- Iquitos is the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest and has direct access to the mighty Amazon River.
- Iquitos is the largest city in the world unreachable by road. If you’re planning a visit, you will first need to fly to Lima, the Peruvian capital, or voyage down the Amazon River from places like Manaus in Brazil, Coca in Ecuador, or Leticia in Colombia.
- Iquitos grew to its current size mainly through the wealth obtained during the rubber boom. During this time, rubber barons often exploited local people to obtain the material from trees that surround the city. Buildings like the Iron House are testament to the wealth of the rubber boom period.
- The city center and hub of the city revolve around the Plaza de Armas, the central square in Iquitos. Here you can find many restaurants, hotels, internet cafes, and shops.
- The main language in Iquitos is Spanish with a distinct Amazon dialect often noticeable to Peruvians.
- The world record for tree diversity was set in 1988 in the forests of Peru, near Iquitos, where around 300 tree species with trunk diameters over 10 cm were recorded in each of two soccer-pitch-sized patches of land.
- The main protected areas around Iquitos are the Allpahuyo Mishana National Reserve, Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, and the Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Reserve.
- One of the main regional foods you are likely to try in Iquitos are named juanes, a mixture of rice and herbs that cradles chicken pieces and is wrapped in banana leaves.
- The main Iquitos attractions are the Amazon Rainforest, Lake Quistococha, Manatee Rescue Center, and Pilpintuwasi Animal Sanctuary.
- Iquitos experiences a tropical climate with an average daily temperature of 30 – 32°C (86 – 90°F) and then cooler nights of 20 – 22°C (68 – 72°F). The wetter season (Iquitos lacks an official dry season) is between October/November – May/June.
