand.

In spite of this, you will never (or should not) go out alone in search of animals at night. This activity has to be done with experienced local people, who we are sure will bring their own flashlight.

Our colleague Javier told us in his experience in Iquitos, how easy it was for the guides to see animals at night.

Comfortable shoes and flip-flops

A tour in Iquitos is a wonderful opportunity to get into the Amazon jungle.

As you know, it has nothing to do with walking around the city or the asphalt. The ground is irregular and humid, so when you arrive you will be provided with water boots for hiking in the jungle. Despite this, we recommend that you wear comfortable slippers for later and some shoes to be comfortable and fresh after the shower.

And since there are many more things to do in Iquitos than just the jungle, we are sure you will love to take a walk and tour this characteristic city.

Cash money will be an essential thing to travel to Iquitos

When making an excursion to the Amazon you must take into account that you will only find ATMs in Iquitos city, where you can get both soles and dollars.

The payment of the tour in Iquitos is in dollars, for this reason, we recommend that you bring cash. If you don’t have dollars, we recommend you to change them in Lima or Cuzco, where you will find a better exchange rate than in Iquitos.

Also, remember that Iquitos is the largest city with no road access, so it will not be worth your while to go to the ATM in the next town…

Photo camera

Besides recording in your retina each of the landscapes, animals, and spectacular flora that you will find in the tour in Iquitos, for sure you also want to immortalize it with your camera.

We recommend that you bring a camera bag (waterproof if possible) and an extra battery, charged in case it is not possible to charge it during your stay in the Amazon jungle. There, you will only be able to do so during the 3 or 4 hours that the generator produces electricity at the lodge.

Water, essential to travel to Iquitos

The heat and humidity will make it necessary for you to stay hydrated.

Therefore, another essential things to travel to Iquitos is to take with you a bottle of water or a canteen. You can fill it up at the drinking water springs available at the lodge. Don’t forget that, as in the whole country, current water is not drinkable.

Of course, in some areas of the jungle, there are lianas from which you can drink directly. Do not worry that this water is drinkable…

Swimsuit

Don’t forget to take your swimsuit!

In the middle of the Amazon jungle in front of the lodge you will be able to, besides refreshing yourself, enjoy the unique experience of swimming in the river. You will have the incredible opportunity to listen and even see the spectacular dolphins.

Now that you know all the essential things to travel to Iquitos, just close your backpack and enjoy every minute of your adventure in the Amazon of Peru.