Seven days to do the Amazon properly
A week is the sweet spot for Iquitos. It gives you enough time to get well beyond the postcard and actually feel the rainforest, without the rushed in-and-out that shorter trips force on you. The formula that works best pairs the city as your base and your way in and out with a multi-day expedition deep into the jungle. Below is how to split the seven days so you neither sell yourself short nor burn out. Tight on time? Start with our 3-day Iquitos itinerary instead.
Day 1: Arrival and easing into the city
Fly into Iquitos, settle into the center, and use the afternoon to slow down and acclimatize. Watch the sunset from the malecon (the riverfront boardwalk) and treat yourself to a first Amazonian dinner. Arriving the day before any expedition is the golden rule here. Flights into the jungle get delayed and the boats leave early, so that buffer day saves you from missing your departure.
Days 2 to 5: The big expedition (lodge or cruise)
This is the heart of the week, and where you make your one real decision. You have two formats to choose from.
Jungle lodge (3 to 4 nights): total immersion. Day and night hikes, fishing, visits to riverside communities, and wildlife around the clock. You unpack once and let the rainforest come to you.
Amazon river cruise: a floating base with real comfort. Skiff excursions at dawn and dusk, plus the reach to slip into remote channels a fixed lodge simply cannot get to.
Not sure which one suits you? Our side-by-side breakdown of an Amazon cruise versus a jungle lodge walks through the trade-offs. And if you want the deepest, wildest version of the trip, several expeditions push all the way into the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, the largest protected area in Peru.
Day 6: Back in town and the other side of Iquitos
Once you are back in the city, give the day to everything that short trips never leave room for. Wander Belen market without watching the clock, drop by the wildlife centers nearby (Quistococha, the manatee rescue center, the butterfly farm), and pick up some handicrafts. After several days in the jungle, a proper shower and a good dinner taste like a small miracle.
Day 7: Free morning and departure
Depending on your flight time, save the last morning for whatever is still calling you. A final walk along the malecon, a coffee with a river view, or that one corner you never quite got to. If you check out early, leave your bag in storage and fly home with your head full of the Amazon.
How your hotel fits into a full week
On a 7-day trip your central hotel pulls double duty. It is your comfortable base on the city days (days 1, 6 and 7) and the keeper of your big luggage while you are out in the jungle. At Bora Hotel, on Calle Raimondi 363, just minutes from the Plaza de Armas and the malecon, we handle the practical side so you can focus on the trip. You get a free 24-hour airport transfer, breakfast included, free luggage storage for the entire expedition with no day limit, and 24-hour reception for arrivals and departures at any hour. Rooms come with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and a work desk, and we can issue a corporate invoice if you need one for work. Message us on WhatsApp at +51 945 572 732 with your dates and we will help you map out the full week.
