My boyfriend and I took a two day boat trip from Yurimaguas to Iquitos, tucked deep in the Peruvian Amazon. We spent five days in the jungle, and our guide and interpreter deserve our wholehearted reccomendations!
Iquitos is an amazing city, the streets are throbbing with life, from the mosquito like moto taxis to the busy market, to the shanty town of Belen, it's a feast for the senses. A trip there is not complete, however, without a visit to the jungle that surrounds it. We booked a 5 day jungle tour with an agency called Jungle Wolf Expeditions, which was a great company, we were very well looked after, and felt part of the family. But, good as they are, I am not writing this about them. I am writing this to say how amazing our jungle guide, Jorge and our interpreter, Gerson were. It was really them, not any agency that made our jungle expedition the great experience that it was. Jorge truly is a man of the jungle, he was born there, 2 days canoe from the nearest village, deep in the primary forest of the Amazon basin, near Iquitos. He grew up tracking and hunting the animals of the jungle using blow darts, and learned about all the medicinal plants that grew there. Now Jorge uses this gift he has in his work as an independent guide. He knows the sound of every animal, and even the fish, he can spot the smallest of creatures high up in the canopy or hidden in the undergrowth. He knows exactly where all the medicinal trees grow, and how to make medicines for nearly every ailment from them. On our tour with him we saw sloths, monkeys, an iguana, a tarantula, amazing butterflies, we swam with grey river dolphins and canoed alongside the mysterious pink river dolphins. Gerson, our Interpreter was amazing aswell. He is disarmingly friendly and helpful, and the most perfect gentleman. His english is great, and he translated absolutley everything for us, word for word, instead of just summarising what Jorge said. He was great fun to be with, and we all made friends with him..he even took us to meet his English class when we got back! We really felt safe with him, and I am happy to reccomend him to anyone going to the jungle near Iquitos.
Favourite spots:
The little village of Puerto Miguel on the Rio Yarapa, where we stayed when we did the ayahuasca ceremony. It has just one dirt track going through it, and the river dolphins congregate close by. The nights there are perfect and still, with only the sound of impossibly small green frogs and insects serenading you to sleep. We bathed in the river in the morning, and tiny fish pecked at our legs-it felt like little bubbles going up and down them!
What's really great:
Jorge took my boyfirend and I to see a local shaman, with whom we did an ayahuasca ceremony, and Jorge stayed with us the entire time, making sure we were safe, and canoeing us upriver early in the morning to meet back up with our group. He also made us a medicine called siete raises (seven roots) made up from cuts off the most powerful medicinal trees, mixed with alcohol and honey. He didn't take any money for it, but took us to the market with him so we could see what he was buying and that it was all the best stuff- Jorge does not abide liars or fakes.
Sights:
Belen market and floating shanty town.
Accommodations:
Golondrina's hostel..its cheap, clean and has great showers and a swimming pool!
Ask for Gerson, who works on reception, mention that Megan reccomended you, and he will sort you out!
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